Crank up the wayback machine. The groovy East LA combo Thee Sinseers is headed for the ‘70s and more on Love Stories. Fronted by Joey Quiñones, this graceful nine-piece revisits the sweet soul of The Stylistics and other smooth harmonizers of a half-century ago, but also digs deeper to evoke doo-wop and other cool music from the early rock ’n’ roll era.
Not just a nostalgic exercise, Love Stories is a nuanced study of romance in its various forms, many of which lead to crushing heartache. The perfect guide for this stormy journey, Quiñones is a gentle crooner who can slide into a lilting falsetto, bringing touching beauty to the saddest scenario. His simpatico mates provide suave support, with caressing strings, mellow horns, and elegant electric guitar creating a dreamy backdrop.
Using simple lyrics to express complex ideas, the tunes often take a dark view of relationships, to the point of implying that true love is an illusion. “There She Goes” offers cold comfort to a woman “shedding more tears,” hoping she’ll find the strength to “walk away from me,” while “What Can I Do?” asks morosely, “What can I say / Or do / To make you love me?,” adding with more than a trace of anger, “Life keeps on passing me by / You are the reason why.”
