Search - Lulabox :: Full Bleed

Be-Bop-A-Lulabox...

winkingtiger | Oakland, CA | 07/31/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although Lulabox has a full-length, self-titled CD, I think it's on this 4-song EP that they really shine. It kind of distills what they were trying to do down to its essence. The full-length seems to suffer from filler, with two unnecessary remixes and other half-baked ideas (although 'Ava' is almost worth getting the whole disc for).



Lulabox was an L.A. trio that fit quite well into the category then known as 'shoe-gazer', although that was usually applied to U.K. groups like Lush, Curve, or the Darling Buds. Lulabox brought a dark, bleak L.A. kind of sensibility to the 'shoe-gazer' type of music.



Mid-tempo funky drum machines, distorted yet melodic guitar chords and Mary Cassidy's sultry, low-pitched vocals define the sound. "Ride On" is one of the songs that appear on their full-length CD in two different versions. And here it is again! They must have really wanted to push this one, and it IS one of their better numbers with a fast groove and a punky sort of lyric, not to mention a groovy wah-wah pedal on Michael Cozzi's guitar.



"Ivory Hill" is also included on their full-length CD, and with good reason too. It's one of their best-ever songs with a beautiful, Siouxsie & the Banshees-style guitar part and a wonderfully melancholy vocal from Mary. The hook will break your heart...this is one of the songs that made me really notice this group!



"Innocent Love" is the runt of this litter, but it's a good example of the sort of filler that plagues their album. It's not bad, but it's just more of the stereotypical 'shoe-gazer' music. It makes the next cut sound all the better, and that cut is....



"Gift": my absolute favorite Lulabox song bar none. It's actually a re-working of the song, "Giving It All Away" on their self-titled CD, but it's so much better! All that's good about Lulabox is on show here, a soaring hook, wonderfully buzzing guitars and a great groove. If you only hear one song by them in your life, make it this one! So buy the EP, and if you liked it as much as me, get the full-length too. Hoped this was enlightening, bye! ;oD

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