LA indie rock band the Lavender Scare charms listeners with a sense of both tenderness and urgency. Amidst dark, atmospheric guitars and beds of synths, their songs are a downpour of melancholy infused with bright, catchy melodies recalling bands like the National and Radiohead. Singer James Delos Reyes pulls from his personal upbringing, navigating listeners through provocative queer lyrics emblazoned with irreligous sentiments. In the end, the music speaks for itself. Even fundamentalists will secretly be tapping their toes while shaking their fists.Formed in 2016, the band started out delivering moody cabaret sing-a-longs like their debut single “Drag for a Queen.” The lyrics and accompanying video features the narrative of an "ex-gay" christian advocating that being gay is a choice while secretly moonlighting as a drag queen. Although the band has since evolved passed the dark cheekiness of their previous sound, challenging lyrics like this still prevail. In September 2022, the band debuted their latest single "Names." The song is a provocative pro-trans narrative asking the question "What if God was trans?" Listeners can expect to hear more thought-provoking themes with future singles "Invisible Animals", "Must Be Nice", and "Who Will Save the Saviors?" Til then, listen to "Names" available now on all streaming platforms.