Though they’re located in Los Angeles, a roughly two-hour drive from my home in the Coachella Valley, it was through my Twitter friend Mark Winder (theretweeter) – who lives in Northern Ireland –  that I learned about indie pop-rock band The Lovepools. Formed in 2017, the undeniably charismatic trio consists of singer-songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Anthony Shea, bassist/vocalist Aria Cruz, and drummer Fabrizio Cavallaro. They call their music “indie rock for hopeless romantics”, and with their melodic, Britpop/shoegazey vibe, not to mention Shea’s vocal style, they do sound like they could be from the UK. Their music also reminds me a bit of Saint Motel, another L.A. band I really like.

The Lovepools in short order released a couple of EPs, as well as a terrific single “See You In The Funny Papers” that was featured on the Season 9 premiere of the Showtime hit series Shameless. In July 2018, they released their first album The Catch, which included all of their recorded songs up to that point. One of the highlights is the gorgeous “A Dixie Cup to Save You”, but they’re all great songs, and I strongly urge my readers to check them out on one of the music platforms listed at the end of this review.

They returned in August 2019 with their latest single “White Lies & Palm Trees“, a beautiful, dreamy track that the band states is “a departure from their guitar-based indie-rock roots into a new synth-pop sound.” The song was written by Anthony Shea and Taylor Ravenna, and was inspired by Shea’s monotonous experiences living in L.A. (but honestly, I know from my own experience that monotony can occur pretty much everywhere). The track has a sunny, dream pop vibe, thanks to an exuberant, sweeping melody and lush, sparkling synths that offer a hopeful antidote to the numbing monotony expressed in the lyrics. Shea’s upbeat vocals are wonderful, as are the guys’ soaring harmonies in the choruses. It’s a fantastic song, and sure to be a hit for The Lovepools.

Living in a daydream
Dark eyes, eighteen
Trusting everyone you meet

Every day’s the same thing
White lies, Palm trees
Broken hearts on every street

Oh, light up and let yourself go
Oh, go make your way back home

Driving Sunset all night
Stoned eyes, red lights
Kissing ’til the light turns green

Every night’s the same thing
Dark skies, palm trees
Broken glass on every street

Oh, light up and let yourself go
Oh, go make your way back home

Lights upon the hillside
Fade away as you drive by
Time is on your side
Not on your mind
But it’s all you have to live by

The Lovepools are playing a show tonight at Mal’s Bar in Downtown Los Angeles, and another show on Wednesday, October 16th at Good Times at Davey Wayne’s in Hollywood.

Connect with The Lovepools: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music: Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / Deezer
Purchase: Google Play/ iTunes