published: 25 /
7 /
2012
Label:
Manimal Vinyl
Format: CD
Scrappily-recorded, but well-performed debut album from 60's soul/girl group-influened debut album from Vancouver-based garage rockers, Chains of Love
Review
Kicking off with the thumping backbeat and echoing vocals of ‘He’s Leaving (With Me)’ Chains of Love’s debut album ‘Strange Grey Days’ stakes its love of girl group soul early and often.
The sentiments of ‘I’d Rather Be Crying’ and ‘Breaking My Heart’ wouldn’t be out of place on a Supremes or Shangri-Las single, although the nine-track album’s sonic qualities are less “Wall Of Sound” than ‘Well of Sound” - it sounds like it was recorded about 10 feet underground and half underwater.
The group - a side project of noted Vancouver garage/punk record engineer Felix Fung - gets a lot of mileage out of the harmonies of Nathalia Pizarro and Rebecca Marie Law Gray (who also handles some of the guitar duties).
Fans of doo-wop heartbreak and modern artists like Fabienne Delsol will find plenty to appreciate in tunes like ‘I’d Rather Be Crying’ and ‘Breaking My Heart’, while aficionados of bedroom pop will appreciate the one-take guitar sounds and organ breakdowns on tracks like ‘Lately’.
Track Listing:-
1
He's Leaving (with Me)
2
All the Time
3
I'd Rather Be Crying
4
Lies Lies Lies
5
Mistake Lover
6
Lately
7
Strange Grey Days
8
Breaking My Heart
9
In Between
Band Links:-
http://chainsoflove.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/chainsofloveb
http://chainschainschains.tumblr.com/
Label Links:-
http://manimalvinyl.com/
http://manimalvinyl.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/manimalrecord
https://twitter.com/manimalvinyl
https://www.youtube.com/user/ManimalVi