The Album

Formerly known as Losing Lara, The Weirdos Are Out has released the first ever album under their new name! The album goes by the same name as the band, and contains a mix of wizard rock and songs about D&D. I’m so excited to venture forth and see what’s in store!

The Tracks

The first track on the album is called Critical Fail (explicit). This song is perfect for any D&D player that finds themselves having a bad day. Upbeat and funny – despite the topic of the song – this is a great introduction to the album. Lara has such a unique voice and sound to her music that makes it instantly recognizable, and I immediately felt at home.

The next song, entitled She Loves Me For Who I Am, is a slower and more serious contrast to the previous song. Dark, heavy, and sad, this is a beautiful love song based on Dimension 20. My favorite part is the chorus:

She lights my fire but I don’t burn
She fights for me but now it’s my turn
She makes me believe I can
Because she loves me for who I am
Yeah she loves me for who I am

The sadder theme continues into the next song, Feather I Hold. The doubled vocals bring a new level of emotion to the lyrics, and the haunting background vocals really bring it all together.

Rather Be A Weirdo is from Luna Lovegood’s perspective, but it really feels like a phoenix song for all the weirdos out there. It calls for them to unapologetically be themselves, because at the end of the day your true friends won’t leave you. I loved the strong vocals in this one.

If you like sea shanties or The Adventure Zone, you’ll love this next song! TAZ Balance (Sea Ballad) has a simple but mesmerizing melody, accompanied by hand percussion and eerie wind instruments. While listening to this, I imagined a hulking ship slowing drifting through a foggy seascape.

Another wizard rock song, this time from Sirius Black’s point of view, is up next. Hello Mother tells the story of Sirius’ relationship with his mother. There is a rhythmic guitar backing up the vocals, and it adds a sense of impatience, which is quite fitting. This is one of my favorite tracks on the album (especially since it’s also an allegory for a certain author).

When Does It Get Better is another one of my favorites. This time about Harry and how he never got to choose his fate, the lyrics pull at my heartstrings and the instrumentals are absolutely gorgeous. This one will definitely be stuck in my head for a while, and I’m not mad about it.

Neville’s hardships become apparent in Neville The Brave. Comparing himself to his parents, this song is all about Neville’s doubts, fears, and standards that he feels he must hold himself to, specifically in his final year at Hogwarts. The lyrics made me appreciate how hard Neville worked to become the person he wished his parents could see.

Chilling chimes begin the next song, Thestral’s Lullaby. A slow and melancholy song, the lyrics bring up death, grief, and acceptance and how they are represented by these mysterious creatures. The harmonies in the vocals was my favorite part of this song. I absolutely adore the way that Lara made this song come to life (pun intended).

10 Out Of Nein is a lovely song about a couple of characters from Critical Role. As someone who has never seen or listened to Critical Role, I loved this song. It’s just good writing, folks!

There are some amazing strings backing up the last track, It Will Be All Right. This wholesome song gives me the warm fuzzies. I love the melody, the harmonies, the lyrics, and the overall message. If a hug could be a song, this song is it. What a gorgeous way to end an incredible album.

There is a bonus track called Let’s Go Meet In A Tavern, and it is only available if you purchase the album. It’s all about playing D&D and how much fun it is. The instrumentals and vocals in this track blew me away.

In Summary

I have been a long-time fan of Lara’s music, and this new album did not disappoint. It kept a lot of her signature sounds while also incorporating new instrumentals, and it came together really nicely. If you like Harry Potter or D&D (or both!) this album is definitely for you. I highly recommend buying this album not only because it’s amazing, but because you’ll get that incredible bonus track. For my rating, this album gets a nat 20!