Homecoming Love Is Like A Heat Wave by LuvEnders: A Raw, Heartfelt Rock Odyssey
Let’s get one thing straight—this album isn’t perfect. But damn, does it feel alive. Released in 2019 under Goodfellas Records and Space Age Design Works, Homecoming Love Is Like A Heat Wave is the kind of rock record that grabs you by the throat and shakes loose feelings you didn’t know were hiding. It’s messy, emotional, and unapologetically human—all thanks to the wizardry of producer Tatsuya Moriyama and engineer Tommy Kanda. Oh, and shoutout to Kozzy Iwakawa for wearing so many hats (recording, mixing, mastering) he might as well open a haberdashery.
The title track, “Homecoming,” hits like a punch to the gut—but in a good way, y’know? The opening riff feels like walking into your childhood home after years away; familiar but somehow sharper, heavier. There’s this raw energy bubbling beneath the surface, like they’re holding back just enough to keep things interesting. And when the chorus kicks in—it’s not even over-the-top loud or flashy, but there’s something about how the vocals crack ever so slightly on the word "home" that makes me wanna cry every time. Maybe it’s because we’ve all been lost at some point, searching for that place where we belong. Or maybe I’m just tired. Either way, it sticks with you.
Then there’s “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave.” Man, what can I say? This one sneaks up on you. At first, it’s just another upbeat rocker, all swaggering guitars and pounding drums. But then the lyrics hit different. Like, love-as-a-heat-wave? That metaphor sounds cheesy until you hear them sing it like their hearts are breaking and burning simultaneously. By the second verse, you realize it’s not just about romance—it’s about obsession, frustration, longing. You feel sweaty just listening to it. Not bad for a song recorded in Japan, huh?
What really stands out here is the production. Everything has this warm, analog vibe, like you stumbled across an old vinyl in your parents’ attic. Credit goes to Kozzy Iwakawa, who clearly poured his soul into making these tracks sound both polished and raw. No frills, no auto-tune nonsense—just real instruments played by real people pouring out real emotion.
So yeah, Homecoming Love Is Like A Heat Wave isn’t gonna win any Grammys. It doesn’t need to. What it does do is remind you why you fell in love with rock music in the first place. It’s gritty, honest, and weirdly comforting, like finding an old friend in a crowded room.
And honestly? Listening to this album feels like coming home—even if home is kinda falling apart around you. Funny how that works.
