With the 2021 release of Civilian – his sixth release and second true Louiston LP – Lou delivers his finest work to date, a tidy 8-song collection in which, true to form, his stellar guitar-play and words are the linchpin sonic focal points. Whereas previous projects dabbled in liberal instrumentation or straight-up loud-ass guitars (see: Duels), the presence of space is Civilian’s hallmark: half of the songs are largely stripped of studio flourishes and guided expertly by Lou’s guitar and voice.

“Any good song should be able to stand on its own with just guitar and voice,” Lou said. “That was my approach with Civilian.”

Among the subtleties of modern American life addressed in Civilian: a parade of muted faces, just like yours, longing for fulfillment and meaning and enduring yet another weekday commute to jobs that provide neither (“Alt Cntrl Delete”); an inner sabbatical from the steady strobe of #content (“Going Away for A While”), and the acceptance of one’s individual place in the world – what’s so bad about anonymity? – amidst a culture hellbent on achieving notoriety and garnering attention at whatever cost (“Civilian”).