Loveless Biography
Loveless has a distinctive sound--a dynamic blend of power, delicacy, sweet swooning melodies floating over big crunching guitars, and a propulsive rhythm section. It's a type of Stone Age rock leavened by a hint of Britpop. Loveless has pulled off the neat trick of making music that somehow manages to feel intimate and arena-sized at the same time.
Dave Wanamaker, who wrote and sings all the songs on Gift to the World, started Loveless in 2001, teaming up with bassist Pete Armata (the two played together in Expanding Man, a well-regarded hard rock band of the 90s). Next they added Jen Trynin on rhythm, guitar, and backing vocals, and rounded out the lineup with Tom Polce (Letters to Cleo) on drums.
Frontman Wanamaker is a charismatic figure on stage--a striking, physically imposing guy with real rock star swagger. Next to him, Trynin seems reserved, even in her camouflage miniskirt and platform boots--the epitome of the sensitive indie-rock chick. Her vocals have a whispery, sometimes fragile quality that softens the edges of Wanamaker's more aggressive delivery.
But merely pointing out this simple masculine/feminine dichotomy doesn't do justice to either Wanamaker or Trynin, or to the complex chemistry of Loveless. For all of Wanamaker's guitar heroics and hard-rocking pedigree, he turns out to be the real romantic visionary behind Loveless--a male lyricist unafraid to explore his own physical and emotional vulnerability.
If Wanamaker's emotionally honest songwriting seems at odds with his hard-rocking persona, Trynin, on the other hand, quickly reveals herself to be tougher, funnier, and way more outspoken than she appears onstage. These aspects of her personality are reflected in her rhythm guitar work with Loveless, which is jagged and gutsy--anything but ladylike.
To add a final twist, Trynin and Wanamaker have traded places in Loveless. Trynin, a critically acclaimed solo artist in the ‘90's--released two solo albums on Warner Brothers, an experience she's currently writing a book about—has traded in her front-woman status to join Loveless after a short hiatus from the music business. She seems happy to remain in the background as Wanamaker steps into the spotlight for the first time in his career, fronting a stellar band that embodies his own musical vision and takes full advantage of his formidable array of talents.
The band's confident sound has commanded attention right out of the gate, earning two Boston Music Awards nominations for its pre-release EP: New Rock Band (Indie Label) and Song of the Year (Indie Label) for "Go." Loveless' debut was produced by Q Division scientist Mike Denneen.
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