Ever since the Aussie psych-pop quartet The Lovetones made a splash with its debut album in 2002, they’ve been compared to bands like Oasis, while frontman Matthew J. Tow’s songwriting has been likened to such luminaries as David Bowie and Ray Davies.
Growing up in Australia, Tow listened to everything from classic U.K. shoe-gazer music to The Beatles. With The Lovetones, he utilizes those vastly different influences and shapes them into a distinctive blend of crisp psychedelic bliss.
“A lot of people say that we have that ’60s pop sound, but I think we have our own unique sound,” says Tow before leaving for a recent gig in Long Beach. On Saturday, The Lovetones will play at Carbone’s with The Asteroid #4, like-minded Philadelphians.
On the ethereal track “Wintertime in Hollywood,” from its third LP Axiom, Tow sings about being far from home, accompanied by the echoes of a slide guitar and a Mellotron, which sounds like an airy flute plucked from a Donovan song.
For a rock band that comes from the land down under, The Lovetones have become heavily associated with the Los Angeles music scene, partly due to the group’s deep connection with the Brian Johnstown Massacre, fronted by notorious megalomaniac genius, Anton Newcombe. Throughout the years, members of the BJM have appeared on The Lovetones’ albums and vice versa. In 2004, the two bands even toured Australia together, which will be a period that will live on an infamy.
“It’s one of those tours I’d like to forget but in some ways I’m glad I went through it,” Tow admits.
The Lovetones most recent release, Lost, is quite personal – and somewhat of a departure from its previous records and the rowdy 2004 tour with the BJM.
The album opener, “City Meets the Stars,” is a kaleidoscope of harmony that channels the best parts of ’60sBrit-pop into a life force that stands alone.
“[Lost] is a fresh start for me where I look into the future and try to learn from past experiences,” Tow says. “I think it’s our best record.”
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.