Laurel Canyon Meets Woodstock

Lost Leaders are as much a band out of time as they are perfectly in the now. A blend of gritty folk, rootsy pop and swirling psychedelia filled with lush harmonies and stinging melodies, Lost Leaders offer up a timeless sound that could have materialized just as easily in Laurel Canyon as in Woodstock, N.Y. “It is its own thing,” guitarist Peter Cole says of the band’s eponymous debut. “It borrows from a lot of things, but it’s got its own place.” Lost Leaders are a collaboration between Cole and bassist Byron Isaacs (Ollabelle, Levon Helm Band), and the duo’s busy schedules continually kept them apart. “Why it came together when it came together is really a mystery,” Cole says. “We’ve written a lot of songs with each other, but it’s never lined up as much logistically as much as it lined up artistically. It’s one of those happy surprises in life.” Isaacs’ connections led to pair to Helm’s Woodstock, N.Y.-area studio, where drummer Justin Guip lent his chops and engineering skills. “The first thing we recorded, ‘The Line the Lie,’ sounded that fucking good, instantly,” Cole exclaims. “The place was magical.” Already, the pair have made time to re-enter the studio. “We’re just starting,” Cole slyly adds.