Love Bites [Vinyl]

On the Buzzcocks' sophomore effort, LOVE BITES, the band, and lead singer/songwriter Pete Shelley in particular, go beyond the bratty punk provocations of songs such as "Orgasm Addict," becoming masters of perfectly crafted punk-pop. The presence of "Ever Fallen in Love," one of the Buzzcocks' finest moments, is enough to testify to this fact. The tune's wonderfully sculpted major/minor-key shifting, bouncing verses, and unforgettable chorus, not to mention Shelley's vulnerable vocals, raise the aggressive pop song to an art form.
LOVE BITES is full of other gems, too, including "Real World," the lead-off track, which builds from a beautifully chugging rhythm into a fully fleshed rock attack, and "Nostalgia," a classic minor-key progression imbued with propulsive energy. "Just Lust" and "Sixteen Again" flirt with simple song structures, but the tunes are so smartly put together that their surfaces can be misleading. The 2001 reissue of LOVE BITES adds four bonus singles (including two more examples of peerless punk-pop perfection in "Love You More" and "Promises," as well as the delightfully cheeky "Noise Annoys"), enhancing this already-classic punk-pop album.