On a sunny June day in early 2023, I stood on the sidewalk at 45th and Springfield alongside Philly Music Fest founders Greg and Jen Seltzer and WXPN’s Bruce Warren, taking in a dazzling West Philly Porchfest performance by the emo / math rock four-piece Lowercoaster. The band’s intricate playing and cathartic vocals drew out a sizeable crowd to hear songs from their self-titled debut EP. This spring they return with their follow-up, and the band uses its Key Studio Session this week to unveil a batch of new songs.
Lowercoaster is comprised of singer-guitarists Zack Cummings and Jesse Morency, bassist and vocalist Cam Chung, and powerhouse drummer Nolee Morris. This winter they set up in WXPN’s performance space, bathed in aquamarine light, and ripped through a five-song set that was equal parts poppy (the bright opener “Five Rooms”), propulsive (the Jimmy Eat World-esque rocker “Glimmer”), and pensive (the burning “Critical”). The band’s hammer-on guitar licks and bracing drumbeats are thrilling, and the set took unexpected detours, like the way “Pacific Breeze” shifted from a dreamy chorus comparing east coast shore points to a blistering outro set to a slick cumbia beat. In addition to the new music, the band gives us a fired-up take on their most popular song, “Hide and Seek.”
This Friday, Lowercoaster plays its next hometown concert, opening for Carly Cosgrove and Maceal at the Ukie Club; their EP is due out in April, and you can follow them on IG at @lowercoaster for more details as their year continues to take shape. Watch the band’s Key Studio Session in full above and see more photos from the recording session below.