STRANGE VICTORY ALBUM COMING JANUARY 20
“Laszlo and the Hidden Strength’s performance was – bar none – one of the best DIY (or not) performances I’d seen.” – The Left Bank
“…the sort of wholly original sound that can only be found when an artist is truly making music for themselves” – Alt Citizen
Laszlo and the Hidden Strength is an eloquent and melodic art rock band from New York City. The group is fronted by artist, writer and musician Laszlo Horvath, the former singer and principal songwriter in Yabadum. The members of Laszlo and the Hidden Strength met as music students at LaGuardia High School and began performing and recording together in late 2018.
Strange Victory, the band’s second full-length album, will release on January 20, 2023. The band retreated to Upstate New York to record these songs to tape in a decaying barn. Its subtle and autumnal sonic palette is a graceful transition from their abrasive and experimental past work, reminiscent of the delicate, woodsy melodies of Fleet Foxes peppered with the learned sensibilities of Destroyer and unconventional predilections of Neutral Milk Hotel.
Laszlo and The Hidden Strength has established itself as one of the most singular and powerful live bands in New York, playing shows alongside established acts like Arto Lindsay and Melvin Gibbs, Strange Ranger and Rebounder, and downtown fixtures like Blaketheman1000, May Rio, The Dare, LUCY, The Life and Club Eat. The band was selected to perform at the first annual Pitchfork Battle of the Bands.
Laszlo and the Hidden Strength is composed of Laszlo Horvath1 (lead vocals, guitar), Max Beirne-Shafer2 (bass), Ben Cohen3 (brass, woodwinds, keyboard), Justin Fossella4 (drums), Henry Munson5 (lead guitar) and Chris Overholser6 (strings).
1: Laszlo Horvath fronted Yabadum from 2014-2017. He has released a large body of music under his own name, and his most recent project, Pelts, was released on the Athens, GA-based label Primordial Void. He studied painting at the Cooper Union and has had his work displayed at Triste and Estrella Gallery. Horvath has also published excerpts of a forthcoming novella in Heavy Traffic and FOREVER magazines.
2: Beirne-Shafer has been releasing experimental pop music under the name “Max B” since 2014, garnering a small but loyal following following on SoundCloud. He has been a frequent collaborator with Otto Benson (OTTO/Memo Boy), singing lead vocals on the songs “About You Now,” “Dairy Adventure,” “Guess My Crush,” and “6 Days (Memo Boy Remix).” He has joined Cat Power on her last two US tours as the bass player in her opening band, ARSUN, helmed by musician and model Arsun Sorrenti. He is a former member of the bands Dolly Spartans and Shunklings.
3: Ben Cohen is a multi-instrumentalist and a graduate of the jazz program at the New School. Like Bernie-Shafer, he has been a frequent collaborator with Otto Benson, contributing horns to the “World Greetings” EP (PLZ Make It Ruins).
4: Justin Fossella is also a graduate of the jazz program at the New School. Before this, he briefly attended New England Conservatory. Fossella was mentored by acclaimed drummer Eli Keszler. He is the former frontman of the bands “Justin’s Pictures Of Heaven” and “Uncle Slooth.”
5: Henry Munson is currently on the road as the lead guitarist in Cat Power’s live band. Along with Beirne-Shafer, he is a member of Arsun Sorrenti’s ARSUN, which has opened for Cat Power on her last two US tours.
6: Chris Overholser is a graduate of New England Conservatory. He has toured extensively as a member of “Night Train,” a Celtic-inspired group that was based in Boston.
