Love as Laughter: Laughter's Fifth Laughter’s Fifth is an enjoyable chunk of the finest indie rock. The first track “In Amber” lays bare the influence of Neil Young -- which is always a good thing -- while the rest of the stellar album is definitely going to incite comparisons to Pavement. If this is the first album you’ve ever heard from Love as Laughter, who've been productively hammering away for more than a decade now, then get ready to hear the rest of them. Because you'll probably want to after hearing Laughter's Fifth. Sam Jayne’s songwriting is playful and emotional, creative and simple, yet the whole effort manages to come off and a healthy slice of good fun. Take “Idol Worship! Idol Worship!” for example: a mellow mediation at first blush, which metamorphoses into a rocker suffused with harmonies and vibe. “Survivors” is another tongue-in-cheek track, where a crooning Jayne wants to “Escape from Alcatraz/Just to wear the shirt with pizzazz.” Funny stuff. Beneath the sharp wit, Laughter’s Fifth churns with a robust energy, and is recorded in a way that avoids polishing up its brilliant edges. Which, in my opinion, is always preferable, because like Neil Young -- and unlike so many others -- Love as Laughter don’t overdub the living hell out of everything they do. And forgoing that conventional recording style has allowed them to deliver something that sounds like it came out of the garage. Everything has been preserved, so it’s something you'll be glad to have heard. Goddamn, that rhymed. -- Jeff Pearce |
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