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 ]