Album Review: Pop Levi - Never Never Love

Originally published September 26, 2008 in Soundcheck Magazine.
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Pop Levi
Never Never Love
Counter Records

Pop Levi makes music for the alter ego in all of us. One moment he is exuberant and confident, and the next he is shy and vulnerable. Levi is a complicated man, but one thing is for sure: if you opened his brain, lavish amounts of bright colors, geometric shapes, and sonic passion would burst out.

Nothing other than passion should be expected from an album recorded at Quincy Jones’ old studio, Westlake, the same place where Michael Jackson recorded Thriller and Off the Wall. The studio’s history can be clearly heard on Levi’s sophomore release, Never Never Love, but there is also something futuristic in its sound. Levi (who was born in London but now resides in Los Angeles) takes notes from Prince and Bob Dylan and puts them through a time warp to the future and back.

The “futuristic” element in Levi’s euphoric pop songs may be credited to his time spent as Ladytron’s touring bassist. The first half of Never Never Love is filled with an array of gadgets, handclaps, and colorful beats. The title track sounds like a toy factory where knobs are pulled, paint is slapped on, and characters are wound up like a Jack-in-the-box surprise. Levi’s voice is radiant and attention-grabbing, while gritty guitars and funky baselines keep the music from becoming a joke.

The album stays strong through the eccentric-folk “Semi-Babe” and the bizarre but charming “Mai’s Space”. However, Levi loses momentum on the second half of the album when he channels what seems to be his more reflective alter ego. By softening the loud guitars and adding a gentle piano, Levi showcases his soothing vocals: he remains flamboyant, but sometimes too over-the-top. “Everything & Finally” is the closest Levi comes to singing a tribute to Prince, but gets a little carried away. On a few parts, Levi sounds like he is stuck in a room filled with helium.

Levi likes experimenting with his voice and has diverse music tastes, but Never Never Love lacks balance. The album presents Levi at a fork in the road. Without a more narrow focus, he can become the token oddball troubadour, whereas, songs like the swaggering “Dita Dimoné”, make Levi a credible musician without sacrificing his zest. For the sake of variety in pop music, let’s hope he continues with the latter.