The Lavender Scare is a queer POC led indie rock band from Los Angeles, CA comprised of multi-instrumentalists James Delos Reyes and Luis Servin. Inspired by the likes of Radiohead, the Cure, and Arcade Fire, the band confidently delivers on heavy guitar-driven anthems interwoven with beds of dream-like synths. Their sound evokes feelings of wistfulness, cynicism, and urgency navigated seamlessly by singer Reyes. At times, his vocal stylings draw comparisons to grunge gods a la Cobain and Cornell. And yet, this reassured angst constantly retracts with gentle croons permeating atop lush synth pads. This wrestling back and forth only reinforces the lyrical themes which often are inspired by Reyes’ own upbringing. Growing up in the church, he struggled to make sense of his own sexuality. He eventually parted ways with his long-held beliefs having to reclaim and discover his own sense of self. In each catchy melody, you can always hear this resilience exude in his darkly tinged voice.Formed in 2016, the band started out delivering moody cabaret-inspired sing-a-longs like their debut single “Drag for a Queen.” The song and accompanying music video features a drag-inspired story digging in as a harsh critique of conversion therapy. In November 2019, the band debuted a darker, heavier tone to their agenda in the form of their first EP "Hand Me Down Kingdom Come." Opening track “Better Looking Boy” pummels the listener with a pounding stop-and-go pulse of densely laid guitars. The song whose lyrics pay homage to a popular gay hookup app was also released with its own standalone mobile app–an interactive experience that draws listeners more into the song’s underbelly with a taste of tribute and double-edged satire.
While focusing on songwriting during the pandemic, the Lavender Scare overhauled their sound for an even bigger sonic palette drawing influences from shoegaze, indie anthem rock, and 80’s goth rock among others. In January 2022, the band debuted their latest single "Kiss Me Till I Die" and will follow up with a slate of new releases including “Pastel Skin,” "Tall Grass,” “Red Letter Edition,” and more. Check out "Kiss Me Till I Die" available now on all streaming platforms.