Following the success of their first EP, “Are You Alright?” Lovejoy released their second EP, “Pebble Brain,” Oct. 14. The band is based in Brighton, England, and is comprised of lead singer Wilbur Soot, guitarist Joe Goldsmith, bassist Ash Kabosu and drummer Mark Boardman. The band began producing music in 2020.

“Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?”

 Rusty: As the first track on the album, this song sets the mood for the rest of the album with the mix of instruments, especially the drums. This song is about lead singer Wilbur Soot making fun of his ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend, and how he believes he is better than her current partner. The instruments and the vocals conveyed the message well. I overall give it a 7/10.

Michael: The song puts the user in a happy-go-lucky state of mind, and is incredibly playful and upbeat with a heavy amount of bass and drums that drive the song to its playfulness. The instruments are more prominent than the voice at certain moments, and the song is very upbeat. However, it gets a little repetitive and boring around a minute into it. I give it a 9/10.

“Model Buses”

Rusty: While this song is about British politics, which I don’t know much about so I won’t comment on that, it has a very young adult/coming-of-age movie soundtrack vibe reinforced by lyrics like, “You’re just scared of the future” and “He’s got a bus, he’s got a bike, get me out of here.” These lyrics create a feel and need of escapism, which is often a theme of coming-of-age movies. Overall I really like this song, and even if the political references/undertones didn’t hit with me, the song still has good and relatable lyrics to anyone who may feel like they need/want to escape their current situation. I give it a 6/10.

Michael: This song begins with a guitar solo, but it feels a little too long. The voice is somewhat difficult to hear with the instruments. I get lost, and I stopped really paying attention to the song. The second solo of the song catches my attention again, but only to lose it immediately when the lead singer begins.

“Concrete”

Rusty: In this song, while under the influence of some substance, the singer undermines, or otherwise plays down, the fact that he supposedly cheated on his current partner by kissing someone else, and his current partner is angry at him, while he tries to play it off. I think the instrumental backing fits well with the lyrical context since as the singer gets mad, the instruments build up more and more. While it’s a good song, it’s definitely not one of my favorites off of the EP due to its repetitive nature. I give it a 4/10.

Michael: The beginning of the song starts immediately, giving the song a sense of rock. The fast drive creates such an upbeat feeling. However, when the lead singer begins to sing, it is a letdown. The song tricks the listener into a sense that this track is more rock than anything else, but the tone and style of singing used do not match. The track continues and falls into this habit of building up momentum with a drum solo, but feels awkward when the lead singer joins back in. I give it a 3/10.

“Perfume”

Rusty: Initially shown in a vlog by one of Soot’s friends, fans have sat with a rough version of this song for some time now. I really like the chanting that follows some lyrics, as it adds a clear, interactive element for fans to repeat back to the band if they go on tour. I also really like the use of he/they pronouns in the song, as possibly are an attempt to normalize the usage of multiple pronouns when referring to a single person. The song conveys an overall message of missing someone who you have broken up with, whether it be recent or a while ago, and still longing for them. It made me feel like someone who is sometimes thinking and wishing that someone were still there next to you, instead of with someone else. Overall, it is definitely one of my favorites off the EP. I give it a 9/10.

Michael: The song begins with the bass, then the rest of the instruments join in setting the beat for the song. As the voice gets introduced into the mix, the beat slows down, giving each instrument a window to be heard. The track then begins to feel long, and slightly boring because the voice is fighting the volume of the instruments working together. While the beat is good, it gets too repetitive, and the hook does not work well to keep the listener’s attention.

“You’ll Understand When You’re Older”

Rusty: So, right off the bat, I love how the song starts with just slow drums, trumpets, and slowly builds up to the main tempo that the song is in after a band member cues it in with a “Woo!” before it slows down as the first verse begins. In a lyrical aspect, I love how they characterize the person the singer is talking about as a chronic liar with lyrics such as, “You can tell he’s lying cause his lips move.” I really like this song and how the tempo of it changes with the lyrics. I would give it a 6/10.

Michael: The song begins with a trumpet and drums that capture the listener’s attention. The trumpet shows the range of Lovejoy, and as the end comes to the intro, the song begins to catch up to the set speed of the album. As Soot begins to sing, the use of the slower style of singing, mixed with the steady pace of the guitar and drums, creates an easy-going mood that everyone can enjoy. Personally, I loved the band’s range. Not many people would like to put trumpets and drums together to make it work, and this shows the amount of skill that the band has. I would give it an 8/10.

“The Fall”

Rusty: I like how this song immediately opens up with a strong beat. With the guitar strumming and the other instruments accompanying it, the song gives off a heavy rock or alternative rock vibe. I also, once again, love the chanting during this song, which will lead to good crowd interaction during concerts. I really love the “breakdown” after the instrumental break, and how it does kind of sound like a mental breakdown, or someone who has finally snapped at life — possibly the poorer side of society, as it sounds like the singer is from a richer point of view. Many fans have compared the last verse to a ringmaster at a circus, and I have to agree. I also love that the song ends with a simple exhale, as the singer seems to calm down from his rant. I give it an 8/10.

Michael: This song has an awkward, yet direct start with no lead-up. The band chooses to start, then gives the listener time to adjust, before the lead singer starts to sing with the easy, but slightly annoying beat with a slower tone. Later in the song, the background instruments lower, putting more emphasis on the voice. This, combined with the timbre of his voice, makes the skin crawl slightly. The beat then picks up back to normal, before falling back into the same repetitive state as before.

“It’s All Futile! It’s All Pointless!”

Rusty: This song is a remaster of one of Soot’s previous demos, with the version in this EP being much more energetic compared to the older version. As Soot has been very open about his mental health, it is safe to say that this version comes from a place of happiness and better mental health when held in comparison to the older version. This vibe is held up by the fact that the backing instrumental continues to stay upbeat, with more and more layering of vocals as the song reaches its ending. I give it a solid 10/10.

Michael: The final track begins immediately in full drive with the drums. Once the lead singer begins, the drive of the song gets toned down with heavy use of bass guitar. The beat becomes catchy and easy for the listener to follow along, and the instruments start to drown out the voice. Although, after a minute or so, the beat becomes slightly annoying and too repetitive.

Overall Opinion

Rusty’s Final Thoughts: Honestly, I like this album so much better than the one they released earlier this year. Even without the association that Soot has to Minecraft Youtube and streaming, I would still give this a listen. There is a good mix of songs that are on the more chill side, and songs that you can hardcore rock out to. It’s a good album to listen to for whatever mood you are in, but especially if you are in need of a mood booster. This entire album gives me coming-of-age movie vibes, and is definitely an album to play while driving around with friends.

Michael’s Final Thoughts: I found the tracks to be fun and exciting for the first listen. However, I would only ever replay maybe one or two of the tracks. They feel very similar and too repetitive. I think that the messages behind the songs are amazing, but it is difficult to see the replay value in the seven songs.