Levara's 'Levara' - Album Review

Despite many of the bands that I cover on this blog being veteran acts with established fanbases and lots of albums to their name, I am always on the look out for the next big thing. As much as I love my classic rock and metal, I have always regularly championed up-and-coming bands as well. Music needs new blood to stay fresh, and rock music is no different. While it can be hard getting some of the genre's more entrenched fans to try something new, and the view that there has been nothing worth hearing since 1979 can often be a rather deafening one, there is no shortage of great new music out there. It is always great being able to cover a band's debut album on this blog, and that is exactly what I am able to do today - with the subject being the self-titled debut album of multi-national pop rockers Levara which was released last month. I first came across Levara a couple of years ago when they were called ZFG - and were supporting Toto on tour. I did not see any those shows, but ZFG's reviews from the tour intrigued me. I was further intrigued when I found out that ZFG was partially made up of the sons of some of the Toto band members - with guitarist Trev Lukather and bassist Sam Porcaro making up half of the four-piece. Porcaro left the band following the tour however, and ZFG were renamed Levara - and the band started in earnest getting their debut album properly written and recorded. Following the release of a few singles, Levara was released last month to a host of strong reviews. The album's sound, which is at times more pop than rock, is likely to attract a wide audience - but the songwriting is there to back it up. While Levara do not sound like Toto at all, touring with Toto and having a Lukather in the band has certainly influenced the band's songwriting style. The album's 10 songs are varied and packed full of twists and turns - while remaining catchy, anthemic pop rockers at heart. Porcaro plays all of the album's bass despite having left, with Lukather, frontman Jules Galli and drummer Josh Devine (who has toured with One Direction in the past) making up the rest of the band. Sadly however, the album's release has been marred by band drama - with Lukather revealing shortly after its release that he had been fired by Galli and Devine. This has, rather unsurprisingly, overshadowed the excitement surrounding the album - as all the discussion has focused on the split rather than the excellent music contained within the album. I do wonder if Levara will struggle without both Lukather and Porcaro, especially as Lukather seemed to be the band's main driving force, but this remains to be seen. This should not detract from the band's debut album however, which is excellent and should be judged on its own merits. Thanks to a lush production job courtesy of Ethan Kaufmann, Levara is a captivating listen - and one that is far more than just another pop rock release.

Despite the songwriting tricks used throughout the album, the vast majority of the songs here are still extremely memorable and catchy. If there is one thing that links Levara to Toto it is that - the ability to craft an interesting song that is still very memorable. Heaven Knows, the album's opening track and one of its main singles, is a great example of getting that balance right - and the song is one that really draws the listener in from the off. With its spiky main riff, the song is one of the harder rocking cuts here - and the energy that it whips makes it an ideal opening track. Subtle synths are used to bulk the song out, which is a technique that is used throughout the album, but on the whole the track is guitar dominated - with Lukather's riffing and melodic arpeggios being the centre of attention. Galli instantly showcases what a great singer he is too. He might not have the biggest range out there, but his voice is very easy on the ear and it is clear from the off that he knows how to craft a vocal hook. The song's chorus is as big as it is due to his smooth voice - with occasional bursts of falsetto adding a certain dynamism. Automatic follows and, despite a slightly slow-burning intro, the song largely follows on from the rocking vibes found throughout Heaven Knows. There is much more groove to be found throughout Automatic however, and the band's rhythm section are often pushed to the fore - and lock in perfectly throughout. It is a shame that Porcaro left the band, as his bass playing is fantastic throughout the album, but the grooves that he and Devine strike up throughout Automatic are probably the song's defining feature. They ensure that the chorus is another ear worm - despite its simple vocal approach - but the song in general is elevated due to Porcaro and Devine. The song is also the first of three cuts here to feature backing vocals courtesy of Steve Perry (Journey) - who adds further depth to the tracks that he is featured on. Ever Enough is much more overtly pop than the album's opening two tracks, but the melodies and hooks throughout are so infectious that even this metal fan can really get into the song. Despite the poppy vibes throughout, there is a certain darkness throughout chunks of the song - with the verses being somewhat downbeat before the chorus explodes with walls of Def Leppard-esque vocal harmonies. This is a song that has a lot going on, and it showcases the Toto influence in a big way. Again, the rhythm section is quite active throughout - and the use of synths adds a darkness when appropriate to really help to make the song what it is. A lengthy guitar solo from Lukather is the icing on the cake, with his aching leads really adding to the song's overall melancholic vibes perfectly - before a final reprise of the soaring chorus brings the track to a close.

