A pretty hard to find follow up to the immaculate, self-titled debut. I Love You are a wonderful, wistful, quirky and possibly difficult act who with such ease, mix styles to form a strange brew of soulful rock. Certainly slightly popular during the early '90s alterno-metal scene, but I Love You of course tragically faded like so many other extinct specimens. I'm hoping that if you've read this review but never heard of I Love You then you'll attempt to download their albums, otherwise you've missed a treasure.
The album struts like mighty Marc Bolan on opener 'All Of Us', with a dash of The Beatles thrown in, and as 'Blood' flows through the speakers you realise that gone are the darker shackles of the mysterious debut, and instead we are treated to a summery, funky and joyous sound. Superbly catchy, at times psychedelic, and all the while a soundtrack to summer. There was always something slightly twisted and ominous about the debut, and as Jane's Addiction, and Soundgarden achieved cult status, acts like I Love You and Warrior Soul were left floundering, but thankfully, through the sleazy grime they produced, they stuck to their guns, believing in their other-worldly talents.
Thirteen grooves on offer which blend a dirty grunge with a Mindfunk heat, and not forgetting a Last Crack perception which makes them so alien in their beauty. At times bluesy, a variety of instruments, and that unique jangly freshness. I guess I Love You are quirky, but they are simply too clever to be labelled as such. Magic to listen to, not strictly metal due to its diversity, but a record that needs to be heard.
'All Of Us' rises in similar fashion to Mother Love Bone's majestic 'Apple', and although lacking the glam arrogance of Mr Wood's creation, this is a record that needs several listens before being worshipped forevermore.
8.5/10
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