The Bigger Lovers

Philadelphia's Bigger Lovers — singer/guitarist Bret Tobias, guitarist Ed Hogarty, bassist Scott Jefferson, and drummer Patrick Berkery — debuted in 2001 with How I Learned to Stop Worrying, a critical favorite that aligned the quartet with like-minded Big Star/Byrds/Band devotees like Pernice Brothers, Waxwings, and Beachwood Sparks. In the can since 1999, the album was shelved when its original label — North Carolina's Mood Food — went belly up. When the LP did finally appear, it bore the insignia of Black Dog, a Mississippi-based indie. Luckily, some of this label drama was alleviated by strong critical response to Worrying, as well as solid European distribution. The band proved to be a great live act, too, and seemed to circle the U.S. a few times over the next year. The Bigger Lovers returned to wax in August 2002 with Honey in the Hive (Yep Roc), a more concentrated fix for their power pop jones. This Affair Never Happened appeared two years later.