The Love Language – Pilot Light
SoundCloud
With just the right amount of twee and whimsy to their nature, an indie shimmer to their sound and earnest direction behind their songwriting, it seems that The Love Language have been bubbling under the surface of mainstream success for some time now. With a more angular and polished product on display, could their third full-length effort, Ruby Red, be the record to push them into the mainstream spotlight?
The short answer is yes, Ruby Red certainly has the characteristics to achieve such a feat. When a band opens up their latest body of work with one of their most instantly engaging and appealing pieces, it’s safe to say they’re definitely on the right track. “Calm Down”, with its new wave meets contemporary verve, certainly sets the wheels in motion, but it’s also where the album peaks. Unfortunately, the record not only never manages to replicate or reestablish the high bench mark it sets early on, but it also veers off course using auto pilot in its closing stages.
However, what lies between these two checkpoints is still highly enjoyable. Whether it be the glossy, glimmering strings that are littered across the record, the simple, yet sweet, sweeping melodies that spin out or the more aggressive sense of immediacy that “First Shot” fires out, there are a number of well defined mechanics at play. It’s safe to say that The Love Language have their fundamentals finely tuned, resulting in another crop of good songs. As I let Ruby Red seep in, I’m once again reminded that there’s potential for this band to become better than good. To achieve that level, though, they may have to start taking more chances and be a bit more daring.
The one thing that remains clear is that despite not breaking new ground, Ruby Red is another solid, well-rounded, and enjoyable record — an album that’s sure to please fans and has every possibility of finding new ones.
