LoveLikeFire

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  • "Can you really fall in love at first sight, or is it just infatuation? Romeo thought he was in love when he first saw Juliet: "Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! / For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." I'm feeling a little loopy myself after hearing "S.O.S." from San Francisco's LoveLikeFire. The song blows open like a track from Bossanova, or Trompe Le Monde, then settles into a nice Cure-esque riff ("A Forest?") and finally into a breathtaking chorus where singer Ann Yu sounds like a more forceful Siouxsie. I love LoveLikeFire like I love all of the above. No, I know it's just infatuation. I don't have a long relationship with LoveLikeFire. I haven't put in hours and hours of intense listening. I haven't dreamt or loved along with their music. It sure feels like love though. Call it what you will; I'm going to let myself wallow in the butterflies I get from LoveLikeFire." (3hive)
  • "LoveLikeFire's heady An Ocean in the Air presents beautifully orchestrated rock in a style similar to that of Arcade Fire, particularly on the EP's lead track "Unlighted Shadow." Yu's girlish vocals soar over Farwell's propulsive pounding and Parker's thick riffs with an intriguing sweetness like that of Blonde Redhead's Kazu Makino on "Skin and Bones." Shimmering rocker "SOS" is an impressionable take on the Yeah Yeah Yeah's garage rock-induced softness, while "Broken Shapes" embraces an emotionally tinged, Radiohead-tinted likeness, reaching soulful heights thanks to haunting background string arrangements." (Spin.com)
  • "I was just recently introduced to San Fransico indie rock up-and-comers Love Like Fire through the song "From A Tower", an endearing power-pop group that falls somewhere in between Rilo Kiley and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. After listening a number of times to "From A Tower" I found out that the band made more songs (whoa!) and they were also great (Yesss!). In fact, I think after listening to "S.O.S." and "Unlighted Shadow" they've become my favorites from the band. For some reason the band is unsigned, but they seem to be doing well for themselves DIY-wise as I've seen the band featured on a few notable blogs. Love Like Fire has a great dynamic going: guitar riffs with equal amounts of crunch and buzz, rolling drums, and strong, passionate vocals from Ann Yu. You can hear a strong influence from new wave bands like The Cure and Siouxe and the Banshees in their songs. From what I've heard, the band absoutely kills live so if you're on the west coast check them out sometime and hopefully for the rest of us they'll schedule some midwest/east coast dates very soon. Until then, You should definitely download all these tracks and listen to them." (Music For Kids Who Can't Read Good)
  • "I was going to post these new Lovelikefire tracks next week, but I just couldn't wait. They're just too darn good. The San Francisco based dreamy indie rock quartet won me over with their Bed Of Gold EP last year (read my review here). The new songs are stronger, fuzzier, and come loaded with a lot more rock n' roll fervor." (Rockinsider.com)
  • "LoveLikeFire frontwoman Ann Yu's tremulous, haunting vocal style combines elements of CocoRosie, Karen O and Portishead's Beth Gibbons, while the delicately woven threads of synthesizer, piano and guitar form an orchestral dream-pop tapestry in "I Will." (Spin.com)
  • "Ann Yu, lead singer of LoveLikeFire, is not your typical petite singer - - on the surface, she seems delicate and reserved, but her voice proves otherwise. Yu sings with a power and emotion that correlates nicely with the passionate music the band plays behind her. "From a Tower" (available below) slowly climbs from a mellow base to an exciting peak. Can't wait until these guys get big." (Lime Wire)
  • "We must tip our collective caps to the fellas and lady in LoveLikeFire for their outstanding new video for "I Will." The clip was beautifully shot on Super 16mm film by an unexpected duo. A husband and wife team, Tom and Samantha, actually discovered LoveLikeFire through MySpace, and enjoyed the music so much that they volunteered their time and talents to make this video." (The Tripwire)
  • "This music is so ridiculously good that if it was a full-length, it would make my top five best of the year. It's strong music; it punches you right in the face instead of dancing around you wearing wings or whatever. I love it so much that I can't believe I never heard it before. Vocals sung by Ann Yu, with appropriate mysterious lyrics; instrumentals played richly and distinctly by misters Parker, Farrell, and Kissinger, respectively." (Bonton)
  • "Female-fronted and full of fire, San Francisco's LoveLikeFire are a refreshing blend of late-90s keyboard-driven indie pop (Vagrant Records style - Koufax, The Get-up Kids, etc.) and uber-hip Williamsburg rock (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs or We Are Scientists). An Ocean in the Air is LoveLikeFire's latest offering, and shows that this band is not far from indie stardom, so get on board this bandwagon now. Seven songs deep, An Ocean in the Air shows that LoveLikeFire are just a few watts away from true buzzworthy status." (Decoy Music)
