Sons & Lovers - Lover (Video)

A couple have a fight then make up. Some men sing and play a song. The end.

A round of applause ladies and gents for our shortest blog post ever.

We originally wrote about the song here.

Sons & Lovers - Lover (Video)

Sons & Lovers - Lover

We’ve been banging on about Sons & Lovers for quite a while now, (since summer 2012) so it’s nice to see that with new song Lover (wouldn’t it be good if the b-side was called Son?) as soon as it went on line a number of other blogs immediately posted it, because for a while we thought we were out there being alone and blog-billy no mates with this band.

Being alone is very much the theme of Lover, one of the first songs the group wrote together. “I don’t want to be lonely,” sings frontman Tom Lillywhite in the songs whopping chorus, whilst elsewhere we find him delivering thoughts on self-awareness and fitting in: “You don’t know what you’ve been doing wrong, you’ve been dancing to all the right songs.”

Lover is a big song. Here the band has found the ramp marked ‘music’, slowly driven up to it and then pressed down the accelerator hard. If growly basslines, guitars with a sense of purpose and drums that sound like they’re being hit very hard indeed are your thing, but all within a 100% accessible near-pop format then press play on Lover. You’ll er…. love it.

Sons & Lovers - Lover

Sons & Lovers - The Only One (Video)

Here’s a rather touching and poignant video for the song The Only One by Sons & Lovers. The opening scenes reveal a 60’s built urban flat, some lagers, a cigarette and a man who looks like he has the troubles of the world on his shoulders, ready to beat them out on a punchbag. Then we see another part of his life and the absolute joy to be gained from fatherhood, even if it is one where the traditional family has broken down. “You’re the only one that keeps the wolves back in the shadows,” sings frontman Tom, narrating the video. “I’ll never let you face the same storms I’ve been facing,” he continues, providing a sentiment that many parents would understand. Taking the bands epic melodic sound and adding a touch of melancholy at the start The Only One is a tune that works on its own, but for the full impact you need to watch the video as well.

According the band’s Facebook page Sons & Lovers made the video with the director on a budget of nothing and then wrote the song afterwards. 

Sons & Lovers head out today on the Satellite tour alongside other blog favourites Eliza & The Bear and also Fred Page. It's visiting many towns that don’t usually get their fair share of touring bands, so if you live in the likes of Ayr, Witney or High Wycombe, get yourself along to see this tour (details here) which represents great value.

Sons & Lovers - The Only One

Sons & Lovers - Ghosts (Video)

2013 has all in all been a pretty great year for pop music. Yes of course there’s always going to be the likes of Olly Murs and The Wanted, but bounding up alongside them has been a whole host of acts that have taken the values of melodic, hooky song writing and the important ingredient of serious quality and made it OK to like pop again. Bastille, Chvrches, Haim, John Newman and London Grammar (all Breaking More Waves supported acts) have all shown that pop doesn’t have to be lowest common denominator, doesn’t have to mean taking your top off (male and female) and doesn’t have to be via a Simon Cowell owned TV show to be popular.

So here’s another band we’d like to add to that pop category (although they’re not popular yet). It’s Sons & Lovers. Regular readers will remember they first cropped up here in July 2012 where we wrote something not so far removed from the previous paragraph about pop and how when it’s good we shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

Sons & Lovers are a little rockier than some of those other quality pop acts we’ve named above; mind you anyone who has seen Haim live will know that their recorded version is a lot glossier than the all rockin’ guitars blazing gang that take to the stage. And now Sons & Lovers have a new song to demonstrate their heroic sound. Despite the title Ghosts isn’t some flickeringly shy pale little ditty but instead a sky reaching and monumental big one. Think Bastille with more guitar and a less silly haircut on their lead singer. Here’s the video for the song which appears to be set on Inishturk Island, a place that has a permanent population of about 70 people. You can download Ghosts for free from here and catch them out on tour with The Naked and Famous in the UK in November.

Sons & Lovers - Ghosts (Video)

Sons & Lovers - Golden (Video)

Fresh from supporting Ellie Goulding on tour in December, Sons & Lovers (who were named as one of Breaking More Waves 15 Ones to Watch for 2013) revealed the video for a new song Golden over the Christmas period. It’s a perfect example of what this band are about; pop songs that have potential commercial appeal, without ever becoming lowest common denominator, played by a band who can more than hold their own in the live arena.

Golden is that moment of realising that you’ve been hiding away for too long, throwing the doors wide open and feeling rejuvenated by the light on your face and the air in your lungs. Perfect for a fresh start to the new year. “That’s where we’ll be where the city meets the sea, and I know you love the ocean, where the light is golden.”

Golden is available as a free download from the band’s Facebook. The group play four shows during the course of January for Club NME at Koko in London on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th of January. Expect a lot more from the band as the year goes on.

Sons & Lovers - Golden (Video)

Ones to Watch 2013 - #7 Sons & Lovers

Our next suggestion for Ones to Watch in 2013 first appeared relatively quietly on Breaking More Waves back in July. Since then Sons & Lovers (not to be confused with the melodic hardcore band from Orange County, California - yeah we've never heard of them either) have been going about their business, with a minimum of fuss or over excited press attention, playing shows and impressing wherever they play. They’ve gigged alongside the likes of Kyla La Grange, Walk The Moon and Luke Sital Singh with a live set that is impressively slick for a new band - it almost feels like watching a group that have been playing for years. Scrappy is not a word to be used in conjunction with Sons & Lovers, though it’s worth noting that not all of the band are new musicians, as we posted back in July lead guitarist Tim Hillier-Brook used to be in Brighton UK metal core band Architects. 

It seems that the band were originally a two piece but have now expanded to a four piece and play songs that have undeniably rich and accessible melodies. Add to this a lead singer who we suspect quite a few ladies (and some gents as well) are going to grow big crushes on and Sons & Lovers have all the ingredients in place to do that basic musical maths of good songs = success.

There’s very little information out there about Sons & Lovers at the moment although we understand there’s a forthcoming EP and an album due at some point in 2013 (we suspect the later part of the year) but for now enjoy the two songs that they’ve put online below.

Sons & Lovers - Set My Heart

Sons & Lovers - King

Sons & Lovers - New Waves

Sons & Lovers, who possibly take their name from the D.H Lawrence book of the same name make the sort of instantly accessible melodic songs that would sit very nicely on the radio. We’d fit them into the same bracket as the likes of Bastille or Ellie Goulding; artists that understand that in contrast to the perceived wisdom of much of the UK indie blogosphere that often the best pop doesn’t have to be ashamed of itself, isn’t worried about being cool and is made from the substance of something called a tune. Ironically among Sons & Lovers number is one ex-sonic terrorist called Tim Hillier-Brook who used to be in Brighton UK metal core band Architects – a group for whom the word tune was quite possibly an insult.

Yet Sons & Lovers have real tunes. We’re streaming two of them below. Set Your Heart On Fire first cropped up on Neon Gold last year and now it has arrived on Soundcloud ready to stir your soul and soundtrack your summer. King meanwhile is a euphoric clarion call to letting yourself go and enjoying the here and now. “Let’s get lost, lose our heads, turn our alarm clocks off, live a little for the moment,” the vocal commands.

These two songs represent a very promising start for this new band and for the time being that’s more than enough. 

Sons & Lovers - King

Sons & Lovers - Set Your Heart On Fire