CD Review: Pathological Lovers 'Calling All Favours'

CD Review: Pathological Lovers - Calling All Favours

In the heart of St. John's lives one of the town’s best-kept musical secrets – the heartfelt musical madness of the Pathological Lovers. Bolstered by a fiercely loyal local following and a captivating frontman, it’s amazing that mainland Canada has yet to discover the magic of this energetic and memorable four-piece band. In a recent article, The Globe and Mail mentioned the Pathological Lovers as being one of the 10 bands that “rock the Rock” and it’s only a matter of time until Jody Richardson (lead vocals, guitars), Grant King (keys, guitars), Dave Rowe (bass, banjo) and Alex Pierson (drums) make their mark on the national level.

Those who have seen PL perform live know of the band’s amazing energy that’ll get even the non-dancer bustin’ some moves. Calling All Favours is the Pathological Lovers debut full-length – a CD that explodes with musical goodness, leaving you salivating for a bite of one of their live shows. Recorded last August in King's Bay Bulls home with Ottawa producer Ross Murray, Calling All Favours perfectly captures the energetic intensity of PL’s on-stage presence. Crank it up while driving – especially on those late night drives when your coffee buzz is wearing off – and you’ll be turning those head nods into head bops in no time.

The musicianship on this album is exquisite and impeccably clean. Alex Pierson does a fantastic job with the riveting percussion parts on the catchy and rhythmically-driven track, "Change is Good". Richardson and Grant’s tasteful string arrangements in “Deck in Between” and “Storm Your Little” are breathtaking. The Atlantic String Quartet does such a beautiful performance throughout the album as does Patrick Doyle on trumpet. Like all great artists, Pathological Lovers effectively beguiles us into believing that their music is simple, but upon closer inspection there is so much more to it – especially in Richardson’s masterful lyrics.

Jody Richardson, who was recently voted in The Scope’s ‘Best of 2009’ as ‘Best Rock Star’, is the perfect frontman. His intense voice immediately demands our attention and captivates us with genuine emotion and sensitivity; carefully woven into catchy melodies and superb lyrics that reflect a multitude of topics about living in Newfoundland.

Go grab a copy of this incredible album, especially if you’ve spent time in St. John’s. It’ll make you wish you were still here.

Visit: http://www.pathologicallovers.com