-=- SHGZ -=-
* Shoegaze * Indie * Post-Rock * Grunge * Dream Pop * Psych-Rock * Ethereal *
Artist..: Library Voices
Album...: Lovish
GENRE...: Indie
STYLE...: Indie Rock
YEAR....: 2015
LABEL...: Nevado ENCODER..: LAME 3.98.4 -V0
SOURCE..: CD BITRATE..: 245 kbps avg
TRACKS..: 11 SIZE.....: 74.52 MB
URL..: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_Voices
- TRACKLIST
1 Oh Donna 3:56
2 Sunburnt In LA 3:52
3 Slacker 2:54
4 Zzyzx 3:38
5 Hey Adrienne 2:44
6 The Wild Roar Of Love 4:00
7 Escape Artist 3:57
8 Fangs Of Love 2:57
9 Death By Small Talk 4:17
10 Bored In Berlin 3:23
11 Every Night 6:50
Total Playtime: 42:28
Library Voices have never been a band to use the hushed tones their name
suggests. If played loud enough, their pop treats, like "Drinking Games" or
"Generation Handclap," could rattle the books and unsettle the dust in any
library. But as first heard on their 2014 EP For John and now on Lovish,
Library Voices' third LP, the Regina band have developed a grit that makes
their past songs seem gentle.
From the swinging celebration of "the funeral of youth" in the opener "Oh
Donna" to the almost impenetrable sludge of closer "Every Night," Lovish is
primarily marked by distorted vocals and fierce, guitar-heavy tracks. That
growing garage-pop angularity has made the band sharper than ever.
It's not all grime and grudges, though; with fellow Regina native Andy Shauf
on backing vocals, "Hey! Adrienne" is a light pop-rock hit that finds lead
singer and guitarist Carl Johnson reflecting on a romantic relationship in
the aftermath of a physical attack in which he suffered brain damage. In
other, milder songs, the lyrical sting of "Sunburnt in L.A." is cooled by a
synth haze, while the smooth groove of "The Wild Roar of Love" is a
surprisingly gentle treat.
Opening Lovish by commemorating a loss of innocence, as Library Voices do on
"Oh Donna," speaks volumes about what this album means to the band; this is
Library Voices saying goodbye to their old ways and celebrating their renewed
and more powerful sound, even when they're channelling softness.
*
Saskatchewan indie pop outfit Library Voices have had their share of growing
pains in their seven years together, though most of them have occurred off
the record. Overcoming a myriad of mishaps -- like gear theft, flood-damaged
backup equipment, muggings, and a brutal assault of frontman Carl Johnson --
has become an involuntary thread in the band's personal narrative, even if
their music has generally remained upbeat and witty. After two well-received
LPs of exuberant and often lushly arranged pop, they shook up their format
with 2014's fuzzy, lo-fi EP For John. Whether this darker tone was a direct
result of Johnson's brain damage-inducing assault (blood pooled in the front
of his brain, affecting his sense of smell) and difficult recovery or the
band was simply ready to evolve, Library Voices challenged their fans with an
unfamiliar new sound. Lovish, their third LP, strikes a bit more balance
between the old and new, offering glimpses of the joyous, wry popcraft of
their earlier work as well as some moodier tracks and even outright
experimental ones. Darkly exultant lead single "Oh Donna" frames Library
Voices' big group harmonies and rich melodies into a more standard guitar
band format than before. With the subdued but sleek synth ballad "Sunburnt in
L.A.," they almost resemble the mature pop of fellow Canadians Stars. In
fact, parts of Lovish mine a territory similar to big-ensembled Canadian
indie forebears like Broken Social Scene and the New Pornographers in the way
they mix thoughtful songcraft, big group harmonies, light synths, and a
carefully fuzzy veneer. The addition of powerful, honking saxophones,
especially on the standout cut "Zzyzx," gives parts of Lovish a bold
attitude, and even if the overall LP comes across as a bit too uneven,
Library Voices made the right move in trying to stretch their wings and shake
things up.
-=- SHGZ -=-
P.S.
** Thanks ***
*** BCC FNT IPC SSR ***
*** For Knowing Where The Music Is At ***
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