Phil and Lu

Phil and Lu

Phil and Lu | Mood Rock | Golden Boy Records | Sept. 30th, 2016

 

Bio:

Phil and Lu is Phil and Laura Stancil, siblings based in Venice Beach, California who have been playing music together their entire lives.

The duo will release its debut album Mood Rock on Sept. 30th, 2016, preceded by the single and video “Oh, My My,” the album’s opener and first glimpse into a sound well-defined by the album’s title.

“We grew up in a family band, playing roots-rock and folk music at festivals and local watering holes throughout Michigan, where we’re originally from,” Phil explains. “Our Dad taught us everything we know about music, and we fell in love with Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jose Feliciano, and Sergio Mendes by digging through his record collection.”

Phil and Laura also idolized The Beach Boys and pretty much everything “California” growing up, and Mood Rock listeners will hear those influences immediately, as well as the Stancil’s passion for Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, set to more modern instrumentation and production techniques. All of this combines to make Mood Rock a stand-out first record.

Speaking of California, there’s a distinct Sea Change-era Becktone to Phil’s reedy, mournful vocal on “Oh, My My” that helps the track feel instantly familiar.

“‘Oh, My My’ was one of the first songs we finished, and it set the tone for the entire record,” he explains. “It’s our personal favorite, and illustrates the vibe we have here in Venice Beach. It’s haunting, sad, and nostalgic.”

Mood Rock was written and recorded in a one-month period, and because Phil and Laura play all of the instruments on the record, in addition to writing and recording together, they were able to create on-the-fly, an essential part of what makes these songs feel so easy.

“We write in a quick, free-flowing setting, and the songs constantly change until we find the right recipe,” Phil explains. Indeed, every track on Mood Rock reaches in a different direction, but ultimately arrives at a satisfying destination.

Mood Rock, the debut album by Phil and Lu is scheduled for release on Sept. 30th, 2016. The brother-sister duo is currently working its second album, and will be performing live in around Los Angeles throughout the rest of 2016.

News:

Press Quotes:

“Lead single ‘Oh, My My’ is testament to the true emotion and reminiscence that goes into their songwriting.”
— The Line of Best Fit
“Poignant, highly-relatable, and beautiful. The album is absolutely alluring.”
— Impose
“The video is colored by the natural beauty and gauzy lighting of the landscape, which, like the song, is stunning, but vast, with a hint of loneliness around the edges.”
— Elmore Magazine
Phil and Lu (L-R): Phil Stancil, Laura Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Phil and Lu (L-R): Phil Stancil, Laura Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Phil and Lu (L-R): Laura Stancil, Phil Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Phil and Lu (L-R): Laura Stancil, Phil Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Phil and Lu (L-R): Phil Stancil, Laura Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Phil and Lu (L-R): Phil Stancil, Laura Stancil. Photo by Greer K. Bratschie. Click for hi-res.

Mood Rock cover art. Click for hi-res.

Mood Rock cover art. Click for hi-res.