“So what part does Nicotine play? It’s a scramble for stability. Cigarette in hand, trying to gather her thoughts, Renae finds herself choking on what she thought would calm her shattered nerves…I can’t say for sure what this song is about. But that’s the beauty of music. A song can mean a world of different things to each listener. Whether you’ve been hurt by a loved one or a stranger, whether you’re begging for a second chance or praying for healing, you can make ‘Nicotine’ your anthem. I think we can all find a reason to cry out, ‘Heaven help the one I love.’”
“Laramie’s sound is so intriguing because of its own eclectic and catchy vibes combined with a mix of powerful hints of influences such as Stevie Nicks, Florence and the Machine, Evanescence, and The Cranberries. Her captivating voice reaches back to ancestors, almost spiritual in it's roots and is a definite show stopper.”
- Nikola Bedingfield, Emmy Nominated Songwriter & Composer
Indie rock never sounded so great as with Laramie. The angelic vocals matched with prestine playing – that’s what you get with this Memphis band. “Whisper” lives up to its name as a soft sung song. As that one continues with the sweet nothings, “Heavy In Your Arms” steps it up just a bit. You can hear a bit of sass in her delivery with this one, a boost of confidence in her words. Then once you stumble upon “The Good Men,” you get this very cool beat to it. I love the way she comes fast with certain parts, but can balance it out with the slower, more drawn out vocals. You get this sort of throwback with “Charlotte’s Waltz” and then get a heavy heart with “Calling You,” all while wrapping things up with the inspiring “Chin Up.” If you’re into bands like The Fray or artists like Fiona Apple, check out Laramie.
- Kendra Beltran | Band Blurb
Laramie is a slickly produced pop group fronted by Laramie Renae, a singer and lyricist with a degree from Visible. Laramie released The Good Men EP in late 2013. Renae obliquely involves religion in her lyrics. Her songs do not advance any course fundamentalism, but rather a sobering assessment of character and its consequences. “Charlotte’s Waltz” depicts real world skullduggery in images of bleak apparitions, maybe ghosts or just soulless folks. Maybe both. “Whisper” invokes an old religious saw about renunciation of the world and its temptations but does so in a manner that shows a woman establishing boundaries for herself with a show of strength that is more Old Testament or apocryphal than the conventional take on the Good News. But existential dread remains a haunting presence in the lyrics. This is deeper material than you might expect to find.
- Joe Boone | The Memphis Flyer