The Lovemakers

The Lovemakers kick off their new EP Misery Loves Company with the surprisingly celebratory title track. An exuberant neo-new wave dancefloor number, with nods to both the Go-Go's and the Passions, it's impossible try not to sing along with this lethal number's contagious chorus. "We Already Said Goodbye" is just as flamboyantly pop, and crosses early Depeche Mode's adoration for an irrepressible melody with jangly Big Star styled guitars. Surprisingly, neither of those infectious numbers were picked for first single, that honor went to "Whine & Dine" a far darker song, fired by a funky rhythm and incendiary guitar solos. But those searing rock licks are nothing compared to those the band trot out in the middle of the epic "Save Me," a song that swells from its moody opening into ever more majestic realms, sliding in prog rock-ish string passages, and then crescendoing into a big rock finale. "Naturally Lonely" is its equal, a lavish, dynamic ballad filled with lush strings and glowing synth. The music, however, is only half the EP's appeal, for the CD also features a video for each of the songs, every one of which equals, if not surpasses, the band's theatrical live shows. Eventually they'll all turn up on You Tube, but why wait to download when you can get 'em all right now, right here? ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide