Holden Laurence’s “Sometimes Laughter” Plumbs the Depths of Personal Darkness With a Tenuous Sense of Hope

Holden Laurence, photo courtesy the artist

Opening with a melodic bass line, steady tom rolls and hi-hat tapping with a ghostly synth haunting the background, Holden Laurence’s “Sometimes Laughter” immediately recalls Joy Division’s “Decades.” But when the vocals come in the keyboards soar into a more uplifting dynamic while somehow remaining melancholic, guitar melody gloomily bending in flanger. Laurence’s vocals imbue a story of tragedy and heartache with a sense of romance and humor at the absurdity of some of the situations life throws at you. Laurence played all the instruments on the track minus the drums performed by Michael O’Brien of The Modern Electric and there is a coherent and balanced aesthetic.The fiery, rhythmic guitar solo at the end of the song paired with ethereal keyboard work isn’t just reminiscent of Joy Division, but also of The Sound and the way the band could sound so hopeful while plumbing the depths of personal darkness trying to find there some revelatory and illuminating emotional truth. Listen to “Sometimes Laughter” on Soundcloud and connect with Holden Laurence at the links provided.