The Love Club EP
A painting of Lorde holding a rat, with a python around her neck and shoulders.
Digital cover[note 1]
EP by
Lorde
Released21 November 2012 (2012-11-21)[note 2] 8 March 2013 (2013-03-08)[note 3]
StudioGolden Age (Auckland, New Zealand)
Genre
Length16:03
Label
ProducerJoel Little
Lorde chronology
The Love Club EP
(2012)		 Pure Heroine
(2013)
Singles from The Love Club EP
  1. "Royals"
    Released: 3 June 2013

The Love Club EP is the debut extended play (EP) by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. At the age of 12, she was discovered by Universal Music Group scout Scott MacLachlan, and began writing songs. In December 2011, MacLachlan paired Lorde with producer Joel Little, and within three weeks, the pair had co-written and produced all five songs on the EP. In November 2012, Lorde self-released the EP for free download via SoundCloud. On 8 March 2013 the record was commercially released by Universal Music Group and Virgin Records.

An indie rock-influenced electronica and electropop album, The Love Club EP was well received by music critics, who praised its production and compared its style to works by Sky Ferreira, Florence and the Machine and Lana Del Rey. The release peaked at number two in New Zealand and Australia and was certified platinum and 9 times platinum in those two countries respectively. In the US, the record charted at number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold 60,000 copies as of August 2013. To promote The Love Club EP, Lorde performed during various concerts, and "Royals" was released as a single.

Background and production

Lorde was discovered by A&R representative Scott MacLachlan of Universal Music Group (UMG) at the age of 12, when MacLachlan saw footage of Lorde performing at a school talent show in Auckland, New Zealand. At the age of 13, Lorde started writing songs herself. MacLachlan unsuccessfully tried to set up Lorde with several songwriters and producers to help her with production.[3] Ultimately, he paired Lorde with Joel Little in December 2011, when she had just turned 15. Little was impressed by Lorde's vocal performance and songwriting abilities, and he built songs with musical structures based on Lorde's lyrics.[4]

The pair recorded songs at Little's Golden Age Studios in Morningside, Auckland.[5] Lorde took inspiration from hip hop-influenced music artists, such as Lana Del Rey, during the writing process, yet criticised their "bullshit" references to "expensive alcohol, beautiful clothes and beautiful cars".[6] Within a week, Lorde had finished recording the tracks "Royals", "Bravado" and "Biting Down" during a school break.[7] The pair also recorded two other songs for the EP: "Million Dollar Bills" and "The Love Club". Lorde wrote the lyrics, while Little composed the melodies and played all the instruments, including drums, guitars and synthesisers. In total, the pair took three weeks to finish The Love Club EP.[4]

Composition

The Love Club EP consists of five songs, written by Lorde (credited to her birth-name Ella Yelich-O'Connor) and Little.[8] The Nelson Mail's Nick Ward described the EP as "indie-flavoured electronica" and detailed Lorde's voice as "smoky", while an editor of AllMusic regarded it as "five evocative, electro-pop meditations on life, love, and the eternal joys and pains of youth, providing a sultry, sinewy soundtrack to summer".[9][8] Meanwhile, Chris Schulz from The New Zealand Herald said Lorde's voice "seems to come from someone twice her age".[10] Critics compared the EP's musical style to works by Sky Ferreira,[8] Florence and the Machine,[8] and Lana Del Rey.[11] Editor Jim Pinckney from New Zealand Listener opined that Lorde's songs are structured like short stories.[6]

The Love Club EP opens with the chamber pop song "Bravado".[10] Inspired by Kanye West's song "Dark Fantasy",[12] it talks about Lorde's feigned confidence as she prepared to enter the music industry.[13] "Royals" and "Million Dollar Bills" are two tracks that criticise the glamorous lifestyle of the rich;[11] the former combines subgenres of pop, including art pop[14] and electropop,[15] and also incorporates R&B,[16] while the latter is a hybrid of pop and alternative rock with hip hop influences.[4] The title track of the EP, "The Love Club", discusses the befriending of "a bad crowd".[9] The Love Club EP concludes with the trip hop-influenced drum and bass number "Biting Down",[16][17] featuring "futuristic war drum thump".[10] For the US iTunes Store September 2013 edition of The Love Club EP, "Royals" was replaced by "Swingin Party", a cover version of The Replacements' song.[18]

