Pebble Brain

{{Infobox album

| name = Pebble Brain

| type = EP

| artist = Lovejoy

| cover = Lovejoy Pebble Brain.jpeg

| alt = A pixelated image of the sky, with clouds emerging from behind a hill. In the centre is the band logo and the name of the record. In the top is a poorly-rendered flying seagull.

| released = 14 October 2021

| recorded = August 2021{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOSZqtnjqSo |title=we've been busy |date=2021-09-01 |last=Kabosu |first=Ash |type=Video |language=en |access-date=2023-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421223112/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOSZqtnjqSo |archive-date=2023-04-21 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}

| studio = Small Pond (Brighton)

| genre = * Indie rock{{Cite web |last=Croteau |first=Bella |title=Lovejoy's newest EP Pebble Brain is unlike anything else |url=https://lakewoodsnn.com/1470/showcase/lovejoys-newest-ep-pebble-brain-is-unlike-anything-else/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Spartan News Network}}

pop-punk

| length = 23:02

| label = Anvil Cat

| producer = Sam Coveney

| prev_title = Are You Alright?

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title = Wake Up & It's Over

| next_year = 2023

| misc =

}}

Pebble Brain is the second EP by English indie rock band Lovejoy, released independently through the band's label Anvil Cat Records on 14 October 2021. With seven tracks, it is a follow-up to their debut EP Are You Alright?, issued in May 2021. It debuted at number 12 on the UK Albums Chart and held positions in ten international charts.

Background and release

Lovejoy was formed in 2021 and debuted with the EP Are You Alright?, released on 8 May 2021.{{Cite web |title=Lovejoy - Are You Alright? EP Album Reviews, Songs & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/are-you-alright--mw0003527745 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215233323/https://www.allmusic.com/album/are-you-alright--mw0003527745 |archive-date=15 February 2023 |access-date=9 April 2023 |language=en |via=AllMusic}}{{Cite web |last=Battoclette |first=Augusta |date=24 June 2021 |title=11 Twitch streamers who are also crafting their own original music |url=https://www.altpress.com/twitch-streamer-musicians/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215233525/https://www.altpress.com/twitch-streamer-musicians/ |archive-date=15 February 2023 |access-date=9 April 2023 |website=Alternative Press Magazine |language=en}} The same month, the band appeared on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart at number 10.{{Cite web |date=22 May 2021 |title=Emerging Artists Chart |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/emerging-artists/2021-05-22 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210529103528/https://www.billboard.com/charts/emerging-artists/2021-05-22 |archive-date=29 May 2021 |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=Billboard}} All four of the EP's tracks peaked on the UK Independent Singles Chart, with "One Day" at number 5 and positions in four other international charts.{{Cite web |date=27 May 2021 |title=Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-singles-chart/20210521/130/ |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=Official Charts |language=en}}

On 14 October 2021, following the release of numerous track demos online, Pebble Brain was released digitally.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Brianna |date=2021-11-12 |title=Are You Scared of the Future?: Pebble Brain EP Review |url=https://thequakercampus.org/ae/pebble-brain-review/ |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=The Quaker Campus |language=en-US}} Frontman Wilbur Soot, real name William Gold, revealed the EP had taken over a year to complete,{{Cite web |last=Degrazia |first=Leah |date=15 October 2021 |title=Lovejoy's Wilbur Soot Can't Get Over His Ex On New Song "Perfume" |url=https://genius.com/a/lovejoys-wilbur-soot-cant-get-over-his-ex-on-new-song-perfume |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=Genius |language=en}} and that the track "Perfume" originally did not make the final cut.{{Cite web |last=Dahlberg |first=Hannah |date=15 October 2021 |title=Minecraft streamers TommyInnit, Ranboo, and more react to latest album release by Lovejoy, 'Pebble Brain' |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/minecraft/news-minecraft-streamers-tommyinnit-ranboo-react-latest-album-release-lovejoy-pebble-brain |access-date=28 December 2022 |website=Sportskeeda |language=en-us}} One year after its original release, the EP received its first pressing to vinyl as a compilation with Are You Alright?{{Cite web |title=Store |url=https://www.lvjyonline.com/store |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014162002/https://www.lvjyonline.com/store |archive-date=2022-10-14 |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Lovejoy |language=en-GB}}

