Photo: Allan Wan
Los Angeles rock queen Kate Clover sets the world ablaze with her latest offering, the explosive new single Here Comes The Love Bomb.
“Los Angeles, where dreams are born or made to die,” says Clover. “The beginning of a story or tragic end, often you don’t get to make the choice. For better or worse, my hometown. As a lifelong Angeleno, the desire to flee has run deep and yet I always returned. Too proud to leave this polarizing city of dreams. During the Spring of 2020 when the town cleared out and the smog lifted, dystopia emerged. Reality more shocking than fiction, LA became the backdrop to a neon-noir nightmare. Its vacancy created a void so great, one could see their reflection all too clearly, even if the mirror was cracked. It became home to my Apocalypse Dream.”
Clover, a burgeoning force within the punk underground scene, has rapidly carved out a niche for herself as a dynamo on stage. Here Comes The Love Bomb, the second release from her anticipated album The Apocalypse Dream (set to drop on April 5th, 2024), echoes the spirit of The Ramones and The Buzzcocks. This single delves into the tumultuous whirlwind of toxic love and its ensnaring cycles, a personal struggle that Clover has navigated through her own emotional turmoil.
“Through the clouds of doubt, the naysayers set aim,” she says. “Weary and dazed, the intoxicating fumes of delusion will see you through. Utopia exists in your mind’s eye, and you seem a fool. If you can stand the fight, it’s yours for the taking. For even if you lose, dreams go on…”
The lyrics describe a tumultuous relationship, likening emotional upheaval to a countdown of conflict and inevitable confrontation. The imagery of a ‘love bomb’ suggests an intense, possibly destructive, but irresistibly compelling force within a partnership. Themes of denial, confusion, and the quest for reason amid chaos are prevalent, with a recurring motif of impending emotional explosion, hinting at both the excitement and danger inherent in passionate connections.
“Being love bombed is like inhaling napalm from a bouquet of flowers. You don’t realize it’s happening until you’re completely intoxicated. I like exploring this aspect of love and how destructive it can be. Often, I can be my own worst enemy and not realize I’m the captor. Here Comes The Love Bomb is a reflection of this past behavior, similar to taking a pin out of a grenade and not running for cover.”
The video, directed by Sam Macon, is a raucous performance film that intercuts with a typical Tinseltown tome – nice cameo of Kenneth Anger’s Hollywood Babylon! Who’s on the phone? Oh, just some gentleman hollar ready to lob some bob-bombs like a rat he is. Sigh. Don’t fall for those Trader Joe’s carnations, Kate!
Watch the video for “Here Comes The Love Bomb” below:
Kate Clover, influenced by the raw essence of bands like X, Germs, Patti Smith, and The Gun Club, and the gritty charm of downtown’s streets, embodies the spirit of the city that forged her. Her music explores the realms of self-discovery, creation, and preservation against the backdrop of a world where dreams are often fleeting. Clover’s sound, infused with the energy of rebellion and the unity of defiant gestures, stands as a clarion call for the undaunted. She steps forward as a figure in the underground scene, a beacon for those seeking genuine revolt.
” The Apocalypse Dream,” her forthcoming album slated for release on April 5th, 2024, represents her second major endeavor. Drawing lyrical inspiration from Beat poet Charles Plymell, the album addresses themes of self-destruction, political turbulence, love, and the search for identity in a tumultuous world, resonating with those disenchanted by the status quo and the hopeful alike.
The album was produced by Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Chubby and the Gang, The Chisel) and mixed by Carlos De La Garza (The Linda Lindas, Paramore).
Catch Kate Clover on tour this year!
‘The Apocalypse Dream’ Spring 2024 North America Tour
Festival Date
Kate Clover ‘The Apocalypse Dream’ Spring 2024 European Tour
‘The Apocalypse Dream’ Summer 2024 European Tour
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