By Jayden Kimpel, Copy Editor
On Oct. 14, 2021 UK-native indie rock band, Lovejoy, released their second studio EP, Pebble Brain
following their four-song debut EP, Are You Alright? After being formed in Brighton, England in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, frontman Will Gold and guitarist Joe Goldsmith, recruited drummer Mark Boardman and bassist Ash Kabosu to produce their debut EP Are You Alright?. In May 2021, they debuted on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart at No. 10.
When I first listened to Pebble Brain, I was taken on an emotional rollercoaster. I went from dancing and jumping around in my car to staring blankly at the road ahead, the lyrics swimming in my brain. From the vivid and bright lyrics of “Concrete” to the hard guitar and scream-like singing of “The Fall”, Lovejoy did it again. Despite not memorizing or even knowing the lyrics from the first listen, I felt like screaming, singing, and sitting in silence for the rest of the car ride (and duration of the EP).
All of the tracks on the EP feel as if they are being performed live in front of me. It felt so realistic and vivid, and I could envision all of the stories and meanings behind each of the songs, written between the lyrics. While both confusing, painful, and expressive, the EP had my emotions in a chokehold.
While there were only seven songs on the EP, two caught my attention almost immediately. The fourth track, “Perfume”, was both expressive and emotional. The deep meaning behind the song struck me emotionally as I listened to the lyrics. The story was told through the eyes of an ex lover missing someone badly to the point where the scent of the perfume they wore still lingered around. Despite being sad in meaning, the song was very upbeat and uplifting.
My all-time favorite song was by far “The Fall”. It gave me chills when I first listened to it. The song was
about a person falling into a deep depression. I had to stop my car a few times to rewind, and listen again. And again. A huge wave of emotions hit me harder each time I listened. The song ended on a cliffhanger, the last lyric making the listener really think about the meaning, before transitioning to the upbeat final song, “It’s All Futile! It’s All Pointless!”
Overall, finding this perfect compilation of music – with both alternative and pop sounds combined – had met both my musical and emotional needs, walking me through all five stages of grief, and had been nothing but satisfying.
“And when you’ve reached the top there’s nowhere else to go but…” Lovejoy