Many artists will often tell you that their inspiration came to them in a dream however it was a little bit different for ex Panics Front Man Jae Laffer whose inspiration came to him in the form of a newspaper article.
As he began writing his debut solo Laffer read an article about the last remaining blacksmith on Hanoi’s Blacksmith Street that moved and motivated his creative energy – now we are nine days from the release of ‘When The Iron Glows Red’.
Folk-rock lovers eat your hearts out – ‘When The Iron Glows Red’ is basically everything you’ve been missing from your play list! It is a collection of ten tracks compiled of well written lyrics, quiet heartbreak and simple sounds.
Since The Panics, it has been clear that Laffer is an exceptionally beautiful song writer; however it seems he was holding back a lot of his now recognizable talents as this album is one of intimacy and grandeur. Each track on the album is drowning in both honesty and hope and it is indescribably beautiful!
The instrumentals on the album are both clean and crisp which only adds to its beauty. Each track is are of a jumble of guitar, drums, violin and piano. However no matter how interesting and creative sounds are – it is Laffer’s voice that makes the tracks as stunning as they are. Laffer has one of those voices that paints a picture in your head and fills you with sentiment.
There are a few noticeable songs on this album, the title track ‘When The Iron Glows Red’ is definitely a highlight. ‘Always So Close’ was another of notoriety however it adorns a lot of resemblance to something you would expect to hear from The Panics (which could be a good thing if you’re a fan of The Panics). However the Song to listen out for is definitely: ‘Leaving On Time’ because it is the most relatable, truthful song on the album – whist still being incredibly catchy.
