Oh The Places You'll Go Wrong

Formed in 2000, THE Love Songs is one of the best Bay Area bands in recent memory. Pulling from influences as varied as KING DIAMOND, SNFU, and "Weird Al" Yankovic, the band has enjoyed being labeled - accurately, mind you - as punk, thrash, lite rock, hardcore, indie trash, folk, and metal. They've been called by 924 Gilman staff "a punk rock version of Queen" and "the sexiest and most alienating band." Oh, The Places You'll Go Wrong will be the frst release by 1986'd Music Industries and the sixth full-length by the band. The album's evocative tone and fun-loving spirit begins with the Spanish-style introductory track, "No Soy," and continues into the brutal yet amusing "All Branches, No Trunk." The title track, "Oh, The Places You'll Go Wrong," is one of those damnable songs that you won't be able to stop humming. You'll have a fun time trying to headbang appropriately to the percussive "Satan's Brats" and then, with rattled brains, ponder the existential musings in "Sex Or War." "Blanco Nino" mellows into a surfing mood before heading into "D," a fast-paced record collection perusal. The country-inspired "I Hope It Leaves A Scar" derives it's lighthearted inspiration from The Island Of Doctor Moreau filming antics, while "Sweetish" provides indelible guitar licks juxtaposed with a cappella vocals. "Cake Or Crow" charges ahead with driving drums and looming bass riffs, while "Bastida" contains every musical key just for the hell of it. An album this eclectic and inspiring can only end with a rousing cover of Billy Joel's "All For Leyna."