2025 Charity Shop Purchases #31 -Lloyd Cole - Love Story
For the record I consider Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole & the Commotions to be a near Perfect Album (©SWC). The follow up Easy Pieces is none to shabby either.
To my shame Lloyd Cole pretty much slipped of my radar fairly shortly after that and I have never really pursued much, if any, of his solo work.
I suspect that may well now change on the back of me listening to Love Story his 4th solo album from 1995.Wiki has it on the Fontana and Rykodisc labels although mine comes up as on Mercury Records which is probably a subsiduary of one of them.
The voice is pretty much instantly recognisable and the lyrics are of a standard that you would expect from an artist of the calibre of Mr Cole, who is 6 months older than me, and who when not touring seemingly spends most of his time in the States playing golf. Maybe they should make him President.
The three songs from the album which were released as singles are Like Lovers Do, Sentimental Fool and Baby.
Prior to reading this I had selected another three which, to me, emphasises the quality of the singing and writing.
I shall certainly pick up more of his solo albums should the opportunity arise
Lloyd Cole -For Crying Outloud
By coincidence the CD currently sitting at the top of my pile of purchases I haven't got round to yet is 'Lloyd Cole - The Collection', released in 1999 and finishing with two of the three singles you mention (no 'Sentimental Fool'). I don't need to listen to it now.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely get more when you see them, there's a rich vein to be tapped here. That said, Love Story is probably my second favourite Lloyd album after Rattlesnakes. Music In A Foreign Language is probably third.
ReplyDeleteAs Rol says, the quality is almost always there. Pick them up as you see them. - Brian
ReplyDeleteLike almost all the cognoscenti I loved those two Commotions albums you mention. But after buying his debut solo alb I must have been disappointed and took agin' him for some reason. Haven't got a clue why. Haven't played it since. Vague recollection that he'd come across as a 'difficult so 'n so' to some music writer at that time so perhaps it was a reaction to that. 35 years later perhaps I ought to give it another spin. On such flimsy whims us music lovers operate - we can be a funny breed. Or is it just me?
ReplyDeleteIf you can find Standards, snap it up.
ReplyDeleteJust to add that LC's solo output has, particularly in recent years, been outstanding, The first solo album post-commotions was quite rockist in nature, while the second saw him experiment at times with a full orchestra. After that, he kind of went 'back to basics' and many of the songs wouldn't have been out of place on the Commotions albums. He's also a superbly impressive live performer.
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