Labels: All Please Sound
Review by: Andy Malcolm
Dammit, this is a great record! Praise be to the band for releasing it as vinyl only (always a mark of a band more in it for the love of making music than any other reason) but it is eight tracks of hyper-enthusiastic, superbly realised, emo rock.
Lovesick have bucket-loads of energy for a three-piece, and that is evident from start to finish. And the make or break factor with these guys for you will be their unique singer. To figure out what he’s yelping, you’ll definitely need the assistance of the printed lyrics on the back of the sleeve at times, because he has a very distinct, slightly off-key voice, but I really do think it suits the music perfectly. Kinda like how Tim Kinsella would be the only person who would ever be able to sing for Cap’n Jazz. Lovesick have elements of that band. It’s the energy and stop-start rhythms that will engender those comparisons. Time changes also means Braid. Nothing wrong with that, as there is a lot more going on here than a glorified tribute.
Most interesting similarity I can find in here though is the Van Pelt. Definitely there are strong hints of early VP to be found. Just listen to the warm guitar jangles on “Falsified Documents” shine through. I’ve also gotta say that the drumming is dynamite. The singer is the guy behind the kit, and he thumps the drums with a great deal of gusto, kicking the songs up the rear as and when needed. Throw in the extra personal lyrics for those sad sad days, and this one’s a keeper.
If you long for ’96-97, check out Lovesick. This is a fantastically realised 12″, and any lover of the emo rock in it’s orginal form will find this a particularly brilliant record.