Familia boasts a rare sort of alchemy; the rhythm section of Dwight Abell on bass and Cody Hiles on drums is cohesive without being redundant, while Bronson Izzard’s guitar work melds wondrously with Umlah’s vocal lines. Their sound is reminiscent of a more gumptious Vedera: but it is versatile, malleable, and undeniably all their own. From “More”, with its Regina Spektor-esque vocal opening, to Izzard’s funk vibe on “Today” to the jazzy rhythm of “Cripple Crow”, each song on Golden Lies sets itself apart from the song before while remaining true to the Familia sound.

Lyrically, Golden Lies is unabashedly hopeful. On “Today”, Umlah notes that “Today is the day I’ve gotta get it right / Tomorrow may never come.” That subversively optimistic philosophy is evident throughout the album; “Cripple Crow” reminds the listener that “You’ve gotta be broken for your eyes to be open.” “Oh Wretched Man” is somewhat grimmer thematically than the rest of the album, with off-kilter vocal lines underscoring that relative darkness, but the feeling doesn’t last. Golden Lies concludes with “Kinda Like A Mess”, a song highlighted by the line “You’ve made my flaws your masterpiece”, an affirmation that Umlah is intent on being optimistic despite her own mistakes.

The final line, repeated five times – to ensure that its truth really sinks in – posits, “There is a light coming and I wanna see it.” It is a perfect summary of the hopefulness of the album, and may serve as a prophetic statement about Familia’s future. It’s quite appropriate that Golden Lies includes a song called “Cellar Door”; J.R.R. Tolkien claimed that the phrase is one of the most beautiful combinations of words in the English language, and a similar assertion could be made about Familia’s musical chemistry. They certainly have a lot to be optimistic about.

Check them out at www.familiafamilia.com!