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New Raleigh

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Stu McLamb is living proof that heartbreak can be damn good for your career. On the heels of a nasty break-up (which followed his being kicked out of Raleigh pop geniuses The Capulets), McLamb sought to get his head back together by recording an album of sparkling, lo-fi masterpieces for his ex. The resulting album, recorded almost entirely solo under the name The Love Language, didn’t lead to a reunion, but did manage to charm the pants off of critics and fans everywhere. Now McLamb is touring with a full band, which will make a stop at The Pour House this Saturday night. Current buzz band Whatever Brains opens. In advance of Saturday’s show, McLamb answered five questions for New Raleigh.

1. You recorded your debut album mostly by yourself. Now that you’ve had the opportunity to play those songs with a set of live musicians,
how have those songs evolved, and do you ever wish you could go back and re-record them with your current bandmates?

I’ve gotten that question a lot lately and I see where people are coming from in asking it. The album is much more somber and wasn’t recorded in a typical hi-fi studio fashion while the live show is much more raucous and exuberant. To me comparing the two is like apples and oranges. I am very pleased with the way the record turned out and wouldn’t change a thing. I tend to be drawn to albums with a lot of passion and spirit and could care less about everything being in tune and EQ’d perfectly. I made the record right after a very dark period in my life and I felt it was appropriate to keep some of the stains on the songs in how they were recorded.  So that being said the record was a very personal, almost therapeutic experience for me and i don’t think it would make sense to have recorded it with the band.

On another note my band is amazing and I’m still in awe of how seemingly effortless this group came together. The chemistry between all of us is really something special. Its really blowing my mind seeing some of the press we’ve gotten and we’ve probably only had around 5 formal rehearsals. We literally have gotten tight from playing shows in front of audiences, not in rehearsal spaces. It’s kind of ridiculous. Everyone in the band has very strong, lively personalities and that translates into the music when played live. I love seeing how these very melancholy, personal songs i wrote have become almost celebratory for the audience. It’s really beautiful actually. We’re about to start recording the second record pretty soon and it will be a joint effort between the entire band. I’m thinking about removing all egos and having everyone play all over the record where they sound best. Whether it’s Jeff (guitarist) on the drums and Tom (drummer) on bass. Whatever it takes to get those magical sounds. It’s really pointless to hypothesise though since the best recordings are the ones that surprise you.

2. Most reviews of the album go into great detail about is lo-fi quality. Do you think the album would be as popular if it had been
recorded with the full, professional studio treatment?

It might have had better chances of getting more “modern rock” radio play or landing us licensing deals but I don’t think it would have connected with people as much. There has been a lot of talk about how lo-fi the record is but I think it sounds great. I was working with pretty simple equipment. A Boss BR864 digital 8 track I bought off of Craigslist for $200 and one cheap condenser mic. So my equipment was a little flawed but that was all I could afford. But as far as how I achieved the sounds I think I put in just as much time and effort as the “professional studio” guys. I wasn’t lazily setting up a mic anywhere in the room and banging it out. It was an extremely laborious, exhausting effort. I was just going for gritty sounds and I think i succeeded.

3. What does your ex-girlfriend think about the CD?

Depends on which ex you’re referring to. Ha. Well my ex is probably sick of it by now but she was nice enough to do the album design. I still owe her a check for that. Ooops. Don’t worry Jess, it’s on it’s way.

4. Tell us more about your aunt, whose photo adorns the cover of the CD. Do you think she’d like your music?

Well that was my mom’s sister, Joanne, and unfortunately I never got the chance to meet her. She died in a car accident a few years before i was born. I was at my parents house one day sifting through old family photo albums and came across these photos she did for a modeling shoot. They were in the Sampson county newspaper and I was blown away by how amazing they looked. I just felt like that picture encompassed visually the beauty I was trying to convey in my music and it seemed to fit perfectly. And people say I favored her and since the songs were written from both the heart broken and heart breaker side of love, in a weird way it was like putting the female version of myself on the cover. That probably sounds wack but that’s what I was thinking at the time. I think she would have liked the album just as much as I like her photograph.

5.  Who was The Band’s best singer?

While Levon Helm is probably is my favorite to watch sing, Rick Danko is my favorite to hear. There so much sincerity in his voice. He strangely sounds vulnerable and invincible all at the same time.

