The Brothers Landau

Coming from a musical family, the Brothers were taught to love what they choose to do and to always put their whole hearts into it. But subsisting on beautiful sounds alone doesn’t let you thrive in a Los Angeles that increasingly forces you to neglect what you love just to survive. Both brothers have had to abandon careers they cherished. In the lead-up to writing the collection of songs on the upcoming EP, Haven’t Got a Name, Daniel went through a personal crisis that led him to question giving up music. Wrestling with this life-changing shift caused him increasing dread, culminating in a harrowing night, waking up with an existential panic about who he is and what he would be without that piece of himself. It was a physical sign that music is such a vital part of him that he couldn't abandon it. Haven’t Got a Name bears the fruits of that turmoil, exploring topics including existentialism, moral dilemmas, how to live a good life, tensions, troubles, and what it means to be a person in today’s world.

The Brothers Landau coax negative emotions into inspiring inquiries of self-reflection about the questions life brings, a talent they honed in their hometown of Altadena, California -– a small mountain town overlooking Los Angeles. It’s from Altadena’s wonderful community that they learned perseverance through hard times, the appreciation for the ability to get through them, and gratitude for people who help others. 

Daniel and David say, “We’re often inspired to write in protest of awful behaviors both big and small.” “A Major Jerk” is in the voice of someone who truly doesn’t care for anyone but themselves, which is sadly too relevant these days (on global and local scales, in the political, personal, and social realms). “Haven’t Got a Name” is about dealing with the difficulty of making sense of our turbulent times. “A Way Down” is about the people who help you find a way to be grounded when life gets to be too much. “Steady Joy” is an examination of the best kind of love you can give. All of the songs are inspired by our current times, but they’re applicable to the universal human experience. 

What really makes the Landaus’ music special is that brotherly bond they breathe into every note: Inspiring the other’s creativity. Sharing an innate and unspoken musical language that allows the improvisation of entire songs. Knowing where the other is in each expression. Predicting what the other is going to do next. 

Daniel and David say “We’ve matured and become more vulnerable in our writing, penning lyrics in a less veiled way. This was a conscious choice because we wanted to bring the listener closer and be more connected with them. Doing so feels more honest, and we’ve striven to be more comfortable with not obscuring our feelings.”

The Brothers Landau explore what being a better human in today’s society means. And what to do with the short time we have.