Love.45 - Love.45
By Chris Stum
In a day and age when Do It Yourself albums
are being released by the handful, youd probably start wondering how all
these bands do it. So many albums, so many bands, the challenge for the
artist quickly becomes "How do you get your music that youve created into
the hands of appreciative fans and industry personnel that will help you
make a difference with your work?" Ive found that many bands are happy
to just have an album that they can call their own while others go out
and work hard to recruit pieces to make their recording the best it can
be.
Hailing from Colorado, Love.45 has enjoyed
the opportunity to work with some big names without the support of a major
label. The bands latest, self titled offering (Rock Ridge) finds 3 Doors
Down guitarist Chris Henderson and veteran producer/engineer Geoff Ott
lending their talents to help produce a very catchy, well rounded modern
rock album. Although Love.45 may not have the name of a 3 Doors Down yet,
they prove that a household tag may be in the near future. Because after
all, we all know that a good producer can turn coal into diamonds but only
with one piece of the puzzle being in place. That puzzle piece is SONGS,
and Love.45 has the material to back it all up.
Loud crunchy guitars that are dynamic,
going from loud passages to quiet lullabies, smooth vocals and melody lines
are a few highlights of the album, but what really caught my ear was the
bands ability to create their own style throughout the album. The record
begins with the fist single "Way Down." At first listen, anyone may write
off the band for being another active rocker that may find its place for
a few weeks on the charts and then be led off to a modern rock wasteland
where many bands are left to be forgotten. However, as the album continues,
its clear that we are dealing with a band who refuses to go anywhere but
up.
The very next song "So Loud" finds guitarists
Paul Trinidad Jr., and Mick Shivers displaying the dynamic in the music
of Love.45. "So Loud" starts out with lush guitar work slowing the pace
down, that is, until the chorus. When everything picks back up, youre
hit with crunchy guitar riffs, and powerful vocals from lead singer/bassist
Danny Elster. The album starts to really show some life in the very next
song entitled "Dont Ask Me." Sure the song fits right into the established
formula of the band, but the chorus is really where the song shines. Combining
the vocals of Elster, and the powerful percussion of drummer Jim Messina,
the chorus of "Dont Ask Me" is the key that really unlocks the rest of
the album.
Songs such as "Fade" and "Smile" combine
acoustic drenched verses with a wide open, rocking chorus while songs like
"Come Undone" and "Over My Head" are full out, upbeat anthems that relate
to the style of bands such as Lit and the Nixons.
The Mick Shivers fronted "The Hey Song"
and "Over My Head" finds Love.45 starting to wind the album down but both
songs offer a bright chorus that is catchy and memorable.
If "Dont Ask Me" was the key that unlocked
the album, then its a sure bet that the last song titled "Just Lie To
Me" is the one that wraps it up. "Just Lie To Me" once again features lead
vocals by guitarist Mick Shivers and rounds the album out with suburb guitar
work and great sing-along lyrics with lines like "Just lie to me, I dont
need it no more."
So if DIY bands are the wave of the future,
let Love.45 pave the way for everyone. By recruiting the talents of Chris
Henderson and Geoff Ott, the band has created an album that sets the standard
for anyone looking to do things without a major label in their corner.
However, its clear that the songs on the album stand on their own and
create a strong foundation for any producer to work with. Keep a watchful
eye because with this effort, the future looks bright for Love.45.
CD Info
Love.45
- Love.45
Label: Rock
Ridge
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