On for the Night is another groove-fest, with some of Porcaro's best and most prominent playing on the album - which again acts as a basis for some excellent Devine drumming. He is not the busiest of players, but he always seems to know exactly what to play and when to perfectly accent what is going on melodically and rhythmically within the song. The verses here are a perfect example of this, as the spikiness of the track comes from the drumming rather than the guitars - which gives the song a unique overall sound. The guitars are relatively low key here, with clean melodies and arpeggios forming the basis of Lukather's playing, which allows the grooves and Galli's vocal hooks to shine - although a short guitar solo pushes the instrument briefly to the fore. Allow is another track with a slow-burning intro but, rather than building up into a groovy rocker in the style of Automatic, the track is something of a ballad that has shades of the darkness found throughout Ever Enough. The song lacks the big hooks and chorus of Ever Enough, but instead goes for a much more emotional overall approach that pushes Galli's voice to the fore. I think I prefer him operating in more of a harder rock context, but he has the emotional depth to make these ballads tick. His approach to ballads is rather breathy, which is something commonly found in modern pop, but he makes it work well in the context of the song - and throughout the album as a whole it is a technique that he employs on multiple occasions. I prefer Levara when they are groovier and rockier, but there is still a lot to like about Allow - and Lukather's solo is once again very strong. Can't Get Over ups the energy somewhat after the slower Allow, but it is not a return to the band's fully-fledged rock sound. It is certainly a return to a more groove-based approach however, and once again Porcaro's bass playing is excellent - and full of lots of little riffs that are very easy to latch into despite not always being the most prominent element of the mix. The choruses are much rockier than the rest of the song however, and somewhat approach the band's album-opening sound, but it is the contrast between the groovier verses and the pop rock of the song's choruses that makes Can't Get Over another enjoyable listen. Chameleon, another of the album's main singles, is one of my favourite cuts here. It is one of the album's catchiest tracks, and the mid-paced drive of the song makes it stand out when compared to the rest of the album. Lukather's guitars are much more overtly rock this time around, with the chorus being driven by hard-hitting power chords - which gives the song a real kick after the slow-burning yet hooky verses. Despite rhyming the words 'chameleon' and 'million' during the chorus, which sounds a bit silly, the chorus is one of the album's overall best moments for me - and it is one of those hooks that stays in my head for a long time after hearing it. Bulked out by Perry's backing vocals, the chorus is one that will sound fantastic live - if the band ever get the chance to play it on stage.

Ordinary is a bit more of a high-energy piece, with the chorus being one of the album's most frantic moments - although overall the song is not as overtly rock as something like Heaven Knows. I really like the way that song builds up towards the chorus; and when it hits it does so with a real explosion of energy and hooks. Galli's performance throughout the song is excellent, and he manages to showcase a lot of sides to his voice - with the chorus allowing him to rock out somewhat and the verses demanding a smoother, more low-key approach. He helps the song to feel very dynamic as a result, but again the whole band pull together to make the song what it is - with another strong Lukather guitar solo giving parts of the song a real hard rock edge. Just a Man is another groove-based piece, which again sees both Porcaro and Devine getting a great workout throughout with some staccato playing and some great interlocking moments. While the song overall is not all that rocking, with the exception of the chorus, the grooves give the song the impression of being so. I am a big lover of groove in my music, and this is a song that is packed with it - with the verses being really enhanced by it. The chorus is more of an all-out rock moment however, and it is one of the album's most strikingly hard rocking section - with some of Galli's most off-the-leash vocals with some impressive screams that are still crafted into excellent hooks. Lukather's busy, but melodic, guitar solo here shows that he has learnt a thing or two from his Dad over the years. He is a great player in his own right however, and the solo here is probably my favourite from the album. The album leaves one of its most atmospheric cuts for last however, and following two harder rocking pieces it is left to No One Above You to bring things to a close. While not exactly a ballad in the truest sense, the track is packed full of atmosphere - with the synths often dominating the sound while Galli's voice is pushed to the fore to allow his gentle croon to dominate. Despite its ballad-esque sound, No One Above You still grows as it moves through all of its sections - and by the time it comes to a close it has grown into quite an epic-sounding piece. Choral-style backing vocals become a big part of the song, while Lukather's weaving guitar leads help to add occasional depth. It might not be the bang that the album deserves to end on, but the gentle - but still relatively grand - sounding piece sill works well to bring Levara to a close. Despite its short length, Levara is an album that has a lot packed into it. While on the surface it seems like a rather standard pop rock album, there is a lot going on beneath the surface that makes it a really interesting listen - with pretty much every song having at least one hook to die for found within. It is just a shame that the band seem to have imploded just as they were getting started, as this album deserves to be head by a lot of music lovers. I have a feeling that loosing Lukather and Porcaro might be too much for Galli and Devine to overcome, but for now I will continue to enjoy the fruits of their labour - even if this ends up being all we hear from the band.

The album was released on 14th May 2021 via Mascot Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Heaven Knows.