Lloyd Cole "Love Story" (1995)

Love Story
release date: Sep. 19, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]

Tracklist: 1. "Trigger Happy" (4 / 5) - 2. "Sentimental Fool" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "I Didn't Know That You Cared" (4 / 5) - 4. "Love Ruins Everything" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Baby" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Be There" - 7. "Unhappy Song" - 8. "Like Lovers Do" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "Happy for You" - 10. "Traffic" - 11. "Let's Get Lost" - 12. "For Crying Out Loud"

4th solo studio album by Lloyd Cole, and frankly, I think this album is his best solo release to date. The album sold "Silver" in the UK and peaked at #29 on the album chart (his solo debut peaked at number #11). Before this he released Bad Vibes (1993), which I simply thought was dull and I felt he tried to copy his best songs from his previous releases, and I had sort of givin' up on him as a solo artist. I only heard the album in 2011, but I really think it's one of the best albums released that year, although Alanis Morrisette, Van Morrison, and Smashing Pumpkins are hard to beat that year. From the album, Cole released the single "Like Lovers Do" and that's actually his best selling single. I for one, just find that both "Trigger Happy" and "I Didn't Know That You Cared" are the best songs on this fine album. Stylistically, it's in family with his debut but with more focus on singer / songwriter music. If you have only heard his debut or only know of Lloyd Cole and The Commotions, this is definitely an album you should check out.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole "Don't Get Weird on Me Babe" (1991)

Don't Get Weird on Me Babe
release date: Jan. 21, 1991
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Fred Maher, Lloyd Cole, Paul Hardiman
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

2nd solo studio album by Lloyd Cole is a turn to an even more singer / songwriter founded style compared to his debut. Again, Cole works with Blair Cowan who plays keyboard on the album.
I bought the album upon its release but never really enjoyed it as much as his previous album. I think, I found it too polished and missed the more uptempo jangle pop songs. Today, I consider this a better album. It's simply more of a whole, and the songs are lyrically better compositions.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole "Lloyd Cole" (1990)

Lloyd Cole [debut]
release date: Feb. 21, 1990
format: vinyl / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Lloyd Cole, Paul Hardiman, Fred Maher
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Studio solo debut album by Lloyd Cole after the disbandment of Lloyd Cole and The Commotions in '89. Musically, it's not a huge step from Mainstream (1987), but with more personal, introvert and singer / songwriter feel attached to it. After leaving his band behind, Cole also left London and England to live in New York, however, he still works with keyboardist Blair Cowan from The Commotions with whom he has written three of the songs.
At the time of its release I liked this better than the final album with The Commotions, and eventually also found it better than his successive album, a thing I have changed my mind on.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole and The Commotions "Mainstream" (1987)

Mainstream
release date: Oct. 26, 1987
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Ian Stanley
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

3rd and final studio album by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions is another step into mainstream pop / rock.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Q Magazine, Sounds, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole and The Commotions "Easy Pieces" (1985)

Easy Pieces
release date: Nov. 22, 1985
format: vinyl (LCLP 2) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Rich" - 2. "Why I Love Country Music" (4 / 5) - 3. "Pretty Gone" - 4. "Grace" - 5. "Cut Me Down" - 6. "Brand New Friend" (4 /5) - 7. "Lost Weekend" (4 / 5) - 8. "James" - 10. "Perfect Blue"

2nd studio album by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions released one year after the debut album Rattlesnakes (Oct. 1984). The album has a stronger pop / rock and polished mainstream sound - most likely due to the choice of the producer-duo Langer / Winstanley, but it basically continues the original blend of styles.
Ultimately and without any fillers, I find it slightly bettering a mighty debut.
Highly recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Sounds 3 / 5, Record Mirror 5 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole and The Commotions "Rattlesnakes" (1984)

Rattlesnakes [debut]

release date: Oct. 12, 1984
format: vinyl (LCLP 1) / cd (1985 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Paul Hardiman
label: Polydor Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Perfect Skin" (4 / 5) - 3. "Rattlesnakes" (4,5 /5) - 4. "Down on Mission Street" (4 / 5) - 6. "Charlotte Street" - 10. "Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?"

Studio debut album by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions consisting of songwriter and main composer, vocalist, and guitarist Lloyd Cole, guitarist Neil Clark, bassist Lawrence Donegan, keyboardist Blair Cowan, and percussionist Stephen Irvine.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
My cd issue is a '85 reissue with an additional four bonus tracks to the ten track standard release.
[ allmusic.com, Record Mirror, Sounds 4,5 / 5, Mojo, Uncut 4 / 5, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Lloyd Cole

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Lloyd Cole (Jan. 31, 1961), born in Buxton, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. He is an English singer / songwriter who became famous for his leading role in the Scottish formed pop / rock, indie pop band Lloyd Cole and The Commotions (1984-89) while studying philosophy and English at the University of Glasgow. Their debut album Rattlesnakes (1984) is handed 4,5 out of 5 stars at allmusic.com. The band only released three albums together before Cole moved to USA and initiated his solo career. With The Commotions, Cole faced commercial success as all three albums sold either Gold or Platinum and the second studio album Easy Pieces (1985) peaked at number #5 on the British albums chart. The band also faced critical acclaim but it peaked with the debut, and the third album wasn't well-received by the press. Musically, Cole started his solo career very much in style with what the band had released in an indie pop / rock singer / songwriter territory. The debut was attributed some attention, both commercially (Gold in the UK) and critically, but he hasn't really met the same success as with his former band. The singer / songwriter genre is the collecting genre one may attribute all of his solo releases but he has touched on various styles moving from a pop / rock universe of indie to more folk-oriented music. I think, my first musical experience with Lloyd Cole was either Easy Pieces or Rattlesnakes by Lloyd Cole and The Commotions. I was very disappointed with the third studio release but I immediately bought his solo debut upon its release, as I did with the following solo album before tiring somewhat of his music. As a solo artist, I think, he peaked in the early 1990's with his first two solo albums and the overlooked beautiful Love Story (1995), before releasing minor and less interesting albums for some time, but recently he has made at least two fine albums with the more folk rock country rock singer / songwriter album Broken Record (2010) and Standards (2013), both of which have made me listen with interest to his music again.

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