Review Summary: Love at first listen.
For the uninitiated, Love Is Noise began in 2021 as a collaboration between lead vocalist and guitarist Cameron Humphrey and guitarist Tom Mellon. After numerous standalone singles, an extended play,
Euphoria, Where Were You?, and with only months to go before the duo were set to release their debut album,
To live in a different way, Mellon decided to leave the band to explore other musical endeavors. Despite the unforeseen adversity, the concept of Love Is Noise has continued on and the arrival of their debut album showcases a fresh young band with limitless promise.
Conceptually,
To live in a different way captures lead singer and guitarist Cameron Humphrey’s journey towards embracing a healing and empowering light after emerging from the darkness of uncertainty and insecurity. Love Is Noise captures this spiritual push and pull brilliantly by focusing on delivering timeless melodies and captivating soundscapes that are largely introspective and cerebral, yet intensely aggressive when necessary. Hazy, reverb-drenched guitars, massive choruses, and sky scraping crescendos find space to exist alongside hair raising screams, blast beats, and string sections that bring to mind the softer tendencies of Loathe or the same sonic palette of Deafheaven’s
Infinite Granite though Love Is Noise have chosen a decidedly brighter set of hues to paint with.
Lead single, “Soft Glow” was an initial glimpse at the unique combination of sounds Love Is Noise were setting out to blend throughout the entire album. Groovy and spacey verses make way to one of the first of many catchy choruses on offer. However, the chord progression of this chorus in particular can only be described as slightly off-kilter, leaving listeners with just enough uncertainty about how the rest of the song might unfold. The piece gradually builds in intensity as the second verse introduces Humphrey’s shrill, yet passionate screams that would sound perfectly at home on
Sunbather. As the final chorus plays out, Humphrey uses his velvety tenor to croon, “You are the one that shines on me” one final time before his voice breaks into throat shredding screams over blast beats. Admittedly, the conclusion of the song might be rather perplexing for unprepared listeners, but clearly Love Is Noise would prefer any expectations be left behind as soon as footsteps and amps switching on can be heard during the initial moments of the hopelessly romantic opener, “Devotion”.
One song later, “Jawbreaker” (fans of Glassjaw take note) explodes from moment one in a torrent of double bass, sludgy bass guitar, and feedback. Humphrey alternates between screaming like a banshee and soulfully singing an urgent chorus before the song collapses in on itself just seconds past the two-minute mark. “Jawbreaker” serves as a fitting reminder Love Is Noise can go for the throat, er,
jaw, just as quickly as one’s heart. Just as important as the band’s ability to crack mouths, Love Is Noise can pen memorable choruses. “It hurts to know you’re there” and “Sunshine” quite simply deliver gorgeous alternative rock sing-a-longs that are both poignant and sneakily addictive and would be played on loop on the airwaves or major streaming service playlists in a just world.
Album highlight, “Anemoia”, is almost an inadvertent head nod to Radiohead’s “How to Disappear Completely”. Emerging gradually from a foundation of haunting synthesizers, despondent guitars, curious xylophone, and glitchy electronics, the song is a five-minute slow-motion cage match between Humphrey and his internal longing to be anywhere else other than present with himself. Tension is slowly introduced and left unresolved throughout the duration of the song, ensnaring listeners within the same gloomy state of paralysis and disassociation Humphrey was experiencing at the time. “Anemoia” showcases Love Is Noise’s ability to successfully experiment with their songwriting and create a song essentially built on a hazy, stirring atmosphere alone to create an entire experience instead of relying on immediate hooks to craft a moment.
If there was any slight fault to the album, “Mist” feels a little jarring and out of place after the stirring “Anemoia” and serves as almost intermission-like role, regrettably taking the place of what could have been a heavier song for one last swipe of aggression before the colossal closer, “Ascending” unfolds. Despite this debatable misstep,
To live in a different way is an undeniably remarkable first impression on the grand stage from an outfit emerging from shadows of insecurity and obscurity and into a well-earned spotlight of assurance and acclaim.
