Patrick Lew Band – Lost in the Meta (EP Review)

Today’s review features Lost in the Meta, the new EP by the Patrick Lew Band. “Born in San Francisco to a Chinese father and Japanese mother, Patrick Lew’s music journey has been shaped not only by his love for grunge, punk, and J-Rock but by his unwavering resilience in the face of adversity. Today, the Patrick Lew Band (PLB) stands as a testament to the power of determination, individuality, and artistic vision, redefining the landscape of indie music.” (Bio).

“Raised amidst the diverse influences of East Asian pop and Western rock, Patrick was exposed to a musical spectrum that was as vast as it was varied. From the haunting riffs of Nirvana to the melody of The Beatles, his early love for music was as eclectic as his cultural background. Growing up with Chinese and Japanese roots, he often felt the tension of navigating between two worlds. This duality would go on to shape his music, which blends the rawness of punk and grunge with the infectious energy of J-Pop and the free-spiritedness of East Asian culture.” (Bio)

Patrick first began his musical adventures at age 15, when his mother bought him a Tascam 4-track recorder. “With early albums like Curb Your Wild Life, Let It Rise, and Against, Patrick captured the riotous energy of his youth, infusing the music with a rawness and sincerity that made his sound unmistakable. As streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music gained prominence, PLB transitioned into a virtual band, incorporating electronic and experimental elements that captured the essence of the digital age. This shift marked a turning point in the band’s trajectory.” (Bio)

So let’s have a listen …

Patrick has a unique vocal style. Like speak-screaming. Not scream singing like some of your favorite alt rock artists, but speak-scream – where it sounds like you’re voice is scratchily screaming when you’re only talking through the lyrics. Despite having to get used to his unique voice, the instrument bed on the first track

My Cold Heart sounds solid. Very nice lead guitar riffage on the track. I would have preferred if Patrick’s unique voice had been mixed inside the track, maybe with a vocal effect, instead of mixed above the track. It sounds like someone just speaking a rough vocal on top of an existing track, rather than being a full band playing together.

Fractured Lines starts with a single-note guitar riff – sounding like a beginning guitar player. And then Patrick starts his speak-screaming. The song sounds disconcerting. I like some of what the lead guitarist is doing, but mostly the song comes off as disconnected, and not well mixed. “The politicians are talking, but their words are just a lie.”

There are some punk bands that have this same vocal style. But to me, this sounds particularly bad as a song. Parts of it are ok, here and there, but the whole thing sounds very raw and not well-mixed.

The third song Strength Not To Lose has lyrics which I’m guessing are in Japanese or Chinese. And the vocals actually sound really good, like a completely different singer. Nice track too. Very nice signature riffage.

I’m beginning to wonder if these instrument tracks are AI-generated.

Then we transition into the punk rock riffage of the fourth song Life Is …
Sounds like Neil Young is way too drunk to be playing guitar. LOL
Very simple chord riff, on repeat. No vocals in this song. The lead guitar screeches along in the background. There is some talking at the end of the track – “fuck off, y’all” … which should make this track, like My Cold Heart and Strength Not To Lose, explicit, which will kill any hope of radio airplay – unless clean versions are released. Just a DJ’s note to the artist.

Drain Like You starts with a direct ripoff of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit riff, but then transitions into a heavily reverb-laden voice which actually sounds ok, giving the song a very 60s psychedelic rock feel. In the middle of the song, the band pumps out one repeating note over percussion riffs. The lead guitar joins in, a scream, and then more of the Nirvana main riff. Reminds me a bit of 13th Floor Elevators.

Wanting You From a Distance, the final track on the EP, starts off with a nice keyboard riff. Then that “unique” voice comes in singing on top of a very cinematic soundscape. It’s disappointing that the voice ruins a good instrument mix.

In sum, most of this EP is really horrific. But there are two songs – Strength Not To Lose (sung in a foreign language) and Drain Like You – that deserve positive credit. Maybe re-release the EP with just those two songs on it?

SCORE/Mediocre: The Patrick Lew Band gives a valiant effort, but falls short with its new EP Lost in the Meta. Two of the songs, however, do stand out – Strength Not To Lose, sung in his native language, and Drain Like You, which is reminiscent of 13th Floor Elevators. I suggest that the artist re-release the EP with just those two songs on it. Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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