The Love Language's Baby Grand has it's share of breakup songs-nobody writes those better than Stuart McLamb-but this time, even as something is being mourned, something else is being worked through; as lovers have been left behind, so have places and a time in life. Listen as the heartbreak and yearning of "New Amsterdam" come crashing down into the beautiful stasis of "Southern Doldrums," or as the beautiful lift of the startling sequence of songs that make up Baby Grand's propulsive midsection gives way to a moody instrumental called "Rain/Delay," a collection of distant plinks and plonks struggling to assemble themselves into melody. The song "Juiceboxx" is what you'd get if Mick Jagger crooned his "Emotional Rescue" falsetto over a backing track by the Style Council, and "Let Your Hair Down" impressively suggests what "Caroline, No" might have sounded like if only it had been written by George Michael.
T**L
Great original music!
I discovered The Love Language while compiling a collection of Beatles covers. A great band with an original sound and a touch of psychedelia. There isn't a weak track on the album. I think The Love Language is hitting its stride.
D**M
Good, unexpected album.
Good, unexpected album. Originally a lo-fi, folky artist, this album dips into new more approachable, but entertaining territory. A good, solid listen.
M**H
Do you like good music with tasty vibes?
Do you like hooks and horns? How about fuzz and strummy guitar thingys? Would you like it if Bruce Springsteen had a baby with Hamilton Leithauser? How about a record that Allmusic classifies as "Cool & Cocky"? Well - this is the record for you.
C**S
Pop masterpiece? I think so.
This is the album I've been waiting for from Stuart McLamb and company. Gorgeous hooks, perfect and nuanced production, and consistently excellent songwriting from front to back. After about 10 listens, I can't stop listening to it. I'm a fan of the band from the first album, this is their best, most consistent album.
