Search - Lovedrug :: The Sucker Punch Show

Don't judge a CD by its cover.

B. Cravens | Florida | 10/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first time I witnessed Lovedrug was at a small, Christian festival back in 2004. They were just starting to record for their first album, "Pretend You're Alive". I was amazed with their music, and they have been my favorite band ever since. Pretend You're Alive was amazing. A few years later, they presented a darker, almost poppier "Everything Starts Where it Ends"; the album was a little disappointing in that it didn't have quite as many hits as PYA, but nonetheless it was still impressive and a mature step for Lovedrug.



Now the year is 2008, and Lovedrug has 'sucker punched' us with the musical talent of their latest debut. All I can say is "Wow". A few months ago the band deemed this album as a Rocker. I was a little scared, thinking they would break away from their soft, Indie roots, but from what it seems that comment was a little misleading. In this album we find the typical Lovedrug trend, with only about 2-3 Rocker songs (but, mind you, they are heavier than any of their other Rocker songs --- perhaps this is what they meant --- just listen to Everyone Needs a Halo ---) with the rest sounding like exactly what Lovedrug does best - calm, Indie rock. Surprisingly, there are less layers in this album than ESWIE, and the band goes back to simpler, piano sounds which are akin to PYA. Combine this wonderful musical skill with synth/layers and those bittersweet, mystic lyrics. Yep, that's right - this album will not disappoint nor bore. I think many longtime fans will find this a refreshment from ESWIE, especially for their old-school fans who adored PYA.



Maturity has rung true for the band here. Most bands get boring when they stick to their musical roots with little change for too longl. But it's exceptionally rare for a band to be good at it. Congratulations, Lovedrug.



5/5."

Everyone Needs a Halo, and this album.

Cori Maley | Chicago, IL | 11/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unlike "Pretend Your Alive" and "Everything Starts Where it Ends", "Sucker Punch Show" is a rock-experiment roller coaster. You never know what will spill from Michael Shepard's mouth as he screams "you're a hole in my head/that's all that you are" or taunts with "you're the only one who cares about you" or speaks a man's truth, "say what you want to say, god is in the shape of a woman's body."



The music tests every one of your internal emotions starting with the quirky singsong vocals with "let it all out" bleeding into the simply truthful statement in "only one." Rolling next into the heaviest we've heard Lovedrug, the most rocking (possibly Muse sounding) songs yet. After you absorb that your actually listening to Lovedrug they roll into some of the familiar indie piano songs, still more edgy than we've heard, and close with the always epic ending song of "dying days." And you realize THIS is Lovedrug. THIS is their potiential and THIS is a great album to move forward with.



They fuse sex and angels, grace with a bucket of bones and the nubs of your cigaretteless fingers together with more ease and originality than any band has attempted without coming off as cheesy or forced. You can really admire and appreciate a band who's gone through so many member transitions and still manage to hold onto their roots while evolving with the new. Congrats Lovedrug, you've just produced something i was proud to pay for."

Wow, pleasantly surprised

Kyle VanWagner | Dallas, Tx | 11/15/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After being ecstatic to learn that they were coming out with a new record, I patrolled their myspace religiously to hear new tunes as soon as they came out.



Of the three songs they released, I only liked one. I was so disappointed, they had always had a grunge influenced sound, but always kept it indie and melodic enough to hold it at bay. Those two songs I didn't like were almost entirely grunge, and I was apprehensive that the whole album would be in that direction, seeing as those were the songs that the band decided to promote.



But after tentatively deciding to buy the album, I was VERY surprised and quite stoked at the entirety of the collection of songs. They haven't changed much, only grown. The production is great, the melodies are all still there, and the vocals are better than ever.



Perhaps not as good as Everything Starts Where It Ends or Pretend You're Alive, but still a great record.

So many songs to fall in love with, only a couple I feel like skipping. The end of the album returns to a very piano-based feel, while the rest keeps it a bit more uptempo.



Still Lovedrug."