Le Ra releases ‘LIMBS’ October 4
ARTIST: LE RA
TITLE: “SIN NOMBRE”
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
“Sin Nombre” by San Diego-based Le Ra discusses co-dependence and temptation set to a psych-rock tune.
Le Ra. Photo courtesy of Le Ra.
You might have seen our coverage of Grrrl Independent Ladies in the past, but did you know Grrrl organizer Mónica Mendoza is a badass musician too? She’s been known to front well-loved ska band Tijuana No! and shred guitar in Los Angeles-based Strange Phases. However, she’s told me that her garage rock band Le Ra is her “baby.”
Mendoza’s pet project releases a new song, “Sin Nombre,” Thursday, September 20 (TODAY!) in anticipation of their full-length release, LIMBS, October 4. “Sin Nombre” (Spanish for “no name”) has got Brit-pop and 90s garage rock sensibilities with a psych-rock touch. The lyrics, elegantly written, discuss co-dependence and temptation.
“I wrote that song when one of our first drummers left the band hence the lyric ‘you bang the drums and loose control’ which, side note, is also a Stone Roses reference,” says Mendoza. “This song isn’t necessarily about him, but rather about behavioral patterns that people like him have and I include myself in that.”
Le Ra is comprised of Mendoza (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Ida Naughton (backing vocals, bass), Maribel Luna (backing vocals, drums), and Luis Lopez (percussion). Mendoza says that it wasn’t until this current lineup that Le Ra’s songs felt complete enough to track a full length.
Working on LIMBS was a long process for all of them. Mendoza had been writing songs for the album since 2013. Recording started in 2015 but became a start and stop project. The engineer they’d been working with moved to Mexico City from Tijuana. The went through a lineup change in 2016 (Naughton replaced a previous bass player), which also delayed LIMBS’ release.
Despite the ups and downs, Mendoza says LIMBS has been worth the wait.
“We just got signed to Respectful Lust Records and we are so honored to form part of that fam,” says Mendoza. “Things like that feel so special regardless of how long it has taken to release LIMBS. Definitely worth the wait.”
Listen to “Sin Nombre” below.