Lovedrug

Geradezu leichtfüßig pendelt das Quartett aus Alliance Ohio (out side of Cleveland / USA) auf seinem dritten Album (Pretend You’re Alive, 2004 Milita Group // Everything Starts Where It Ends, 2007 Milita Group) zwischen progressiver Wucht und emotionaler Tiefe. Geleitet, begleitet und geführt von der faszinierenden Stimme Michael Shepards der zuweilen an den jungen Geddy Lee (Rush), Thom Yorke oder Olly Knights (Turin Brakes) erinnert und hervorragend in Szene gesetzt von Produzent Michael Beinhorn (Soundgarden, Mew, Red Hot Chili Peppers) und Engineer Eric Stenman (Dashboard Confessional) ist das Album eine Achterbahn der Emotionen. Mal agressiv und gitarrenbetont wie in Everyone Needs A Halo oder dem verstörenden Opener Let It All Out, dann wieder dunkel und melancholisch in Songs wie The Dirtiest Queen, Blood Like und Panicked Witness oder fast schon unverschämt melodiös wie in Broken Home oder Borrowed Legs.

“Just hanging around, just waiting to die, We’re all suckers in the same damn sucker punch show”

As the above line from lead single “Everyone Needs A Halo” suggests, Michael Shepard & Co. have a definitive outlook on this the third Lovedrug effort. “Everyone has a role in the sucker punch show [of life]…this is just my accounting of it,” states Shepard. “For me, my road, I’m just caring less and less about self screening and caring more and more about letting people know exactly how I feel.” Thus opening track “Let It All Out” is both warning and manifesto – an admonition of uninhibited statements to follow. “Sucker Punch is about letting go of inhibitions and not allowing your brain to filter the emotions that come naturally,” says bassist Thomas Bragg.

Lovedrug is:

Michael Shepard ‐ vocals, guitar, piano | Thomas Bragg ‐ bass | Jeremy Michael Gifford – guitar, synthesizer, piano | James Childress – drums & percussion