TWO RABBITS YESTERDAY I CHASED TWO RABBITS AND THEY BOTH GOT AWAY TO
CHOOSE IS A CHORE, MY VOICE IS TOO SORE TO CALL THEM BACK OUT FROM THE
FOREST OH MAYBE I'LL CATCH THEM ONE DAY GOODBYE, GOOD NIGHT, WRAP YOUR
DREAMS UP VERY TIGHT THEY'RE LIABLE TO SLIP IF YOU LOOSEN YOUR GRIP I
KNOW MINE SUNK ON THAT SHIP THAT WE WERE GOING TO SAIL SO I MADE A BIG
MISTAKE THOUGHT THIS HEART WOULD NEVER BREAK ME, SELFISH ME, I COULD
HAVE DIED IN YOUR ARMS NOW I'M BACK AT YOUR FEET LALITA WE'VE GOT ONE
MORE TO GO, AND THE LAST ONE WAS A MISTAKE I'D POUR YOU ANOTHER BUT I
THINK I HEARD THE BOTTLE BREAK ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR AND WE'LL COUNT
THE HOURS AWAKE 'CAUSE I SEE NO SENSE IN SLEEPING ONLY TO WAKE UP MUCH
TO LATE OH ANNA LEIGH, IT'S NOT THAT I'M SCARED I'VE GOT TO WAIT FOR
THE AIR TO CALL YOU LALITA, DON'T YOU HATE THESE KISSES? I KNOW THAT
WE'RE NOT IN, BUT WE'RE IN LOVE WITH EVERYONE THAT IS WE'RE TALKING
TINY CONVERSATIONS LIKE THEY'RE HARMLESS, OH DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I
KNOW IT'S A SIN? WE'VE GOT ONE MORE TO GO, AND THE LAST ONE NEARLY
KILLED ME I'M TALKING TO THE DEVIL BUT I THINK I HEARD AN ANGEL SING
AND THIS YEAR HAS JUST BEGUN SO DON'T COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS YET LET'S
TAKE A WALK, BUT I THINK WE'D BETTER WATCH OUR STEP OH ANNA LEIGH, LAY
DOWN BESIDE ME I'M IN NEED OF REST I'M LOOKING FOR A HAND TO GUIDE ME
FAR AWAY FROM THE REST ARE WE MOVING TO FAST? LALITA, DON'T YOU HATE
THESE KISSES? I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT IN, BUT WE'RE IN LOVE WITH
EVERYONE THAT IS I'M MAKING TINY COMPOSITIONS AND THOUGH THEY'RE
CHARMLESS, I'M HOPING THAT THEY'LL BRING YOU BACK AGAIN STARS NIGHT
DELIVERS COLD SHIVERS, I'VE BEEN WAITING ON A HEART THAT QUIVERS FOR
YOU KATHLEEN, YOU'RE GOLDEN, YOU'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE STARS
UNFOLDING FOR YOU SLOW WINNINGS, THE ROOM'S SPINNING, FALSE STARTS
LEAD TO SAD ENDINGS OH CLOSE YOUR EYES, I'LL REMIND YOU, IT TAKES AN
ANGEL OR THE DEVIL TO FIND YOU, KATHLEEN YOU SHOT ME DOWN JUST AS I
WAS STARTING TO FEEL ALIVE, LITTLE GIRLS TELL THE BIGGEST LIES, BABY
YOUR LOVE IS JUST THE SALT IN YOUR EYES YOU BOLTED ALL YOUR LOCKS JUST
IN TIME TO HEAR THE DOORBELL RING, BUT YOU CAN'T SHUT OUT EVERYTHING,
OH KATHLEEN I HOPE THE STARS SET YOU FREE YOU SHOT ME DOWN JUST AS I
WAS STARTING TO FEEL ALIVE, LITTLE GIRLS TELL THE BIGGEST LIES, IT
SEEMS JUST YESTERDAY WE SAID GOODBYE NOCTURNE WILD FLOWER 'NEATH THE
AUTUMN LEAVES, LEAD ME TO THE RIVER BIND MY HANDS AND FEET, LOST FOR
WORDS I JUST COULDN'T SPEAK, WILL I SINK OR SWIM UP TO THE GODS TO
PULL ME IN? LIKE FISH TO THE SEA, COME TO ME, BAD RETENTION IS KILLING
OUR SHEEP LIGHT THROUGH SLEEPING EYES, BLEND THE COLORS WITH THE NIGHT
SONG CONSTRUCTED FROM THE FIRE, SING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SKY WILD,
