Spring 2007: Greetings and welcome to the Lovejoy website - Firstly apologies to everyone longing for more regular updates, unfortunately real life keeps getting in the way of all this music frippery and fickleness and that means updates have become slightly less regular than intended. We very nearly got an update in November, but unfortunately we were scuppered and then everything came to a grinding halt. And then we went to sleep for the rest of the winter.
Anyway, we're back! Bleary eyed and slightly disorientated (no changes there) but here at least, along with the spring. So lets crack on with the latest news: Firstly, our new CDEP, 'England Made Me' was released in July (America) and October (UK & Europe) and has been receiving excellent reviews, which of course makes us very happy - You can read some of them on the releases page or click here. We'll include an extract from one of them here as well to give you a flavour of what is being said:
...Kicking open the set is 'Brightness Falls', which owes a large slice of homage to those aforementioned mid-eighties underground indie nights, a cutting riff loaned from New Orders 'Love Vigilantes' and an overall feel defined and refined by premier song writers and record producers such as Ian Broudie the song is an irresistible opener. Intercut and underpinned with rudimentary sampler bleeps, so reminiscent of those early days, when electronics were an accompaniment rather than an essential element, 'Brightness Falls' rolls effortlessly on with a beauty and honesty so lacking elsewhere today. 'Are You Analogue or Digital' follows on this theme, almost securing the opening drum pattern to The Smiths 'Reel Around the Fountain' I find it hard not to sing the opening line as '...it's time the tale were told...'. Nevertheless, this is a song in itself that stands up on it's own regardless of what may have influence it here and there or now and then. 'Analogue or Digital' soon sweeps off into it's own world, engaging electronics head on and proving that bleeps need not all be a substitute for real song writing and musicianship, very Kraftwerk-esque it may be, but it retains a dignity all of it's own and fits the feel of this collection remarkably well. Tipping their hats again to the eighties Lovejoy tackle the June Brides classic from the era 'In the Rain', again interspersed with organic samples and stabs of transistor generated sound this transports me right back to my school days, when these songs were the exception rather than the rule - some things never seem to change though do they?' Made in England', fortunately not a cover of the Elton John, erm, classic, continues the theme and the feel of the record, a gently forceful interplay between two acoustic guitar lines and a sweeping keyboard line succumbs to a crashing bass line and the song aches to life. All the pointers are to a song that may have fitted perfectly on their debut album, but that is all in the past, the future is here and this record is now, and that is all that matters. On top of all that, any song that mentions an Aspidistra and avoids tackling Gracie Fields outside a chip shop in South East Lancashire is, in my book anyway, a slice of poetic genius. (Friends Of The Heroes).
So there you have it...what more needs to be said?
In other news, Richard recently completed interviews with Pennyblack magazine, which you can read here and Erasing Clouds ezine which you can read here -....
Richard and Keith also worked on the sleeve art for a great new band, Love Dance, from Bergen, Norway. The album has only just come out and is available from all sorts of places, but here's a link to Marsh Marigold, their record label, who should be able to provide any information you might need. All you need to know from us is the band are great and the album is excellent. The sleeve art is not bad either - you can see the front cover in the Edwardia section on our extras page.
Several of our releases are now apparently available for download. Whatever that means. Anyway, there's a link to 'England Made Me' on itunes, from where you'll also be able to find 'Everybody Hates' and 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'. And some rap records by somebody else called Lovejoy.
Lovejoy plan to return to Church Road Studio this spring to record a song for the Matinee 10th anniversary label compilation - we may even record an extra song as well - more details to follow.
Finally, Richard has been confirmed to play in Sweden at the RIP IT UP! festival this Summer:
This is in a place called Saffle, just north of Gothenburg - click here for more info - or alternatively contact Lovejoy directly...As with all Lovejoy shows, this will just feature Richard and his acoustic guitar and no electronic gadgets or backing tracks. Or rap records. So don't expect a full band or anything adventurous like that! We are hoping to confirm one or two other shows over the summer, so check back soon for further details. In the meantime, farewell and enjoy the spring.
Click here for past news...