“Simple and sad with a shot of scotch.” That’s how musician Sara Lov describes her simultaneously dark and angelic sound that has been also described as “honeyed” (NME), “haunting” (The Sun), and “smokey” (MOJO). The former frontwoman of Devics and current solo singer paints an apt picture of melodies that are both minimalist and poignant with heady vocals that warm you from the inside.
For a singer freshly on her own, Lov (no, the “e” isn’t missing, and yes, that’s her real name) exudes immense confidence. The artist was formerly a part of indie favorite dream pop band Devics, a critical favorite in the UK where they were famously signed to Bella Union by Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde. It is perhaps because of the success of Devics that Lov finds the idea of going out on her own exciting, if a little unnerving. “I learn every day and doing scary things makes me grow,” Lov says. “Dustin [[artist]Dustin O'Halloran, the other half of Devics] and I make wonderful music together, but like every creative person there’s always that insistent urge to write both music and lyrics for yourself, test yourself, challenge yourself.”
Lov views much of her life in a similar way – taking something frightening that could have overwhelmed others, and making it a positive influence on her life and music. At the age of five, the Hawaiian-born Lov was kidnapped by her father and taken to Israel, then Minnesota, and then ended up in L.A. at age 12 where she was raised by her uncle. “My father really encouraged me creatively,” Lov says. “The one thing I am certain of is that for most of my young life, music was the consistency and stability I had. It was my escape and my sanity.”
Perhaps that’s why Lov feels a certain nostalgia for a time in her life that most would imagine to be traumatic or marked by stolen innocence, going as far as to name her debut solo album, Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming (Nettwerk), after the idealism of youth. “As you get older it’s harder to find beauty and innocence in anything,” she says. “It’s easy to get jaded and loose your sense of idealism. So, to find that thing that brings you back to your ‘young eyes’ or that thing that makes you feel excited to be alive again even though you are seeing it through seasoned eyes... even if just for a moment, it’s a beautiful thing.”
Produced by Zac Rae (Fiona Apple, Annie Lennox, My Brightest Diamond), mixed by Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Beck), and featuring cameos from Alex Brown Church (Sea Wolf) and Solon Bixler (Great Northern), Seasoned Eyes shows steely confidence, even with Lov’s oft-shaky vocals. A cover of Arcade Fire’s “My Body is a Cage,” shows Lov’s versatility in her ability to turn an already stunning song even more gorgeous, filling out the instrumentals with cello, Ukulele, pump organ, and celesta.
On her original tracks, Lov is similarly inventive. “Animals,” which Lov describes as a breakup song, is a dramatic musical dialogue between Lov and Alex Brown Church led by jaunty, child-like guitar picking.
It’s Lov’s lyrics, though, which are the highlight of her music, and the part she is most reluctant to talk about, preferring instead for listeners to interpret on their own. On “Fountain,” over mournful strings and theatrical keys, Lov sings “Fountain, fountain, we are the same / all that anyone ever has for you are the things you reflect back to them,” and with restrained anger, “Don’t you wish you could throw your pennies back at them.”
On “Animals,” Lov reflects on what she learned from a broken relationship: “I never, never learned to swim until you came around and pushed me in”,” she sings. With “A Thousand Bees,” she works on letting go and moving on, as she sings “How sweet is the revenge when you don’t want it anymore / How meaningless the defense when you’re not fighting anymore,” over a rapidly tapped snare and swelling keys. On “Tell Me How,” she expresses, “I’m really good at getting hurt babe / Not so great at feeling good.”
For an artist who was curious about recording and performing on her own, Lov has proven she had little to be concerned about. “I had always wanted to make a solo record but I guess I never believed I could do it on my own,” she says. “I’m really glad I did it, a whole world opened up to me.” Listeners to Seasoned Eyes Were Beaming are certain to be just as pleased.
Just My Heart Talkin'
Sara Lov Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My feet are telling me keep walking
Another voice is saying please don't go
That's just my heart talking
It's always leading me where I do not belong
To doorways where I shouldn't be knockin'
Trying to pass itself off for a song
It's talking,
Sometimes I don't know what to say
I turn to look the other way
Are you talking, talking to me?
Some people tell me eyes are windows to the soul
But eyes can be like empty sockets
Maybe you'd be better off alone
But that's just my heart talking
It's talking, sometimes I don't know what to say
I turn to look the other way
Are you talking, you talking to me?
My eyes are telling me leave well enough alone
These boots are telling me start walking
Another voice is saying please don't go
But that's just my heart talking
That's just my heart talking
The song "Just My Heart Talking" by Sara Lov talks about the struggle to make decisions between what the mind and heart are telling us. The first verse showcases a person who is hesitant to move forward and leave a situation as their mind is telling them to leave, but their heart is pleading to stay. It highlights the emotional turmoil that a person goes through when their feelings conflict with their thoughts.
Lov brings up the theme of going down a path you are not meant to in the second verse. The heart sometimes leads us to destinations that we shouldn't be seeking, but we pursue them anyway, hoping it will turn out okay. The heart can sometimes mislead us and present itself as a song, where we get lost in the melody and forget to pay attention to where it's leading us. In this way, the song highlights the danger of following intuition over logic and warns against the risk of being carried away by emotions.
The chorus delves into the confusion caused by the heart's talking. Lov provides examples of how we sometimes don't know what the heart is saying, and other times we refuse to listen to it. Despite this, our heart continues to speak, and the lyrics hint that it's essential to listen to it, even if it scares us.
Line by Line Meaning
My eyes are telling me leave well enough alone
The singer's intuition is telling them to avoid making changes and to stay where they are.
My feet are telling me keep walking
The singer has a desire to keep moving forward and exploring new opportunities.
Another voice is saying please don't go
The singer is feeling torn about a decision they have to make, and a part of them is hesitant to move forward.
That's just my heart talking
The artist recognizes that their emotions are playing a role in their decision-making.
It's always leading me where I do not belong
The artist's emotions often guide them to make choices that are not ultimately in their best interest.
To doorways where I shouldn't be knockin'
The singer feels drawn to certain opportunities or situations that they know are not right for them.
Trying to pass itself off for a song
The singer's emotions sometimes portray themselves as something positive, like a beautiful melody, even though they are actually causing confusion and turmoil.
Sometimes I don't know what to say
The artist struggles to express their emotions clearly or to fully understand them.
I turn to look the other way
The artist avoids confronting their emotions, either because it is uncomfortable or because they are uncertain how to deal with them.
Are you talking, talking to me?
The artist questions the source of their emotions and whether they can trust their feelings to guide them.
Some people tell me eyes are windows to the soul
Others believe that a person's eyes reveal their true nature or emotions.
But eyes can be like empty sockets
Even though a person's eyes may seem to show their inner selves, they can also be deceptive or empty.
Maybe you'd be better off alone
Others may think that the singer would be happier if they were single or without certain relationships or situations.
But that's just my heart talking
The singer recognizes that their emotions may be causing them to feel that they should isolate themselves, even if that is not what they truly want.
These boots are telling me start walking
The singer has a strong desire to move forward and take action on their goals or desires.
Contributed by Mackenzie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.