Unloved - Guilty of Love (2CD Deluxe Edition) (2016)

David Holmes’ honed musical knowledge, Keefus Ciancia’s extensive musician experience, and Jade Vincent’s classic torch singing style meet in Unloved. From samples that reference ’60s girl groups and film noir soundtracks, Holmes provides the inspiration for Unloved’s debut album, Guilty Of Love, which was preceded by the trio’s EP of the same name in 2015. Enlisting an A-list of musicians to contribute, the Unloved recorded the EP and LP at Vox Recording Studios in L.A. Here they captured the essence of the French sounds of Francoise Hardy and Brigitte Fontaine, the spirit of the Shangri-Las and the Ronettes, and the insight of Phil Spector and Shadow Morton.

Guilty Of Love is deceptively lo-fi with its underlying hiss and crackle. At the same time it is cinematic and widescreen. Vincent’s husky and seductive growl fits as easily into one as it does to the other, connecting the two worlds. “This Is The Time” tumbles along an organ pattern goaded by ferocious drums and layered vocals that sync perfectly. The mono sound of a jangly guitar stabs through “When A Woman Is Around;” a song that channels the girl-group thing with signature sing/talk interludes just right. The album opens and closes the strongest with the swagger of the title track and the eerie movements of “Forever Unloved.”

TRACKLIST

CD1

01 Guilty of Love
02 After Dinner
03 Damned
04 Cry Baby Cry
05 When a Woman Is Around
06 Xpectations
07 This Is the Time
08 The Ground
09 I Could Tell You, But I'd Have to Kill
10 We Are Unloved
11 Silvery Moon
12 Forever Unloved

CD 2 (Rough Trade Bonus Disc)

13 Raymond Scott
14 Thinking About Him
15 Downfall
16 Without Love
17 Unloved 8