Love, Lies and Fiction – The Sun Lights Up The Moon (2021)
Have you ever found yourself singing aloud to the song playing overhead when walking through a department store? Well, I have and so has musician Eric Jackson; the difference is, my singing aloud didn’t lead to the formation of a band. After first hearing him at a McDonalds and then bumping into him again at Best Buy, drummer Ricky Sanders decided to accept fate and asked Jackson to be part of his latest music project. One became two and two became three when Lu Rubino joined them on guitar, bass and keyboards.
Bringing together their diverse personalities and even more diverse music experiences, the lads have a sound that cannot be pigeon-holed. Their collective history includes Sanders drumming for Saigon Kicks, Rubino playing bass for Paramore and Storyside: B, and Jackson being an established artist within the South Florida music scene. While this background is useful, they chose to start fresh with an intriguing new group called Love, Lies and Fiction. The latest release from the trio is their single ‘The Sun Lights Up The Moon’.
Did you know that the moon has no light of its own but merely reflects the light of the sun? Nope, me neither. I probably learned about it at school but that was honestly a lifetime ago. Love, Lies and Fiction use this fact to highlight the conceptual theme of love in interpersonal relationships. Eric Jackson shares that “’The Sun Lights Up The Moon’ is a love song that acknowledges that we can only shine as bright as the people around us who love us. In the same way that the moon doesn’t create its own light…people shine brighter when they are loved.”
While the song heard here is an original piece, Love, Lies and Fiction first heard it at a “songwriter round” in Miami where songwriters come together to give and seek feedback from other artists. The song remained in the back of their minds and eventually, after asking the original songwriter if they could record it, the band went ahead and “edited” it to meet their unique sound. What we have is a high-powered single with dynamic guitars, pounding drums and gruff vocals from Jackson.
The track may have a contemporary alternative rock influence but there is a nod to the alt-rock groups of the late-90s/early-2000s. An interesting melodic arrangement highlights each of the instruments giving each dominance, however, the elements come together to form a soothing whole. What I find most enjoyable is Jackson’s vocals with the grittiness enhancing raw honesty. Sincere, sentimental and genuine, ‘The Sun Lights Up The Moon’ is an amazing introduction to Love, Lies and Fiction.
For more from Love, Lies and Fiction check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
