The biggest struggle, I think, is knowing yourself, and then embracing yourself. It's so much harder than you would think to be honest with yourself about who you are and what your strengths and weaknesses are...You can't do it alone. You don't have to start a band or a duo like we did, but you do need people on this journey. You need them to bounce ideas off you, to keep you honest, and to reveal your blind spots...Make a plan, but KNOW it WILL change, and trust it when it does. 

The above is an abridged quotation of Max Harwood's response in a Reddit AMA on August 26 to someone asking about overcoming obstacles and words of wisdom to aspiring artists. While the answer may have been a direct reply to the question posed, it could equally serve as a wake-up call to a nation, in the midst of an identity crisis, that has all too frequently avoided the introspection outlined in Harwood's explanation.

Guitarist/singer/lyricist Danny Miller and producer/drummer Harwood are Lewis Del Mar. Their self-titled debut was one of the finest records my ears had the pleasure of experiencing in 2016, and this sophomore release is a natural extension. The duo met in fourth-grade trumpet lessons and have essentially been making music together ever since. Describing the combination of Miller's chronicles atop acoustic guitar, woven into top-notch, sample-driven production, fails to convey the originality of the band's sound. This is not just another guy strumming to his friend with a drum machine: they mean serious business.

The subject matter on AUGUST takes a more pronounced seat than that of Lewis Del Mar. Miller, both lyrically and in interviews, doesn't shy away from the mental health issues and tumult he's dealt with between album releases. Recounting experiences both personal and witnessed, the songs become even more powerful with lyrical explanation. AUGUST is Lewis Del Mar's self-reckoning. Acknowledging weakness and doubt, it serves as their therapeutic release. While the nation comes to grips with its own reality, may the current events prove to be our lucid awakening.