Lazarus is the primary musical vehicle for Trevor Montgomery, emerging in 2001 following his tenure with the influential post-rock outfit Tarentel. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the project represents a significant shift from Tarentel's instrumental expansiveness toward a more intimate, lyrically-driven exploration of folk, soul, and psychedelia.
The early catalog, specifically 'Songs For an Unborn Sun', is characterized by extreme minimalism and a collaboration with Marty Anderson, establishing a sound rooted in vulnerability and skeletal arrangements. The project's evolution saw a move toward 'chamber folk' territory, incorporating dense layers of percussion, glockenspiel, and keyboards, often recorded with producer Scott Solter. This era introduced a more overt political consciousness and a 'shamanistic' vocal style that draws heavily from gospel traditions. Critically, Lazarus is positioned within the mid-2000s freak-folk and indie-folk movements but remains distinct due to its slowcore pacing and soulful, almost devotional intensity. The project serves as a bridge between the experimental textures of the Kranky records scene and the narrative-driven songwriting of the Americana revival.
Shares indie folk, chamber folk, art rock (subgenres); analog_warmth, layered_dense, stripped_back (production style)
Shares analog_warmth, layered_dense, stripped_back (production style); indie folk, chamber folk, psychedelic rock (subgenres)
Shares analog_warmth, layered_dense, field_recordings (production style); indie folk, chamber folk, slowcore (subgenres)
Shares analog_warmth, layered_dense, reverb_heavy (production style); harmonized, gentle, breathy (vocal style)
Shares analog_warmth, stripped_back, layered_dense (production style); indie folk, chamber folk (subgenres)
Shares psychedelic rock, indie folk, art rock (subgenres); layered_dense, analog_warmth, reverb_heavy (production style)
Shares indie folk, slowcore, chamber folk (subgenres); acoustic guitar, piano, drums (instrumentation)
Shares analog_warmth, layered_dense, stripped_back (production style); indie folk, chamber folk (subgenres)
Shares indie folk, chamber folk, art rock (subgenres); analog_warmth, stripped_back, field_recordings (production style)
Shares indie folk, chamber folk, slowcore (subgenres); layered_dense, analog_warmth, field_recordings (production style)
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