Meshing muscular guitars and airy, hypnotic melodies, Sydney, Australia's the Laurels formed in 2006. Influenced by '80s shoegaze and '90s stoner rock, guitarists Piers Cornelius and Luke O’Farrell formed the band, picking up bassist Conor Hanan and drummer Kate Wilson. In 2007, they entered and won the Sydney University Band Competition. The completion of their debut EP was postponed by day jobs and touring, but the members worked steadily, eventually releasing Mesozoic in the summer of 2011. ~ Jason Lymangrover