Song Review: Lovejoy’s ‘Common Touch’

“Common Touch” will feel like a familiar hug for day-one Lovenjoyers and will be a crash-course for brand new fans of Lovejoy alike. However, despite how new Lovejoy may be to some listeners, there’s also something tangible and homely for them. Textured and dynamic riffs in the chorus before a melodic break in the second-half offer a more concise, math rock-adjacent experience compared to happier guitar tones and an upbeat bass-line throughout the chorus that might mimic a more airy indie style. There’s a little bit for everyone.

As approachable as the instrumentals make themselves, the real treasure lies in the quite juxtaposed instrumentals and lyrics. The melody is joyfully deceptive as when one listens just a little closer to the poetic and emotive songwriting from vocalist Will Gold, a more intimate style that wouldn’t be amiss in someone’s private journal. The melodic break in the chorus is melancholic, and Gold’s vocals are almost isolated, as he gasps “And if it's all too much for the common touch / I could gild my hands in this circumstance / I could lift you up, give a further thought / I could bleach your name in the crowd.” It’s the embodiment of this almost bittersweet longing as Gold’s vocals intensify and the instrumentals sing in a harmony that they only specifically do in this part.

It’s an interestingly structured song – but that seems to be apart of Lovejoy’s signatures. Sometimes, it can feel like the intensified dynamics that sit almost halfway between the transition between the first verse and the middle of the chorus. It’s interesting, and slightly perplexing, but that feels somewhat standard for Lovejoy tracks. Something complex that is rather outside of the box, but not so much as to lose the palatability and appeal of melody.

“Common Touch” feels like a very reassuring single for their upcoming record. Showcasing old and new, emphasising this genre-line Lovejoy have always seemed to straddle without necessarily choosing a side.

Ahead of the album’s release, you can pre-save the upcoming record here, find the band’s US tour dates below, and keep up with Lovejoy on Instagram, TikTok, their official fan Subreddit, their YouTube, and their vlog channel.