Composition

Critics found Pebble Brain{{'}}s lyricism to concern two main themes – relationships and politics.{{Cite web |title=Pebble Brain by Lovejoy Review {{!}} Teen Ink |url=https://www.teenink.com/reviews/music_reviews/article/1146518/Pebble-Brain-By-Lovejoy-Review |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=www.teenink.com |language=en}} Opening track "Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?" is written from the "point of view of someone watching the current relationship of a potential romantic interest come to an end", and is thematically similar to "Concrete", written about a failed relationship.{{Cite web |last1=Weil |first1=Helen |last2=Gomez |first2=Alberto |date=15 November 2021 |title=Lovejoy on the Brain |url=https://wakemag.org/online/2021/11/15/lovejoy-on-the-brain-lovejoys-second-ep-pebble-brain-is-a-fun-listen-but-leaves-room-for-growth-by-helen-weil-amp-alberto-gomez |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=The Wake |language=en-US}} Sonically, reviewers found tracks to maintain "familiar horns, exciting percussion, and similar guitar riffs", however such repetitive instrumentation made tracks "truly lack distinction from each other". Political allusions can be found in tracks "Model Buses" and "You'll Understand When You're Older", regarding then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating that "he makes model buses in his free time", and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service workers respectively.{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Masyn |date=18 October 2021 |title=Lovejoy's newest EP, Pebble Brain, preoccupied my mind |url=https://thecentraltrend.com/108631/opinion/lovejoys-newest-ep-pebble-brain-preoccupied-my-mind/ |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=The Central Trend}} "The Fall", written about the "wealthy upper class", stood out to reviewers for its "higher emphasis on the dark bass to the lyrical message to [Gold's] speech at the end, an awe-inspiring mix between spoken word and rap".{{Cite web |last=Shin |first=Claire |date=5 December 2021 |title=Lovejoy returns with EP 'Pebble Brain' |url=https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2021/12/wilbur-soot-lovejoy-ep-review-pebble-brain-minecraft |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=The Daily Princetonian}} In terms of production, the EP was criticised by some outlets for issues with mixing, with one explaining "the lead singer's voice is sometimes hard to hear over the high-energy drums and guitar".

Reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web |last=Monger |first=Timothy |date=14 October 2021 |title=Pebble Brain Review by Timothy Monger |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/pebble-brain-mw0003610971 |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=AllMusic}}

}}

The EP received generally positive reviews.{{Cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Michael |title=Review: Lovejoy releases 'Pebble Brain,' causes mixed reactions |url=https://eaglenationonline.com/33240/showcase/review-lovejoy-releases-pebble-brain-causes-mixed-reactions/ |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=Eagle Nation Online}} Timothy Monger of AllMusic wrote Pebble Brain features "improved production value" compared to their debut, concluding "[Gold's] song subjects are sometimes as frenetic as the band's delivery, but are often quite enjoyable". A reviewer for Teen Ink found flaws in the closing track, writing "the beat was unattractive, and the song as a whole felt rushed and uninteresting", though highly praised "Perfume" as "a much easier track to appreciate the poetical essence Lovejoy crafts".{{Cite web |date=20 December 2021 |title=Pebble Brain by Lovejoy Review |url=https://www.teenink.com/reviews/music_reviews/article/1146518/Pebble-Brain-By-Lovejoy-Review |access-date=27 December 2022 |website=Teen Ink |language=en}}

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ash Kabosu, Joe Goldsmith, Mark Boardman and William Gold.

{{Track listing

| headline = Pebble Brain track listing

| title1 = Oh Yeah, You Gonna Cry?

| length1 = 2:49

| title2 = Model Buses

| length2 = 2:50

| title3 = Concrete

| length3 = 3:16

| title4 = Perfume

| length4 = 3:27

| title5 = You'll Understand When You're Older

| length5 = 3:52

| title6 = The Fall

| length6 = 3:04

| title7 = It's All Futile! It's All Pointless!

| length7 = 3:40

| total_length = 23:02

}}

Notes

"It's All Futile! It's All Pointless!" is a re-recording of a track on Gold's 2019 EP, Maybe I Was Boring.{{Cite web |last=Gold |first=William |date=25 December 2019 |title=Maybe I Was Boring, by Wilbur Soot |url=https://wilbursoot.bandcamp.com/album/maybe-i-was-boring |access-date=27 December 2022 |website= |publisher=Bandcamp |language=en}}

Personnel

This section is adapted from Genius.

William Gold – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, songwriter
Joe Goldsmith – lead guitar, songwriter
Ash Kabosu – bass, songwriter
Mark Boardman – drums, songwriter
Sam Coveney – producer

Charts

scope="row"\| Canadian Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-albums/2021-10-30/\|title=Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of October 30, 2021\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=29 December 2022}} \| 41
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Chart performance for Pebble Brain ! scope="col"\| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{album chart\|Flanders\|56\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|35\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|21\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|Ireland3\|14\|date=20211022\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
scope="row"\|Lithuanian Albums (AGATA){{cite web \|date=22 October 2021 \|title=2021 42-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100) \|url=https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/42s/ \|access-date=29 December 2022 \|publisher=AGATA \|language=Lithuanian}} \| 3
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|11\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|32\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|24\|artist=Lovejoy\|album=Pebble Brain\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|12\|date=20211022\|rowheader=true\|access-date=29 December 2022}}
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2021-10-30/\|title=Billboard 200: Week of October 30, 2021\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=29 December 2022}} \| 128

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=2021|certyear=2024|title=Pebble Brain|artist=Lovejoy|type=album|award=Silver|id=19602-6613-2|access-date=January 18, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+ Release formats for Pebble Brain ! scope="col" \| Region ! scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Format ! scope="col" \| Label ! scope="col" \| {{Abbr\|Ref.\|References}}
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| Various \| 14 October 2021 \| {{hlist\|Digital download\|streaming}} \| Anvil Cat \| align="center" \|
14 October 2022{{efn\|As a compilation with Lovejoy's debut EP Are You Alright?}} \| LP \| {{hlist\|Anvil Cat\|AWAL}} \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release formats for Pebble Brain

! scope="col" | Region

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Format

! scope="col" | Label

! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

scope="row" rowspan="2" | Various

| 14 October 2021

| {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}}

| Anvil Cat

| align="center" |