Lunatic House

*Deluxe Edition is pressed on Gold color vinyl. Besides that it is identical to the LP version*

Seattle-based Spirit Award are known for their unique mix of sprawling stereo guitars, stunningly moody soundscapes and a driving drum and bass foundation. While Spirit Award are aptly capable of generating catchy psych moments, there at times seem to be no calculable formula to their writing style. Composed of Daniel Lyon and a cast of rotating musicians, their goal to create a project with grit and authenticity is clearly evident throughout their music.

Spirit Award’s third LP, Lunatic House was in part a collaboration between Daniel and Producer Trevor Spencer (Fleet Foxes, Valley Maker) and Drummer/Engineer James Barone (Beach House, Tennis, Nathaniel Rateliff). The idea was to create a vibe through the record; aggressive, noisy, and pulsating.

Thematically, Lunatic House feels a bit like a haunted house. But instead of monsters or killer clowns, we see everyday nightmares: power hungry billionaires, racism, a declining planet, addiction, misinformation, death, and the sins of America's past and present. The song “Unlock the Door” asks the question “Who caused the world to suffer and die, while they sat idly by?”, while “Shout (Kill the Rich)” chants the line “Kill the rich, feed the poor,” as a plea to flip the tables of extreme wealth to benefit the rest of humanities struggles and irreversible climate change. While there are some heavy concepts on the record, some lighter songs like “NGDWY” and “Mantra” center around love and commitment, and balance the heaviness of the record.

While there are a lot of dark themes, there is a hope and light at the end of them, and a call to others to get active and motivated to make positive changes in themselves and in communities around them. While the band's purpose is to make music, Daniel is very vocal and committed to helping social, racial and economic injustices. For this record, they have chosen to donate 25% of their profits through Share It Music to the ACLU, helping to fight for individual rights and liberties.