Sorry Finland… Lovers Left Alive don’t belong to just you anymore. They have been unleashed on the rest of the world, and with some promotion and breaks, they will get to see the rest of the world soon. I received a tip to check out the band (thanks, Graeme), and one of the first things I found was a live cover of the early Dogs D’amour song ‘Wired and Wide Awake.’ The band were immediately speaking my language. After a run of singles over the past few years, I believe this is their debut album, which makes an immediate impression and memorable introduction.

If we travel back in time, we can identify some of the influences in Lovers Left Alive. One of those would be very early Hanoi Rocks when they were crafting their debut album. Another one would be some early Stooges. The Rolling Stones would be one of the ingredients, and some early punk (Heartbreakers) as well. What’s special, though, is that the band has created their own identity out of these ingredients and influences. The mix on the album is beautifully messy and gives it a live sound. I recommend turning up the volume and losing yourself in the magic.

It would all mean nothing if the band didn’t have the songs, and they definitely have the songs. ‘All About Luv’ has a great sing-along section, an addictive beat, and a lead guitar that feels like it is going to go off the rails at any moment. The cacophony of sounds at the end feels a bit like the hot mix early Jim Jones Revue recordings had, think ‘The Princess and the Frog.’ Fuzzy backing ‘ooohs’ peek through the mix in ‘Haven’t Seen the Sun’, which showcases the band’s ability to write catchy songs with great riffs. ‘Want You There’ is built on an addictive beat with guitar licks dancing around it. There are some twists in the vocals, but this is one of those songs where I heard some early Stooges. The song feels like it can morph into different directions at any moment. When it does, we get an incredibly catchy chorus that is used minimally over the song’s five minutes.

Changing directions, the band unleash ‘Sum of These Young Hearts’ which feels a bit like ‘Roads’ by the Backyard Babies. The mix gives the song some grit, and the song provides another catchy moment that gets stuck in your head. ‘Let the Good Times’ gets the party started again with a rockabilly type beat that blends their influences and originality into a powder keg, with the guitars sounding pushed to the extremes. You can almost see the amps smoking and the sparks popping in the air. The too-short ‘Crackdown’ could pass as a missing song from ‘Self-Destruction Blues.’ The guitar riff works perfectly over the beat, and the band deliver a contagious infection that induces air guitar and sing-alongs.

The beginning of ‘Bedroom Talk’ feels like the band has just plugged in their instruments and then jumped into the song. The slower tempo provides another example of the diversity through the album. This is another one with excellent guitar work and musically in the same world as the New York Dolls. The album ends with two longer songs, with ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ being the first one. There is a burning intensity to the beat and vocals. The guitar notes after the choruses work perfectly, and the feedback from the guitars adds more magic to the song. The way the song creates an inferno near the end could have been an epic closer to the album. Instead, the band found a way to build to an even better ending. ‘Out of My Reach’ may have a running time over nine minutes, but it never feels that long. The introduction and slow pace at the beginning feel a bit like early Jesus and Mary Chain- think ‘Darklands’ with ‘Psychocandy’ production. The song builds and adds elements as it goes, with an ending that is unexpected on first listen and becomes even better when you hit the 15^th or 20^th listen. If I had to single out a favourite song on the album, it would probably be this one.

Once again, with apologies to Finland, Lovers Left Alive belongs to the whole world now. This album has grit, finesse, barbed wire hooks, and great songs. They have taken their influences and infused them with their own originality to create an album that feels both exciting and familiar. What they need is exposure to begin their ascent to the next levels of popularity and hopefully live performances across the world.

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Gerald Stansbury