There is a wonderful duality at work within Laugh at the Tragedy, the latest album from James Laurent. While much of the music has a buoyancy and addictive drive, lyrically, this is an album themed around the pressure of the modern world and the states of collapse, burnout, heartbreak, and addiction that the artist himself has battled with.
But where many would turn that into an album asking listeners to feel sorry for them, as the title suggests, Laurent found humour and irony in such situations, a healthy coping mechanism, and a way of turning the tables on such dark times. The result is a series of songs that blend brooding grooves and confessional lyrics with energetic rhythms and gallows humour.
“Polarity” welcomes the listener into a world of often-overwhelming honesty, songs full of vulnerability and self-mockery, a blend of gnashing rhythms and heart-on-sleeve expressions. And as “Midas” goes on to prove, this is the sound of a man with nothing left to give, but rather than wallow in such pity, he simply walks away and turns the experience into something positive.
“pardon me if I break down” really gets to the heart of the album, a skittering, driving slice of dark electro-rock that sees Laurent about as vulnerable as someone can get, heart laid bare but still accepting the situation. This may not be a rags-to-riches story (not yet, at least), but it is one of an artist turning pain and loss, struggles and hardship into, not just music, but best-selling music, not to mention a high-profile sync deal with a major movie platform.
And I guess the reason that this bearing of the soul has worked so well, been noticed, been rewarded is that it comes from a real place. This is the story of his actual life, tragic, believable, and honest. And honest is always the best policy, as they say.
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