Sugar Hill

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LA Las, states the quirky title of moe.’s tenth studio album. It’s a whimsical question with profound significance for a band that, after two decades, must still regularly figure out how to conjure up fresh sounds. But the fiercely independent jamband has never shied away from difficult challenges, building their impressive 20-year career on an almost entirely D.I.Y. formula.

On their most recent release, however, the Buffalo, N.Y. quintet decided that the best way to reinvent themselves was to borrow from the past. Likewise, for the first time since 1998’s Tin Cans & Car Tires, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LA Las finds moe. teaming up with a record label and enlisting the talents of outside producer John Travis (Kid Rock, Social Distortion).

Though many of the songs included on the album have been in the band’s repertoire for years, the effect of different perspectives leaves even road-worn classics sounding new. Relative to its square-jawed, live rendition, the studio version of album opener, “The Bones of Lazarus” – a decade-old fan favorite – comes off clean-cut and well-behaved. The result is a new angle on an old song, positioning listeners toward a clearer view of this jamming troupe’s often overlooked songwriting abilities.

Yet, this album is pure moe. all the way through, with plenty of the ferocious guitar riffs, intricate rhythms and allegorical storytelling that fans have come to expect. The pensive opening lyrics of “Downward Facing Dog” burst into a poetic celebration, which proclaims that life is meant to be lived – a lesson that guitarist/vocalist, Al Schnier, came away with as he penned the song while dealing with his aging father’s poor health.

Jams throughout the release are predictably manicured in length, but they’re not short of energy, reaching fevered pitches on “Haze” and “Rainshine.” The circus tantrum, “Chromatic Nightmare,” and the pop joyride, “One Way Traffic,” both of which add novel dimensions to moe.’s signature rock aesthetic, further energize the album.

Guitarist/vocalist, Chuck Garvey’s “Suck a Lemon” – inspired by fans during a Halloween show – closes the album. In it, the band breaks into a raucous chorus of “la la,” thereby answering the question, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LA LAs: Clearly, moe.’s still got them.