England Made Me

Synopsis

Lovejoy's England Made Me EP kicks off with the cheeriest songs the group has ever recorded. Known for being unswervingly pessimistic to the point of being near-suicidal, singer Richard Preece sounds almost happy on "Brightness Falls" while the music tinkles and hums melodically around him. It's a pleasant change of pace for the group and bodes well for further releases. As for the rest of the EP, the electro-pop cover of the June Brides' indie classic "In the Rain" is nice, the novelty "Are You Analogue or Digital" is a sure throwaway, and "Made in England" is a New Order-influenced electronic ballad that revisits the political aspect of Preece's writing. Perhaps Lovejoy is better taken in small does, but this is definitely one of their finest releases. ~ Tim Sendra