The Von Bondies

There's something ominous lying just beneath the glossy surface of the upbeat anthems on The Von Bondies' Love, Hate And Then There's You. Following up their critically acclaimed 2004 release, Pawn Shoppe Heart, The Von Bondies return with their signature style of driving garage rock that catapulted them to success a few years ago with their smash hit, "C'mon, C'mon." This time around however, the lyrics are darker, and The Von Bondies seem to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder.

Fortunately, no matter who he's mad at, if there's one thing vocalist Jason Stollsteimer has a knack for it's writing great hooks. Almost every song on Love, Hate And Then There's You has an infectious riff that's met with an even catchier chorus that demands you sing along. Songs like "Earthquake" and "This is Our Perfect Crime" have great snowball quality to them. They begin with simple driving power chords and pounding drums that build up to huge anthemic choruses. Stollsteimer's trademark croon can be heard over the crystal clear production and the guitars are given just enough fuzz to give the album that gritty rock n’ roll feeling. Bassist Leann Banks and guitarist Christy Hunt also provide strong backing vocals that give the songs an extra layer making them sound bigger and more dynamic.

The beauty in Love, Hate And Then There's You is in its simplicity. The song structures aren't anything remarkable, but that's precisely what makes them great. This is a straightforward, unabashed rock n' roll album with garage rock sensibilities and if that sounds appetizing to you then The Von Bondies' latest will not disappoint.

—Tony Caso
02.17.09

The Von Bondies returned with Love Hate and Then There's You several lineup changes and nearly five years after the release of Pawn Shoppe Heart -- virtually a lifetime later in terms of musical trends. Interest in the garage rock revival of the early 2000s had already peaked when Pawn Shoppe Heart arrived in 2004, but the Von Bondies scored a genuine hit (and future theme song for the TV show Rescue Me) with "C'mon C'mon," the album's most inspired and urgent moment. Although nothing on Love Hate and Then There's You quite lives up to "C'mon C'mon," that song's passion and driving riffs provide the template for most of this album. "This Is Our Perfect Crime" picks up right where "C'mon C'mon" left off, envisioning the band as a gang uniting the kids and protecting the underground. It's an almost quaint viewpoint in the late 2000s, when a true underground is harder than ever to come by, dissolved by how hard it can be to find something vital in a music scene full of overwhelming options and instant gratification. This kind of darkly romantic earnestness dominates Love Hate and Then There's You's first half, sometimes connecting ("This Is Our Perfect Crime," "Pale Bride"), sometimes not ("Shut Your Mouth," "Only to Haunt You"). However, as the album unfolds, the Von Bondies' more playful, energetic side surfaces with the Pixies-ish "21st Birthday" -- which sounds as reckless and carefree as a song called "21st Birthday" should -- and "I Don't Wanna," another slice of revved-up guitar pop that keeps garage rock's fun and fire without slavishly rehashing its past glories. With production by Peter Katis, Butch Walker, and Rick Parker, Love Hate and Then There's You sounds even slicker than Pawn Shoppe Heart, but in a way that reflects and enhances the changes in the band's music. "Earthquake"'s unabashedly hooky melody was made for polished surroundings, and Leann Banks and Christy Hunt's backing vocals on "Blame Game" bring more than a little pop to the song's paranoia. Love Hate and Then There's You is the Von Bondies' most consistent album yet, and as they sing on "Chancer," "You don't look so cool/But you look so alive." Sometimes surviving is the best revenge. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide