Customer Reviews

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, 1984-1989

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

i don't throw around the word "genius" too often, but it's absolutely fitting in this case. lloyd cole, in addition to being a terrific guitarist, is a master lyricist: wry, humorous, sardonic, melancholy, and above all keenly intelligent. the commotions, also, prove themselves a stellar supporting cast.

chock-full of pop gems, this CD is great for newcomers and long-time fans alike. you'd be hard-pressed to find a bad song on here. perfect for whiling away a rainy day indoors, driving at the seaside with the top down, or whenever you're in the mood for literate, introspective music that rocks (in its own subdued way).

highlights: "forest fire" (#3), "perfect blue" (#6), "brand new friend" (#7) and the quintessential anthem to lost love, "jennifer she said" (#13).

i simply can't recommend this album highly enough.

Catchy, intelligent guitar pop from back when. Unfortunately, too intelligent to ever become wildly popular.

Another CD that brings back memories of the time when alternative music just seemed to matter, distinctly different without trying to be so. Chock full of sparkling gems like "Cut Me Down", "Rattlesnakes", "Lost Weekend", "Perfect Blue", my favorite track "Perfect Skin" and the famous "Brand New Friend".

Things definitely sound as good today as they did back then.

Beautifully packaged retrospective brilliantly and succinctly captures the brief career (three studio albums) of this seminal band. One can witness the "rock and roll" process in action by following the tracks chronologically; bigger budgets and better musicianship and a healthy dose of self-indulgence have all developed by the time of the "Mainstream" album (sooo well-titled and humorously so!). Truth be told, this band was just too damn good to ever be mainstream. It sounds snobbish to say that intelligent listeners are attracted to this music, but it's true. It's nothing to do with book-learning: it's just a wider grasp of human nature, one's own ridiculous presence in the world, and the need to express one's self in spite of such awareness. I can't even recommend individual songs, this package really plays as one sweeping observation, and wonderfully so. This was my very first personal c.d. purchase back in 1989 when it came out. I had gone to the record store with the intent of blowing some money on the then-ridiculously priced (they still are, but not as noticiably as then...) digital wonder discs that sounded crisp and clean and didn't pop and skip (or so we thought). LCATC 1984-89 RIP was on the new release shelf and that was that . I still treasure it, and, oh, they got the sound just right first time out on this one, it's still fantastic to listen to!! The only flaw for me was the totally unnecessary and downright lazy remix of "Forest Fire" on which the "mixer"runs the guitar solo verbatem twice! Why??? It's still a great song, mind you... The "recut" of "Perfect Blue" with producer Paul Hardiman was the most pleasant surprise and is well worth the price of the whole damn thing- it's that exquisite! Gorgeous photo studies of each guy are the ultimate complement to Lloyd's written lyric and the somewhat esoteric cover shot (it's gorgeous and just fits the music somehow, someone had a good eye on that one!). BUY IT NOW!! Also, get thyself the DELUXE edition of "Rattlesnakes" next!

Since the day I brought home "Rattlesnakes" on vinyl from the import bin of the records store, I have been hooked. The more times I listen to this CD the more textures I find in these wonderful songs. In addition to the great guitars parts filled with jangle and energy, are the extra pithy lyrics..from strolling through the streets of Amsterdam in "Lost Weekend" to imagining Johnny's snarl and his "Beautiful Lauderette" from Mr. "Malcontent". After all these years these tunes still seem timeless and as fresh as Perfect Skin".

If you are a friend of British pop music in the style of The Smiths, Felt, or Monochrome Set, this collection is a must-buy for you. Songs like "Perfect skin" and "Lost weekend" are the essence of '80s guitar pop. Lyrics are very well done, often with a cynic and biting undertone. This is one of my favorite pop albums of all time, and a very rewarding purchase for new fans.

I bought this CD several years ago, played it a couple of times and then let it filter it's way into the far corners of my collection. A couple of months back, I put this on for a curious listen and it's been in heavy rotation ever since. Great tracks like Forest Fire, Lost Weekend, Mr. Malcontent and Rattlesnakes have aged well.

All I can say is that I'm damned proud to own this album. You'd have to be severly mental not to enjoy every song. Big reminder of how incredible the 80s were for music, all across the board.

So, Lloyd Cole's been at this for over two decades now. He knows he's never going to match the minor splash of his debut album with the Commotions, and I can't even tell if he wants to. Like Leonard Cohen (whom he's covered several times) and Bob Mould, he seems almost more comfortable out of the spotlight.

This doesn't mean that he doesn't deserve for the world to catch up someday. This compilation of the three Commotions albums is missing a few essentials -- "Hey Rusty" among them -- but it mostly gets things right. If you like it, his subsequent solo career offers many more good things. (Start with his self-titled album and _Love Story_.)

Brilliant artist. Period.

It is ok, nothing I would call great, but not bad, just an Ok collection, I would only recommend if you like this style of music, then I would recommend not paying much for it, as to me, not worth more than $4,