If you’ve come across Lauran Hibberd before (and you really should have!) then it’s a safe bet that you’ll be expecting strong things from her debut album Garageband Superstar.
Whether you’ve spent time listening to her 2021 six-track EP Goober or caught her live you’ll know that she’s effortlessly cool, overwhelmingly casual and certainly knows her way around indie-pop (or slacker pop as she’s often been described).
At long last Lauran Hibberd is dropping her debut album – the 12 track Garageband Superstar. The album lays bare her witty, self-depreciating, care-free view of life with some excellent lyricism; whilst sonically it draws on plenty of US pop-punk influences including Wheetus, Green Day and Alien Ant Farm. Garageband Superstar draws on themes of longing, inferiority complexes, comparing yourself to others and living in denial.
On the album Lauran Hibberd is joined by collaborators including DJ Lethal of Limp Bizkit and Wheetus’ Brendan B Brown, as she cements the US pop-punk link.
In Pictures: The Regrettes and Lauran Hibberd at the Deaf Institute
Garageband Superstar gets off to an immediately promising start through opener Rollercoaster. The riff heavy track is the perfect foil for Lauran Hibberd’s casual vocals and a taste of things to come. The approach finds its way throughout the album, with Still Running, Step Mom and more following in a similar vein. It’s a generally upbeat album, despite the occasionally downtrodden lyrics, dropping the tempo only rarely including for the outstanding track Slimming Down.
The album also features a number of tracks which are destined to be crowd favourites when Lauran Hibberd hits the road. In particular the previously released That Was a Joke looks certain to hit strike a chord when performed live, as does standout track I’m Insecure (completely with references to Tripadvisor Ratings – just one of many humourous topics and throwaway comments which make it onto the album).
With most tracks landing between 2 minutes 30 seconds and 3 minutes thirty seconds, the 12-track Garageband Superstar doesn’t hang around. The entire album clocks in at just over 38 minutes, making it a fast paced affair with little room for dwelling on the seconds before hitting a fitting end with the lack back, end of evening style Last Song Ever.
Garageband Superstar ticks all the boxes we’ve cove to expect from Lauran Hibberd, with grungy guitars, driven riffs, outstanding lyricism, effortless cool and plenty of humour all combining to make an outstanding debut album.
In support of Garageband Superstar, Lauran Hibberd will be appearing at HMV Manchester next week
Garageband Superstar is out on 19 August 2022.
When does Lauran Hibberd appear at Manchester’s HMV?
Lauran Hibberd appears at HMV Manchester on 25 August at 5.00pm. The Manchester date is one of nine in-store dates she is performing:
19 August – London, Rough Trade East (7pm)
20 August – Bristol, Rough Trade (6.30pm)
21 August – Bournemouth, Vinilo (1pm)
21 August – Southampton, Vinilo (7pm)
22 August – Nottingham, Rough Trade (6pm)
23 August – Southsea, Pie & Vinyl (1pm)
23 August – Brighton, Pie & Vinyl (6.20pm)
24 August – Kingston, Banquet (6pm)
25 August – Manchester, HMV (5pm)
