Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

The Lovemakers of Oakland, CA bring up an interesting discussion about the future of the music industry. The group grew out of the band Applesaucer that had previously signed to Interscope Records.  Applesaucer eventually canceled their contract with Interscope in order for its members to move in a direction where they can make their own rules.  The Lovemakers’ Misery Loves Company EP includes five songs and a video for each song.  Instead of releasing traditional LPs, the band chose to release multimedia EPs a few times a year on the new Fuzz record label.  They also plan to allow listeners to add parts to their songs and not only post them online, but even sell their own versions of the songs on Fuzz’s website.

The Lovemakers raise the question of whether the concept of the album is still relevant in the post-Napster music world.  They also bring rock and roll back to its pre-copyright infringement form of that was based on bands building upon the work of previous musicians while making it uniquely their own.  The songs on Misery Loves Company also bring us back to a 1980s New Wave-meets-glam sound and image.  The title track is reminiscent of The Bangles with its guitar-driven rhythm and vocal harmonies led by singer, Lisa Light. 

The second track, Whine and Dine, led by the vocals of Scott Blonde, stands out as the song with the most commercial potential with its electro-pop style and rock energy.  Following this on the EP is of all things, a ballad, sung by Light.  This track seemed to come out of left field at first listen, but The Lovemakers make it very clear that they are releasing EPs and full-length coherent albums.

All five of the videos included on the EP are produced very well considering the group’s independence from major label funding.  Every video is very distinct in style and format, each conforming to what one might expect to see when listening to the associated track.  The songs on Misery Loves Company seem to jump from track to track with no continuity, but perhaps this is the point.  The Lovemakers’ experiment in marketing is worth checking out, if not just for experiencing this different approach to releasing music.  You may even find yourself inspired enough to plug in that old guitar into your laptop, add a solo to one of their songs and sell it on Fuzz’s website.