Love, Execution Style

Love, Execution Style is experimental homemade music which can either be almost-unbearable noise (for those who don't love noise) or almost too-good-for-words music and melodies. It's fun and serious and always interesting.

see Butter Cheese and the Impurities

Information: Gleet and Gumma Records
Suggested First Purchase: Nameless

Alpaca (1994) -- "Music" for those who love sounds just as much as songs. It's hard to tell the twenty songs from side one apart from each other unless you're paying strict attention (this isn't a bad thing). Side two is a forty-five minute long song called "Alpaca" and it runs as a day in the life of every noise in the world. Believe it or not, I like listening to this. B

Back Catalog (Singles Collection) (1996) -- This supposed collection of singles from 1984-1996 (though I suspect it's just all new recordings with this as a concept) contains more traditional songs than the previous release, though it's still mostly noise-fun. Some of the most memorable tracks are "Eyelid," "Vacation," "Hi, I'm the Happy Elf," and the wonderful "Wish." B

Dead Eye Friday Motion Picture Soundtrack (1996) -- The soundtrack for a homemade movie features tracks of movie dialogue (which gets in the way, like every movie soundtrack that does this) and the music, being background music for the action, isn't as listenable as the regular albums. But every now and then a great one will pop up, like "Angels (Nancy's Theme)." C

Gatlinburg Honeymoon EP (1996) -- Made entirely of samples. Though used in an interesting and original ways, it's still only worth a few listens. It was only made for two people who got married anyway. C

Insane EP (Stephin Merritt Songs) (1997) -- Strangely (or fittingly), this tribute to Stephin Merritt is Love, Execution Style's full entry into the world of solidly good pop songs. It combines the unique sound of Love, Execution Style with the perfect tunes of The Magnetic Fields, and every cover is wonderful. This is where the low, pleasing voice of Ernest Paik really begins to come to the front as well. A

Juniper (1998) -- This album of new original material may as well be considered Love, Execution Style's first album, or at least the first in "phase two." Gone are the tracks full of noise (though not entirely: see "God Is My Co-Pilot," a series of grinding engine-sounding noises and ladies' screams) which are replaced by low dark melodic music accentuated perfectly with a low dark voice. This is also the first release on CD (the rest are only available on cassettes). Among the many great songs are "All Swolen Up," "She Puts the Needle in the Groove," "The Optimist," and "Pearl Necklace." B

Katydid EP (1998) -- This EP is one fourteen minute track of noise which serves as good background music. I imagine this was to cleanse the pallet after Juniper. C

Lullaby EP (1998) -- This EP contains two versions of Brahms' "Lullaby" (featuring a banjo), a version of Schubert's "Wiegenlied," and two originals, including "Canción de Cuna," one of Love, Execution Style's best songs. B

Mitosis EP (1999) -- Available online only as MP3s, this four song EP's highlight is "Scone Song," a track which gets improved upon further on the next release. B

Nameless (1999) -- Following in the tradition of Juniper, this album is a "brighter" version with chipper songs like the delightful tribute to Hello Kitty ("Kitty Kitty"). But it's also features beautiful, slow, drum loop-driven tracks like "Purr" and "Cry Your Life Away." Included as bonus tracks are LES's Custom-Made Music songs (you can get your own for five bucks), the best of which is "By the Hummingbird Feeder." B

One-Time Pad (2003) -- The newest thing on this album is a cleaner production and somewhat lighter-sounding songs. Not as many standout songs as the previous two LPs, but the album is more consistently enjoyable, and even the bonus Custom-Made Music tracks included here are better. B

Quick Release (2005) -- Made as part of one of those "make an album in a month" deals (similar to the comic-in-a-day or novel in a month and all that stuff), and LES admitted that it suffered as a result of its "quick release." Still, though, the music is interesting enough, and short enough to be enjoyable. C