NEGATIVE BLISS - Lovesong (Mini-Review)

In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Without further ado: more Negative Bliss.

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Written by: The Administrator

​This mini-review is a real kill-two-birds-with-one-stone moment. Firstly, it allows me to continue individually reviewing every Negative Bliss track to date. Secondly, it allows me to publish a requisite month-late review, which is a condition of my continued non-employment at Sleeping Village Industries. I'd be remiss to pass this opportunity up, really.

Self-indulgent review out of the way, let's talk about the music, shall we? This latest single from Negative Bliss, released on Valentine's Day, is a cover of The Cure's Lovesong, released on 1989's Disintegration​. The cover art is a pretty accurate representation of the music itself--compared to other Negative Bliss output, which often attracts such words as "angsty" and "somber" and "sludgy," "Lovesong" is surprisingly comfortable and buoyant. There's a weightlessness here that feels a far cry from the tethered heft of something like "Sunless Forever" or "The Good Life." I'm a particular fan of the vocals, which are husky and vibrating with a deeply personal warmth. It almost feels like I'm eavesdropping on a private moment, perhaps moreso than with the original iteration of the track. The delivery is sincere without feeling sappy or saccharine. The outro does get a little more raw and rough, a nice contrast to the comforting tones that make up the bulk of the track, but if ever there was a Negative Bliss song built for lazily cloudgazing with a special someone, this is it.

My relationship with "Lovesong" is admittedly impacted by the fact that I'm not really a fan of The Cure--I don't dislike them per se, they just frankly occupy little space in my mind. As such, I almost interpret this track as an entirely new creation wrought at the hands of Negative Bliss. The original track, as I remember it, is very plucky and percussion-forward, and I like how Negative Bliss have chosen to imbue the drums with a more languid vibe. It feels...elevated. All told, this is a highly listenable interpretation, and one that nails a superb depth and intensity of emotion.  

Give "Lovesong" a listen below, and please consider throwing down a dollar or two over on Ampwall or Bandcamp! All proceeds from this release will be donated to Trans Lifeline.

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Negative Bliss - Lovesong was released Feb. 14th, 2025. Find it here! 

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Negative Bliss can be found:
Website
Bandcamp
Ampwall