The Lemonheads — Love Song

      Evan Dando finds himself again...

      30 · 10 · 2025

      There seems to be little you can tell Evan Dando about his own life that he hasn't already encountered. In ‘Love Chant’, The Lemonheads’ first studio release in almost twenty years, Dando expresses the heartache and dissatisfaction he has experienced throughout a life filled with excess and music, a journey often speculated upon but never entirely grasped. Instead of a collection of reflections on his past, this album captures Dando’s poignant return to his true self. “I been hung on a cross / I been nailed to a sounding board… I don’t know any more than I did / All those years before,” he contemplates in the album's closing track, ‘Roky’. The essence of The Lemonheads’ comeback lies in not claiming to have all the solutions, but in using music as a means to explore them.

      Dando's distinctive blend of a playful drawl and recognizable, layered riffs combines with a rotation of musicians, featuring Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis on compelling guitar solos and Juliana Hatfield’s captivating backing vocals. Based in Brazil, ‘Love Chant’ was shaped in Dando's new surroundings and produced by Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Apollo Nove, with bassist Farley Glavin and drummer John Kent contributing their talents to the continuously evolving sound of The Lemonheads.

      ‘Love Chant’ requires time to appreciate, but it gradually captivates the listener with each play. ‘58 Second Song’ is a pop-rock track expressing shared longing and pain, delivering lines like, “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth / And nobody knows the truth from the truth.” In ‘Deep End’, co-written with longtime collaborator Tom Morgan, Dando confronts his past addictions as he metaphorically ‘coughs up’ ghosts. ‘In The Margins’ showcases some of Dando’s finest lyrics, presenting a defiant breakup anthem that includes poignant lines such as, “Loneliness is the solidarity you chose for me.” The upbeat rhythm conceals the underlying sorrow. ‘Wild Thing’ features a country vibe, narrating a story of manipulation disguised as love, while ‘Be In’ reveals Dando's reflection on leaving one life behind for a new chapter.

      A recurring motif in ‘Love Chant’ can be found in the title track’s repeating refrain, “Tell ‘em the way.” Starting softly, the song explodes into life during the chorus with an eruption of cymbals and layered backing vocals that gradually engage the listener. ‘Togetherness Is All I’m After’ serves as a reflective ballad on the ephemeral nature of life, contrasting wistfully with ‘Marauders’ existential joy. “I’m alive, I’m alive, I said it twice, did you hear me?”, Dando inquires on the latter. Undoubtedly, ‘Love Chant’ is an album that resonates with vitality.

      7/10

      Words: Paulina Subia

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