It's the journey, not the destination

Album Review:

The Love Mussels – Save the World

Space rock digital album, plus limited edition 12inch vinyl

The global pandemic has changed the world. That much is clear and it’s general impact for humanity has not been good.

But here we are, deep into the third year of a once-in-a-century viral conflict that has cut a swathe through global society leaving millions dead, hundreds of millions more infected and governments and science seemingly incapable of stopping it. It’s a true global crisis.

But crisis is what the Love Mussels thrive on.

Whether its the cutting satire of their 1994 debut album – Dirty World, to predicting the end of a dictator in Castro’s Last Cigar in 1996 to their environmental 1998 Seafood (Lobster) Bisque and the political manifesto of Comfortable and Relaxed to their take on the madness of world politics in 2006 with Global Conspiracy, the Love Mussels are nothing if not prescient, political and poignant.

They are also not afraid of taking action.

Last year (2021) they re-emerged after a long hiatus with their critically acclaimed homage to Albert Einstein – It’s all Relative, Redux. This was psychedelic grunge at its finest and was well received by both critics and the record buying public.

Now they have flown across their own particular universe and released a 10-song extravaganza that boldly states The Love Mussels Save the World.

Side 1 opens with Second Wave, a clever play on the stages of the pandemic, but one that sees a stoner surfer misinterpret it as a sign to travel to the world’s surfing hotspots in search of the next big wave.

Paradise Deluxe describes how some people chose to live during the worst stages of government-imposed lockdowns.

While Get it Back Again is a gentle reminder of how the pandemic has robbed many of our young of the best of their youth and B-Grade Movie Star is an autobiographical statement that tells everyone to live their lives by whatever makes them happy.

Side 1 closes with a 12-string electric riff straight from 1967’s Summer of Love in Guilt Trip, which uses that era’s drug culture as a comment on the pandemic asking “how long is this going to last”.

Disease opens side 2, an R&B inspired song complete with horn section that details the impact of the virus on people everywhere with people “on their knees” pleading for help.

Two and a half years of a global pandemic, the outbreak of regional wars, climate change and ruined economies has taken its toll on our planet. Not Meant To Be is a sobering if not, sad letter from Planet Earth to all of humanity telling us that our time here may be coming to an end.

Fade Away is the Mussels stripped to their core in a hymn-like song about those we have lost in recent years, how we deal with the passing of loved ones and how we hold onto their memories. The Mussels are not religious, but they do have a soul and they evoke a deeper spirit here as they sing that “in the end we all just fade away.”

And then it’s the run home. The Mussels dig into their bag of creativity for one more song about Albert Einstein (after all, the band are theoretical physicists) in Driving Albert’s Brain, based on the true story of the man who stole Einstein’s brain following his death and then drove it across America 40 years later. As you do.

Finally, the Mussels go full-on with the title track Save The World where they romp and stomp their way through a searing condemnation of al conspiracy theorists, reference the January 6 assault of the US capital and riots and social unrest as a consequence of the pandemic.

But here they offer their solution to save the world – fight back, take control of our sanity and think about future generations.

This is a grand concept album packed full of great songs, written by a couple of guitar slingers at the peak of their craft with a band that’s not afraid to record live in the studio to ensure it captures the edge and character of their live shows.

Beautifully produced and expertly played with songs that cross rock, country, folk, jazz, R&B and psychedelia. It’s a statement of intent and was a pleasure to review. It also ensures the Love Mussels musical canon continues to grow and deepen.

If distinctive and innovative original music, that is both contemporary but timeless, is your bag then this is a must-have album in 2022 and beyond.

SF