“I truly think (Lovejoy) is having a big impact on the return of indie music into the mainstream,” were the words of Jack Saunders on Radio 1’s Official Chart Show, and for good reason. The indie rock unit hailing from Brighton has grown exponentially from their formation just two years ago with their latest single ‘Normal People Things’, charting at Number 27 in October, making it their most successful release to date.
Will Gold (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Joe Goldsmith (Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals), Ash Kabosu (Bass Guitar), and Mark Boardman (Drums) make up the quartet who attract 2.5+ million monthly listeners on Spotify, and almost 130 million streams of their most played song ‘One Day’, released as part of their debut EP Are You Alright? in May 2021. ‘Pebble Brain’ followed three months later. However, they would then take an almost two-year hiatus from releasing original music whilst working on their sound.
Marking their return earlier this year was the release of ‘Call Me What You Like’, which propelled them into the eyes of the industry by being their first track to chart. This would then form a part of their latest EP Wake Up & It’s Over (WU&IO) released in May. During this time they would tour the UK thrice, the US twice and play multiple venues in mainland Europe. Alongside this, the band have also played multiple festivals across the globe including this year’s Glastonbury and Reading/Leeds Festivals.
Answering a question regarding their influences, Kabosu in an interview with DIY Magazine said “I’d say we’ve always been inspired by the likes of Arctic Monkeys, but I feel like we’re really wearing that inspiration on our sleeve for at least a few of these new songs.” This has never been more true than ‘Portrait Of A Blank Slate’ with the heavy bass line clearly signalling back to the early days of the Sheffield outfit.
There was never a moment where I wouldn’t see someone jumping and singing along.
Unsurprisingly, the Brighton band have played multiple iconic venues across the city that Sussex students will no doubt be aware of: The Hope and Ruin (hosting their debut show), Concorde 2, Brighton Dome, and most recently their Halloween gig at the Old Market in Hove. It will inevitably not be long until they return to their hometown, which I am eagerly anticipating. Fortunately for me, I managed to attend their latest tour of the UK to witness their biggest gig yet, with 18 songs played to a sold-out O2 Victoria Warehouse of 3,500 people in Manchester. There was never a moment where I wouldn’t see someone jumping and singing along to a number (let alone myself), a rarity for the size of the venue and demonstrating how much attention the four-piece demands.
The words ‘debut album’ probably keep the boys of Lovejoy up at night however fans and critics alike are eagerly anticipating hearing what they can produce in an LP. I personally recommend seeing Lovejoy if you ever get the opportunity, but until then give WU&IO a listen, as it’s a good indication of where the band is heading sonically. See what you think!