  • "Needless to say, LoveLikeFire seem to have plenty of fans in as well as outside the music industry. Despite that fact, the band is actually unsigned. Crazy, I know. But seeing as there obviously isn't a lack of interest for their music, this could very well be a conscious choice, whether it's due to artistic integrity or not good enough offers. Either way, I'm sure LoveLikeFire will continue to conquer fans which ever way they choose to go." (Rock Sellout)
  • "The term independent music really doesn't mean what it used to. When someone uses the phrase "indie" to describe a band they typically are describing the sound of the music and not the situation of the band. However, their are an increasing amount of musician out there who are finding success as truly independent artists. I am talking about the handmade, self-released, self-promoted albums that are passed out at shows, and sold through pay pal and i-tunes. I have nothing against records labels, but it just seems like these bands have a little more invested in the product. These are the bands that I love to listen to and talk about. So when I received an e-mail several months ago from Ann Yu of LoveLikeFire I listened. She and the other members of the band (David Farrell, Ted Parker, and Robert Kissinger) had created something that they wanted to share with me. This being their second self-released ep in as many years, An Ocean in the Air. From the first few second of the the first track, "Unlighted Shadow", I knew I would love their sound. Soaring keyboards, driving guitars, and Ann's powerful vocals come together on seven well produced tracks to make this ep one of the best of the year." (Wearduringorangealert.blogspot.com)
  • "I really like the vocalist for this band. She has the right amount of kick-ass and the right amount of pretty. I don't know how I missed this band before, another one to check out!" (Wileyotis.blogspot.com)
  • "Here is a tip that should increase your hipster status among your friends. San Francisco's Love Like Fire is a band you will want to get behind, create some buzz and start telling people to check out as your great new discovery. The quartet has just released their second EP An Ocean In The Air and I must tell you that it is a solid twenty-seven minutes of indie rock bliss. Front woman Ann Yu's vocals lead each track with a crisp clear tone similar to a Shirley Manson (Garbage) but with a Karen O's (Yeah Yeah Yeahs) edge. The band falls right in line with decisive punchy guitars and pounding drums that provide the perfect backdrop and balance for Yu's soaring vocals. An Ocean In The Air never lets up and the songs all follow a certain structure, which keep the vocals out front but then explode into a blaze of instrumentation and chorus before settling back down into the lyrics. This arrangement not only works for the band but it is infectious and you will gladly hit repeat when An Ocean In The Air comes to completion. So what are you waiting for? Seek out Love Like Fire right now and be that music guru that turns someone else onto them. This is clearly just the beginning for Love Like Fire - This EP was just released and we already are screaming for the full length!" (The Fire Note)
  • "Local newbie, LoveLikeFire have already racked up achievements that plenty of veteran scenesters would kill for, including a thumbs-up from Death Cab For Cutie and critical comparisons between singer Ann Yu and Siousxie Sioux and Bjork. The vocal assessment seems way off case- Yu sounds a hell of a lot more like Metric's Emily Haines than either those divas-but the generally positive bizz for the band is well-earned by the thoughtfully arranged, dynamic, and dramatic indie rock on the band's debut EP, Bed of Gold." (The Onion)
  • "If this were the U.K, the British press would be argy-bargying one another for bragging rights for discovering this irresistible foursome from San Francisco. Let's ignore the fact that they sound a hell of a lot like the Cranberries, because that might be a turn-off to some of you, though one cannot overlook the overactive larynx of lead singer Ann Yu, who is simply startling and gorgeous. The band provide the surge to songs that engulf and heave you like a raging ocean. Pick hit: every damn, thrilling track off their Bed of Gold EP. They're playing at El Cid every Friday in May." (LA Weekly)
  • "Another great find are the lovely San Franciscoans (San Franians? San Franciscanites? San Franks? Which one is right?) of LoveLikeFire. Ann Yu has a voice sometimes similiar to Lush circa Lovelife, but it doesn't quite stick there. It's just the first thing that struck me when listening to "Bulletproof". And I have to tell you, I have a soft spot for talented bands fronted by cute girls. Don't we all?" (Who Needs Radio?)