WILD FLOWER STILL BREATHING IN THE SAND, SPREAD YOUR LEAVES JUST LIKE
FEATHERS AS THE RAIN SETS IN, I SO DRY, COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WILL I
SINK OR SWIM UP TO THE GODS TO PULL ME IN?  LIKE FISH TO THE SEA, COME
TO ME, BAD RETENTION IS KILLING OUR SHEEP LIGHT THROUGH SLEEPING EYES,
BLEND THE COLORS WITH THE NIGHT, SONG CONSTRUCTED FROM THE FIRE, SING
IT ALL THE WAY TO THE SKY TEN THOUSAND YEARS AND YOU'RE STILL NOT
READY FOR CHANGES YOU'VE GOT YOUR FATHERS EYES, BUT WHO WILL HAVE THEM
AFTER YOU DIE? SPARXXX WE CAUGHT A SPARK AND LINGERED LIKE A FEATHER
IF EVERY NIGHT'S A VIOLENT FIGHT HOW CAN WE HOLD THIS THING TOGETHER?
WE'RE THROWING ALL THE MONEY AWAY, I DON'T NEED TO PAY FOR OUR MISTAKE
SUNRISE TO FIREFLIES, THESE WHITE LIES HAVE ONLY LEFT ME WASTED, AND
NOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT, JUST BLOW ME
AWAY, OUT LIKE A BIRTHDAY CANDLE, OH HONEY DO WHAT YOU WANT 'CAUSE I
WON'T REMEMBER CAUGHT OFF GUARD, IT LEFT MY HEART IN RUIN ALL MY
THOUGHTS JUST RAN APART LIKE A PACK OF RESTLESS CHILDREN I'VE LANDED
IN THE WORST OF WORLDS, WITH A DRY CANTEEN AND PLASTIC SWORD GOODBYE
TO BLUE SKIES, THESE WHITE LIES HAVE SET THIS HEART ON FIRE, AND NOW
YOU WANT TO WATCH IT BURN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO WAIT, JUST BLOW ME
AWAY, OUT LIKE A BIRTHDAY CANDLE, OH HONEY DO WHAT YOU WANT NIGHTDOGS
WELL YOU FOUND THE BUTTERFLIES, ITS FUNNY HOW WE'RE ALIKE IS YOUR
TUMMY FULL TONIGHT LIKE MINE? WINE FLIGHTS OF CHEAP CHAMPAGNE AND THAT
NIGHT WE STAYED UP LATE FOR THE SUNRISE THAT NEVER CAME THROUGH THE
CLOUDS AND POURING RAIN OH TEASE, I BET YOU'RE SITTING IN A PILE OF
STOLEN L.P.'S ON YOUR DIRTY FLOOR, WISH YOU WERE HERE WITH ME, I'M
DOING BETTER NOW, BUT I'VE STILL GOT THE DISEASE YOU'RE AN ARTIST WITH
A STEADY WRIST AND I'M JUST A SAD SCIENTIST SINGING ABOUT WHO I KISSED
LAST NIGHT IN YOUR SHOES I'D WALK A MILE IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONCE IN
A WHILE I DO, FEEL BLUE TOO AND THE WORST THING ABOUT THE CHANGING
WEATHER IS THE LEAVES TURN AND YOU AIN'T NO BETTER AND YOU'LL NEVER
BE, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THOSE LOVELY LEAVES I'VE STILL GOT THE
DISEASE MANTEO CHESAPEAKE I COULD BARELY SPEAK WHEN I SAID MY FIRST
GOODBYE MY ANGEL SHE HAD FROZEN FEET THE DAY THAT I ARRIVED TAKE YOUR
CHANCES HUSTLIN' OR WORK A NINE TO FIVE IF WE DON'T GET BUSTED, HOPE
WE MAKE IT OUT ALIVE MANTEO, YOU GOT ME TONIGHT PLUCK A FEATHER, CLIP
A WING, YOU'LL FORGET THAT IT HURTS I USED TO KEEP MY NOSE CLEAN, BUT
NOW I JUST SLEEP IN THE DIRT AND I'VE GOT MY COAT OF COLORS, I WEAR IT
VERY NICE I KNOW YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT TWICE
MANTEO, YOU GOT ME TONIGHT CHESAPEAKE I COULD BARELY SPEAK WHEN I SAID
MY FIRST GOODBYE MY ANGEL SHE HAD FROZEN FEET THE DAY THAT I ARRIVED
SO WE TOOK OUR CHANCES BUSTIN' OUR PINATA VALENTINE YOU HAD A BOY YOU
