The Love Shots

Their album, Crooner, derives influences from the usual pop and punk loci, but branches out to include a lot of influences from ’50s and ’60s pop. - Rock Star Journalist

...this group must be seen live to truly appreciate their immense amount of talent. - Radio Free Chicago

"Crooner" is a fun record. It's unlike anything you may have heard before. But it'll grow on you and you'll be wanting more by the end of the record. - Critical Mass

The Love Shots are a new punk/doo-wop/50's roots rock band out of Elgin and Streamwood. Because of their signature sound, fans have referred to their band as "Death-Wop". Their first full length album (currently in production) is a seamless blend of classic, Ramones-style punk with dark, Nine Inch Nails style tracks. Tracks such as 'Cradle Robber' display their masterful grip on major scale driven punk, while 'Pure Pleasure' is sure to give you some haunting, dirty nightmares.

The Elgin band consists of three members: Daniel Craig (Lead Vocals and Guitar), Robert Nelson (Bass and Backing Vocals), and John Perrin (Drums). Danny Craigs voice is haunting. A subtle blend of Black Key's Dan Auerbach and Jack White. Nelson's bass lines couldn't be catchier. Very melodic and always moving, but never ceases to leave Perrin's rhythm. John Perrin can easily be described as one of the most impressive drummers on the scene. With power and drive of Keith Moon, but with a brilliant detail and flourish of Buddy Rich. Look for Perrin in the future, for he is sure to be a big name in the Chicago band scene in time. - The Examiner

The Love Shots. A clever little pop-rock band...

... they have recently finished up recording an EP which was dumbfoundedly titled "2009 Demo" when I added it into iTunes (better programs out there? maybe but I don't really care). It is a nice refreshing little composition of 6 tunes, perfect to listen to right now as I'm sitting here in Champaign with a temperature of 91 and some very inefficient a/c.

The Love Shots recorded the demo with Brian Zieske at Gallery of Carpet. They say the process went pretty smooth, other than a minor problem with the solo on "Punctured Romance." If you have been following the Chicago music scene since the emergence of "those Fueled By Ramen" bands and other "emo" acts, The Love Shots were no doubt a welcome change of pace in the recording studio.

A multitude of influences from The Ramones, Sex Pistols, and The Smiths to others cited as broadly "random doo-wop artists" is very apparent. "Sunday's Vision" is playing as I type this and I can't help but note a strong Kooks sound. However, others tend to highlight a rougher, edgier rock sound, while the smooth vocals of "Banshee" coupled with jangly guitars makes for an evenly distributed set of songs. The Demo is hard to truly pinpoint as to what genre it should be in, perhaps why my copy doesn't show up as any specific one. Someone once called the band a "Death Wop" band, which is jokingly true with the amount the band admittedly talks about "dead stuff."...

... I would definetely give The Love Shots a listen, especially if you seek to enjoy joy, excitement, depression, axiety, ie all the great feelings in life. - Where it starts... It ends

With light hearted doo-wop vocal melodies from a singer akin to Anthony Green with just a little more grittiness behind his nasally vibrato, as well as hints of punk, psychedelic, and good old Rock n’ Roll, Midwestern musicans The Love Shots offer a nice change of pace from the pop punk, hardcore, and electronica that normally flood the local scene. Plans for a full-length are in the mix, but as of yet the band has an EP to offer fans, with tracks that range from the aforementioned doo-wop melodies to the more guitar driven. Hints of bands like Nightmare of You are heard within songs like “Cradle Robber” while “Banshee” is a pure product of that late 50's-early 60's vibe the band is going for with their crooning vocals and rolling bass...

... All in all a catchy up and coming sound, we’ve got a feeling you won’t be disappointed if you head out to one of these upcoming shows, grab your favorite guy or girl, and roll up your sleeve for The Love Shots. - reviewsic

Hey, blogspot readers, the fun continues with another round of live music. Tonight, SouthSide's back at the Elbo Room to get her medically prescribed injection of love. Nope, it wasn't as painful as it might sound ...not with this band, The Love Shots, rockin' the stage...

