On Friday Sept. 13, streaming services were graced with the release of local Atlanta band Lunar Vacation’s most recent project, “Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire,” a nine-song work of art. To commemorate the long-awaited release, Lunar Vacation’s fans from all over the city and beyond came to the Criminal Records stage to see the sophomore project performed in full along with time for the band to sign records purchased from the local record store. The scene was beautiful and intimate, and the fans were overjoyed.
When speaking with lead singer, Gep Repasky, the Technique got a real, vulnerable feel of the love and emotion that went into the stitching together of this album.
“We’re excited for people to see how we’ve been seeing ourselves and how we’ve been growing,” Repasky said. The album had a roughly equal songwriting split between all of the members, which is new territory for them. This would add a newfound cohesiveness to the production and performance of the songs which was seen with the band’s smiling faces on Friday afternoon. Alongside Repasky, Lunar Vacation includes four other notable members: Maggie Geeslin on the guitar, Matteo Delurgio on the keyboard, Connor Dowd on the drums and Ben Wulkan on the bass.
A relatively unknown fact about Lunar Vacation is that they have shared a quaint house together in Decatur, Ga. since 2022. This house is to thank for the close-knit relationship that the group has fostered. Making more music together and creating a strong family structure has helped the band “let go” with their songwriting, and Repasky called this new album more of a “communal project” due to how much heart and soul each of them dedicated to it.
The band had been teasing fans over the summer with dreamy new singles like “Set the Stage,” a distorted love song, and “Sick,” a song about modern society collapsing. The initial single was joined with a video release directed by rock singer and “Stranger Things” star, Finn Wolfhard, and this is not the first time they have crossed paths. Back in 2018, Wolfhard’s band, Calpurnia, which has since disbanded, had asked Lunar Vacation to support an Atlanta show they were having, and the rest was history. Bonding over music and small artists, they all stayed close friends over the years.
That is one of the reasons that the video for “Set the Stage” is so special to the group. It was created by their dream team of friends and family who wanted to bring a vision to life. Repasky called the whole process a “friendship labor of love” that they could not have been more grateful for.
Sappy feelings are present inside the production of the album just as much as the outside. The project is filled with songs that connect to the listener on a much deeper level than their previous work.
“Erase All the B’s” is the fourth track on the release, and it is the only song in Lunar Vacation’s discography to have been recorded in one take. Repasky said, “Since I believe in it so much and love it so much, it’s okay for it to be that bare.” The essence of the emotional songwriting is felt with every word leaving the listener just as stripped.
“Bitter,” the sixth track on the album, has a bit of a more upbeat tune. The sound is similar to singer-songwriter Clairo’s discography or local Athens band, Hotel Fiction. Several songs on this release, just like “Bitter,” were created out of fun group jam sessions and iPhone demos made in the van.
In the past, Lunar Vacation had the chance to support their friend group favorite, GROUPLOVE, an alternative rock band that has played many headline tours, festivals and high-capacity venues all over the country. The band asked Lunar Vacation to support their show at the Tabernacle, a local Atlanta venue, and they were over the moon. Repasky describes the experience as so surreal and wild. It is one of those moments that go by in the blink of an eye. She said that GROUPLOVE were some of the kindest people she has met and would not think twice about supporting them again in the future.
When asked about their upcoming tour in the fall with neighboring Atlanta alternative band, Manchester Orchestra, the singer was more than eager to talk about it. However, it is not as glamorous as it seems. The band consists of a group of health-conscious people who do not want to burn out while they are away from their beds for a month. Tour snacks consist of a lot of yogurts and kombucha. Needless to say, they would not trade the experience for the world. Lunar Vacation is always up for an opportunity to share their music with others on stage and have fun doing so together.
In the future, Lunar Vacation hopes to work with different pop/rock artists and expand their style. A bucket list goal for Repasky and bass player, Ben Wulkan, is to open for indie-rock band Wallows by 2026. At this rate, that does not look so out of the question for the Atlanta band. They also have dreams of doing international tours with other pop/rock artists and working with more pop artists in general. Growing up on pop music, Repasky looked up to artists like P!nk and Demi Lovato. Nowadays, she wants to work with pop star icons like Chappell Roan.
“Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire” is an album that was made with much tender love and care. It represents the band at the point in life where they are currently at, and it will be looked back on over the years for reaching many people all in similar stages of life. Sometimes, all someone needs to hear is the words that they could never say on their own. Lunar Vacation has captured that feeling and turned it into a beautiful album with emotional ups and downs and accomplished their main goal: to make the listener feel.
Listen to “Everything Matter’s, Everything’s Fire” by Lunar Vacation on any streaming service and keep up with them on Instagram at @lunar_vacation. Catch them on tour this fall with Manchester Orchestra.