Jangle pop has bubbled out of the foothills of Appalachia in the form of Laughing Chimes. The college band has invited me into their ghost story as we dive into their sophomore album, “Whispers in the Speech Machine.”
~
Originally formed by brothers Evan and Quinn Seurkamp, the band was born out of an afterschool music program and fueled by lockdown in 2020. Evan describes the time period as critical to their establishment.
“There were a lot of people recording their own stuff at home…
people were also releasing music through these online small record labels that they had started in their bedroom…
that kind of inspired me to start a project…”
Now in 2025, aided by the talents of Avery Bookman and Ella Franks, “Whispers in the Speech Machine” was released into the world. Pretty Olivia Records discovered the work and proposed a release on vinyl. This moment was pivotal in the band’s career, propelling them into the universe of college radio.
“We didn’t really expect to do a whole lot with it and then it somehow got discovered by this online label.”
Lead guitarist and vocalist, Evan, points to small town America’s paranormal history as inspiration for writing. Rich with abandoned buildings and churches nestled in fields, their environment bleeds with gothic lyricism.
“Those thoughts of the paranormal or the supernatural… They are definitely fun themes to play off.”
“I knew that I wanted to go in a darker direction from day one…
Joydivision, Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen…
Over the last two years we’ve moved in that direction musically and aesthetically.”
The album oozes romanticism, the band’s interest in their region aiding their sound.
It gently soundtracks my own drive through a surely haunted New England. The guitars twinkle in 1960s fashion over farmland blanketed in dew. The keys ring while my beams cut through fog and dance over windows. Evan’s vocals haunt the hills as I roll by. The music delicately gives voice to the landscape, transcending its birthplace. I’m transported through the hidden history of rural America.
“Growing up around here you have to make your own fun…
I think inventing and investing yourself in some of these stories and legends is a way of being creative and interacting with the region.”
A love-letter to romantics and escapists alike (if there’s a difference),
“Whispers in the Speech Machine” echoes in empty houses.
Go listen to your new favorite artist,
Laughing Chimes.
Leave a Reply