Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love – Feels, Feathers, Bogs And Bees Album Review

Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love, and the pleasant indie folk sound they bring, take some time to get into. With their third disc, Feels, Feathers, Bogs And Bees, the band seems to be crafting nothing more than harmonious background music with dabs of pop sentimentality — at least initially. One finds that even though LLLLLLLLL’s music is pleasing on the ears, it’s not pop; it won’t easily get lodged into your brain, and Kelly Dyson’s vocals simply aren’t easy enough to understand to readily sing along with.

Where, then, does the appeal of Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love lie? Turn the volume up, and what’s endearing about the band begins to shine through. It takes patience to find the enveloping beauty of their music, but listen carefully. Their appeal lies completely in the details.

Listen to “Blackbird 3”DOWNLOAD MP3

Feels, Feathers, Bogs And Bees kicks off with “Document 19”, which begins with a couple electronic blips and soon delves into a steady violin rhythm aided by lush instrumentation and low-key vocals. It’s a simple transition which hints to listeners what they can expect from the disc as a whole: charming folk rock with electronic underpinnings. On one hand, one finds carefully-controlled distortions poking through beneath traditionally folksy guitars. On another, one finds layer upon layer of instrumentation cascading into joyous, jangling fanfare. Arrangements purposely stroke both eardrums disproportionately, and a guitar in the right ear playfully banters back and forth with its counterpart in the left ear to create a powerful dynamic that is easily overlooked unless one is paying attention.

Even vocally and lyrically, much more is lurking beneath the surface than one might initially think. Dyson rarely rarely veers into epic territory with his singing, but again, it’s not the lead vocals themselves that deserve the brunt of the attention. All things should be considered in whole, rather than in part, when it comes to LLLLLLLLL. When Dyson’s vocals are coupled with the subtle harmonies poking out on either side of them, the resulting sound is soothing and hypnotic. It’s full, and it’s complete.

And finally, there’s the band’s name. Call it lazy music journalism or otherwise, but it’s simply impossible to construct a review, type a name like Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love over and over again, and not make a note of it. But despite the name’s initial turn-off factor, it’s actually completely appropriate for the band’s sound. The name, like their music, chimes, and closer inspection reveals that the name is in fact pretty ingenious. After all, a name like Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love might seem laughable, but it’s memorable after it’s said aloud once. And like their band name, LLLLLLLLL’s music is memorable once it’s deconstructed, too.

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Written by
Vee Hua 華婷婷

Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the Editor-in-Chief of REDEFINE, Interim Managing Editor of South Seattle Emerald, and Co-Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. They also previously served as the Executive Director of the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences.

Vee has two narrative short films. Searching Skies (2017) touches on Syrian refugee resettlement in the United States; with it, they helped co-organize The Seventh Art Stand, a national film and civil rights discussion series against Islamophobia. Reckless Spirits (2022) is a metaphysical, multi-lingual POC buddy comedy for a bleak new era, in anticipation of a feature-length project.

Vee is passionate about cultural space, the environment, and finding ways to covertly and overtly disrupt oppressive structures. They also regularly share observational human stories through their storytelling newsletter, RAMBLIN’ WITH VEE!, and are pursuing a Master’s in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the Native American Studies Department at the University of Minnesota.

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