Love Meets Lust

http://www.metrotimes.com/music/review.asp?rid=24393 Link to actual article.

Love Meets Lust : Bitter Company

Love Meets Lust : Bitter Company
Label: Bitter Company
Format: Album
Media: CD
Genre: Rock/Pop


By Laura Witkowski

Love Meets Lust has a good thing going. On the surface, this Detroit quartet's sound is heavily '80s-influenced dance pop that easily holds its own among the throng of bands currently pilfering that sound, including Bloc Party and the Rapture. And in a city that's currently as well-known for birthing techno as it is for its gritty garage rock, Love Meets Lust's dance-crazed live shows have been attracting big, diverse audiences. The key here, though, is music that's broad enough to pull fans from several disparate scenes.

Mixing great hooks, thumping electro-beats and a measured helping of Trent Reznor's early-day angst a la Pretty Hate Machine, Love Meets Lust bridges the gaps between hipster indie kids, gloomy goth rockers, day-glo accessorized club goers, and Top 40 arena rock fans. Vocalist-programmer John Webb and keyboardist-programmer Mike Stefanski take on the task of songwriting, with Jeff Arcel and Wes Alfonsi rounding out the sound with guitar and bass respectively. What? No drummer? Nope. True to the '80s new-wave tradition, heavy synth beats dominate Bitter Company in lieu of a guy with sticks. Thankfully, though, Webb's lyrics and delivery are emotive enough to keep the sound human, if at times a bit melodramatic. On "Direction," one of the album's standouts, he sings, "If everyone's the same here, then why am I alone, wasting time, chasing something I can never find?"

Despite the brooding, the guys of Love Meets Lust still have a sense of humor, which serves as the first line of defense against would-be detractors. Along with the standard shirts and stickers fans can find at their merch table, there are also buttons — one of which reads, "Drum machines have no soul." After listening to Bitter Company, it's clear they've found the formula to prove that sentiment wrong.

Love Meets Lust plays Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Chrysler Arts, Beats & Eats festival in Pontiac.

- METRO TIMES

One of my favorite new local bands is electro-pop outfit Love Meets Lust. The group, fresh off a West Coast tour, has just returned to the D and has a party planned for Saturday at the Shelter in Detroit to celebrate the release of the band's debut disc.
Advertisement

Giving a fresh twist to the '80s new wave sound, Love Meets Lust often draws comparisons to bands like the Cure and Depeche Mode, but manages to keep the sound current by using today's recording technologies.

"We never set out to sound like an '80s retro group. It just kind of happened," says vocalist and programmer John Webb.

New to the Detroit scene this year, the group made its mark at the Metro Times Blowout in March, where it was one of the event's most-talked-about bands.

"We've been moving pretty fast, gaining a lot of momentum," says Webb.

Its debut disc, "Bitter Company," was recorded in the group's collective home studios and mixed by Miko Mader at RMS Studios in Birmingham.

Songs from the disc have already garnered attention for placement in movies and as part of a series of extreme sports DVDs.

Joining the CD-release bill are California pop rockers Malbec. Advice is to get there early. The last time these two groups played together in the D, the show sold out.

Doors at 8 p.m. and admission is $8. 431 E. Congress, Detroit. 313-961-6358. For more: www.lovemeetslust.com

By:Rachel May

link to actual article:
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/COL19/807240321 - The detroit free press

Album Review: Bitter Company - Love Meets Lust

To simply say that Love Meets Lust is in line with other modern day electro throwbacks like The Killers or the Bravery would be unjust. Over the past year Love Meets Lust has built a live experience with its dance energy and cosmic lights that are unlike anything else on the current Detroit scene and breathe new life into such tired clichés as gothic, industrial, and new wave. This is not to say that fans of early Cure, New Order or Depeche Mode will be left disappointed; there is plenty to hold onto while taking note of the fact that this is something we can call our own.

On my first pass through Love Meets Lust debut album, Bitter Company, I found electronic bass and drum structures which incorporate the modern influences of our proud Detroit Techno forefathers and then polished off with the straight attack of lead vox John Webb which rivals that of Mark Burgess of Chameleons UK minus the shoegaze.

Bitter Company is elegantly simple. The album's frame work and song progression catapult a dark tempo that is at the heart of the band's song writing. All nine tracks stay seamlessly calm while still delivering progressives aggression that makes you want to drive your car 100 mph. Stand out tracks are the calling card opener "Brooklyn Lights," the raving "Alone" and the all out "Stars & Satellites"; which works in the perfect touch of guitar into its cusp. However, the best track on Bitter Company is "By Morning," which showcases the dark and erotic side of Love Meets Lost. Here Webb is at his best and reveals the seductive inspiration for the bands name.

Bitter Company is the perfect start to a recording career that has endless horizons. One can only look forward to what Love Meets Lust will bring next as their recently released new demos that have shown up on MySpace page push to expand their impressive sound.

Bitter Company is available for download on Amazon and iTunes. Catch Love Meets Lust live tonight (8/8/08) at Luna in Royal Oak, MI. - MOTOR CITY ROCKS.com

Concert Review: Love Meets Lust @ Luna Lounge



Last Friday night at Luna Lounge the Detroit rock faithful came out to see one of the most unique billings that the Royal Oak "industrial" dance bar has put out in quite some time.

Though I only soaked up the tail end of Flint's Stereoluxxx, I was impressed with their pop/soul vocal stylings, as well as their minimalistic electric grove. Lead singer Tunde's ability has me looking forward to what this duo will be doing in the near future.

Fast forward - what more can be said about Ohio's Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival except that "we're all doing the devil's work." After taking the stage, it became apparent that Uncle Scratch came to Motown to cleanse our souls with their fresh take on" junkyard rock" (they literally use junk for their instruments like barrels, metal cages, you name it.) But Uncle Scratch is clearly not your ordinary band of brothers. The duo; on mission from God, let us all know that rubber snakes don't bite your balls off when they're shoved down your pants, or world renowned Scientology's Tom Cruise loves to be tee bagged, and CB radios make for amazing vocal effects. If you missed them last week at Luna or last month at Theatre Bizarre, I'm sorry but you will forever burn in "The Gates Of Hell."

Headliners, Love Meets Lust took the stage just after midnight to a raucous, near capacity crowd that was clearly fueled by alcohol. They started off their set with a couple of new songs, but the highlights were the two killer tracks "Stars & Satellites" and "Brooklyn Lights" off their latest release Bitter Company.

Adding to LML's already impressive mobile light show, Luna Lunge's "trance" style house lights warped the audience into such a dancing frenzy that I had a hard time getting close enough to the stage for a photo. But after successfully knocking over a few unsuspecting "ravers'" drinks and catching glimpses of all the gorgeous women in the crowd (LML live means hot chicks,) I was able to grab a few choice snaps.

Near the close of the night, Love Meets Lust dished out their song "Direction" with such ferocity that I had to ask myself what kind of a show these guys could pull off in a larger venue? Love Meets Lust's live show is so full of epic energy it rivals that of their electronic forefathers (Depeche Mode, New Order, Nine Inch Nails.)

In case you missed LML, you've got one more time in 2008 to catch Love Meets Lust live (Corktown Tavern with Eat Sugar and Sex Ghost on Dec. 5th.) Lead singer John Webb told me they will be taking a break from playing live locally this winter to work on their next record. Look for LML to reemerge sometime in March with new songs and some possible tweaks.

http://www.motorcityrocks.com/2008/11/concert-review-love-meets-lust-luna.htm - Motorcityrocks.com

Local group is twisted — in a good way
Love Meets Lust hypnotizes crowds
Noor Salim / For The South End



Courtesy Love Meets Lust

Accentuating mood with a dominant synthesizer, Detroit band Love Meets Lust establishes a twisted tale of vigorous conduct that leaves one with an exhausted body and exhilarated mind.

With the release of its latest album "Bitter Company," Love Meets Lust is achieving immense cult status, combining a distorted version of the electro-dance genre with a somber synthrock/new wave ambience.

The music is intimate, with a Depeche Mode-influenced sound but a contorted temperament.

Keyboardist and programmer Mike Stefanski make the tempo and pulse irresistible to dance to, but along with fervent lyrics from vocalist-programmer John Webb, one may almost feel guilty for dancing to the gloomy motif painted by the words.

However, this is definitely not a trick. It is a duality that perpetuates a celebratory melancholy that the group always strives for, adding to the spectacle of its performances.
"We are extremely high energy," Webb said. "It's a dance show."

Given that the synthesizer is a prominent instrument, along with guitarist Jimmy Lees and bassist Wes Alfonsi, it is no surprise that a drummer is not in sight. However, Love Meets Lust not only makes up for that with its energetic showmanship, but the band also sets up its stage to substitute for the absence.

Stage props often include four-foot tube-like LED lights that stand up. The lights are an equalizer of all colors that react to every beat and frequency. The effect adds to the band's energy as it mesmerizes and alters brain waves, functioning like a digital drug effect.

While Love Meets Lust has toured the west side of the country, the band members pride themselves on being a Detroit band and have undying loyalty to their fans here.

They have found rapid success and are consequently expanding with a recently booked show in New York in January. However, before traveling east, they celebrate this year's end with a show at Corktown Tavern on Dec. 5.

The chance to catch these guys will certainly take one through an enticing dark flight of impressionable vivacity.

http://www.thesouthendnews.com/a_e/local_group_is_twisted_in_a_good_way
- the south end

The innovative Detroit outfit Love Meets Lust blends retro, techno, electronic and artistic styles of music.

The band made its stage debut Jan.19 at the Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit (CAID) in support of local artist Peter DeAngelo.

The soul-stirring live show included the notable mix of Mike Stefanski on keyboards, Jeff Arcel on guitar, Wes Alfonsi on the bass guitar and John Webb, lead singer and music programmer.

Love Meets Lust was formed from the ashes of the former rock bands Morphic, Too Many Gods and Red Rye Ink.

The four-piece electro-rock project has been two years in the making, as members of the band have been crafting their unique sound and lyrics. The Cure, Devo and Joy Division are music groups from where Love Meets Lust gathers inspiration. Yet, the band's sound is more of a refreshingly renewed retro sound, amped up in lush modern tones.

"We were bored of doing the same things," Webb said. "All of us played in rock bands, not that we don't like rock music, but we felt limited and the technology is there to do so much more."

The band's strong opening was one of their new hits, "Brooklyn Lights," a modish retro-blend of tuneful inspiration. The stage was laced with Alfonsi's contagious energy, while Stefanski commanded his keyboards with intense perfection.

Drums were run electronically, similar to how Depeche Mode started, resulting in a more artistic, abstract show. The stage lighting added eye candy to the melodiously adventurous tunes, and helped create a memorable performance.

Love Meets Lust wants to bring Detroit something eclectic, incorporating all the things that make the city what it is.

"The electronic music scene coming from Detroit, the techno scene bursting out of Detroit originally... we're trying to incorporate that into our music and coming to the table with something that's a conglomeration of all the things that we like, which is art and music," Webb said "This definitely makes us have the sound that we're in."

Thrilling verses and upbeat tones lured an enthusiastic crowd. The band presented the format, Webb said, as "listenable, in a different kind of sound structure."

The arrangement of evocative sounds was a welcome change to much of the humdrum bands currently fighting for recognition in Detroit.

Love Meets Lust's ambient stage presence dosed with abstract soundscapes left the audience genuinely pleased and yearning for more.
- THE SOUTH END

Back in the late seventies the integrated circuit found its way into the music biz and begat synthesizers which brought a "new wave" of music to flush out the tried and tired. At the same time, the long hair and blue-jeans of the 70's gave way to spiky clipper-cuts, shiny Rayon shirts, skinny ties, big-block "Frankie says..." t-shirts and day-glo pink, green and yellow stretchies of the 80's - which were perfect for rock fans who wanted to dance again. It was a weird time for music and fashion, eventually giving way to a backlash of Grunge and guitars in the 90's. But in pop culture everything old is new again and New Wave is no exception. Which brings me to our latest band link submission in the newly created Synth Pop / New Wave category; the music of Love Meets Lust perfectly recaptures the vibe of 1980's New Wave. If you dig the selections of XM's "Fred" station (44) you're going to dig Love Meets Lust. But better than satellite radio, you can go see Love Meets Lust live and local at The Bellmont in Hamtramck on Sunday, March 16th with Malbec from Los Angeles, CA.
- www.michiganbands.com

Every band out there wants to draw people to the front as they take the stage. For some, it’s a pain in the ass, but for others they just seem to have that thing that makes everyone move forward. I love seeing the natural reaction from people coming forward towards the stage without being encouraged. When that happens, you know you’re in for a decent show.

Tonight I got to see a group called Love Meets Lust perform at the Belmont in Hamtramck. Before they were set to go, the crowd was already toe to board with the stage. I worked my way to the middle of the crowd and waited with anticipation. (I’ve never seen them perform, only listened to them on DetroitCity.com)

I expected a "Depeche Mode" style of music but found myself hearing "Orgy" in their sound as well. It was different yet familiar, which made me instantly intrigued yet comfortable. I watched the crowd start dancing as they sang. Not a bunch of people bouncing up and down, or a mosh pit, but people dancing as if they were at a club listening to a DJ. Behind them on stage were 8 fluorescent long bulbs standing vertically. Whenever beats came out it reacted like a sound sensor on an equalizer. The stage lights were turned off, but the lights behind them lit up as they played showing colors ranging from green to red to purple to yellow. It fit perfectly to their style of music and created a sort of black silhouette to their bodies as they played.

I can tell there’s going to be a lot of people who enjoy coming to see these guys play. I hope to see them soon again myself.

- www.detroitcity.com

We rushed over to Atlas to see the very last song of Love Meets Lust. It sounded great and the place was jam-packed. Thankfully I was wearing my platform shoes, so I had no trouble stomping my way through to the bar. - DETROIT NEWS

This was the second time I’d seen Love Meets Lust, and I thought they sounded big at The Atlas. It’s like really good new wave, but darker and newer. Does that make sense? Probably not, which is why I’m more interested to see where they find their niche locally, and who venues pair them with. I would tell you to go see them next weekend at the Belmont, but I hear that show is already sold out. Next time.

- www.fivethreedialtone.com