Love Spit Love - Trysome Eatone (LP Review)

After a gap of three years Love Spit Love are back. This is a more complete and solid album than their eponymous titled debut lp. I also feel that this recording will finally lay the ghost of the Furs to rest. The word masterpiece wouldn’t be out of place when describing this lp. This is a rare collection of eclectic sounds which evoke an array of moods. Butler’s lyrics are stronger than on the previous lp - the themes are similar but there is even more stronger and assertive points echoed. His constant battle to reveal "truths" is again apparent.

"I know what heaven knows / I know where money goes / I know"

(More Than Money).
You get the feeling that had Butler been born many centuries ago his philosophies would be well documented and studied at universities around the globe present time. But he wasn’t - thank goodness!!
Anyway back to the lp - this is a superb lp. You’ll play this one repeatedly without skipping any tracks time after time. Its full of surprises. At times you think you could be listening to the intro. of a Tim Buckley or a Nick Drake track or a Love or even a U2 track!! This lp isn’t as acoustic sounding as the debut lp . It’s full of trippy sounds - rampant melody - heavy guitar - acoustic guitar - strings - the occasional discordant sound. I think this will appeal to most age groups.
The uplifting opening track "Long Long Time" with its with the initial lyrics "Sometimes it never rains / It can’t rain all the time" welcomes us back to the world of "Love Spit Love" - a name derived from a group of performing artists in New York whereby a girl and a guy shack up along with two guys together and two girls together - all getting off on a huge Amercian Flag.
The electronic opening of "Believe" and the delicate singing of the opening line

"I’m sorry Richard‘s not at home / he’d like to spend the time alone"

gives away to driving drums and bass with hard-edge guitars and the chorus

"and he won’t laugh / and he won’t talk / and we don’t know why"

(Believe)
The opening line of "Well Well Well" is a Butler classic -

"this little piggy’s got more than anybody’s / (got) his pin stuck, dumb struck - what about me? / mirror man, mirror me, dumb dumb he can’t see / he’s walking in my sleep -what about me?" - what about that?

(Well Well Well)
Richard still has his demons attacking him - his inner shaman or dreamingbody is constantly being hunted. People of strong spirit, wisdom and seekers of truths always seem to bare the brunt of the evil spirits - but I’m sure Richard’s ally is strong enough.
"Friends" is one hell of a song. Biting lyrics, trashing guitars. The sheer venom is almost tangible. It makes Blur’s vain attempt to capture a hard rock sound seem pretty futile….leave it to the professionals - yeah?

(Friends)
"Fall on Tears" is perhaps one of the more obvious candidates for a single release - it has a good dance beat. It’ll be hard for fans not to end up singing the lines "This is the end / fall on tears of my friends" in a good raspy Butler-esque style… After all .all good Butler singalongs have "La la la - la la le-la" in them..

(Fall On Tears)
"Little Fist" is a look out the seedier side of life - the hum drum / the falseness of modern living and the fact that every morning you wake up your going to "taste like cake"

(Little Fist)
"It Hurts When I Laugh" sucks you in with its catchy beat. Once hooked it slaps you in the face with a hooky chorus with the lyrics painting a pained figure in turmoil once more.

(It Hurts When I Laugh)
"7 Years" is a quite beautiful song. Another possible single release. Its sweet melody with traces of that "innocent sixties period feel" laced throughout. Its got a triumphant (but not egotistical) sound to it which is vaguely reminiscent to the metaphysical P.Furs song "High Wired Days".

(7 Years)
Don’t be fooled by the song title "Sweet Thing". This is no pretty Van Morrison (Astral Weeks) song. It even makes David Bowie’s (Diamond Dogs) seedy "Sweet Thing" sound radio friendly.

(Sweet Thing)
"All God’s Children" is my favourite track. The lyrics are amongst the best and it has a great band feel to it.

The line "All my dreams / God painted black / I want them back" reminds me of the very brilliant French film "The City of the Lost Children". Just what will become of today’s and tomorrow’s children? Its a scary thought. Butler is surprisingly optimistic - I suppose one has to be. (By the way I hear Richard will soon have the pitter patter of little feet to offset the pitter patter of his rain-stained muses - can we expect a double lp of love songs soon? - NOT!!!)

(All Gods Children)
"More Than Money" is one to watch for when the band hit the road - It really is the business…. Frank Ferrer’s Drumming and Chris Wilson’s bass are superb. Richard Fortus’s electric guitar riffs are amazing. This is a dark brooding masterpiece - an attack on the conciousness.

(More Than Money)
The last track for me was / is (although the impact does lessen) a real mind blower. It’s like one of those late nights at a friends flat where somebody changes the music and you "wake up" out of your semi-conscious state. This track has that effect - the total change in tempo really gets to me.
The sun appears to be shining a lot on this lp or at least as much as it rains. This fact mimicks the fact the lp is better balanced than the previous one.
I sometimes get immersed in the lyrics but let it be said that each band member has contributed equally in the creation of this lp. Richard Fortus is a man of many talents. I loved John Ashton’s guitaring on the Furs lps. They will remain special whatever. But Richard Fortus can turn his hand to many disciplines and seems to have a never ending supply of good tunes… what a man to have in yer team!!! The drum and bass combo of Frank Ferrer and Chris Wilson is so solid - you get the feeling that this forthcoming tour is going to be one hell of a show with these guys providing the backbone.

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