No sooner you post your top 20 albums of the year, a tip comes your way and your left screaming “The Love-Birds” like Dr Johnson screams “sausage” in Blackadder the Third.
The four piece from San Francisco released their debut album 'In The Lovers Corner' via Trouble In My Mind records last May. As us Brits brace for winter, The Love-Birds recipe of 60s California and the 90s US underground circuit will warm both hearts and minds.
Embracing their love of Teenage Fanclub, they hired Norman Blake to master the album and, on ‘Weak Riff’ and Gerrit’, duly pay homage. ‘Weak Riff’ has the hallmarks of a Creation Records single with its hazy take on pop music. Meanwhile, ‘Gerrit’ harnesses the Fanclub’s fuzzy-grunge take of The Byrds and big emotive guitar breaks to conjure, perhaps the albums true moment of stardust.
Jangle pop reigns supreme throughout, in fact, it’s hard not to imagine the album sound tracking Friday Night Lights Matt Saracen throwing a winning pass to Tim Riggins. There are fleeting moments where they splice in other influences. ‘Hit My Head’ has a touch of Grandaddy’s eccentric production, ‘Failure and Disgrace’ is a lost Decemberists classic and on ‘Clean The Air’, singer Thomas Rubenstein manages to blend Gene Clark and Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst.
The Love-Birds have delivered a superb introduction to themselves on this influenced led debut. Now it’s time for them to flee the nest and test themselves. Can they sail unchartered waters and find a new route?
*Image courtesy of Ava Rose and Trouble In Mind Records