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Pebble Brain
A pixelated image of the sky, with clouds emerging from behind a hill. In the centre is the band logo and the name of the record. In the top is a poorly-rendered flying seagull.
EP by
Lovejoy
Released14 October 2021
RecordedAugust 2021[1]
StudioSmall Pond (Brighton)[1]
Genre
Length23:02
LabelAnvil Cat
ProducerSam Coveney
Lovejoy chronology
Are You Alright?
(2021) 		Pebble Brain
(2021) 		Wake Up & It's Over
(2023)

Pebble Brain is the second EP by English indie rock band Lovejoy, released independently through the band's label Anvil Cat Records on 14 October 2021. With seven tracks, it is a follow-up to their debut EP Are You Alright?, issued in May 2021. It debuted at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and held positions in ten international charts.

Background and release

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Lovejoy was formed in 2021 and debuted with the EP Are You Alright?, released on 8 May 2021.[3][4] The same month, the band appeared on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart at number 10.[5] All four of the EP's tracks peaked on the UK Independent Singles Chart, with "One Day" at number 5 and positions in four other international charts.[6]

On 14 October 2021, following the release of numerous track demos online, Pebble Brain was released digitally.[7] Frontman Wilbur Soot, real name William Gold, revealed the EP had taken over a year to complete,[8] and that the track "Perfume" originally did not make the final cut.[9] One year after its original release, the EP received its first pressing to vinyl as a compilation with Are You Alright?[10]

Composition

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Critics found Pebble Brain's lyricism to concern two main themes – relationships and politics.[11][12] Opening track "Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?" is written from the "point of view of someone watching the current relationship of a potential romantic interest come to an end", and is thematically similar to "Concrete", written about a failed relationship.[13] Sonically, reviewers found tracks to maintain "familiar horns, exciting percussion, and similar guitar riffs", however such repetitive instrumentation made tracks "truly lack distinction from each other".[13] Political allusions can be found in tracks "Model Buses" and "You'll Understand When You're Older", regarding then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating that "he makes model buses in his free time", and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service workers respectively.[11] "The Fall", written about the "wealthy upper class", stood out to reviewers for its "higher emphasis on the dark bass to the lyrical message to [Gold's] speech at the end, an awe-inspiring mix between spoken word and rap".[14] In terms of production, the EP was criticised by some outlets for issues with mixing, with one explaining "the lead singer's voice is sometimes hard to hear over the high-energy drums and guitar".[13]

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]

The EP received generally positive reviews.[16] Timothy Monger of AllMusic wrote Pebble Brain features "improved production value" compared to their debut, concluding "[Gold's] song subjects are sometimes as frenetic as the band's delivery, but are often quite enjoyable".[15] A reviewer for Teen Ink found flaws in the closing track, writing "the beat was unattractive, and the song as a whole felt rushed and uninteresting", though highly praised "Perfume" as "a much easier track to appreciate the poetical essence Lovejoy crafts".[17]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Ash Kabosu, Joe Goldsmith, Mark Boardman and William Gold.[8]

Pebble Brain track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?"2:49
2."Model Buses"2:50
3."Concrete"3:16
4."Perfume"3:27
5."You'll Understand When You're Older"3:52
6."The Fall"3:04
7."It's All Futile! It's All Pointless!"3:40
Total length:23:02

Notes

  • "It's All Futile! It's All Pointless!" is a re-recording of a track on Gold's 2019 EP, Maybe I Was Boring.[18]

Personnel

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This section is adapted from Genius.[8]

  • William Gold – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter
  • Joe Goldsmith – lead guitar, songwriter
  • Ash Kabosu – bass, songwriter
  • Mark Boardman – drums, songwriter
  • Sam Coveney – producer

Charts

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Chart performance for Pebble Brain
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] 56
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[20] 41
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] 35
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[22] 21
Irish Albums (OCC)[23] 14
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[24] 3
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[25] 11
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[26] 32
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 24
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 12
US Billboard 200[29] 128

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Silver 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release formats for Pebble Brain
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various 14 October 2021
Anvil Cat [9]
14 October 2022[a] LP
[10]

Notes

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  1. ^ As a compilation with Lovejoy's debut EP Are You Alright?

References

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  1. ^ a b Kabosu, Ash (1 September 2021). we've been busy (Video). Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ a b Croteau, Bella. "Lovejoy's newest EP Pebble Brain is unlike anything else". Spartan News Network. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Lovejoy - Are You Alright? EP Album Reviews, Songs & More". Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023 – via AllMusic.
  4. ^ Battoclette, Augusta (24 June 2021). "11 Twitch streamers who are also crafting their own original music". Alternative Press Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 February 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Emerging Artists Chart". Billboard. 22 May 2021. Archived from the original on 29 May 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  7. ^ Wilson, Brianna (12 November 2021). "Are You Scared of the Future?: Pebble Brain EP Review". The Quaker Campus. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Degrazia, Leah (15 October 2021). "Lovejoy's Wilbur Soot Can't Get Over His Ex On New Song "Perfume"". Genius. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  9. ^ a b Dahlberg, Hannah (15 October 2021). "Minecraft streamers TommyInnit, Ranboo, and more react to latest album release by Lovejoy, 'Pebble Brain'". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Store". Lovejoy. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  11. ^ a b Cole, Masyn (18 October 2021). "Lovejoy's newest EP, Pebble Brain, preoccupied my mind". The Central Trend. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  12. ^ "Pebble Brain by Lovejoy Review | Teen Ink". www.teenink.com. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Weil, Helen; Gomez, Alberto (15 November 2021). "Lovejoy on the Brain". The Wake. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  14. ^ Shin, Claire (5 December 2021). "Lovejoy returns with EP 'Pebble Brain'". The Daily Princetonian. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  15. ^ a b Monger, Timothy (14 October 2021). "Pebble Brain Review by Timothy Monger". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  16. ^ Ramirez, Michael. "Review: Lovejoy releases 'Pebble Brain,' causes mixed reactions". Eagle Nation Online. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Pebble Brain by Lovejoy Review". Teen Ink. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  18. ^ Gold, William (25 December 2019). "Maybe I Was Boring, by Wilbur Soot". Bandcamp. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  20. ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of October 30, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  21. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Lovejoy: Pebble Brain" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  24. ^ "2021 42-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  25. ^ "Charts.nz – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain". Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Billboard 200: Week of October 30, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  30. ^ "British album certifications – Lovejoy – Pebble Brain". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
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