With his reedy vocals writ large, lead singer Christopher Richards makes comparisons to Win Butler self-evident. His band, however, is as firmly L.A. as the Arcade Fire is ardently Montreal. The Syndrome's rich symphonic rock is ultimately lush and warm, not icy and elegiac.
The Deadly Syndrome does big things on a purposefully small scale. Borrowing from the grand palate of indie rock gluttons like Arcade Fire, the LA-based four piece packs pomp and fanfare into modest folk-rock packaging. Despite their simple constructions, Syndrome songs blossom into lush landscapes of clamored guitars, warm keys and the soaring lead vocals of re-located Orleanite, Christopher Richards. Winning over most of LA in less than six months, the band quickly took stages with big-shots like Cold War Kids, Monsters Are Waiting, and Klaxons. Following closely behind was a deal with Steve Aoki's Dim Mak Records, and a string of sold-out dates at Spaceland. The band’s first offering, The Ortolan, will make its debut on September 11th. Welcome to the world of The Deadly Syndrome, or as The LA Times likes to call it, "...unbridled euphoria."