In 2005, LEVY charted #37 on KCRW and made the top 20 on over 200 american college radio stations and judging by their debut album (released by One Little Indian) - it's not hard to see why. LEVY has also garnered much love across the Atlantic, having been playlisted on XFM as well as numerous BBC radio shows. They've done in studio live sessions on BBC 6 Music with Gideon Coe, and last fall James of LEVY had a sit down interview with John Kennedy live on XFM London, where he played acoustic for over an hour.
In April of 2006, the band joined friends The Maccabees for a 14 city UK tour ending at London's Barfly, where LEVY headlined to a packed enthusiastic and often, singing along audience. On their return back to the states, LEVY played alongside The Guillemots at their feature Bowery Ballroom show.
Rotten Love (the album, not the song) is unashamedly simple and pure - receiving national as well as international acclaim from Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut & Paste. James Levy has spoken about his desire to write songs that 13-year-olds want to be able to play, and none of the ten songs here outstay their welcome by a single note.
Lyrically, it's an album about the heart, but with a title like Rotten Love, you can guess that it's not all flowers and puppy dogs. Sure, there's hope there - in songs like Rector Street and the wanton MILFery of On The Dancefloor - but Levy isn't afraid to explore the underbelly a bit more. The title song forensically bisects the moments when a relationship turns sour, and the three-way breakup song Matthew features the line "I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain," eight times in a row. But crucially, all the heartache is wrapped up in a jaunty tune that even the most hapless of milkmen could whistle.
In late June of 2006 the band checked into Soho's Magic Shop recording studio, where they put down over 20 new songs in two 16 hour days. "These are the songs that give me goosebumps" says guitarist, Matthew Daniel Siskin, who said the two days in the studio just about killed him. "These are the best we've ever done, and i think we can all agree on that." The band is currently mixing through the summer, but some tracks have already leaked onto the net. Rachael Darmanin, editor of New York City Magazine Underrated came across the new songs last week and posted about them on her Blog, featuring LEVY as her "band of the week", she writes:
"The new tracks, while still in the beginning stages of production, harbor on exactly why we loved Levy in the first place. Each track is a self-contained hit, so much so that I wonder if those boys have some sort of machine in their recording studio that knows exactly what chord progressions and melodies I like. And yet when compared to their first album, it's like Neil Armstrong said -- a small step, but a giant leap.
If I could characterize the new material, I'd call it a little bit more on the moody side. "Dont Cry" gives all those emo boy bands a run for their money. This is what we call emotions, my friends. James perfects sorrow in a way I haven't heard in a long time. "Glorious," my favorite of the new tracks, is so British I want to give it a cup of tea and yell "God Save The Queen" in the background. And as I kept listening, I just wanted to listen again. "So Hard," one I'm pretty sure I've heard live is instantly memorable -- almost a great answer to their previous favorite "Rotten Love."
2007 sees the release of their new album "Glorious" - containing the tracks GLORIOUS, SO HARD, MINT, LADY NICOLE, HOLY WATER, SQUEEZE, KING JAMES, LOVE AND PAIN, YOUR DEMISE, BENEATH EM ALL
http://www.myspace.com/levy
Two. Levy was a four piece band from amsterdam in the early 2000's.
Three. LEVY (formerly known as ARIA) is an alternative pop artist from australia.
Rotten Love
Levy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And what you've done
I think about you
And what you've become
I said tonight is the party
Would you like to come
But she said no I can't James
And he smelled of
He smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
I think about Regina
And what she's done for me
I think about Regina
She's so sweet
I said tonight is the party
Would you like to come
But she said no I can't James
And he smelled of
He smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
I think about me
And what I've done
I think about me
And what I've become
I said tonight is the party
Would you like to come
But she said no I can't James
And he smelled of
She smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
He smelled of rotten love
She smelled of rotten love
The lyrics to Levy's song "Rotten Love" are about a person reflecting on the memories of someone they used to know. The song starts with the singer thinking about this person, their actions and what they have become. The singer then extends an invitation to this person to join them in a party, but the person declines the offer. The reason for the decline is not given, but it is hinted that James is involved in some way.
The focus then shifts to Regina, another person whom the singer has fond memories of. Again, the singer invites Regina to the party, but she, too, declines the invite. The song ends with the singer taking some time to introspect, thinking about their own actions and what they have become. Throughout the song, there's the refrain "He smelled of rotten love" or "She smelled of rotten love," indicating that there was something not quite right about the person in question.
The lyrics of "Rotten Love" are open to interpretation. It could be about unrequited love or an abusive relationship. The line "He smelled of rotten love" suggests that the person in question was toxic and that the singer is better off without them. The song is a reflection of the singer's state of mind and how they feel about their past. The chorus is catchy and sticks to the listener's memory, emphasizing the central theme of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I think about you
The singer reflects on thoughts about someone else
And what you've done
The singer reflects on the actions and choices of the person they are thinking about
I think about you
The singer repeats their thoughts about the other person
And what you've become
The artist reflects on how the other person has changed over time
I said tonight is the party
The artist mentions an event or occasion happening soon
Would you like to come
The singer invites the other person to the event or occasion
But she said no I can't James
The other person declines the invitation and gives a reason why
And he smelled of rotten love
The artist uses a metaphor to describe a negative quality or feeling associated with the person
He smelled of rotten love
The artist repeats the metaphor to emphasize the negative quality or feeling
He smelled of rotten love
The artist repeats the metaphor once again
I think about Regina
The singer shifts their thoughts to a different person
And what she's done for me
The artist reflects on the positive actions or contributions of Regina
I think about Regina
The singer repeats their thoughts about Regina
She's so sweet
The singer describes Regina using a positive trait
I said tonight is the party
The singer mentions the same event or occasion as before
Would you like to come
The artist repeats their invitation to Regina
But she said no I can't James
Regina also declines the invitation and gives the same reason as the other person
And he smelled of rotten love
The singer repeats the metaphor of a negative quality, this time using it to describe the other person again
He smelled of rotten love
The singer emphasizes the negative quality of the other person once again
He smelled of rotten love
The artist repeats the metaphor again
I think about me
The artist shifts their thoughts to themselves
And what I've done
The artist reflects on their own actions and choices
I think about me
The singer repeats their thoughts about themselves
And what I've become
The artist reflects on how they have changed over time
I said tonight is the party
The singer mentions the same event or occasion again
Would you like to come
The singer repeats the same invitation once again
But she said no I can't James
The same person (she) once again declines the invitation and gives the same reason as before
And he smelled of rotten love
Using the same metaphor, the artist once again describes the negative quality of the other person
He smelled of rotten love
The artist repeats the metaphor to emphasize the negative quality once again
He smelled of rotten love
The singer repeats the metaphor for the final time
She smelled of rotten love
Using the same metaphor but changing the subject, the singer describes the negative quality of the person who declined the invitation
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Israel Levy
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Genny-Zee
Sounds a little like Interpol. Love it!
@bubagan00sh
This song has so many soulful feels. Sitting outside watching the leaves fall, listening to this and thinking about life.
@shaxan
On spin since 2005-ish I think. Such a gem!
@sharonmccandless9144
I have Pandora to thank for this song :)
@cassgasol
Me tooo
@kelvinventelingmary6079
been listen to this song for years... Fans from Malaysia
@davidjones6262
So cool
@BlGDOG18
awesome music like this belongs on the radio!!
@lunakronic
ahhh i love the history! thanks for the history :) <3
@joseandresgonzalezneira8734
regina and levy ;(