Love As Laughter

Centered on the evolving compositions of singer and guitarist Sam Jayne, Love as Laughter developed across more than two decades, moving from sharp-edged indie rock toward quieter, more restrained sounds. Early releases appeared on the independent imprints Sub Pop and K, after which the group joined the major-label subsidiary Glacial Pace—founded by Modest Mouse vocalist Isaac Brock—for the 2008 album Holy.

Following the 1994 breakup of the indie-pop group Lync, Jayne launched Love as Laughter as a lo-fi solo endeavor. He issued two self-released cassettes—an untitled set and Clear Sky = Blue Dye—before K Records put out The Greks Bring Gifts in 1996. The 1998 album #1 U.S.A. marked the arrival of guitarist Jessica Espeleta and former Lync drummer Dave Schneider. A year later came Destination 2000, the band’s first release on Sub Pop. Subsequent singles on K and the 2005 Sub Pop album Laughter’s Fifth reflected a gradual softening of their earlier energetic style into a darker, more restrained mood. Holy, issued on Glacial Pace, continued this shift with pronounced Neil Young influences and proved to be the band’s last full-length record. Activity afterward remained occasional: a 2010 session yielded the 2012 single “Timers” b/w “The One Around for Years” on Tracks of Quality, which also released the cassette-only Greks II: Slight Return in 2013. The label ToQ followed with the 2015 7-inch coupling “Lazy Soldier” and “Oasis.”

On December 12, 2020, friends and family reported Jayne missing after his last confirmed sighting on December 6. Three days later the New York Police Department discovered him deceased inside his car; he was 46.