Crowdfunding is becoming more and more commonplace, with everyone from former Dresden Doll, Amanda Palmer, to The Voice contestant, Lindsey Pavao utilizing the Kickstarter platform. Standing out in our crowded internet is no easy task, yet LA modern rock band, A House for Lions, found a way to sidestep the middle man and fund a successful campaign all on their own. With an impressive $13,354 raised to date with over 180 backers, this once unknown group formed by singer/songwriter Daniel Norman, is making headlines of its own. Creative rewards ranging from the band’s merch to surfing lessons, and a promise to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity, are proving that cutting out the middle man was a good decision. The campaign’s purpose is to raise funds for their first full length studio album, produced by Tom Biller, who previously worked with Silversun Pickups, Elliot Smith, and Fiona Apple, to name a few. The band manages to blend the sleeker side of angsty 90s rock with the laid-back instrumentation and heart-string pulling melodies you expect from an alt-country band. Hopefully we will get to hear some of the tunes they’ve been working on in the studio at their Monday Night February Residency at the Echoplex. For now, give a listen to “Let Back,” the single off their previous EP, I Want Us To Be Remembered. Unlike other fundraising platforms, their campaign is open-ended, so you can still donate if the music compels you. – Jacqueline Caruso
