The Album:

After releasing a few singles to build the hype for the release, listeners were starting to become more and more intrigued on what the full picture would look like for a lovelytheband release. Let’s turn to see if all the hype fits the record in question. To start, the title track? Everything. The band, from the jump, grabs the attention of the listeners by including this vague, monochromatic message with differing timbres to drive the title of the work. This engages the listeners, sparks interests, and just places the listeners in a vulnerable state to want to hear more. From here? The band turns the party. They immediately jump into their strong alternative-pop musical persona that drives with a dusting of the 80s and the mod-pop, party musical genres. This is accented through the various instrumental timbres that are heard throughout the make. These include the traditional alternative band line up with appearances by electronics and some wind instruments. The majority of the record rocks with the same template in terms of sound and overall sound approach, but that somehow really works for this record. In most instances, this would make for a record that is quite repetitive- not this work. The way that the artist crafts their progression creates an album that is spunky, energetic, and just fun to listen to. Overall, I am giving this album a 4 out of 5 stars. I am giving this record just a score because it is evident that the band is rocking on nostalgic motives through their own outlook. This creates a large margin of exploration in an area of music that is hard to dislike.

Top Tracks:

“buzz cut”, “idwgtyp”, and “drive”

These are the selections that stick out amongst the pack, for they just groove a little harder than the rest. With having that party and 80s flair that glosses over every track, it is hard not to connect to all the tracks on the make. However, these shine a bit brighter because the band, in these moments, provides the optimal mixture of those additional genres with their own musical view point. When the listeners experience that balanced blend, they can’t help but want to listen to more, which is why I would start here. Though, this record should be experienced from front to back.

Album Artwork:

At first glance, it is evident that the band is building onto the brand that they established in their 2018 release. The front cover rocks with a black, white (silver-ish), and pink color scheme. The center of the image includes what appears to be a pop-up button (one where you would push it and it would make noise- a toy from some time ago). This button pastes the name of the record in bold font on different strips of paper. The cover is then stamped with the band’s name in one corner and a lipstick kiss in another (art taken from the 2018 release). How does this connect to the music on the inside? Let’s find out. As talked about in the general review, the music on this record drives that alternative-pop genre with glimmers of the party musical genre and the prime music of the 80s. This mixture of musical styles creates music that is new wave while also paying homage back in time, and that’s the exact feeling the button on the cover reflects. The finishing on the button makes it feel as if it is weathered, but the quaff title cards make the image seem fresh, and that is exactly how the music floats on this release. The other large connection that can be made from the cover to the music is the color scheme with the accent color of pink. The color pink is known to symbolize love whether within oneself or with someone else. This is emphasized throughout the record, lyrically, for the entire work centers around reflecting about someone, longing for someone, or how love hits someone personally. In general, I would say the two work fine on their own, but the connection of the two works quite well.

*”conversations with myself about you” was released on August 28^th, 2020 through The Century Family, Inc.