Release and promotion

Lorde at the Decibel Festival in 2013

In November 2012, Lorde self-released The Love Club EP through her SoundCloud account for free download.[19] After 60,000 downloads, UMG decided to commercially release the EP.[20] On 8 March 2013, The Love Club EP was released digitally in Australia,[21] New Zealand,[22] the Netherlands,[23] and the United States.[24] The CD edition of the record was released in New Zealand on 10 May,[25] in Australia a week later,[26] and in the United States on 9 July.[27] In the United Kingdom, Virgin Records released a 10-inch vinyl edition on 10 June 2013.[28]

On 30 September 2013, the track listing of the US iTunes Store version of The Love Club EP changed, with "Royals" replaced by "Swingin Party".[18][24] "Royals" was released as the only single from the EP. On 3 June 2013, Lava and Republic Records sent the track to US adult album alternative (AAA) radio.[29] The single was made available for digital download worldwide in August 2013.[30] All songs from The Love Club EP, including "Royals",[31] were featured on an extended version of Lorde's first studio album Pure Heroine, released in 2013.[32]

On 27 July 2013, Lorde replaced Frank Ocean at the Splendour in the Grass festival in Byron Bay, Australia.[33] On 6 August 2013, she held a concert at Le Poisson Rouge in New York—her first US show.[34] Two days later, she performed "The Love Club" and "Royals" on Santa Monican radio station KCRW.[35] In September 2013, she headlined the Decibel Festival in Seattle, Washington,[36] and held a concert at Webster Hall and Warsaw Venue in New York City to promote The Love Club EP and her debut studio album Pure Heroine.[37][38] On 13 November 2013, she performed six songs on Live on Letterman, including "Bravado" and "Royals".[39] In early 2014, Lorde embarked on a concert tour in North America to promote The Love Club EP and Pure Heroine.[40]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Manawatu Standard[41]
mX[42]
The Nelson Mail[9]
The New Zealand Herald[10]

An editor of AllMusic called the album "evocative" and praised its "sultry, sinewy" sound.[8] Writing for The New Zealand Herald, Chris Schulz labelled the EP "the start of something very special" and applauded Lorde's vocals.[10] Nick Ward from The Nelson Mail praised the extended play's lyrical content and characterised Lorde as "definitely one to watch".[9] In an article for New Zealand Listener, Jim Pinckney opined that the music "may not yet quite match the individuality of [Lorde's] vocals and lyrics", but praised her songwriting ability, "which combines unmistakably teenage confusion, curiosity and confidence with word skills beyond her years".[6]

On behalf of Manawatu Standard, a reviewer complimented on the EP's production, songwriting and "the right edge to appeal to a mainstream audience", saying the EP was "[what] a good pop debut should be".[41] In a review of The Love Club EP for The Dominion Post, Tom Cardy deemed the songs on the record as "sharp, refreshing and smart". Additionally, he viewed the EP as the best album he had heard by a New Zealand artist that year and lauded Lorde's lyrics and performance as "simply incredible".[43] As a music reviewer for mX, Nick Mason lauded the EP as a "strong" debut release for displaying Lorde's maturity beyond her years, as well as impressive and inventive musical style.[42] By the end of 2013, Allan Raible from ABC News ranked The Love Club EP as well as Pure Heroine as the third best records of the year.[44]

At the 2013 New Zealand Music Awards, Lorde won Breakthrough Artist of the Year for the EP and Single of the Year for "Royals".[45] With "Royals", Lorde and Joel Little won the APRA Silver Scroll award in 2013.[46] At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards (2014), "Royals" was nominated for Record of the Year, and won Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.[47] The song won Top Rock Song at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards.[48] At the 2014 World Music Awards, the EP was nominated for Best Album, which went to Coup d'Etat by G-Dragon.[49]

