Bobbyisms: In favour of fallout

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I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. In case you somehow weren't aware, there are many sides of rock and roll that are virtually invisible to the public but can be impactful to the health of any band. Bands are very much like families, and family dynamics can be tense at the best of times.

Take Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as an example; the two ended their recent feud over Richards' autobiography back in March — unfortunately not in time to prepare a tour for 2012, their 50th anniversary together — but what many people our age don't realize is that the two had a famous falling out decades ago, one that resulted in their spending as little time as possible together until a truce was called in 1987.

Fans rarely get a glimpse beyond an artist's on-stage persona, but there are a lot of factors that play against the overall health of a band. Like a family, there are internal struggles, victories and tragedies that can put a rift between even the closest of friends.

Montreal's Parlovr is no exception. After signing to Dine Alone Records in 2010, they found themselves in a position of having to repeat several stages of their career, re-releasing their self-made debut album and starting again at the bottom of the industry. Eager to move forward, the trio — frontmen Alex Cooper and Louis Jackson and drummer Jeremy MacCuish — grew frustrated with the process and inwardly resentful.

It's often said, however, that great art can result from great turmoil, and Parlovr's new record Kook Soul — released on May 15 — makes a great testament to the sentiment. With things at their worst, Cooper and Jackson each retreated into songwriting by themselves and brought together a collection of some of the most introspective songs on the scene today.

Don't be fooled by the spacey reverb or the band's ‘sloppy pop' moniker, there is real substance to balance the style. From the opening strains of “Do You Remember?” to the abstract singalong “It Only Happens to the Ones in Love,” Parlovr has captured the raw energy and bombast of their live performances while maintaining their authenticity and geniality; Kook Soul is an album unlike any other this year, a sonic masterpiece that is deceptively uncomplicated while dripping with humanity.

Songs like “Just Marriage,” “Amaze-me-Jane” and “General Hell (True Love Fades)” — which have been a part of the group's arsenal as far back as their performance here on campus in December 2010 — display the trio's tight rock intuitions, while “Bad Faith” and their latest single “You Only Want it 'Cause You're Lonely” offer a glimpse into their own kooky souls and, more importantly, offer up the notion that the band are comfortable with us taking a look.

Parlovr is back on the road this summer with performances across Canada in June, including a gig at Yonge and Dundas Square with the Flaming Lips during NXNE and festivals westward across the country and back again. For more on the band, their fantastic new record or tour dates, visit parlovr.blogspot.com or follow them on Twitter @parlovr.

And for more of the latest in music news, views and album streams, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms or online at bobbyisms.com. I would love to know what you think of Kook Soul, but for now I'm out of words.