Lapush is an American rock band, formed in 2002 in St. Charles, Missouri.
After releasing several singles and one EP independently, Lapush signed to New York-based label, 456 (Universal Music Group) in 2005. The label is co-owned by Carson Daly and Jonathan Rifkind.
Their music features a melding of American and European influences.
The band's discography consists of two studio albums, one EP and 10 singles. Lapush made their network television debut on Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC (December 2005) performing two songs; Quit You Now and Tout Le Monde. Their debut album, Someplace Closer To Here, reached No. 15 on the Alternative/Specialty Albums Chart. The second single from that record, Aurora, reached No. 15 on the Alternative/Specialty Singles Chart and also appeared in the television show Moonlight on CBS.
History
Lapush formed in St. Charles, Missouri, in 2002 by brothers Thom Donovan and Stephen Donovan. Thom previous played guitar in the band Stir and Stephen played bass in the band Flynova. The original Lapush lineup consisted of: Thom Donovan (guitar and vocals), Stephen Donovan (guitar and vocals), Kevin Bachmann (bass), Casey Bazzell (keyboards and vocals) and Brett Voelker (drums). The band was named after La Push, Washington; a small community in Washington state. The name La Push is an infusion of the French la bouche, meaning "mouth", into Chinook Jargon. It describes the town's location at the mouth of the river. Instead of separating 'La Push', the band would simply combine the two into one word, 'Lapush'.
The band played their first show October 2003 and quickly became a top draw in the local St. Louis music scene. Early shows included a sold-out performance at The Pageant opening for The Urge, as well as sold-out concerts at Mississippi Nights and Creepy Crawl.
Lapush released a self-titled EP in 2004 which sold out of its initial pressing. The band began receiving airplay on KEXP (Seattle), Indie 103.1 (Los Angeles), Q101 (Chicago), 105.7 The Point (St. Louis) as well as XM Satellite Radio. The band toured regionally and developed a following in neighboring college towns including Columbia, MO and Lawrence, KS. During this period, Lapush opened for several national acts including; Matt Nathanson and Nikka Costa.
Unable to commit to the band's touring schedule, Stephen Donovan and Casey Bazzell left the group late 2004. Thom Donovan took over singing full-time and the band carried on as a trio. By early 2005 Lapush signed to 456 (Universal Music Group), a New York-based indie label co-owned by Carson Daly and Jonathan Rifkind.
Someplace Closer To Here (2005) Lapush began recording Someplace Closer To Here in 2004. The album was produced and mixed by Thom Donovan in the band's rehearsal space using the minimal amount of recording equipment the band owned. The band thought they were simply recording demos. Those "demos" were eventually released as the bands nationally distributed debut album.
Someplace Closer To Here was released on June 5, 2005. The album features 3 singles, Say Something, Quit You Now and Aurora. Aurora would go to No. 15 on the Alternative/Specialty Singles Chart. The album would follow suit on the Alternative/Specialty Albums Chart. The band continued to play across the country; including shows with Hot Hot Heat and The Sounds. Lapush also performed a DJ set at Hiro Ballroom in New York City with Andy Rourke from The Smiths. Thom Donovan performed a DJ set with Kasabian after a sold-out show in St. Louis. In December 2005, Lapush would make their network television debut, performing 2 songs on Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC.
Music from Someplace Closer To Here has appeared in several television shows including, Moonlight (CBS), Laguna Beach (MTV), The Hills (MTV), College Life (MTV), The T.O. Show (VH1) as well as the Clear Pictures indie film, Outpatient.
Someplace Closer To Here was also listed at No. 18 on PlaybackSTL Magazine's Top Albums of 2005.
Press Reviews for Someplace Closer To Here
If Lapush hailed from England, no one would be the least bit surprised at the band's debut, Someplace Closer To Here, which recalls the romanticism of Coldplay, the insistent groove of Oasis, the drama of Radiohead, or the expansive bombast of The Verve. Savvy listeners would nod and smile at the lush production, the eclectic arrangements, and the gauzy vocals and tip their bowlers once more at the cleverness of another handful of talented Brits. The trouble is that Lapush, who sound every bit as good as the bands noted above, did not burst from a posh London studio, but from a basement in St. Louis, MO. — Amplifier Magazine