Commercial performance

The Love Club EP debuted and peaked on the New Zealand Albums Chart at number two on 18 March 2013. It stayed on the chart for a total of 41 weeks.[50] The EP became the fifth best-selling album of the year in New Zealand[51] was certified platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for shipping more than 15,000 units in the country.[52] In Australia, the record appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart at number two.[53] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified The Love Club EP nonuple platinum for shipments of more than 630,000 copies in Australia.[54] In the US, the record peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200 and had sold 60,000 copies by August 2013;[55] it became the 182nd best-selling album of the year in the US.[56]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Joel Little and Ella Yelich-O'Connor, except "Swingin Party", written by Paul Westerberg.[8]

No.TitleLength
1."Bravado"3:41
2."Royals"3:10
3."Million Dollar Bills"2:18
4."The Love Club"3:21
5."Biting Down"3:33
Total length:16:03
iTunes Store bonus track[21][22]
No.TitleLength
6."Bravado" (Fffrrannno remix)3:42
Total length:19:45
US iTunes Store September 2013 edition[18]
No.TitleLength
1."Bravado"3:41
2."Swingin Party"3:42
3."Million Dollar Bills"2:18
4."The Love Club"3:21
5."Biting Down"3:33
Total length:16:35

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] 9× Platinum 630,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[52] Platinum 15,000^
United States — 60,000[55]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label(s) Catalogue no. Ref.
Australia 8 March 2013 Digital download Universal None [21]
Netherlands [23]
New Zealand [22]
United States [24]
New Zealand 10 May 2013 Compact disc (CD) 226576 [25]
Australia 17 May 2013 3738955 [26]
United Kingdom 10 June 2013 Vinyl Virgin 3735531 [28][61]

Notes

  1. ↑ Physical editions feature a smaller picture and the artist's name along the record's title in the upper corners of the image.
  2. ↑ The Love Club EP was self-released as an independent project on 21 November 2012 through Lorde's SoundCloud account.[1]
  3. ↑ The Love Club EP was re-released by Universal Music New Zealand on 8 March 2013 for commercial sales.[2]

