Lauran Hibberd - Garageband Superstar

From the opening moments of ‘Rollercoaster’, Lauran Hibberd’s refreshingly carefree power-pop seems destined to soundtrack a likely resurrection of the kind of ‘90s cinema that brought us Clueless and Mean Girls. It’s not necessarily the sound, but rather the no-fucks-given attitude on which the likes of the innuendo-filled ‘Average Joe’ and the unashamedly thirsty ‘Hot Boys’ are built on. It immediately harks back to Renee Zellweger singing on the Empire Records sign, or Cher Horowitz lowering the convertible roof in Beverly Hills. The straightforward sense of fun never waivers, even as ‘I’m Insecure’ leans into more serious territory, and the closing two of ‘Slimming Down’ and ‘Last Song Ever’ slow the tempo. Both the songwriting and production - the latter provided by British rock aficionado Larry Hibbitt - follow suit. “Who even uses that app anymore,” Lauran sings about Facebook as the album’s closer reaches its soulful classic rock crescendo. ‘Garageband Superstar’ cements all this with a punchy balance of DIY punk and polished pop. Lighthearted guitar riffs offer the backdrop for Lauran’s bullish vocal delivery which takes centre stage, deliberately turned well up over the gritty instrumentation. It’s all fun without feeling frivolous, packing relatable substance into its genuinely jovial sound. “Don’t forget to take your party bag,” she concludes on ‘Last Song Ever’, cementing the album’s celebratory vibe with a brilliantly hearty edge.