Despair, Too – EP is a sweet and sorrowful slide from willful
ambivalence to indifference, both of daily violence and the mire
that society finds itself toiling in. The title track has us dancing
the “Despair” – a herky-jerk dance that eerily resembles a
grand-mal seizure. “Just land on your head/ And bleed ‘til you’re
bled/ Don’t you want to? Don’t you want to Despair, too?” The
heavy-hitter rock tune is as raucous as is danceable, capturing
the listeners’ ears with singer Joshua Carey’s piercing
introductory shriek that demands your undivided attention.
“Violent Times”is a familiar lament on our desensitization
to violence, war, and the dwindling popularity of common
decency from our constant exposure to a relentless news cycle.
The uncertainty towards these serious issues, “I can see it on
my TV screen/ But it can’t see me,” are juxtaposed by a
soothing guitar rhythm and a funky bass line that softens the
blow of the otherwise darker lyrics. Like self-medication, the
uplifting instrumentals provide relief from the solemnity of
Carey’s words, helping the listener to better cope with the
constant flow of hard truths. “Ways To End The Night,” the final
mythic track on the EP, has been a fabled song that fans of Po
Lazarus have been waiting for since their similarly titled debut
album was released in 2016. The seven-minute epic is a first for
the band, and a triumph. At times passionate, sensual and
classy, it is a satisfying combination of the best of all songs that
come before it.