Over seventeen studio albums Lawrence has given us some of the finest off kilter guitar pop melodies with his bands Felt, Denim and Go Kart Mozart, now with his latest project Mozart Estate, his brand of wonky pop takes another turn as he focuses firmly on modern day consumerism.
Recent single ‘Relative Poverty’ finds him musing on living within a ‘tenner a day’ set to a synth pop backing, even when a song’s content deals with life’s frustrations, in Lawrence’s hands it still sounds upbeat. “I’m looking through glass at the things I’ve never had” he states on ‘Lookin Thru Glass’ contrasting with “saddle up the horses, we’re going shopping, I’ve got a pocket full if cash I want to spend, but there’s nothing on the shelves worth buying, it’s enough to god damn drive you round the bend”. All set to keyboard riffs which even sound like shopping jingles, they’re beyond catchy, elsewhere there’s a knees up going on in ‘Pink And The Purple’ a rallying cry to all fizzy pop drinkers everywhere. Shining a light on consumerism from every angle, all set to a synth pop beat is what powers this latest incarnation of Lawrence’s musical vision. Each song overflows with an abundance of keyboards and sound effects, infused with catchy melodies and Lawrence’s unique perspective on everyday occurences.
Over his forty year career, Lawrence has constantly forged his own independent path. From the indie guitar melodies of his earlier bands Felt and Denim, to his off-kilter synth pop released under his various musical alliances, Mozart Estate is yet another twist in his quest for pop superstardom He has always said he wanted to be a huge pop phenomenon, and to his legions of fans, he already is, never giving in to the corporate music machine or conforming to what others expect. Like a more electro Half Man Half Biscuit the lyrical wit of Lawrence captures the essence of everyday life in 2023 filtered through his unique lens. Another slice of sparkling alternative pop from the maverick songwriter, there’s no one quite like Lawrence.
Mozart Estate: Pop-Up, Ker-Ching! And The Possibilities Of Modern Shopping – Out Now (Cherry Red Records)
Mozart Estate – Relative Poverty Video
From the early days of creating handmade zines, in a DIY paper and glue style, interviewing bands around town, then pestering Piccadilly Records to sell them, to writing for various independent mags such as Chimp and Ablaze, writing about the music I love is still a great passion. After testing the music industry waters in London with stints at various labels, being back in my hometown again, writing about this city’s vibrant music scene is as exciting as ever. All time favourite bands include Sonic Youth, Nick Cave, Patti Smith although anything from electro to folk via blues and pysch rock will also do nicely too. A great album, is simply a great album, regardless of whatever musical cage you put it in.