  • "I had seen this San Francisco, CA quartet featured on many a Fold Presents flyer but never really got around to looking into them. Crap, I do that a lot. I gotta develop a better system man... Somehow Lovelikefire's new EP, Bed of Gold, made its way into my mailbox and onto my iTUNES. I was formatting photos when "A Million Pieces" popped up in my player. My ears instantly perked up. Singer Anne Yu has such a distinct and powerful voice. Suddenly a driving beat begin a and guitars loaded with delayed soar over Yu's pipes . The chorus explodes outta nowhere and the breakdown is just frickin' cryptic. I LOVE IT. The entire EP is dark and dreamy and chock-full of amazing songs. I'm on my second listen today alone." (Rock Insider)
  • "Here's an SF band to watch. LoveLikeFire's mix of radio-ready hooks, Brit-pop inflections, and über-stylish presentation (drummer Dave Farrell is a part-time model) has poised them for bigger stages. Just a year in the making, the band has already gotten airplay on Live 105 and played a SOMA Magazine party (they play Hyphen magazine's music issue release party this Friday, Nov. 17 at 111 Minna). If you haven't heard of them yet, you'll likely be hearing much more from them in the future. They're submitting this newly re-recorded version of "Wish You Dead" from their Bed of Gold EP for Live 105's Not So Silent Night contest. Like what you hear? Check out more on their MySpace page." (East Bay Express)
  • "Predicting the next big thing in music is never a cakewalk. But if we had to guess, we'd go with LoveLikeFire. The foursome has a sound that won't quit and a groundswell of critical acclaim. The group has gotten shout-outs from Death Cab for Cutie, made it to the semifinals of Live105's Not So Silent Night contest, and was name one of the radio stations top 10 local bands of 2006. Says the radio station's music director Aaron Axelsen, "The first time I heard them, my ears perked up," he says. "Every time I play them, people call in." Catch them before they break through; that way we won't have to say we told you so." (San Francisco Magazine)
  • "Love Like Fire has either found a way to distribute invisible pixie dust which filters through your speakers and makes you say great things about them or they simply made a brilliant record. My money is on the brilliant record theory. Although it's just an EP and contains only six songs, everything I need to know about this foursome is right there for me to enjoy over and over again." (TRUTH magazine)
  • "It's a potent six song effort that suggests that LoveLikeFire has so much more to say than could ever be expressed on one EP. A full-length is bound to be in the works, whether or not the public is paying attention yet. Until that next trial of truth, we have a strong first showing with this California band's EP - gold it is for sure." (Urban Pollution)
  • "Barely a year old, and having already supported The Brian Jonestown Massacre and earned praise from Death Cab for Cutie, this San Franciscan outfit consolidate all of that on this rather nifty collection. Actually, they're heavily reminiscent of shoegaze-to-Britpop chameleons Lush, which is just fine by me. There can't be many other bands with as convincing an identity at this early stage." (Tasty Fanzine)
  • "Vocalist Ann Yu sincerely brings the emotive power that fits so well with this band's big sound. But she also sways back and forth between being able to sing a lullaby and sounding like she's breaking up with you for good." (Autopiamusic.com)