Album Review: lovelytheband — everything i could never say…
lovelytheband is a surprisingly difficult group to pin down on the world wide web. But, despite their internet elusiveness, their music is certainly not slipping under our radar — and it shouldn’t slip through yours, either.
Through some careful sleuthing, though, we’ve learned thanks to Billboard that the band is comprised of Mitchy Collins, of the indie-pop band Oh Honey, along with Jordan Greenwald on guitar and Kosta Theodosis on drums. This trio released their first EP everything i could never say… on September 22nd. Let’s go track-by-track and see what they’ve brought to the table.
1. “broken” — 10/10
lovelytheband opens everything i could never say… with a catchy electronic riff that immediately brought to mind WolfGang’s “Lions in Cages” and MGMT’s “Kids.” So, like those predecessors, I shouldn’t be surprised to find that this track is also incredibly catchy. The melodies are going to get stuck in your head in seconds, and the lyrics are interesting and clever. The layering of voices on the verses and choruses is a really nice touch — especially the harmonies on verse two. The lyrics of broken people bring to mind Julia Michaels’ recent hit “Issues,” as Colins sings, “I like that you’re lonely, lonely like me / I could be lonely with you.”
2. “emotion” — explicit — 8/10
“emotion” features an energetic guitar riff on the verses, but the choruses smooth things out as a tranquil vibe takes over. Telling of a failed relationship, Collins sings, “It used to be magic, / Now it’s bullshit and sadness.” The percussion on this track is really well-done, especially on the choruses.
3. “coachella” — 8/10
This tranquil track, while problematically romanticizing drug use, is musically great. The smooth guitar riffs are lovely, the echoing “oohs” and “ahhs” on the intro and choruses are really unique and catchy, and the percussion is perfect yet again.
4. “make you feel pretty” — explicit — 7/10
This fun track has clever lyrics and a playful, punchy vibe. The music is enjoyable and lovelytheband’s honest lyrics are so blunt that they become amusing, even while Collins sings of a toxic relationship.
5. “don’t worry, you will” — 9/10
While the whistle used on this track sounds incredibly similar to the one used in Flo Rida’s “Whistle” — they’re even in the same key — this track overall sounds more like one that Two Door Cinema Club might release. This track has really interesting doubled vocals from the second verse onwards that create a nice, full sound as Collins sings over his own voice. The horn accents on the choruses and witty lyrics are a plus, as Collins sings, “She said / I can’t find a thing I don’t like about you / And I’m like, don’t worry, you will.”
6. “strangers” — 9/10
This track has really nice melodies and clever lyrics — it seems these two areas are strong suits of lovelytheband. The distorted voice in the pre-chorus is genius, and the catchy chorus that follows it will keep you hooked with its synth riffs and electric guitar accents.
Overall: 8.5/10
This debut EP is a total jam — there isn’t a track worth skipping. “broken” is certainly a stand-out, but its successors are only trailing behind by a slim margin. lovelytheband seems to have figured it out from the get-go, so I’m excited to see where the trio goes from here.
