I started going to shows when I was about twelve, when my town still had a "scene" and shows still went on every Friday during the summer. I saw so many no-name bands that I couldn't possibly name them all, which says something about my memory and my lack of nostalgia-driven flyer collecting. There were very few bands that really caught my attention during those years, but Love Songs were one of them. Love Songs is a band that is criminally underrated in the Bay Area punk scene, which is a surprise considering the vocalist/lead guitarist is Craigums from What Happens Next? and Your Mother fame (one of the nicest guys I've had the pleasure of meeting by the way!) I don't doubt that their popularity has waned - their shows seemed to have shrunk down a bit in size since 2004 - but they haven't let that get to them. They're still just as good, if not better, after all these years.
Their first full-length All Branches, No Trunk is, in my opinion, their best material: thirteen catchy, humorous pop-punk tunes about love and testicle shaving (among other things) told in the best, most upbeat way possible. "Sweet-ish" in particular is a memorable track for these reasons, but then so is every other song on the CD. The only thing that tops this record is their live show, which happens to be one of my favorites six years later. This band is just fun; there's no better way to put it. Did I mention the Weird Al influence?
This CD is apparently out of print, but it was on 625. Don't fret about that though, because Love Songs happen to have a new record entitled Another Guaranteed 40 Minute Music Set (a blatant reference to a Bay Area radio station for the curious) out on Little Deputy Records. This includes a bunch of new material as well as a few old songs that have been re-recorded for the next generation. If you dig this, you'll dig that even more.
Love Songs - All Branches, No Trunk Mediafire
Love Songs - MySpace
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