LØVE OUTLIER – VOICES (2023)
Raised on a steady dose of punk rock, pop-punk and pop-rock music, Canadian trio LØVE OUTLIER are one of those groups who hit you in the face with their music. Drummer Luke Bodi has been performing with various bands for almost 20 years; however, the time came when he was destined to form a moving musical project. Combining the talents of Paul Shenton (guitars) and Jared Wegenast (bass), with Mike Battle working his production magic, LØVE OUTLIER has quickly gained a reputation for high-energy, high-paced rock music. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘VOICES’.
Following the well-received track ‘TIGER UPPERCUT’, ‘VOICES’ sees the group shift from a hard rock sound to an alternative rock meets melodic metal sound. From their debut single ‘EASIER’ released earlier this year, LØVE OUTLIER has shown innovation and versatility with no song being similar to the other – at least, melodically. ‘VOICES’, however, brings a darker quality to the hard-hitting music.
A well-textured production by Mike Battle, ‘VOICES’ has an uncomfortable distortion to the melody; however, just as there is a mind-altering haziness, all instruments come together in a harmonic whole. Bodi’s pounding drums are highly prominent from the get-go but Shenton’s guitars and Wegenast’s bass intertwine into a furious sonic hurricane. Whipping you from pillar to post, you feel lost in the kaleidoscopic whirl but, oddly enough, the pounding appears to act as some type of anchor.
One aspect I find intriguing about LØVE OUTLIER is how their music perfectly represents the profound themes. Focusing on mental health challenges, the lads expose vulnerability, fragility and angst quivering beneath the surface. ‘VOICES’ takes a trip through a psychotic episode plunging you in from a dizzying height, whipping your head about in its insanity and releasing you with an abrupt halt. Bodi’s vocals have an uncomfortable obscurity in the punk-inspired rasp elegantly capturing the pain behind the wrath.
“’VOICES’ is about going through drug-induced psychosis and the rebirth and recovery that goes with it. It’s for those who haven’t had a voice to use who have struggled with mental health.” – LØVE OUTLIER on ‘VOICES’
For more from LØVE OUTLIER, check out their Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
