Love.Stop.Repeat – Radio Sessions
Okay, criticisms first for this one, I think. Firstly, fabric covers for CDs put me off: they reek of the twee to such an extent that they make my buttocks clench. That’s not a rational criticism, obviously, just a personal prejudice, but it’s true nevertheless. Secondly, a little like the cover, when this EP is at its worst is when it is just a bit too pretty for my taste: not that it ever needs to be aggressive exactly, but there are times when Love.Stop.Repeat can be a little watery for my taste.
That second criticism applies more to the band’s entire output than particularly to this EP, however, where only A Busy Heart Beating Strong and New York Song really fall into that category; the rest is genuinely excellent.
I don’t know what to say about why I like this so much other than that it’s just lovely. Wistful, oozing with dreary melancholy, it’s an EP which sounds like it was mostly written whilst gazing sadly out the window on a rainy day.
At their best, the interplay of the male and female vocals and the minimal instrumentals are simple and beautiful. The arrangements are really sparse, which is something I very much like. Depth tends to come from the harmonium, with tambourine and ukulele filling out the higher registers. It’s all so sparingly used, however, that you get the impression they would rather have a couple of minutes of silence rather than make any sort of noise at all which they weren’t absolutely certain they wanted.
I like this careful touch, and it means that when they really nail it Love.Stop.Repeat really are an excellent band. A lot of their Radio Sessions EP is them doing just that – really nice.
Love.Stop.Repeat – Sunday Strolls & Miracles
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Love.Stop.Repeat – In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
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MySpace (They appear to be sold out of everything at the moment, but there are gigs listed on their MySpace page, so go and see them if you can.)
hahaha. you’re going to hate the kays lavelle album then fabric wise.
I really quite enjoyed their homegame set but really didn’t take to this EP. I haven’t really got past the tweeish nature of the whole thing, think I’m going to have to give the thing another bash.
as in, a bash against something hard?
Just stamp on it Dav, that’ll do the trick. Actually, I haven’t taken to all of, and I agree it can be too twee, but when it’s good I think it’s very, very good.
Not a fan Tom? I did quite enjoy the whole thing live I must say.
think i’ve seen them a couple of times…..wasn’t impressed…..doesn’t mean that it is crap….cos as i’m always told….my taste in music is pish!
I like Love.Stop.Repeat.
yeah of course you do….twirly lips
I like them too, quite a lot – but I know what you mean about the New York Song (if it’s the one I’m thinking of – “me and my sister were looking so pretty”?) – sets my teeth on edge just a little bit.
I think they stay the right side of twee.
And fabric covers are functional, as the softer material reduces the chance of scratching when hastily returning or retrieving the CD from the sleeve.
fabric covers or indeed any hand made covers show that there is a lot of love put into a record, not just the music but the whole package. i’m sorry, but give me something different an interesting over jewel cases any day. if there’s love in a house, it’s a palace for sure.
I am not moaning about hand-made covers, Euan. Did you see the Meursault EP – we painted those little fuckers by hand too, and I wrote Nothing Broke on every last bastard one of them, it’s just something about fabric which sets my teeth on edge. I think it’s because it tends so often to be associated with hippy folkie shitey music, and the people who think they are a good idea tend to be a bit too flowery and lovely and arty for me to deal with so it just triggers a shitload of negative associations.
As to how it will fit with Kays stuff I am genuinely fascinated to see. The music and the band are so different from all my fabric covers stereotypes that it could really work well (or I could hate it of course, but that’s always the risk when doing something a bit different).
As to the tweeness of their music, yes Coriander, that’s the one. I don’t think they do it often, and I love them live, it’s more a case of if I don’t like what they’re doing then that tends to be the reason. Generally I think they’re excellent.
What about Ziggy Campbell’s side project thing in the fake leather padded sleeve? Twee, butch or camp?
of the course it is nice if there has been some effort put into the packaging and the like….but if the music shite the music is shite….regardless of the love put in.
concentrate on the music and the rest will fall into place in time
of course the music is paramount tom. but i love it when somebody takes the time to care about every little detail. makes it special. jewel cases should be illegal.
Yup. Jewel cases really, really are shit.
illegal…harsh…cd should illegal….we should just be downloading in this day an age….
i don’t even know if i agree with what i’ve just said
Why we ever moved away from Player Pianos and wax cylinders I will never know. Has the world gone mad?
long ago Matthew….but don’t let that stop you
why would we move away from physical releases??? i download nothing. i like to buy cds and i like cover art and all the things that go with an album. broken records album for example. i love the art and packaging for that. wilco’s albums. Sigur Ros! it all wouldn’t be the same without the art and packaging. for me anyways.
I agree with you, Euan, but many don’t. I get the impression that buying physical releases is becoming the pastime of collectors these days. If anything, though, that should be a good thing for you, because physical releases seem to increasingly to be aimed at small runs for collectors, rather than just mass market crap in anonymous jewel cases.
people who like real music…….oh i’ll stop cos we’ve been here before…..and it’s all pish
who said people who like real music? as far as i can see we’re talking about people who like to buy cds.
yep black hole…….i’m fucking off to stare at the wall
just had a look and Love. Stop. Repeat are on Greenman bill….i will check them out…..again
if i could understand what you’re on about that would help.
Granted, this is from the LA times. But I think it has some interesting points, and illustrates how I feel that downloads will grow grow, but there will always be a need and a market for physical release.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/business/la-et-jackson-physical14-2009jul14,0,296705.story
Looks like a tea cozy. I’m afraid it would get lost in the drawer with the oven mitts and trivets. What they need on the cover is a few spaceships or eagles or somethin.’ The music is very good though.
Chutters – this has nothing to do with music snobbery in the slightest, and that should be completely obvious. Behave.
Bart – Interesting article. One of the good things about downloads is that now that they are the mass-distribution method of choice, it frees up physical products from that sort of role a little bit and has encouraged people to look at exactly why a physical copy of something, when there is no practical need for it, is still appealing to people. It seems that people are tailoring their physical packaging to that way of thinking a lot more these days and I really like it.
C&B – Tea cosy. Exactly. That’s why I don’t like it.
it has absolutely nothing to do with music snobbery. how did that even become an issue here?? i believe you collect vinyl tom. is that snobbery now as well or is it because you like the way vinyl sounds, the product itself?
for me, buying cds has and always will be more fun. i love going to music shops and browsing. that’s all.
you’re such a social animal, Euan, dearie.
me, I hate CD’s and if I wasn’t so paranoid I’d get rid of them all. downloads are infinitely easier and more practical. plus I don’t have to leave the house to get them.