Prior obligations and general busyness forced me to miss MusicfestNW again this year. Though there were few big names in the lineup that appealed to me, I was more interested in checking out some low-brow bands and maybe finding some local dudes to latch onto--‘our band could be your life’ style. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. But other people went, and if it weren’t for my friends, whose musical tastes more or less align with mine, I wouldn’t have learned of The Love Language. Seriously, my buddy Mike can’t shut up about them.
The band is based in North Carolina and their sound can be almost as grand and ambitious as the Arcade Fire’s. “Providence” is a good example with its succinct parts that build into an anthemic, spectacular whole. “Lalita” is more Strokes meets Modest Mouse, built around excited acoustic strumming, ass-shaking tambourine and a euphoric guitar phrase that wouldn’t sound out of place in a jubilant power-pop hop-along whereas “Graycourt” is a pretty piano song complete with softly wistful singing, shuffling drums and an affected vocal track that doubles as a guitar solo at one point. The Ricky Nelson cover, “Hello Mary Lou,” is harsh, full of feedback and static squall that serves as a marked contrast to the polished sheen of the original. And while bright, insistent guitars and fuzz-filtered vocals layered with dense harmonies propel the short “Sparxxxxxxxxx,” the fleeting slide break in the middle begs to be extended.
The band is based in North Carolina and their sound can be almost as grand and ambitious as the Arcade Fire’s. “Providence” is a good example with its succinct parts that build into an anthemic, spectacular whole. “Lalita” is more Strokes meets Modest Mouse, built around excited acoustic strumming, ass-shaking tambourine and a euphoric guitar phrase that wouldn’t sound out of place in a jubilant power-pop hop-along whereas “Graycourt” is a pretty piano song complete with softly wistful singing, shuffling drums and an affected vocal track that doubles as a guitar solo at one point. The Ricky Nelson cover, “Hello Mary Lou,” is harsh, full of feedback and static squall that serves as a marked contrast to the polished sheen of the original. And while bright, insistent guitars and fuzz-filtered vocals layered with dense harmonies propel the short “Sparxxxxxxxxx,” the fleeting slide break in the middle begs to be extended.
The band, a six or seven-piece I was told, seems pretty versatile, moving comfortably between styles and moods. They’re signed to an indie label, Bladen County Records, which is also home to a couple notable Portland bands, but they’ve yet to release anything. Translation: keep your ears peeled!
http://www.myspace.com/thelovelanguage
http://bladencountyrecords.com/index.php/the-love-language/
http://www.myspace.com/thelovelanguage
http://bladencountyrecords.com/index.php/the-love-language/
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