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The Bloody Lovelies Some Truth and a Little Money Review by Gary Hill Does anyone remember Jellyfish? Those who liked that hook-laden, psychedelically-tinged rock band should be equally drawn to this group. These guys really do sound an awful like that band, and that's a very good thing to this reviewer. Indeed, other than a little bit more adventurous sense of compositional structure and a slightly harder edge (a bit darker at times, too), one could easily believe that this was a new disc by Jellyfish. The upside here is that this is a very creative and accessible album that combines a great retro texture with strong songwriting and an entertaining hard rock edge. One the negative end, there is a definite sameness to much of the material on show here, meaning that the album tends to wear a bit thin after a while. My recommendation is to listen to this disc in small chunks, as there really are no weak cuts; it just gets a bit redundant after a while. This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2004 Year Book Volume 2 at https://garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2003-and-2004/.

Track by Track Review

Hologram A piano melody leads to a bouncy retro pop rock cut. This one rocks out pretty well with a vaguely bluesy mode - ala early Stones.

You Don't Love Me Piano, feeling just a little like Tori Amos, begins this, then a new progression, with slightly Eastern tinges, takes over for the bulk of the verse. The chorus is more in a straightforward mode.

Great Big Fall This one comes across a bit more lighthearted and fun. It's another catchy retro pop-rock number.

You Could Die Starting with a slight country twinge, that sound returns off and on through the cut, making this one a nice change of pace.

Star This one also has a bit of that twang at first, but then settles into a cool groove. The cut feels a bit like early Bowie and is one of the highlights of the album.

Lonely Town Piano begins this, and it has a melancholy very mellow texture with just piano and vocals through much of the piece.

3 Days This is a lively retro pop-rocker. It rocks out quite well. The break, in fact, is one of the hardest rocking segments of the entire album.

Square This one is a lot more mellow, and it also has a lot of country flavor. This is a cool one, but not a standout.

Dreams This almost feels like a childhood lullaby meets torch song. It's fun.

The Money Song A bouncy number, this is another that's fun and very accessible.

Baby Tells Me It's Alright Coming in with a killer fast paced riff, this is one of the highest energy cuts on the album. It is a definite highlight.

Happy This has a great bluesy texture.

Rosarita "Rosarita" is a slow paced groove, good, but not exceptional on the verse and chorus bits. The pace and intensity pick up toward the end, raising the track up with them.

A Million Years From Now The disc ends with this contemplative track. It serves well to bring the listener out of the album.

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