By Emma Cohen of Indie Band Guru
Upbeat and exciting, the new EP from musical duo Love in October, Love in October III is as happy as it is a great example of pop culture.
Coming from Sweden, Love in October is comprised of two members; brothers Erik and Kent Widman. This new release is the group’s first in four years, making it long awaited and, after listening, well worth the wait. It is composed of four original tracks that all illustrate Love in October’s pop meets indie vibe — a heavy Strokes influence with a few extra drops of sunshine.
Love in October III
The first song on the EP, “Teenage Evolution” is fast moving and filled with energy. The intro is filled with light drumming and monotone vocals which made it very easy to dance to. As if by magic, the guitar entered the melody and it came to life. While the lyrics weren’t always understandable due to how quickly they sung, I loved how subtly romantic they are.
“Time Shifter” was more relaxed at first — it built speed with chorus and style once it began to get in full swing. Due to the nature of this tune, the words were clear and stood out as more poetic in style while the guitar seemed to outshine the drums at all times.
The best part in my opinion was the chord progression in-between verses where it was just the general back track — this gave me a chance to take in how talented the group is instrumentally.
My personal favorite song on Love in October III is “Date Night.” It has a high soprano vocal paired with a deeper instrumental sound that just made it so catchy. Also the fact that it wasn’t about love or hate but about something as simple as a first date made it ever better.
There was something so undeniably adorable about the lyrics that, when they clashed with the guitar and drums, sounded fantastic. The chorus was also just simple that it stood out from the rest and made it appear even better. This is a song that you sing to yourself in the mirror.
Closing the EP, “My Old Future” sounds like it was lost in the ‘90s and just reemerged. The chord progressions sound like vintage Blink 182 mixed with Weezer and it really worked. In fact, that very blend could be used to describe the groups sound as a whole.
Though I’m still making my way through the four tracks of Love in October III, I’m already hoping that Love in October doesn’t make us wait another four years before giving us more.