TRUSTED, AND I HAD A HEART FULL OF LIES MANTEO, THIS IS GOODBYE
PROVIDENCE IN THE RED JULY, WHEN WE BIT THE DUST ON PROVIDENCE ALL
TANGLED IN OUR NOT-SO-COMMON SENSE I HEARD YOU SAY YOU'D NEVER SLEEP
AGAIN, 'TIL THE BED WAS MADE YOU LIED, YOU LIED, YOU LIED, YOU LIED
DANCIN' AROUND WITH ALL THE GHOSTS IN EMPTY HOMES YOU SANG AND YOU
SOUNDED LIKE YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR OWN RANG OUT A SHOT IN THE DARK,
SOME THINGS ARE BEST TO LET FALL APART AND HOW YOU KNEW, OH HOW YOU
KNEW IN THE RED JULY, WHEN WE BIT THE DUST ON PROVIDENCE OH TANGLE ME
UP, TANGLE ME UP AND ON THE LAST HURRAH, WE'D BETTER MAKE IT HURT,
'CAUSE OUR TIME IS SPENT WE LIED, WE LIED, WE LIED, WE LIED DANCIN'
AROUND WITH ALL THE GHOSTS IN EMPTY HOMES YOU SANG AND YOU SOUNDED
LIKE YOU KNEW IT WAS YOUR OWN RANG OUT A SHOT IN THE DARK, SOME THINGS
ARE BEST TO LET FALL APART AND HOW YOU KNEW, OH HOW YOU KNEW GRAYCOURT
STOP THAT HORSIN' AROUND, YOUR LADY'S WAITING AT HOME SHE'S ALWAYS HAD
EYES FOR YOU AND YOU LIKE BEING ALONE YOU'LL COME AROUND ONE DAY,
AFTER THEY'RE ALL GONE AND WHO IS TO BLAME? WE TRIED BUT WE AIN'T THE
SAME YOUR EYES ARE GONE LIKE A SHIP OUT TO SEA YOUR NIGHTS ON THE TOWN
AIN'T WHAT THEY USED TO BE OH CAN'T YOU SEE? YOU'LL COME AROUND ONE
DAY LIKE A FIRE, AND WE'LL ALL SEE THE LIGHT YOU'VE MADE I COULD NEVER
SAY AND WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WE'LL TRY TO GO IT ALONE AS WE WAIT FOR
THIS STORM TO PASS LOVE IS BUILT LIKE A DIAMOND BUT BREAKS JUST LIKE
GLASS YOU WERE THE FIRST AND YOU'LL BE THE LAST 2009 THE LOVE LANGUAGE

spin did a feature on us this month. here's a link to the article. and special thanks to nathan pazsint for the lovely pic. i think it's safe to say this is the sluttiest picture we will ever be a part of. no promises tho.

xo
stu

http://www.spin.com/articles/..hot-new-band-love-language

lalita

sparxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Love Language is so very very excited to announce our addition to the Ground Control Touring roster.  Ground Control is operated and manned by two-live-operation-crew Jim Romeo and Kate Townsend.  Check out their website as they have an extraordinary roster of artists ranging from Pylon (!!!!) to Benji Hughes to Cat Power to Belle and Sebastian...

 

fruity effort at exploiting love language vents, rants, ideaologies, dirt, filth, sweets, pits, and whatev... check it out if ya feel it... expect it to get boosted in the upcoming months as we prepare to hit the streets.

some of us already have.

www.thelovelanguage.blogspot.com

 

If you haven't yet, check The Light Pines in my top 20something. It is Josh, Kate and Tom's band (bass, keys, and drums for The Love Language) down the road we are planning to take this project on the road as well as a two bands in one kind of thing. I am a huge fan of the music and very excited about being a part of it in the future.

Stuart