French heavy space blues band Last Quarter fuse elements of classic rock, blues and progressive rock in a funky, groovy sound they describe as “epic, powerful and psychedelic.
The Parisian band started with, in their words, a weirdo drummer (former drummer Dali) and former blues guitarist Quentin Abry. The duo started jamming together to create a heavy blues sound before bringing in lead guitarist Pierre Hiniger, who Quentin shared shifts with at their local guitar store. Pierre brought a classic rock and more melodic dimension to their jam sessions before Quentin added bassist Louis Rousseau to the mix.
The band recorded an EP in three months and played 19 shows in under a year, everywhere from famous Paris venues like New Morning and BUS Palladium to “dangerous” venues 15 meters underground using stolen electricity. The pandemic set them back then Dali had to move away to study. Then, out of nowhere, “appears a guy running” asking if they were looking for a drummer – which saw Jim Portas complete the lineup.
And on the sound they’ve honed since, Quentin tells us: “It’s a fuzz and effect-infused movie soundtrack. Songs are dynamic, the voice is deep and powerful, and the bass comes from blues and funk roots. It has the softness of classic rock and blues combined with the intent and aggressivity of metal.”
Our latest taste of this is the super funky We’ll Be Just Fine, which was released two weeks ago. The track is the first single off the band’s upcoming debut, which “explains the uncertainty of the crew of the Space Bee Keeper’s Ship.” It opens up with a cool bassline that continues under engaging vocals, which suddenly intensify and give way to a delicious guitar solo and driving chords. They continue as more upbeat vocals take over, then a couple of funky little guitar sections give way to a more laid-back guitar solo.
That continues under repeats of “We’ll be just fine” alongside more laid-back guitar sections. But the track intensifies with heavier vocals, building up to an upbeat, highly entertaining conclusion.
That follows on from last year’s single Space Bee Keeper, which begins with a mellow guitar lick and almost spoken vocals. But it bursts into life with a big scream and a delicious darting guitar riff that continues over a funky bassline and more intense vocals.
The pace drops down with light guitars that develop into a twinkling lick before gradually building into a superb solo. The pace steps up again as the intense, almost growly vocals return to bring the track to a heavy ending. Check it out in the video below:
Those tracks follow their 2019 debut EP, from which we especially love The Path, which starts out with serious Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe vibes and ends in a wild solo, and the really funky final track Basterds.
Last Quarter draws on influences like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and more underground bands like The Devil And The Almighty Blues, Witchcraft and Solstafir. And, if you hadn’t guessed, the band’s music is inspired by “The Almighty Space Bee Keeper.”
As Quentin explains: “We have been writing a Space Opera taking place in the worst dystopia possible where the only remaining hope is the last colony of bees. This is mainly a metaphor for the human distress of living in an anomic world. The music is about the need for hope and the constant fight against resignation.
“We actually dive into an emotion and represent it through tales in our story. Lyrics are not fillers but they define the vibe of the music. Which explains why it changes so much from verse to verse.”
There’s plenty more to come from Last Quarter who, as mentioned above, are working on an album with another single to come early next year. They’ll also be back on stage when they find the “right spot to do a magnificent gig.” And Quentin adds: “If you conceive a child listening to our music, you will get free tickets to our gigs for the rest of your life.”
You can follow Last Quarter on Facebook and Instagram, and check out their music on Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube.
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