...Now, blogspot readers, with a name like this band's, approximately 99.99% of their songs were about love and relationships. That's not a bad thing - most rock songs were (and still are) about that subject matter. What might surprise you about The Love Shots will be their music and sound. This local band really reached way back into time when rock-n-roll was young and very sinful for the soul. Yet, they paired this sound with a slight twist of garage/punk feel in the music. And yes this combination certainly rocked the stage! This reviewer enjoyed the thundering roar of the guitars and the energetic tempo of a basic rock beat from the drums (btw The Love Shots' drummer was totally rad behind the kit, my friends). This band had the feel and sound of the rock's early days ...maybe perhaps they will think about adding that cool retro look to their performance too. The stage was swingin' during Banshee (think early 60s Beatles when they ruled the charts with danceable sock-hop type beats before moving into their psychedelic phase), Husband Undercover (a pseudo love/breakup song depending on how you perceive the lyrics in a downtempo pace) and Pure Pleasure (an adult erotica in lyrics, steamy than their earlier songs and heavy on the guitars riffs - *fans self*).

SouthSide also loved Good Girl Gone Insane - a chilly number with a ska/reggae feel to it in which was rockin' However this reviewer enjoyed the harsh lyrics that did make this a break up song (i.e. no one wants you and nobody cares...). She recommends listening to The Love Shots' new one, Wolfhound, for its suspenseful guitar buildup that explodes into a rockin' tempo. This closing song literally set the stage ablaze with hard riffs and rhythms before finally ending in a haunting guitar sound. Yet the highlight of the night was their cover of Rick Nelson's Last Kiss though they're actually covering Pearl Jam's 2007 version - full of angst and frustration in a garage/punk tone.

SouthSide recommends getting your own dosage of The Love Shots wherever they're rockin' the stage again. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/theloveshots. - Southside On The Town

Hey, blogspot readers, it was time for SouthSide to get her rockin' dosage of The Love Shots! This local trio featured an eclectic twist to the punk/pop rock sound by incorporating a retro sound (early 50s rock-n-roll) into their music. For example, their cover of Quiet Riot's Cum On Feel The Noize was switched from its original 80s metal-hair sound to be re-arranged to fit into Shots' retro style as they began their performance. This style had SouthSide enjoying the lively rhythm as well as the energetic beat for anyone to dance along with the band. Fans should take notice (besides the retro feel of Shots' music) of this band's take on the subject of love. Yes many are about love but don't expect them to be happily lovey dovey. The Love Shots wonderfully expose the dark side of love which is never lovey dovey ...it's darker, lustful and sometimes painful. Check out their songs Kill, Good Girl Gone Insane and Banshee. Prime examples of love sometimes gone wrong and/or painful. Yet there were two moments in which the softer side to Shots' made an appearance. SouthSide recommends listening to Katlynn (a personal love ballad straight from the heart from Danny [on vocals/guitar] to her) and the 2007 Pearl Jam cover of Ricky Nelson's Last Kiss. Also she recommends listening to her favorite song Husband Undercover and the heart-pounding howl of Wolfhound (plenty of chills and thrills down your spine). This reviewer highly recommends getting your own dosage of The Love Shots and its retro rock sound. For more information, visit http://www.theloveshots.com. - Southside On The Town

Elgin-based trio Love Shots plays a mix of 1950s doo-wop and melodic punk rock (think the-Miracles-by-way-of-the-Ramones) that they bill "deathwop" — a fitting description for infectious nuggets like "Shutterbug." The tune, which opens with drummer Johnny Perrin and bassist Rob Nelson locked in a bouncy groove, takes flight when singer-guitarist Danny Craig swoops in and delivers a vocal performance that alternates between sweet and bitter. One moment Craig's cooing "Buttercup, I'm not like the other ones," the next, the guitars have kicked up and he's repeating "They'll call us demolition." Virtually every song streaming on the group's MySpace page (myspace.com/theloveshots) offers similar thrills, making this retro-obsessed trio one to keep an eye on. - Chicago Tribune (Andy Downing)