The Lawrence Arms

The Lawrence Arms

The Lawrence Arms are a punk rock trio from Chicago, United States, active since 1999. The group consists of Brendan Kelly on vocals and bass, Chris McCaughan on vocals and guitar, and Neil Hennessy on drums.

History and recordings

The band forms in Chicago and takes its name from a building in the Uptown neighbourhood where the members live and are later evicted from. Their early releases come out through Asian Man Records, with an immediate move to full-length albums rather than the more typical early EP-and-7-inch approach of many punk bands. Their debut album, A Guided Tour of Chicago, appears in 1999, followed by Ghost Stories in 2000. Both albums focus heavily on the members’ own experiences of growing up and living in Chicago.

The band then releases two split EPs: one with Shady View Terrace in 2000, which is the first recording produced by Matt Allison, and Present Day Memories with The Chinkees in 2001. Allison continues to record and produce all of their later releases.

Later in 2001, Fat Mike of NOFX signs the band to Fat Wreck Chords. Their first release for the label is a 7-inch from the label’s Fat Club series, followed by Apathy and Exhaustion in 2002. That album includes the band’s first music video, for “Porno and Snuff Films”. In 2003, they release The Greatest Story Ever Told, an album that includes extensive footnotes explaining references to history, literature and American pop culture. The record also shows a shift towards more duet-style vocals between Kelly and McCaughan.

After extensive touring in 2003 and 2004, the band contributes a song to Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 and becomes involved with the Punk Voter campaign. In late 2004, Kelly and Hennessy form The Falcon with Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio and Todd Mohney, formerly of Rise Against; the group releases an EP on Red Scare.

Later releases and related projects

As the band’s earlier EPs go out of print, Asian Man Records issues Cocktails & Dreams in 2005, a compilation of the EP tracks along with most of the band’s compilation material, rare songs and B-sides. The Lawrence Arms record Oh! Calcutta! in late 2005 and release it on Fat Wreck Chords in 2006. The album has a faster, more urgent feel than its predecessor and continues the duet vocal approach. The band also makes a video for “The Devil’s Takin’ Names”.

The group tours widely in 2006 with bands including NOFX, Alkaline Trio, The Draft, Lagwagon and A Wilhelm Scream. That year also sees the full-length debut by The Falcon. In 2006, The Lawrence Arms play their first headlining tour of Australia and also appear at support shows with Frenzal Rhomb.

Chris McCaughan releases the debut album by his acoustic side project Sundowner, Four One Five Two, in 2007. The Lawrence Arms tour again that year with The Falcon, Sundowner and the reunited American Steel as support.

Style and later albums

The Lawrence Arms are known for lyrics that combine history and literature with American pop culture. Their vocal style develops over time from Kelly taking most of the vocals on the debut to a near-equal split between Kelly and McCaughan, eventually moving into a more regular duet approach.

The 2010s see limited studio activity, but the band returns with Metropole in 2014, their first full-length in eight years. They later release their seventh album, Skeleton Coast, in 2020. The band is signed to Epitaph and has released seven full-length albums in total.

Related acts

Members of The Lawrence Arms also play in The Broadways, Slapstick, Tricky Dick and Baxter.