Band Of The Week #322 - Love Rarely
This week's Band of the Week is Leeds based Love Rarely - who continue their rise on the UK alternative scene with the release of their debut album 'Pain Travels' via Big Scary Monsters.
Love Rarely are a volatile hybrid of math rock, emo, and hardcore. Having already and rapidly carved out a reputation as one of the UK’s most emotionally fearless math-rock outfits, the five-piece have been redefining what vulnerability can sound like within heavy music. Weaving angular, technically demanding melodies with an unflinching lyrical openness that refuses to shy away from life’s darker corners. They balance intricate, off-kilter guitar work with cathartic explosiveness, creating sonic terrain that feels deeply human.
The debut album 'Pain Travels', captures the fullest picture of who Love Rarely have become. Shaped over the course of a year in spare bedrooms and improvised recording spaces, the record chronicles the band’s collective experience of family trauma, toxic households, and the complexity of navigating adulthood with scars that shape but no longer define them.
"'Pain Travels' takes you on a journey of attempting to cope with life when you might not have been dealt the best hand,” guitarist Dan Dewsnap explains. “It ended up being a deeper and darker record than we initially thought it would be, but that speaks to the authenticity on show. There’s a lot of positivity too. We’re basically saying things have been tough, but it’s going to be okay.”
Entirely self-produced by guitarist Lew Taylor, 'Pain Travels' is a testament to Love Rarely’s uncompromising DIY ethos: where band mates Courtney Levitt (vocals), Dan Dewsnap (guitar) Dan Gilson (bass) and Leo Godfrey (drums) would essentially write and record their parts separately then come together to painstakingly shape each track into its final form.
This album release easily cements them as one of the top bands to check out this summer - their vocalist Courtney took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Love Rarely, how are you? So your album is out now – how does it feel to have it out there?
Hey!! We’re amazing, thank you. It’s very daunting but we’re so excited that people can hear what we’ve been working on and can’t wait to hear what they think and what they take from it.
It is called ‘Pain Travels’ – what is the meaning behind that?
It’s about the transition of generational trauma and how if it’s not dealt with correctly it just carries on through the entire family tree. Also a lot of themes of hope, overcoming mental health struggles & accepting who you are.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories you are willing to share with us?
It was recorded in our spare rooms at home. Our guitarist Lew Taylor produced and mixed the record. There were many times that we had to stop recording sessions due to kids playing on the street outside and it was on the recording. Adds to the charm.
What are the key influences behind the album?
Childhood trauma and coming to terms with the people that we are and the way our brains work.
If the album could be a soundtrack to any film – which one and why?
28 days later, we feel like the vibe captures the vibe
Do you have a favourite lyric on the album? If so, which one and why?
There’s a line in the closing track through families - “So pull up the family tree, the roots are soaked in alcohol the branches weak, the leaves suffer”
This is my favourite lyric on the album because it kind of condenses the themes into one line. There is a lot of alcohol/substance /family related trauma within the band and it’s shaped us in many ways.
Now the album is out there – what next for you?
The plan is to just enjoy the release for a little while because we’ve been so busy and worked so hard for the past few years to get this arranged and in place. Soon as the dust has settled on that we’ll be working on future releases and hopefully touring as much as possible.
