There's a certain kind of freedom in realizing that, despite us all being our own individual snowflakes, we are still as insignificant as goldfish in the end. For frontman Josh Rana, that realization led him to create a masterful debut album, titled "Funeral For A Fish." You're about to meet your new favorite band: this is Lake Rana.
MSM: You wiped the slate clean in early 2025 to rebuild Lake Rana with a more focused vision. Was there a specific moment when you realized the previous iteration wasn't quite what you were wanting?
JOSH: In January of last year, I reached out and had a call with a fellow artist whose project I really admire. The way that he talked about his sound, aesthetic, and persona – everything – it motivated me to dive into the music not just as individual songs but as a real cohesive project. For the first time I was inspired to treat everything around the songs as another creative outlet instead of just a wrapper for the music. Within a month I had the fish funeral concept, an 8-song album fully demoed, 5 of which had already been released. Once I found our producer Pete Zen, I realized the writing was always there; it just needed to be packaged correctly to connect with people.
Which song do you think best defines the "Lake Rana sound" for someone who has never heard you before?
I think “Sink” is the best fresh listen on the album. It perfectly highlights our strengths and quirks – earworm riffs, relatably dark lyrics, and ever-so-slight musical twists that reward re-listens but don’t alienate you on the first. Also, that intro just itches your brain in the best way.
Was there a particular reason that "Grasshopper" was chosen as the focus track of the album?
We’ve had it in our live set for a few years now (in many different iterations), and it’s always been a favorite amongst our friends that come see us play. Hands down the most fun song on the setlist – not many pop punk bands get to rip a faux-bluegrass solo, ya know?
Is there a particular song or lyric that means the most to you on the album?
The title track (and album closer) ends with the lyrics I am most proud of:
My body begs to stay.
Against the wind, the undercurrent,
That threatens to dismay.
We all end up the same.
No fated god, no epilogue,
While pain and joy decay.
Let’s call it what it is.
A funeral for a fish.
These were the last lyrics I wrote for the entire project. I knew it had to end with “funeral for a fish," but I think any other avenue to that lyric would have been a joke. This song is about finding the will to live by realizing that no such thing exists. I don’t think I’ve written a more personal set of lyrics – and somehow they make the final line feel more meaningful than any other on the album.
Are there any non-musical (and non-aquatic) inspirations that helped shape the album?
I’m not an avid reader by any means, but I do like reading authors that inspired my favorite musicians – Chuck Palahniuk, Ursula K Le Guin, and Albert Camus to name a few. Drawing connections between other people’s creative processes and influences is a great way to get more comfortable with your own. I’ve been trying to read The Plague for like a year. I took reading breaks to play guitar and ended up writing a lot of the riffs on the album.
If the members of Lake Rana were fish in a tank, what kind of fish would each of you be, and who is most likely to jump out of the tank?
I’m an octopus. I read an article about researchers discovering that octopi lead groups of predator fish in the ocean on organized hunts – and punch the fish that get distracted. I’ve never punched anyone, but I definitely keep the train on the tracks. There are so many moving pieces to running this project; I feel like I have 8 arms doing it all concurrently, but I love it. Mikey, our bassist, is a sea cucumber. He’s too cool for us. Jackson, our rhythm guitarist, is a shark – his artist name is Loveshark after all (the featured artist on the track “Covers”). Finally, Andrew, our drummer, is a blenny. If you’re not familiar, they are the silliest little fish – they have very emotive faces and like to hang out on the rocks instead of swimming. He’s jumping for sure, and we’re going out there to bring him back.
Since the hobby is such a cornerstone of your identity and the album's title — what’s the "prized fish" in your tank right now?
I have a few, but my favorite is the Pearl Jawfish in my saltwater tank. Saltwater fish are so beautiful, and each species has its own unique behavior. This one has a little burrow he built under a rock, and every single night he grabs pebbles with his mouth to cover up his front door. As soon as the light’s on in the morning, his front door opens and he starts his day. I saw him struggling at a fish store by himself and told myself it was meant to be. He loves his home in my tank.
What’s something your fans might not know about this album that you’d love them to understand from your perspective?
I actually wrote an entirely different album before this one. It’s fully demoed, 12 tracks, but it just didn’t feel right as our debut. It was too important to me to get those songs right, and I didn’t feel we could at the time. Funeral For A Fish was my answer to that. These 8 tracks are the opening chapter to a much longer discography that I am so excited to bring to life. We hope you liked the emo fish concept album, because it’s only going to get weirder, darker, and riffier from here.
Lastly, what do you want fans to feel after listening to Funeral For A Fish?
I want them to feel complete. Like this was an album they were missing from their life. (And that they want to press play again, obviously!).