References

  1. ↑ LordeMusic (21 November 2012). "The Love Club EP by Lorde on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  2. ↑ "The Love Club EP by Lorde on Apple Music". Apple Music. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  3. ↑ Blumentrath, Jan (21 January 2014). "Interview with Scott MacLachlan, manager of Lorde". HitQuarters. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Thorne, Richard (October–November 2013). "Joel Little – Rings Of The Lorde (page 2)". NZ Musician. 17 (9): 2. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. ↑ Jenkin, Lydia (19 September 2013). "Joel Little: Doing the Lorde's work". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 Pinckney, Jim (3 October 2013). "Lorde moves in mysterious ways". New Zealand Listener. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014.
  7. ↑ Oliver, Huw (11 April 2014). "The secrets of Lorde's right-hand man, Joel Little". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Love Club EP – Lorde". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Ward, Nick (13 June 2013). "Lorde: The Love Club EP". The Nelson Mail. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Schulz, Chris (13 June 2013). "Album review: Lorde, The Love Club EP". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  11. 1 2 Lester, Paul (7 June 2013). "New band of the day: Lorde (No. 1,528)". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Lorde: 'I Get Paralyzingly Nervous'". MTV UK & Ireland. 15 January 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
  13. ↑ Katz, Candance (29 May 2013). "Our Interview with Lorde". Spotify. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "50 Best Songs of 2013: #15 – Lorde: 'Royals'". Spin. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  15. ↑ Lachno, James (11 September 2013). "Lorde – New Music". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  16. 1 2 Empire, Kitty (22 September 2013). "Lorde – Review". The Observer. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  17. ↑ Kamer, Foster (4 October 2013). "Concert Review: Lorde in Brooklyn More Than a Chart-Topper". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 "The Love Club EP". United States: iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013.
  19. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (6 September 2013). "Lorde: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  20. ↑ Cardy, Tom (10 May 2013). "Lorde: A Kiwi music mystery". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
  21. 1 2 3 "The Love Club – EP". Australia: iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  22. 1 2 3 "The Love Club – EP". New Zealand: iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 11 February 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  23. 1 2 "The Love Club – EP". Netherlands: iTunes Store. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  24. 1 2 3 "The Love Club – EP". United States: iTunes Store. 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013.
  25. 1 2 "Love Club The EP – Lorde". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  26. 1 2 "Love Club EP". Sanity. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  27. ↑ "The Love Club EP". Amazon. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  28. 1 2 "The Love Club EP [10" VINYL]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  29. ↑ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013.
  30. ↑ "Royals (2013)". Finland: 7digital. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Pure Heroine". Australia: iTunes Store. 27 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  32. ↑ "Pure Heroine (Extended) by Lorde on Apple Music". Apple Music. Apple. 2013. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  33. ↑ Sheddon, Iain (29 July 2013). "Lorde's calling delivers her to splendour". The Australian. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  34. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (7 August 2013). "Lorde Hypnotizes At First U.S. Show: Live Review". Billboard. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  35. ↑ Wass, Mike (13 August 2013). "Lorde Gives A Positively Regal Live Rendition Of "Royals" At KCRW: Watch". Idolator. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  36. ↑ Ramos, Mike (20 September 2013). "Decibel Festival bigger but true to its roots". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  37. ↑ Kamer, Foster (4 October 2013). "Live Review: Lorde Brings Brooklyn More Than a Chart-Topper". Complex. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  38. ↑ Spanos, Brittany (1 October 2013). "Lorde – Webster Hall". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  39. ↑ Grow, Kory (13 November 2013). "Lorde Is Blissful During Six-Song 'Live on Letterman' Set". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  40. ↑ Swiatecki, Chad (4 March 2014). "Lorde Enchants Austin on Opening Night of First Full U.S. Tour". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  41. 1 2 "Lorde debut EP hints at big things in store". Manawatu Standard. 24 April 2013. p. 12.
  42. 1 2 Mason, Nick (11 April 2013). "Spinning Around". mX. Melbourne. p. 17.
  43. ↑ Cardy, Tom (12 April 2013). "Today's album". The Dominion Post. p. 10.
  44. ↑ Raible, Allan (30 December 2013). "The Year in Review: The 50 Best Albums of 2013". ABC News. Archived from the original on 1 January 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014.
  45. ↑ "Lorde, Aaradhna win big at music awards". The New Zealand Herald. 22 November 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  46. ↑ Satherley, Dan (16 October 2013). "Lorde's Silver Scroll 'a big deal' for co-writer Joel Little". 3News. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  47. ↑ Staff writer (27 January 2014). "Grammys 2014: Winners list". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  48. ↑ "Billboard Music Awards 2014: Full Winners List". Billboard. 18 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2014.
  49. ↑ "Nomination for worlds best album". World Music Awards. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014.
  50. 1 2 "Charts.nz – Lorde – The Love Club EP". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  51. 1 2 "Top Selling Albums Of 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
  52. 1 2 "New Zealand album certifications – Lorde – The Love Club EP". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  53. 1 2 "Lorde – The Love Club EP". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  54. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  55. 1 2 Caulfield, Keith (16 August 2013). "Chart Moves: Lorde's 'Love' Rises, Cody Simpson Surges, the Supremes Return to Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on 24 June 2014.
  56. 1 2 "Lorde Album & Song Chart History: Billboard 200 (Year End)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  57. 1 2 3 "The Love Club EP – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  58. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2013". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  59. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2014". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  60. ↑ "2019 ARIA End of Decade Singles Chart". ARIA. January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  61. ↑ "The Love Club – Lorde | Releases Information". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 December 2014.

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