Although they’ve built their career steadily for a decade now, The Lone Bellow have always played to the rafters. There’s a sense of vitality, as well as urgency, to their music — they’re never afraid to go all in. The trio of Zachary Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Donehey Pipkin have commanded a loyal fan base by putting in the work, of course, but also through their keen musicianship. They channel their acoustic influences a couple of times on their new album, Love Songs for Losers, while at other moments, they are fully electrified. And when they sing together, their music is somehow amplified in more ways than just in volume. It’s a powerful force that has elevated them from small clubs and festivals to headlining concerts in theaters around the world.
That longevity may have something to do with the relatability of their lyrics. As much as their music can feel uplifting and powerful, there’s also a confessional element that makes it feel you’ve shared in the experiences they’re writing about. Those listeners who have endured more than a few romantic failures will especially bond with this new project.
“One of the reasons we went with Love Songs for Losers as the album title is that I’ve always seen myself as a loser in love — I’ve never been able to get it completely right,” Williams says. “The songs are looking at bad relationships and wonderful relationships and all the in-between, sometimes with a good deal of levity. It’s us just trying to encapsulate the whole gamut of experience that we all go through as human beings.”
As a supporter of the band from the very beginning, we’re proud to reveal The Lone Bellow as our BGS Artist of the Month for December. Look for an exclusive interview coming later this month, as well as content shared on our socials through the rest of 2022. Looking ahead after the holidays, The Lone Bellow will return to the road with a run of shows through Texas, the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, before briefly wrapping in L.A. on February 17. Also on the books for 2023: bundling up for WinterWonderGrass sets in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Olympic Valley, California.
With Love Songs for Losers being their fifth studio album, the Lone Bellow certainly have an abundance of material to share with live audiences. Enjoy some of our own personal favorites, included below in our BGS Essentials Playlist.
Photo Credit: Eric Ryan Anderson
