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Volume 72, Issue 101,
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Life & Arts ‘Everything' proves to be an intoxicating drug by BEN HILL
The sophomore slump is no match for emo-prog newcomers Lovedrug. Topping Lovedrug's 2004 debut, Pretend You're Alive, would have been challenging for any relatively new band, but to pick up where one of the world's most influential bands left off and outdo them? It should have happened a long time ago. Could the album's title Everything Starts Where It Ends be in reference to Radiohead's career-cresting OK Computer? Probably not, but the album's sound seems to indicate this. Lovedrug, from Canton, Ohio, pushes past the dreamy electronics to focus on quality songwriting. Some of the lyrics are a bit ambiguous, but that's been the trend since the early days of emo; assume there's a broken relationship involved and enjoy the ride. Everything is billed as a concept album, or at least one with an underlying story, but it sticks to the usual themes. The startling thing about Lovedrug's sound is how closely vocalist Michael Shepard resembles Sunny Day Real Estate's Jeremy Enigk, which may betray an influence or two. But Lovedrug's music packs a more polished wallop than either Radiohead or Sunny Day; the rhythm section is particularly strong, the guitars maintain a wiry snarl and the band isn't weird for the sake of it. Everything's mid-tempo numbers are its most successful. "Casino Clouds" has hit potential, mixing subtle orchestration and catchy lyrics. "Ghost by Your Side" has similar results. "Happy Apple Poison" reaffirms the group's reputation for being progressive by juxtaposing minor-key verses with an emotional major chorus over an odd tempo. The group is also good at giving straight-ahead rock an original spin. Its slower songs tend to be dramatic but not overblown. Everything Starts Where it Ends is a more natural successor to Sunny Day Real Estate's The Rising Tide or Radiohead's OK Computer than anything they produced after them. Lovedrug is definitely one of the bands to watch in the coming years. Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu |
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