Leaving on an Adventure with I am Love
Listen to this articleWhat else is there to say except I am Love’s self-titled album, set for release January 15 2015, is everything lovely and more. Folky, upbeat, and deliciously soft vocals that let powerful, pounding drums speak for themselves, like the sounds of Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, I am Love’s album welcomes adventure around every corner.
A perfect playlist for extensive road trips and train rides, I am Love let their unique blend of instruments such as the banjo, zither and saxophone, lead listeners into a vivid daydream, where gazing out the window graciously passes the time.
The first song off their album, “Pillar of Salt,” feels like winning in slow motion: an Olympic runner finally crosses the finish line, a mother exits an airport terminal as her children who’ve missed her dearly run towards her, a Mt. Everest climber stabs the ice with his pick one last time before he reaches the top – and then stands there with tears of happiness running down his face.
I am Love’s intention is to inspire, they “make music to inspire people to be their highest selves, to know that they too can create.” With that said, their inspiration does not come from the deep, Simba-like vocals of Joshua Christopher, it comes from heart-felt, uniquely different instruments that feel like soundtracks to discovery films such as Into The Wild and Where the Wild Things Are.
Lead vocalist/guitarist Joshua Christopher explains that he plays “an autoharp to show people that you can use anything to make songs, it’s about expression in its purest form.” I am Love’s self-titled album pays no mind to the arrival at your final destination, it pays tribute to the journey itself. Travelling across the country in a Little Miss Sunshine van? Play “Stinkbug Serenade” as you drive off into the sunset on an empty highway. Caught in a downpour with nothing but a wavering tent over your head? Listen to the romantically archaic “Balance,” which fits the dreary weather with its moody ambience, but also sparks every hidden desire to cuddle with your camping buddy soon-to-be lover.
I am Love’s overall revamped sound of psychedelic vaudevillian goth-grunge adds that little bit of risk and danger that every adventure requires in order to be memorable and Instagram worthy. Listeners who crave that rock n’ roll vibe, going 100mph on the open road, get their adrenaline fix with “Ace of Cups,” that boldly stands out with its heavy infusion of electric guitar. I am Love’s music, labeled “the archaic sound of the future,” has already taken flight with live performances at SXSW in Austin, and SXNE in Toronto.
As the year 2014 comes to an end, we have new hopes, expectations and goals set for 2015. Let I am Love’s album be your guide through the journey to reach those unforgettable eye-opening moments.
Sophie is a recent graduate from Arizona State University with a BA in Film and Media Studies. Born in London, and raised in Prague, she is a natural born traveller, which led to exploring Southeast Asia and most recently, Alaska. Whilst traveling, she’s expanded her knowledge and passion for foreign film and music. Upon moving to Los Angeles, she’s worked on television sets, a 2014 Sundance short, and participated in a live taping of “America’s Got Talent.” Sophie’s attentiveness for music began at seventeen, when she first gained access to the senior lounge’s speaker system, and often got into trouble for blasting explicit lyrics through her high school’s hallways. In her free time, Sophie spends countless hours at the movies, tattoo parlors, and local dog parks.
