The Loveblisters - EP (2005?)Midway through my Freshman year I started working for a weekly independent newspaper called Cellar Door. It served as an alternative to our school sanctioned/funded paper with a talented staff of writers and survived being in print for a good amount of time in a pre-blog world. I signed on to be Promotions Director and was tasked with booking the launch party / concert for the paper.
I had a hand in one big show in high school and booking a Blaze event earlier in the fall, but this was going to be my first big undertaking. We locked down a few bands right away, a few friends of friends in Iji, Holidae and Morning's Fate. We also nabbed a band called Skybox that a lot of people had been talking about. I called a favor to my friend Stefan to get his band Peachcake on board, but we still needed one more band as it was "6 Bands for 5 bucks on 420" (I swear the date wasn't on purpose, just convienent for adversiting) I tried to lock a few down as the headliner but wasn't getting much luck (including an offer from Hellogoodbye to come in for $175 bucks . . . *sigh*).
I then heard from one of the editors about a band that was interested called The Loveblisters. I had only barely started digging into local music and I wasn't familiar, but trusted my editor and gave a call to Rob one night to ask if they wanted to play. Rob and I chatted for a while, from what I can remember having something to do with Mitch Hedberg (since I think he had just died?) We locked down the date and the band played amazingly (albeit slightly late due to a gummy-bears-stuck-to-the-floor debacle a la Peachcake . . . I still love you boys, sorry for making you scrape it all up) EVERYONE was talking about how great this band was afterwards and through the course of the radio station, etc, I managed to snag a copy of their EP.
It seems like for all the years following, people continued to talk about this band. There was something so sharp about them in a sea of fuzzy demos from other local bands. They were clearly musicians musicians, with an incredible pop sensibility. I realize that term is overused, but if I could choose one band with the best "pop sensibility", it would be this one. They so effortlessly crafted some amazing music, and set the tone for so many bands that would follow them. I was lucky enough to have them join my radio show not once, but TWICE and they played at my "End of The Basement / Sounds from the Basement compilation release show, which in turn became the last show I'd book in Arizona.
Aside from all that mushiness, they were able to put out three great records before their time ended last April. While Silver White Sunlight and The Nowhere West are incrdible records, I'll never forget how excited I felt to hear "She is 90 (Proof)" or "Upon the Fire" come on the speakers at the radio station. "Soundtrack for Summer" became a favorite for my brother and I to play during our radio show that summer and "Until You're Mine" is one of my all-time favorite songs (so much so that when they played it on-air I audibly gasped and went "YESSSSSSSS!" on the air. On air geekout. Nice) They set the bar for so much of my further local music listening, and bands in general. It just didn't get much better than The Loveblisters.
While I'm sad they're no longer together, I'm happy for the fact that they were truly happy playing their music when they did. Their "pop sensiblity" probably had much to do with just how in tune they were in music in general, which is something that can't be faked. There's a good band and a great band, and this was a GREAT band.
Sooo despite my big speech about the EP, this song is actually on Silver White Sunlight. However, if you watch it, you'll see why I had to post this one. It's brilliant. (and filmed at The Blaze!)
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