Canadian lo-fi pop exponent Lowell doesn’t make things easy for herself. While this restless debut is peppered with attention-grabbing moments - not least the Sky Ferreira-esque rumble of Cloud 69 - it opens with the desolate Words Were the Wars, which feels much longer than its near seven minutes. It would be a shame if it put off casual listeners because there’s a lot to enjoy here: the bewitching I Killed Sara V (about the death of her stripper alter ego), the crunchy LGBT and The Bells’ childlike wonder. Too slippery to be truly lovable, We Loved Her Dearly feels like someone still finessing their sound, but relishing the journey.
