I'll admit that I was a little disappointed when Love and Rockets released Hot Trip to Heaven in 1994; not because it wasn't a good album, but because it didn't sound like the Love and Rockets I expected. A similar fear for Love and Rockets new release, Sweet F.A., disappeared less than ten seconds into the album. I was immediately greeted by a classic, pristine Love and Rockets sound reminiscent of Earth Sun Moon. Skipping ahead, I discovered that the fuzz distortion sound from Love and Rockets was also present. Some of the acoustic songs sounded as if they belonged on Express. Essentially, Sweet F.A. is the perfect conglomeration of most styles that Love and Rockets has employed over the past decade and beyond. But even that statement doesn't fully do this album justice.
In addition to quite possibly being the best Love and Rockets album ever, Sweet F.A. also represents the most painstaking work the band has completed to date. After working in San Francisco and London, Love and Rockets went to Los Angeles to begin the final recording phase. Unfortunately, they nearly lost their lives to a catastrophic fire in a house owned by superproducer Rick Rubin. Luckily the trio survived; many of the demos and all of their equipment did not. Undaunted, they entered a second studio prepared to use more minimalistic approach than they had in the past six years. They eliminated a great deal of the overdubbing and effects which allows the songs to speak more for themselves. In addition, they recorded while all three performed in the same room. The culmination of these factors and Rubin's brilliance helped create this masterpiece.
"Judgement Day" has the same kind of darkness that could be found in their works as members of Bauhaus. The title track has the same sort of angelic feel similar to songs from Love and Rockets' earlier days. "Use Me" seems to contain an angry atmosphere not unlike "Motorcycle" from their self-titled album from 1988. The whole album displays a wide variety of emotions while maintaining the continuity of one focused piece of art.
Before the April release of Sweet F.A., Love and Rockets will release an EP titled The Glittering Darkness. The EP will contain a number of previously unreleased tracks as well as "Sweet F.A." Whether you're an avid fan or if you're a hardcore Goth still lamenting about the disbanding of Bauhaus or even if you're completely new to Love and Rockets, this album is well worth your time. Love and Rockets has officially returned with an album that should satisfy a fan from any point in the history of Ash, J, and Haskins.
