The Devil Loves The Loves
The Loves
Genre: Psychedelic / Indie / Pop
From: Cardiff (mainly), United Kingdom
Formed in 2000, The Loves have gone through a couple of line-up changes, and, if the blogs I've read are anything to go by, quite a few arguments and 'internal differences'. Which is quite ironic really given their name and the 'love and peace' vibe of their music. They've received some national coverage including a live broadcast from Peel Acres on Valentine's Day 2002 and an LP of the week in the Sunday Times. They are, however, a band that divide opinions as the following comments from the BBC Wales Music site testify:
"It's perhaps a sign that since this review the talented members were forced out by band politics leaving the surviving members to further disappear into their own navels and mad hippie uncles record collection. Apparently they're threatening to unleash themselves on the music loving public again. Now might be the time to start staying in again.... unless they're gonna be extras in Dr Who - they do have the look" - Gruff, Cardiff
"The Loves may fill their songs with retro-references but they're bouncy, infectious and soulful. So there" - Michael, Wales
"The Loves cannot be bothered to write an album with any invention, cajones or insight" - God
"hey are not that original? So What? Nothing really is. Having seen the earlier incarnation of The Loves - I can only say they are good fun live and the album is patchy but it has oodles of potential..... most promising Welsh band since the super furry animals burst onto the scene 10 or 11 years ago" - Trev from London via Wales
"one of the worst bands ever to disgrace Cardiff. Anyone who witnessed the farce that was "Lovestock" on Valentine's Day should agree with me, but then it was full of twee little tw*ts like the loves anyway" - Freddie, Cardiff
"Okay, so the Loves aren't that original, but what they are is one of the best nights out around. They're not pretencious like The Strokes, and they know how to get the crowd worked into overdrive. I personally haven't heard the recorded album, but I've seen them play live anough to know that these guys are one of the best up and coming bands in Cardiff, if not the UK" - Cal, Cardiff
Any band that can generate that much debate has to have something going for them. So whats the Devil's opinion? The Loves deliver fizzing psych pop that puts the art in artificial, the pop in popular, and the ram in ramshackle. Yes they may not be forging the ramparts of originality but since when has that been a crime? Yes they may be a little ramshackle, but that adds to their charm. Yes they may be a little amateurish but that gives them a refreshing honesty in an era of overpolished over produced musical mush. Yes they may be in thrall to the Swinging London from their dapper Bibaesque clobber and their Velvet Underground does Sgt Pepper psych pop sound but that didn't seem to do the The Dandy Warhols any harm. I don't mind nailing my colours to the mast and shouting from Garth Hill(the highest point in Cardiff ) the Devil Loves the Loves. So Freddie from Cardiff the Devil is a twee little tw*t then is he? I look forward to meeting you on your first day in Hell!!
Go Try
MP3 - The Loves - Just Like Bobby D
MP3 - The Loves - She'll Break Your Heart
Go Visit
The Loves - Myspace
Go See
22 Jun 2007, 20:00, Buffalo Bar w/ Friends of the Bride , London;
The Devil couldn't find any Dandy Warhols MP3s so I hope that a couple of Brian Jonestown Massacre tracks will suffice...
MP3 - The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Not If You Were The Only Dandy On Earth
MP3 - The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Seer
