on Cires would be selected as Best
Regarding being boyfriend and
Rock Vocalist by the New Times.
girlfriend and playing in the same band together, Cires and Dwyer
Shortly thereafter the bottom fell
seem to be in their honeymoon
out. The three original members of
phase. About Dwyer, Cires said
Lavola disbanded, right before the
working with her feels “natural
group was set to record its first full-
and simple,” and that he’s “never
length record. Cires had to quickly
felt more compatible with any-
summon up three viable musicians
one before.” Dwyer spoke more
to keep his brainchild alive. Cires never lost sight of his vision though, and quickly made lemonade out of these lemons. It was through this adversity that Cires would meet his muse, collaborator and the mellifluous ying to his cacophonous yang-
Cires experienced yet another
work to date. Incorpo-
- violinist Emily Dwyer. To followers
lineup change in 2013 (settling on
rating strings in non-tra-
of Lavola’s incendiary work, Cires’
the current lineup of Cires on lead
ditional contexts (in the
partnership with an orchestral
guitar and vocals, Dwyer on violin
vein of Arcade Fire and
player didn’t make much sense.
and backup vocals, Paul Defilip-
early A Perfect Circle).
But his teamwork with Dwyer paid
pis on bass, and Matt Cabrera
Cires told us this album
dividends and has jolted Lavola
on drums) and switched a few
is “noisier, more aggressive, yet
amorous words: “Making music
into new musical territories other-
producers (one of whom is said to
more ethereal and symphonic,”
with someone you love intro-
wise unthinkable.
have accidentally deleted several
than his previous efforts.
duces a whole new element of
hours of recording sessions saved
passion to a project,” she said.
Dwyer’s symphonic quality added
on a hard drive) along the rocky
The title of the record itself
“To share every up and down
an entirely new dimension to
year-and-a-half long recording pro-
encapsulates all of Cires’ hard-
with someone else really brings
Lavola’s 2014 album, This Book
cess of TBIMC. Cires and Dwyer
ships through the recording pro-
everything full circle.”
is My Cowardice (TBIMC)-- which
stuck to their guns. “There were
cess. “This Book is My Cowardice”
came out this past March. Cires is
times when we felt like the stars
is part of a larger quote from
The two told us Lavola plans on
not shy to admit the impact Dwyer
were just not going to align for us,”
“The Book of Disquiet” by one
releasing a vinyl version of TBIMC
had on his latest effort. “I found
added Dwyer about the trials and
of Cires’ favorite writers, Portu-
towards the end of the year, and
myself sending her drafts for feed-
tribulations the couple endured in
guese poet Fernando Pessoa.
a short national jaunt in support
back quite a few times,” said Cires
putting out the album. “But once
“It has multiple meanings for me
of said release afterwards. As for
from his transplated new home of
you pour yourself so devoutly into
but the most direct interpretation
what the rest of the future holds
Winter Park, Florida, where Cires
something, it’s really hard not to
speaks to the process I under-
for Lavola, Dwyer told us the
and Dwyer took residence at the
see [the work] through to the end.”
went in seeing this work through
unit will continue writing music
end of last year. It should come as
to the end,” he explained. The
“laced with poetry and [their]
no surprise that Dwyer and Cires’
The end result is Cires’ most ex-
part of the quote Cires really
own blood.” Despite a move up
musical kinship proved romantic
pansive, experimental and mature
gravitates towards reads: “I
north, local Lavola fans need not
kismet. “Most importantly,” Cires
begin because I don’t have the
despair. With two members still
added, “(Emily) had an invaluable
strength to think; I finish because
based in South Florida, the group
role in helping me see this particu-
I don’t have the courage to quit.
has maintained a loyal devotion
lar work through to the end.”
This book is my cowardice.”
to its South Florida base, perform-
We’d say South Florida’s music
ing in our Tri County area at least
Dwyer was the steady rock
scene is lucky that Cires was
once a month. “We look forward
through the turbulent times Cires
too cowardly to quit on the
to playing more shows where
encountered in keeping Lavola
project (if we interpreted that
sweat and beer mix all too simi-
alive and putting out this record.
quote correctly.)
larly,” promised Dwyer. theatlanticcurrent.com 39