Marc Laidlaw may be best known for his fantasy and horror novels or his work on the Half-Life video game series, but his full-length debut album, After The Pulse, proves that a creative’s gift for imagination can translate beautifully into music.
The Los Angeles-based writer weaves personal memories into compelling narratives, set against a rich backdrop of acoustic and electric vintage instrumentation. The result is a sound that is quite idiosyncratic—call it electronic alt-country or soulful indie folk—yet it remains both intimate and evocative. Wobbly analog synths, pleasantly weathered vocals, and a thoughtful sonic palette create a warm atmosphere, but above all, the ten songs here are defined by its memorable lyrics and inventive storytelling. Most catchy is Mama Never Went Electric: “We learned to read from the cover of a Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band LP // Mama sang us to sleep with traditional tunes of the Partridge Family”—just listen to hear where that leads.
After The Pulse, produced by Ryan Pollie, is out now digitally (self-released).
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Marc Laidlaw. Thanks so much for this! My first review, whoo! As a DIY “promoter” of my own crap, I really appreciate you taking the time to write about the album.