Review: Lost in the City – Leaving Home

Artist: Lost in the City
Album: Leaving Home (artwork by Charles Frederick Koons)

Tracklist: 

“The Battle of Schrute Farms (feat. Jordan T. Rebman)” 
“From the Floor of an Attic in Portland” 
“Daylight” 
“You Stopped This Train” 
“Bangarang!” 
“Into the Dark” 
“The Light Inside My Head” 
“Metro Apartments (feat. Bret Liber)” 
“The Upside Down” 
“Monsters Are(n’t) Real, Pt. 2

Kansas City is brimming with undiscovered talent. Hard-working musicians in every genre who want nothing more than to be heard. For some, it’s about spreading a message and giving people something to connect to. For others, it’s about simply creating music that is fun to play and is true to who they are as musicians. For ALL, though, music is an escape from reality and an outlet for any range of emotions that they can’t otherwise convey. Overland Park’s Lost in the City falls into all three of these categories. Their music, however, is hard to pin down in terms of genre. There is a lot going on but it creates something that can only be nailed down as “their” sound. To elaborate on “a lot going on,” I mean that there are a lot of different elements to their music that create an incredible soundscape that, done ANY OTHER WAY, would clash in a way that would make it painful to listen to. Recorded at Red Roof Productions in KC by Bret , their sophomore album, Leaving Home, might just be the best local release I’ve heard all year! That’s not knocking any of the other bands who have dropped releases this year, as there are a TON of great ones out there. Leaving Home is the one album that I’ve sat and listened to, front to back, upwards of 100 times since it was released (October 13th) and MANY more since it was originally sent to me. What is so stunning about this album, though? 

For starters, vocalist Shane Radford has an incredibly unique voice. When I say unique, think about vocalists like Tom DeLonge, Chris Carraba, Dave Mustaine, Brandon Saller, etc. These are artists who you hear and there is absolutely no mistaking. His higher range hits the ear just right and transports the listener to another realm. Forget all of your worries, your hardships or your current goings-on. His vocals project just enough power and emotion to make the listener feel what’s going on in the track and, what’s even better, is that it’s done even BETTER on a live front. Couple that with some of the best musicians KC has to offer — Cullan Wiley (Cartographer), Kyle Constant (ex-Cartographer) and Dustin Proctor — and you’ve really got something to write home about. Constant stands as one of the best drummers in the area, able to keep perfect time and balance throughout his performances, both live and studio. What’s more is that he makes you feel every beat, as if his soul were connected to his sticks and each pound, transfers a part of it into his music. 

There are a lot of pop-punk elements on Leaving Home. Most notably, there are a lot of gang-chanted “whoa-oh-oh” type of moments that create a sense of brotherhood within the band. Then you have tracks like “Into the Dark” that purposely place loud, obnoxious “dada-da-da-da-da’s” but they come off so perfectly that you couldn’t imagine the track without them. The choruses will be stuck in your head for days, especially that of tracks like “Daylight” and “You Stopped This Train.” Ironically enough, these were the two singles the band chose for the album… and it’s not hard to see why. They aren’t too abrasive, they’re incredibly catchy and they have some major radio potential to them. 

Regardless of what you’re into, Leaving Home, is a must-listen for anyone. This album is more than just music, it’s an exploration of self and an invitation to embrace another side of music that, otherwise, might never be explored. Lost in the City have created something truly unique, remarkable and masterful in their careers. I invite you, our readers, to take an hour out of your day and explore Leaving Home for yourself by clicking one of the links below. If physical copies are more your thing, you can hit up the band via their Facebook page and get one directly from them! They’ve begun work on their next release, so stay tuned for any new updates as we get them! 

Notable tracks:  “The Battle of Schrute Farms (feat. Jordan T. Rebman of Sweet Ascent)” “Bangarang,” “You Stopped This Train,” “Metro Apartments (feat. Bret Liber of Young Medicine)” “Monsters Are(n’t) Real Pt. 2”



Buy/Stream Leaving Home
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