Love Notes/Letter Bombs

The Submarines are the husband and wife duo of Blake Hazard and John Dragonetti. Blake has a charming, breathy voice that elevates these catchy, well-crafted, and electronica-sweetened pop songs. John adds some vocals but mostly handles the instrumentation, which is a blend of twinkling keyboards, electric guitars, and a vast selection of synthesized sounds. Some acoustic guitar, drums (by Spoon’s Jim Eno), and a string section represent the organic side of their compositions, and while electronic sounds do dominate, the album achieves enough balance between the two that it sounds warm and soothing. Love Notes/Letter Bombs is their third release overall and the second since getting married and the lyrics are about the joys and challenges of keeping love alive past the honeymoon phase. Using vivid metaphors and clever wordplay they explore their relationship with so much candor and tenderness that songs like “A Satellite, Stars and an Ocean Behind You,” “Anymore,” and “Tigers” feel a bit like eavesdropping. Yet even when the lyrics are forlorn optimism shines through in the sunny melodies and infectious rhythms.