SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOE SYMES AND THE LOVING KIND – A PLACE TO CALL OUR OWN

Joe Symes And The Loving Kind
A Place To Call Our Own
Truly Independent Records

Joe Symes and the Loving Kind are a three-piece rock band out of Liverpool, UK. Over the past few years, they have been releasing music and touring relentlessly. Using the past few years as an opportunity to record, they released the four-song EP, A Place To Call Our Own, in March of 2022.

The leadoff title track, “A Place To Call Our Own”, is a sweet slice of power pop, complete with jangly guitars, punchy bass, and wistful harmonies. Tight playing, solid song writing and creative production warrant repeated spins for this track. The remaining songs on the EP benefit from the same production qualities, with “It’s All Make Believe” being an obvious standout track. The production is full, and there are a couple of surprises here, such as a nice turn in the bridge and the short instrumental which follows. This tune really rocks.

Aural tags abound here, but one can hear traces of The Byrds and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, as well as that other band from Liverpool.

Joe Symes and the Loving Kind are a true rock band, and the elements of guitar, bass and drums are key to this outfit. On a short, four-song release, that instrumentation lends itself to a sort of repetitive sameness from track to track. The band is working on a full album release for 2023, and it will be interesting to hear how they expand their sound on a long play recording. While we wait for that release, this EP is worth checking out.

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