LoveLikeFire’s Ann Yu is a high intensity gal. As the driving force within the San Franciscan quartet, she’s fashioned a sound that moulds the stadium theatrics of her ex-housemates, The Killers, to the dark, raging menace of The Banshees.
Yu spent her childhood in Las Vegas and was cocooned by a strict upbringing. She’s a classically trained violinist, whose parents forbid her to listen to contemporary music as a child. After leaving home (at the earliest opportunity), Yu formed LoveLikeFire and moved into a downtown apartment with members of The Killers – the two bands would share the same practice space. The result is a debut album borne out of frustration, confusion and anger but with added spice: Yu has an ear for an epic, air-punching anthem. She also possesses a fine voice – previous comparisons to Karen O are not without foundation.
‘Tear Ourselves Away’ is out of the blocks like a hot-wired Usain Bolt. The first three tracks bustle with aggressive grandeur; ‘William’ tells the story of a doomed puppy love, ended over a “50 Cent Popsicle”. For the William in question it was really something; guitars whip up a “perfect storm” for Yu as she plays the role of heartbreaker. ‘From A Tower’ sounds even more like Brandon and the boys (well, actually their moody kid sister) as keyboards swirl with gothic splendour. When, on the pounding ‘Crow’s Feet’, Yu interrogates her victim (“Are you frantic? / Do you stay awake for passion? / No, I don’t see that inside you”) she’s rallying against the bloated corpulence of the idol rich.
But it’s not all vitriol and rage, Yu sounds positively contrite on the jangling Americana of ‘I’ve Pissed Off My Friends’ while “My Left Eye” is almost a ballad, replete with wistful strings and spaced-out harmonies. However, order is restored on ‘Far From Home’ – more stadium-ready indie rock pummelled by galloping drums and a despairing chorus of “Hey, do you care, do you care?”.
The album does fizzle out a tad. It’s as if Yu has well and truly vented her musical spleen before the end, but by then LoveLikeFire have set out their manifesto. We live in troubled times, and music has an inherent ability to hold up a mirror to society: ‘Tears Ourselves Away’ is a shining beacon of angst.
7/10
Words by John Freeman
