Review: A Track-by-Track Initial Reaction to LVLTR's 'God Bless Our Happy Home'

1.31.2025

At some point last year, it was teased that a Domenic Romeo-led alternative rock outfit was in the works, so—always intrigued when musicians whose work I admire branch out into a niche beyond that for which they're most typically known—I'd been more than eager to lay ears on this LVLTR material. The gist of Dom's résumé should be known by this point, and the lineup is rounded out by Chris Kuhn on vocals (State Drugs, Pulling Teeth, Permanent Mistakes, etc.), Lauren Beecher on bass/vocals (Steady Habits, Broken Record, etc.), and drummer Sean Garwood (Integrity, Cape of Bats, etc.). Recorded over the course of 2022 - 2024, it's been stated that LVLTR "exists for anyone who feels stuck in a situation they no longer want to be in." That being said, such a less-than-cheery preface does not result in any lack of compositional energy nor catchiness...

"Scripted"

Once things get going, it's big chords right off the bat with expertly grungy production values—dense and textured, but still clear. The lead vocals are perhaps more restrained than one might expect, but I love the background vocal harmonies. This approach is always a plus, despite having become an under-utilized tactic by most bands these days. A cool, simple lead break actually makes me note a certain Weezer-ishness—but without any lighthearted silliness, it's important to note—so, like Weezer countered by a pinch of Torche, perhaps. The final moments have me thinking it'd be cool if the secondary vocalist would take the lead on an occasional passage or song.

"Born to Die"

Faster-paced and a dash more energetic, which is making the roving basslines a bit more noticeable. This one's an obvious standout. Man, that rhythm guitar tone is just phenomenal! Warm and gritty, with its own brand of chug factor. And again, some killer vocal harmonies and a relatively basic-yet-effective solo. There are a couple of little bits where the vocals start to get more emphatic, too, which is great. Short but sweet.

"3 of Hearts"

Slightly harder-hitting—due to the propulsive kick drum?—and it feels like there's an arguably sludgy undercurrent. But, otherwise, a similar aesthetic overall. Possibly my favorite chorus thus far, it just hits me a little harder and feels like a more obvious "hook" in some way. The solo is more notable, too—somehow more rockin' despite not being too far off from the prior tracks. Killer tune.

"Save it for the Papers"

The sparse, melodic intro lets that gorgeous fuzz of the guitar tone really shine. It's almost like a weird mid-'70s Kiss riff with modern production, though the core of the tune doesn't feel that way at all, of course. A noticeably slower piece, there's almost a half-speed '60s garage rock kinda swing goin' on. Really cool atmosphere.

At this point, I'm realizing that the vocals are gonna consistently float in that semi-restrained type of delivery, which is totally fine, but... opening up and lettin' it rip could be nice. I feel like both vocalists are sitting on more talent than is necessarily being made obvious, if that makes sense. Still, I'm loving the frequent background vocal harmonies. Just feels like there are some untapped opportunities!

"Past Due"

The closer fools you with a super subdued intro before blowing up into full-band oomph, continuing the mid-paced throb of "Save it for the Papers" with some nice ringing melodies to add brightness. Plus, the vocals similarly lean more toward a bit of that borderline soar from the end of "Scripted," to which I can't help but exclaim, "Keep going, keep going!" The pulsing tempo again brings Weezer to mind, but the layering and somber subtleties continue to keep that vibe at a distance.

Limited to a mere 100 copies on 12" black vinyl—and not yet sold out, which kinda baffles me—God Bless Our Happy Home is a very solid EP overall. I quite enjoy it, to the point where I'm severely bummed that in recent weeks LVLTR has been being cited in the past tense, implying that it may have been a circumstantial one-off. I'm so torn, because given the lyrical content and intention behind the project, obviously I'd not want anyone to have to once more suffer through feeling so lost and trapped for the sake of inspiring art, but... fuck, just under 17 minutes isn't enough! Maybe there could be a "brighter side"-themed EP one day...? Pretty please?