Sara Lov
‘Some Kind of Champion’ out now
“Sara Lov sings in the manner of a proverbial angel” – Q
“Lov’s voice draws you in with its intimate whispered quality” – CLASH
“The music is as moody as expected, with heartfelt vocals and Lov’s seductive cool, which comes across as both dark and devious while still managing to sound somewhat heavenly.” – CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND
Hawaii born singer/songwriter Sara Lov has returned with her third studio album, ‘Some Kind Of Champion’, out now. Having released her last album in 2011, Lov states, “This album is very personal. So much time passed since my last album of originals, that, when it finally came out of me, it felt precise. Maybe the time I spent away from writing and recording solidified exactly what my voice is and how it would best be expressed”.
Lov teamed up with Zac Rae of Death Cab for Cutie who produced and mixed the record having worked with the likes of My Brightest Diamond and Fiona Apple. Recorded in Zac’s Los Angeles studio, ‘Some Kind Of Champion’, features collaborations with Hauschka, Dustin O’Halloran, Scott Leahy, Ed Maxwell, Zac Rae, Cedric Lemoyne & Jonathan Price.
There’s a mass of personal history and culture that’s reflected in Lov’s rich and eclectic songwriting style throughout ‘Some Kind of Champion’. Raised by her mother in Los Angeles after the divorce of her parents, at the age of five Lov was kidnapped by her father and taken to Israel. Living as an international fugitive from justice for over a decade, she was rescued by an uncle who raised her upon her return to the United States.
Lov formed indie rock band Devics (Bella Union) in 1998 with celebrated pianist and Emmy nominee Dustin O’Halloran who has since gone on to have a rich and varied career in music having scored numerous films, toured sold out shows around the world and even worked with the famous Wayne MacGregor scoring a ballet with his band A Winged Victory For The Sullen. Their mutual respect is evident and their chemistry as present on ‘Some Kind Of Champion’ as ever before.
Praised for the sensitivity in her vocals and lyrics, themes of human frailty reminiscent of Tori Amos, are given centre stage in lead single and title track, ‘Some Kind Of Champion’. With smooth country tones and cinematic blues guitar, this track is a prime example of the diversity and escapism used in Lov’s writing process.
Following tracks ‘Diamond of The Truest Kind’ and ‘One In The Morning’ showcase some of the dream pop soundscapes that made her name, without losing an ounce of Lov’s pop-centric, heartfelt poetry and beautiful vocal range.
Renowned composer Hauschka guests on ‘The Sharpest Knife’, which slows the album down to an eerier, seductive pace that follows a similarly melancholic path. This leads nicely on to the magnificently ethereal melodies of ‘Rain Up’ and ‘Trains’ where Lov’s soft folk tendencies intertwine with the euphoric arrangements of O’Halloran.
‘Sunmore’ and ‘Sorrow into Stone’ set a more upbeat tone where Lov’s emotive and tranquil voice bares resemblance to Karen O or Portishead’s Beth Gibbons whilst ‘Willow of The Morning’ spins a haunting lullaby. ‘The Dark’, one of the few tracks that Lov wrote without collaboration on ‘Some Kind Of Champion’, also brings it to an end with stripped back country acoustics and a soft melody.
‘Some Kind Of Champion’ is an epic to immerse yourself in; full of stories, cinematic compositions, passion and emotion that will draw you in and keep you there.
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