Modern Love Child - “In a City”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 3

Pairs Well With…The Hold Steady, Passion Pit, Ben Kweller

Modern Love Child hooked up with Ben Kweller to cowrite and produce his debut record MLC, a comforting indie rock album brought to life with the sounds of Southern California. Bright guitars and sweet hooks power MLC’s tracks, buoyant pop music with an underpinning of loose, psychedelic rock loosening the grip on Modern Love Child’s inherently catchy sound. It’s a nice return to lyrical rock and roll through the LA-based artist’s constantly infectious choruses and he delivers it with a tinge of emo-rock loneliness, a nice balance to spread some haze over such bright music. There’s not just classic rock material here; new-wave chords and percussion power early single “Golden Brown” while highlight “In a City” goes full, sing-a-long indie pop, adding bouncing synths and ooh/ahh accompaniment with set-closing faculty. Great songwriting begets great music, so look for a passionate set from Modern Love Child this March at SXSW. (Kevin McStravick)