The House Of Love

The House of Love put together a long-running career built on shiny ringing guitars, dreamily psychedelic melodies, bursts of noise, and Guy Chadwick's dryly observant, sometimes cutting songs. Their initial incarnation leaned into the noisy side of their sound, recording for Creation and releasing some of the label's early signpost songs like "Christine" and "Shine On." Once the band signed to a major label, their '90s output became more polished, but also more nuanced; 1990's self-titled LP is considered to be a classic alternative album by many. All the elements of their early recordings surfaced on further albums made as the group reunited over the years, though they were a little softer around the edges, and on 2022's State of Grace they explored country-rock and the blues. The British group formed in 1986; it featured Guy Chadwick (vocals, guitar), Terry Bickers (guitar), Andrea Heukamp (vocals, guitar), Pete Evans (drums), and Chris Groothuizen (bass). Their demo tape attracted the attention of Alan McGee, the head of Creation Records. McGee signed the band for a single, "Shine On," then the label issued "Real Animal" in quick succession. Following a tour supporting the singles, Heukamp left the group. Instead of replacing her, the House of Love continued as a quartet, releasing their untitled debut album in the spring of 1988. Critics were captured by the band's mixture of catchy melodies and dangerous guitar noise, and the group built up a cult audience. The following year, the House of Love moved over to Fontana and released two singles, "Never" and "I Don't Know Why I Love You." By the end of 1989, Bickers left the group; he was replaced by Simon Walker. The House of Love's second untitled album -- often referred to as "The Butterfly Album" -- was released in early 1990 and saw the band adding production values to their sound, giving it an arena-ready feel without losing the inherent drama found in Chadwick's tales of love and loss. After the group's 1990 tour, Walker left the group and was replaced by Simon Mawby. The House of Love returned in early 1992 with Babe Rainbow, which received favorable reviews that were unmatched by sales figures. The continuing lack of commercial success began to wear on the group, leading to their 1993 disbandment after the release of Audience with the Mind. A few years later, Chadwick emerged with a solo album, Lazy, Soft & Slow, produced by the Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie. In 2005, Chadwick and Bickers made amends, played several gigs, and released Days Run Away. Over the next few years, several archival releases appeared, including a collection of BBC sessions; then in 2012 came a triple-disc deluxe version of the 1988 debut along with other reissues from Cherry Red. These all preceded a brand-new album from a re-formed House of Love lineup that featured original drummer Evans, She Paints Words in Red, which was released in April 2013. In November of that year, the band recorded their first live album, Live at the Lexington 13.11.13, which was released in 2014. This lineup also reconvened for a series of shows in 2018 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of their debut album. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chadwick embarked on a series of live transmissions playing songs from home, and after a North American tour was postponed, internal fractures led to Bickers exiting the group again. Chadwick quickly gathered a new crop of musicians -- guitarist Keith Osbourne, drummer Hugo Degenhardt, and bassist Harry Osbourne -- and began recording a new batch of songs. Betraying a heavy blues-rock and C&W troubadour influence, the House of Love's seventh album, State of Grace, was issued in 2022 by Cherry Red, mere months after the label released Burn Down the World, a complete collection of the group's '90s recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine