Rocktrospectiva: The Uncomprenhend But Finest "Don't Get Weird On Me Babe" Turns 35

 

Released on September 24, 1991—though some sources cite on September 16—"Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe" was the second solo offering from the iconic Lloyd Cole. It is regarded by critics and fans with such sophisticated taste as one of the best albums of the 1990s, filled with smooth melodies, sophisticated lyrics, and refined arrangements. For many, the album was perhaps a decade and a half ahead of its time; and if it would had it been released in 1996, it would might have enjoyed greater commercial success across the boards, the album spawned the singles "Butterfly", "Weeping Wine" & "She's A Girl And I'm A Man."

 

Another great recording arrived on the same magical day as other major albums like, "Nevermind", and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". It was considered one of the artist's finest works, divided into two parts—the first dedicated to the United States and the second to the rest of the world. 

 

Its sound wandered between rock tunes featuring jangly pop guitars—highlighted by tracks like "Tell Your Sister" and the rocker "She's A Girl And I'm A Man"—and the orchestral, jazz-infused atmosphere of "Margo's Waltz." Indeed, that was the essence of the album: a rock side and an orchestral side, both seasoned with refined pop. The orchestra was conducted by Paul Buckmaster, and the project featured other excellent collaborators—such as Suzie Katayama, Matthew Sweet, Robert Quine, Fred Maher, and Blair Cowan—who helped make the album a bold, solid release in that impeccable 1991. 

 

The style changed from the modern indie-rock sound of "Tell Your Sister" which reached No. 6 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the 60s-influenced "Weeping Wine"—along with "The One You Never Had" and the raw "To The Lions"—to the mellower "Pay For It." Then it was the hit "She's A Girl And I'm A Man," which hit No. 7 on the Modern Rock chart, paving the way for orchestral songs like the friendly-sounding "Butterfly"; "There For Her," another track that could have been a radio hit; the exquisite "Margo's Waltz" (soft and delicate); and "Half Of Everything," with its fine string arrangements, before moving on to "Man..." ...Enough"—which many consider the album's weakest track—and finally the melancholic "What He Doesn't Know," bringing to a close a great album—the kind that doesn't come along often—but one that was unfortunately misunderstood and, consequently, underrated at the time.

 

Critics were mixed at the time, by some considered the album as a rare album that somewhat surprisingly offered some Cole's sharpest, smartest-writing since Rattlesnakes. Others called the album as a great pop record featuring Lloyd's perennial concerns all set to great, big-screen arrangements" One of the most genuinely nervy and idiosyncratic major-label rock albums of the year, and therefore it was considered as a masterpiece" and "a breathtaking record full of inspired writing, smooth melodies and eloquent instrumentation. It was clearly one of Lloyd Cole's finest albums so far. 

 

Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe Track List:

1. Tell Your Sister

2. Weeping Wine

3. To The Lions

4. Pay For It

5. The One You Never Had

6. She's A Girl And I'm A Man

7. Butterfly 

8. There For Her

9. Margo's Waltz

10. Half Of Everything

11. Man Enough

12. What He Doesn't Know

Rocktrospectiva: Lloyd Cole's Solid And Cohesive Self-Titled Debut Album Turns 35

Released on 21 February 1990 "Lloyd Cole" also known as "The X Album" was the debut solo album by English singer, songwriter and musician Lloyd Cole, this album marked a departure from their signature sound and an opportunity for him to collaborate with other musicians and explore new ideas. The album spawned three singles "No Blue Skies", "Don't Look Back" & "Downtown".

Following the release of Mainstream, and limited touring and promotion in support of it, Cole left the Commotions. The chance to write and record new types of songs was the motivating factor. The band announced their break up in 1989, with Polydor Records in the UK and Capitol Records in the USA signing the frontman to a solo contract. There really were high hopes that he would become a major star under his own steam. The debut material was written and recorded in New York. 

The singer revealed, in late 1989, that the sound would be a radical departure from that of the Commotions, although he did let on that keyboardist Blair Cowan was someone he was still working alongside but that much of the newer rock-type guitar sound would be the work of Robert Quine, regarded by many as one of the unsung heroes of American guitar music in the 70s and 80s. The other main musicians were Fred Maher and a highly thought of but relatively unknown back then bass player named Matthew Sweet.

The first Lloyd Cole single came in January 1990 "No Blue Skies", there was no mistaking who the vocalist was, but the slower almost AOR pace of the song was a bit of a shock to those of us who danced round the indie discos to the previous singles. The album came out a month later. The sleeve, featuring a heavily bearded and long-haired frontman, was an instant giveaway that this was not going to be an indie-pop album. Its thirteen songs stretched out to over 53 minutes and while there were none that stood out as obvious chart singles, there were some that became instant favourites among fans and remain part of the live repertoire, back then he said: The Commotions had been a certain kind of pop band; a thoughtful pop band. I wanted to do everything the Commotions had not done; I wanted to make stupid rock 'n' roll or beautiful.

Cole lived in a studio apartment in lower Manhattan where, over the course of six months, he wrote the songs for his first solo release. Turning his living space into a recording studio to demo ideas and sounds, he had to move his bed into the kitchen to make space for all the equipment. The songwriter found the New York environment and atmosphere inspiring, "I wrote more songs in those months than I had done in the previous couple of years." 

All of the album was recorded and mixed at Right Track Studios in Manhattan with the exception of "No Blue Skies" which was recorded at Skyline Studios in NYC and mixed at Maison Rouge in London. This period in Cole's life would later be the subject of the self-referential song "I Tried to Rock". A self-deprecating song in which the singer makes light of the dramatic change in music, and his own lifestyle, after his move to New York. 

Cole made a conscious decision to change and evolve his lyrical style from that which he used in the Commotions. A new approach saw him less afraid to attempt more obvious themes and simpler narratives, "You get to the point, in writing, where the obvious is the best thing to do. I shied away from that for a long time. I think you have to be a better writer to use the obvious, and still make it sound fresh." The album opened with the track "Don't Look Back", which was about how people become more attracted to faith the older they become and the closer to death they get. The song's protagonist is based on character traits Cole feared he could attain. "No Blue Skies" was the first song released, it was a simple song; boy leaves girl or girl leaves boy, bitterness. That's what I like about it, it's so simple," said Cole. The song was the last to be written and recorded for the album after Cole was told the album needed a lead single. After writing most of what would become "No Blue Skies", he was so pleased with it that he arranged for the song to be recorded immediately. Still in the process of writing the lyrics and structuring the song, in the studio he performed a rough vocal track to guide the other musicians. This would be the only vocal track recorded, after he was reluctantly convinced by the other musicians that it could not be bettered. "A Long Way Down" based on the themes of excess and materialism but also serves as a song about a comedown. It was written for an unreleased film about a Glaswegian artist who becomes entangled in the New York high life, losing his values and sense of perspective in the process. The song "Undressed" has a double meaning, Cole explained: "Half the song is about nakedness, and the other half about emotional nakedness and, vulnerability. That's why it opens with the line, 'You look so good when you're depressed', because women do. It's really unfair!. 

Before the album was released, Cole began publicising the album in Paris, staying on in the city after enjoying a honeymoon. Large cardboard cut outs of the singer were displayed in record shops across Europe during the early days of the record release. Three singles were released for the album; "No Blue Skies" debuted just under a month before the release of the album to heighten anticipation, with a music video also produced. "Don't Look Back" followed, again with an accompanying music video. The final single was "Downtown", which would become a moderate radio success reaching number five on the US Modern Rock charts, making it Cole's most successful song in the US. The song was also included in the soundtrack for the film Bad Influence which starred Rob Lowe. The music video for the song featured excerpts from the film.

Reviews were decent, although just about everyone commented on how laid-back yet harder-edged it was compared to the band material; there were also references to the fact that he continued to be a very fine observational lyricist who would strike a chord with his audience, particularly those who had been with him since the early days and were now appreciating what life had to offer outside the student bubble. Other called the record of the week; when it came out, because it had all the trade-marks of his past work along with a couple of Stonesy riffs, greater vocal depth and a little more diversity in style. It takes a while to really get into but Cole's musings and the lush synthesized backing soon become irresistible. He's certainly lost none of his appeal. The songs are closely related enough to make Lloyd Cole a cohesive whole. Cole's shades are gray, but translucent enough to show musical light, and enjoyable enough to show he is a viable solo artist." Others gave the album a positive review but identified the lack of exceptional material, but in general, it was one of his most finest and intese records ever recorded in his solo career. 

 

Lloyd Cole The X Album Track List: 

 

1. Don't Look Back

2. What Do You Know About Love?

3. No Blue Skies

4. Loveless

5. Sweetheart

6. To The Church

7. Downtown

8. A Long Way Down

9. Ice Cream Girl

10. Undressed

11. I Hate To See You Baby Doing That Stuff

12. Waterline 

13. Mercy Killing

Rocktrospectiva: The Brilliant And Intelectual "Rattlesnakes" Turns 40

 

Released on 12 October 1984 "Rattlesnakes" was the debut studio album by the British indie rock band Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, The album reached number 13 on the UK Albums Chart and spawned three singles "Perfect Sking", "Forest Fire" and "Rattlesnakes". The album was written by Lloyd Cole, who formed the band while a student at the University of Glasgow. Cole cited Bob Dylan and Booker T. & the M.G.'s as major influences, but also noted the impact of his studies in English and philosophy on both the album's title, a reference to the novel Play It as It Lays (1970) by Joan Didion, and its lyrics, which also reference Renata Adler, Simone de Beauvoir and Norman Mailer. 

 

The album's songs were written at Glasgow Golf Club, where Cole's father worked as club master and where the family lived. Cole recalled, "Perfect Skin" and "Forest Fire" were written one weekend in the basement, underneath the golf club where we used to live and my parents used to work. According to Cole: We'd got our publishing deal so we bought a Portastudio, a [Yamaha] DX7 and a drum machine. I demo-ed both of them that weekend and we had a record deal within a month of that; it was that quick. Every single song on Rattlesnakes was written within a year of the record coming out.

 

According to Cole himself, the songs are about the things people do when they are in love. People get in all sorts of weird scenarios and I quite like the idea of that. I write about that more than anything, sometimes it is comic, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny and tragic at the same time. Although after the Commotions broke up, he later stated to being embarrassed by some of his lyrics on Rattlesnakes. Yes, some of the earlier lyrics were very naive. But I was a young man! I really was. You can just imagine me trying to wear a French trenchcoat at the time, thinking I looked very cool when, in fact, I looked really stupid. But maybe that's why people liked it.

 

Other track such as "Speedboat"  was inspired by the 1976 novel of the same name by Renata Adler In the book the narrator is startled when a rat runs across the table in the restaurant where she and her partner are dining, and her partner says, 'You were all right there until you lost your cool": Cole said that he stole the line and included it in the song because he loved the phrase. "Down on Mission Street" is "about a character who says he'll never look back and will step all over other people", while the character in "Charlotte Street" is "based very closely on me. My idea of romance obviously is meeting a wonderful, beautiful girl in the library. I wrote that song and it took me a year to realise that I hadn't actually mentioned that it was set in a library. I forgot to put that in, which is a bit stupid really. The closing and brilliant track "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken" it's about being so in love and then there is only one way to go, if you get so happy then you're ready to be heartbroken.

 

The critics back then were positive called a wonderful, and refreshing album, pursuing the alternately vibrant and tender pop courses discovered by "Perfect Skin" and the classic "Forest Fire",  despite Cole's pretentious toward poetry he and his band have made one of the best debut albums for a long in which every song is instantly memorable, although others called the album as a set full of cynicism masquerading as romance. It's about past pop's legacy to the present, rather than love or hate or any of the emotions it feigns, even in the States, the album had favourable reviews and cited the band as the most interesting new band since Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers, a brilliant first album, that in the years to come was considered a timeless pop album, a college rock masterpiece full of smart, ironic lyrics and and symphathetic melodies. 

 

Rattlesnakes Track List:

 

1. Perfect Skin

2. Speedboat

3. Rallesnakes

4. Down On Mission Street

5. Forest Fire

6. Charlotte Street

7. 2cv

8. Four Flights Up

9. Patience

10. Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken 

Primicia: Warm By The Fire

           

Uno de los cortes que se han venido desprendiendo de "On Pain" el nuevo álbum de Lloyd Cole a publicarse este 23 de Junio, para la ocasión nos presenta una mini película a cargo del director Canadiense Doug Arrowsmith de Feltfilm, filmado en las playas del lago Ontario más la presentación de la bailarina Nyda Kwasowsky de la National Ballet School of Canada, así como otros fragmentos de problemas globales, unos patinadores de Toronto intercaladas con imágenes generadas por Inteligencia Artificial, curioso video de parte del icónico crooner.  

La Noticia: Lloyd Cole Anuncia Nuevo Álbum Acompañado De Un Nuevo Tour

El maestro Lloyd Cole acaba de anunciar la llegada de un nuevo álbum, el No. 12 en su carrera personal que llevará por título "On Pain" este verano, en la colección se muestra a Cole explorando un poco más dentro de los sonidos electrónicos que nos mostró en su disco del 2019 "Guesswork", además presenta cuatro canciones co-escritas con viejos colegas de los Commotions, Blair Cowan y Neil Clark.

 

Son ocho canciones producidas por Chris Merrick Hughes y grabadas en el estudio que Lloyd montó en su atico "The Establisment", y se espera su lanzamiento para este 23 de Junio por medio de earMusic, ya se puede pre-ordenar en Amazon en formato CD y Vinilo, para el próximo mes, anuncio la llegada de un EP llamado que incluye cinco remixes de su álbum "Wolves".

Aparte, el maestro confirmó que saldrá en una gira de 16 fechas por el Reino Unido e Irlanda con Cowan y Clark, los shows tendrán dos sets, uno solo acústico y el segundo con Cole y sus colegas para interpretar un set totalmente eléctrico. 

 

Cole comentó: Estoy contento de encontrar nuevos métodos, perspectiva y sonidos, el disco será lo más comercial a la muerte, aunque mi carrera ha estado casi que en ese estado por casi 30 años y aquí estamos, sigo y sigo haciendo discos, todavía quiero ser escuchado, sigo buscando escenarios y estar con Neil y Blair en Octubre es genial, eso sí, no tenemos la intención de producir un show retro.

 

Abajo, les muestro el track list y las fechas de la mini gira:

 

On Pain Track List:

 

1. On Pain

2. Warm By The Fire

3. I Can Hear Everything

4. The Idiot

5. You Are Here Now

6. This Can't Be Happening

7. More Of What You Are

8. Wolves

 

Fechas De La Gira: 

Oct. 6: Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne Theatre And Opera House, UK
Oct. 7: Liverpool, The Philharmonic Hall, UK
Oct. 8: Dublin, Olympia Theatre, Ireland
Oct. 10: Manchester, Albert Hall, UK
Oct. 12: Aberdeen, Tivoli Theatre, UK
Oct. 14: Edinburgo, Usher Hall, UK
Oct. 15: Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall, UK
Oct. 17: York, Barbican, UK
Oct. 19: Londres, Union Chapel, UK
Oct. 20: Londres, Union Chapel, UK
Oct. 24: Cambridge, Corn Exchange, UK
Oct. 25: Ipswich, The Corn Exchange, UK
Oct. 27: Buxton, Opera House, UK
Oct. 28: Coventry, Cathedral, UK
Oct. 29: Nottingham, Albert Hall, UK
Oct. 31: Brighton, Dome, UK

Rocktrospectiva: El Infravalorado "Mainstream" Cumple 35 Años

Lanzado el 26 de Octubre de 1987, "Mainstream" fue el 3er., álbum de estudio y final de Lloyd Cole And The Commotions, el cual tuvo muchas dificultades para ser lanzado, llegó a tener cerca de seis productores y fue uno de los más caros en la carrera del grupo, si bien en el Reino Unido llegó a posicionarse dentro del top ten, en los Estados Unidos fue diferente ya que ni siquiera entro en el Billboard y fue muy criticado siendo el único disco del grupo que no llegó a vender al menos 100,000 copias en esas tierras. 

 

Al disco le tomo dos años poder terminarse, primero tuvieron a Chris Thomas como productor cosa que nunca funcionó, luego vendría Stewart Copeland con quien solo grabaron un track "Hey Rusty" y finalmente encontraron a Ian Stanley, y es que trataron por todos los medios grabar un disco más pop pero en realidad eso nunca funcionó, por el contrario, el disco sonó apurado y las canciones muy por debajo del standar pese a que los singles son muy buenos según mi criterio, las canciones de Cole fueron más introspectiva y quizás por eso, temas con la idea de ser interpretadas para las grandes arenas terminaron por la borda. 

Un disco carisímo £300,000, unas diez veces más que su debut de 1984 el cual tomó tan solo cinco meses para grabarse, ya para ese entonces el tecladista Blair Cowan había dejado el grupo, y el bajista Donegan estaba por hacerlo, por lo que eso afecto un poco el estado natural de la banda que tras este disco terminaron todo, aunque fueron obligados a salir de gira para promoverlo, tras un año de conciertos, y entonces Cole se marcharía a New York para comenzar una carrera en solitario. 

Sobre algunos de los temas, podemos destacar el que abre y que fue el primer single "My Bag", que se dice contiene aseveraciones a la cocaina, Cole la compuso mientras estaba borracho aunque se inspiró en "Big Lights, Bright City"con "From The Hip" Cole canta acerca de su imposibilidad de combatir la violencia y abuso, "Jennifer She Said" segundo single es acerca de una pareja de recién casados que ha perdido el interés, "Mr Malcontent" es acerca de un personaje que interpretó Daniel Day-Lewis en "My Beautiful Laundrette", sobre alguien que prefiere perder el tiempo que enfrentar al mundo, "Sean Penn Blues" es un tema que recuerda el viejo sonido de la banda y que inspiró a Cole sobre algo que leyó del actor Sean Penn, "Hey Rusty" tiene un toque entre Springsteen y U2, "These Days" es melancólica y encantadora a la vez. 

Pero pese a todo, el disco no fue apreciado universalmente por la prensa, mucho no lo entendieron, notaron el cansancio en la banda, estuvo sobre producido, dos años y seis productores fue mucho para el trabajo que finalmente se entregó pese a que dentro del disco venían algunas curiosas y muy valoradas canciones, aunque hubieron otros que aplaudieron el disco y lo catalogaron como algo que incrementó el desarrollo de la banda, aunque con el pasar de los años, se le ha dado cierto apreció a este disco olvidado pese a las comparaciones con sus discos anteriores.

 

Mainstream Track List:

 

1. My Bag

2. From The Hip

3. "29"

4. Mainstream

5. Jennifer She Said

6. Mr. Malcontent

7. Sean Penn Blues

8. Big Snake

9. Hey Rusty

10. These Days 

Rocktrospectiva: El Incomprendido "Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe" Cumple 30 Años

Lanzado el 24 de Septiembre de 1991, aunque en algunos casos se dice que fue el 16 de Septiembre, "Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe" fue la segunda entrega del icónico Lloyd Cole en solitario, considerado por la crítica y sus fans de gusto sofisticado como uno de los mejores discos de los 90's, lleno de suave melodías con letras sofisticadas y finos arreglos. 

 

El disco para muchos estaba quizás década y media adelantado a su tiempo, quizás si hubiera sido lanzado en 1996, hubiera encajado mucho más y quizás el recibimiento comercial hubiera sido mejor en todo sentido, pero no fue así, aparecío el mismo mágico día que otros grandes discos como "Badmotorfinger", "Nevermind" o "Blood Sugar Sex Magik", el disco es considerado como uno de sus más finos trabajos, dividido en dos partes, la primera dedicada a los Estados Unidos y la segunda al resto del mundo, con un sonido que deambula en tonadas rockeras con guitarras jangly pop destacando temas "Tell Your Sister" o la rockera "She's A Girl And I'm A Man", o las tonadas orquestrales en "Margo's Waltz", con una aura jazzistica, y de hecho, de eso trata el disco, una parte rockera y otra más tipo orquesta aderezado con fino pop, la orquesta era dirigida por Paul Buckmaster, además de otros finos colaboradores como Suzie Katayama, Matthew Sweett, Robert Quine, Fred Maher y Blair Cowan, que hicieron del disco una valiente y sólida entrega en aquel impecable 1991. 

 

El estilo varia con un sonido indie modern rock en "Tell Your Sister" que fue No. 6 en el Billboard Modern Rock tracks, la influenciada por los 60's "Weeping Wine", así como "The One You Never Had", o la cruda "To The Lions", se vuelve a suavizar con Pay For It" y luego aparece el hit "She's A Girl And I'm A Man" que llegó al No. 7 del Modern Rock Billboard chart, para luego dar paso a las canciones orquestales como "Butterfly" de ambiente amigable, "There For Her" de nuevo otro tema que pudo haber llegado a la radio, la fina "Margo's Waltz", suave y delicada, "Half Of Everything" con un fino juego de cuerdas, para pasar al "Man Enough" que muchos consideran el tema más débil del disco, y de último la meláncolia "What he Doesn't Know" y así terminabamos un gran disco de esos que no siempre se dan, pero que desgraciadamente fue incomprendido y por ende infravalorado en su momento. 

Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe Track List:

1. Tell Your Sister

2. Weeping Wine

3. To The Lions

4. Pay For It

5. The One You Never Had

6. She's A Girl And I'm A Man

7. Butterfly 

8. There For Her

9. Margo's Waltz

10. Half Of Everything

11. Man Enough

12. What He Doesn't Know

La Noticia: Lloyd Cole Anuncia "Guesswork"

El icónico Lloyd Cole anuncia el lanzamiento de "Guesswork" para este verano, se trata de su 11avo., álbum de estudio, el cual ha grabado casi en su totalidad en su ático como el mismo dice. El disco contiene ocho nuevas canciones, dos de las cuales fueron co-escritas con Blair Cowan, su viejo colega en The Commotions.

No es la primera vez que Cowan colabora con Cole, ya en el 2010 para "Broken Record" lo había hecho, y ahora vuelve a las andadas de la mano de su ilustre ex-compañero de banda. La música ha sido interpretada también no solo por Cowan, sino por Neil Clark otro ex-Commotion, Fred maher y Cole. 

De momento solo se conoce la portada, una fecha estimada para el 26 de julio, y en su sitio oficial: Lloyd Cole vienen los detalles de su próximo tour por el reino Unido e Irlanda, abajo el track list:

Glasswork Track List:

1. The Over Under

 2. Night Sweats 
3. Violins
4. Remains 
5. The Afterlife 

 6. Moments and Whatnot
7. When I Came Down From The Mountain
8. The Loudness Wars

La Reedición: Lloyd Cole In New York Collected Recordings 1988-1996

A finales del año pasado les anunciamos sobre un nuevo boxset de Lloyd Cole llamado: Lloyd Cole In New York: Collected Recordings 1988-1996, una colección de seis CD los cuales por fin ya han sido oficialmente confirmados.  

Este nuevo boxset incluye todos los cuatro álbumes en solitario que Cole lanzó bajo los sellos Fontana y Polydor entre 1988 y 1996: Lloyd Cole, Don’t Get Weird On Me Babe, Bad Vibes, Love Story y un 5to., álbum llamado Smile If You Want To, y que nunca fue lanzado al mercado y por último un 6to., y final CD llamado Demos ‘89-‘94 que contiene 20 tracks que no se lanzaron por completo. 

Sobre Smile If You Want To, estuvo completo en aquel entonces, pero gracias a las jodidas políticas de la compañía en aquel entonces, el mismo nunca fue lanzado. Las canciones salieron en disco subsecuentes, aunque esta vez se lanzaran como se había planeado en su momento, el disco ha sido totalmente remasterizado por Ian Jones en Abbery Road studios, aunque Cole dijo de manera bastante amable que no había nada malo con las originales. 

La presentación aquí es consistente con las box set que se lanzarón previamente, ademas del material tendremos un libreto en pasta dura por John O'Connell con nuevas entrevista que tienen a Cole, sus musicos, productores y colaboradores así como una nueva selección de fotos de aquel período, un poster y unas postales con la sesión que el fotográfo Kevin Cummins le hiciera a Cole en Nueva York.

El box set sale a la venta el próximo 17 de marzo, y a continuación les mostramos el tracklist oficial.

Lloyd Cole In New York: Collected Recordings 1988-1996 Tracklist:

CD 1 – Lloyd Cole

1. Don’t look back
2. What do you know about love?
3. No blue skies
4. Loveless
5. Sweetheart
6. To the church
7. Downtown
8. A long way down
9. Ice cream girl
10. Undressed
11. I hate to see you doing baby that Stuff
12. Waterline
13. Mercy Killing

CD 2 – Don’t Get Weird On Me, Babe

1. Butterfly
2. There for her
3. Margo’s waltz
4. Half of everything
5. Man Enough
6. What he doesn’t know
7. Tell your sister
8. Weeping wine
9. To the lions
10. Pay for it
11. The one you never had
12. She’s a girl and I’m a man

CD 3 – Bad Vibes

1. Morning is broken
2. So you’d like to save the world
3. Holier than thou
4. Love you so what
5. Wild mushrooms
6. My Way To You
7. Too much of a good thing
8. Fall Together
9. Mister wrong
10. Seen the Future
11. Can’t get arrested

CD 4 – Love Story

1. Trigger happy
2. Sentimental fool
3. I didn’t know that you cared
4. Love ruins everything
5. Baby
6. Be there
7. Unhappy song
8. Like lovers do
9. Happy for you
10. Traffic
11. Let’s Get Lost
12. For crying out loud

CD 5 – Smile If You Want To (unreleased album)

1. Old enough to know better
2. Memphis
3. Love like this can’t last
4. No more love songs
5. Man on the verge*
6. Santa cruz
7. Alright people
8. You’re a big girl now
9. Another lover
10. 39 down
11. Went to woodstock
12. I’m gone

bonus tracks
13. Fool you are (demo)
14. Weakness

*Previously unreleased

CD 6 – Demos ’89-’94 (all previously unreleased)

1. A long way down
2. Sweetheart
3. Ice cream girl
4. Wild orphan
5. Loveless
6. What do you know about love?
7. Know you too well
8. The witching hour
9. The english weather
10. I confess
11. To the lions
12. The ship song (Nick Cave cover)
13. Pay for it
14. Weeping wine
15. The one you never had
16. Weird on Me
17. Casanova smith
18. Cold empty room
19. Everyday
20. She Loves You

La Recopilación: Lloyd Cole In New York Collected Recordings 1988-1996

Se acaba de conocer que la muy anticipada nueva recopilación de Lloyd Cole se llamará: "‘Lloyd Cole in New York: Collected Recordings 1988-1996", y esta lista para pre-ordernarla ya que su lanzamiento oficial será en marzo del 2017.

Aunque el contenido exacto todavía no se conoce con certeza, se tratará de una colección de 6 CDs que tendran versiones remasterizadas de los discos "Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe", "Bad Vibes" y Love Story" asi como un álbum inédito junto a un disco de 20 demos.

Según Cole, se trata de grabaciones que van del período de 1988 a 1996, después que el título en Amazon estaba incorrecto y que la caja debería de llamarse "Lloyd Cole In New York", se espera que el paquete este a la altura del anterior box set "Lloyd Cole And The Commotions Collected Recordings 1983-1989.

De momento les presentamos una imagen de lo que puede incluir el box set con una certeza de un 80%.

Rocktrospectiva: Los 25 Años Del Sofisticado Don't Get Weird On Me Babe

 

Lanzado durante aquel mágico y trascendental mes de septiembre de 1991, para ser más especificos un 16 de septiembre de aquel año, tratandose del segundo material en solitario del artista, por aquel entonces su éxito en la radio fue mínimo para variar, pero logro entrar en el gusto de la gente.

Se puede decir que "Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe" estaba media década adelantado a su tiempo, si tan solo hubiera salido en 1996 hubiera quedado justo en el momento adecuado y hubiera dado en el blanco, pero por desgracia aparecio en una época en la que estaban por salir icónicos discos como "Nevermind", "Loveless" o "Achtung Baby", por lo que le llego a pasar lo mismo que al "Trompe Le Monde" de Pixies.

El título fue cortesía de Raymond Carver, y era considerado como una odisea auto-indulgente, por lo que haciendo una retrospectiva, se puede considerar a la placa como uno de los trabajos más finos del maestro Cole, el cual estaba dividido en dos partes siendo la primera la que cuenta el tradicional estilo y la marca literaria de Cole, en donde abunda las guitarras jangly pop en donde venía el track "Tell Your Sister" que llegó a ocupar el número 6 en el chart de moderno rock, y la fabulosa "She's A Girl And I'm A Man", llegó alcanzar el número 7 en el modern rock chart y llego a ser considerada como el single que más cerca estuvo de ser un éxito en los Estados Unidos ya que logro entrar en el top 100. Contando con la colaboración de Fred Maher que co-produjo el disco y estaba en la batería, Matthew Sweet en el bajo y Robert Quine en la guitarra, el mismo trio aparece en la segunda parte, pero esta cambia ya que su sonido se ve dominado por las orquestaciones y los arreglos de cuerda conducidos por Paul Buckmaster que gracias a sus dramaticas orquestaciones logran añadirle una nueva dimensión más oscura a las canciones.

Otras canciones que vale la pena mencionar son "Weeping Wine" con un estilo de pop/rock muy sesentero, la increíble "To The Lions" poderoso tema que debío haber sido un single, y por último "The One You Never Had" y la más dulce del set "Pay For It".

Muchas de estas canciones fueron compuestas en una clava más baja, para darle un sabor a embrujo, misterio y espanto como lo que pasa en "Margo's Waltz" una canción de corte jazz y con un magnifico bajo cortesía de Lelan Sklar, además de unas mágicas vocales femeninas de apoyo que terminaban de darle el toque al tema, se puede considerar al tema como uno de los tres o cuatro más grandes temas que Cole ha compuesto en su carrera, además destacaban también "Butterfly" en modo amigable y que también hubiera podido ser un hit, "There For Her" una canción que también tenía el potencial de hit, el juego de cuerdas en "Half Of Everything" que le daban su toque, la más débil del set "Man Enough" y finalmente "What He Doesnt't Know" un tema muy melancolíco para terminar este grandisimo disco, con tantos buenos momentos todavía nos cuesta creer que hace 25 años el disco no lograra ganar el éxito comercial que bien merecido lo tenía.

Don't Get Weird On Me Babe Tracklist:

Side One
1. Tell Your Sister

2. Weeping Wine

3. To The Lions

4. Pay For It

5. The One You Never Had

6. She's A Girl And I'm A Man

Side Two

7. Butterfly

8. There For Her

9. Margo's Waltz

10. Half Of Everything

11. Man Enough

12. What Doesn't He Know

Reediciones: Lloyd Cole And The Commotions Collected Recording 1983-1989

En plena epoca de reediciones que pinta aceptables, llega el turno de Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, promoviendo un box set cuya noticia fue compartida en determinados lugares especializados hace un par de semanas sin el track listting de los seis discos que componen esta masiva recopilación.

El nombre del box set es "Collected Recordings 1983-1989" contiene los tres álbumes principales lanzados por la banda entre 1984 y 1987 (Rattlesnakes, Easy Pieces y Mainstream) con un mejor nivel de audio en especial para Rattlesnakes, ya que fueron por los demos originales en cinta para una remasterización por completo. 

Agregando al box set, tenemos el 4to., disco que viene con los infaltables Lados b, remixes y outtakes, algunas de ellas no lanzadas anteriormente, mientras que el 5to., disco viene con una serie de demos y rarezas también previamente desconocidas con la excepción de los demos de "Are you Ready To Be Heartbroken" y "Perfect Skin", que aparecieron en la reedición del 2004, en total son seis temas inéditos que incluyen "Forest Fire" y Jennifer She Said" que fue lanzada en otra versión producida por Stewart Copeland y Julian Mendelsohn.

Por último hay un 6to., disco que es un DVD con diez videos promocionales, los cuales ya habían sido lanzados en el edición CD+DVD del 2004 "Lloyd Cole. The Commotions. The Singles", junto con ocho apariciones en televisión que incluye actuaciones en programas como "Top of the Pops", y The Old Grey Whistle Test,  más un libreto de 48 pagínas con una introducción del periodista Pete Paphides.

Disc one – Rattlesnakes Tracklisting:

1.  Perfect Skin

2.  Speedboat

3.  Rattlesnakes

4.  Down on Mission Street

5.  Forest Fire

6.  Charlotte Street

7.  2cv

8.  Four Flights Up

9.  Patience

10. Are You Ready to be Heartbroken?

Disc two – Easy Pieces Tracklisting:

1.  Rich

2.  Why I Love Country Music

3.  Pretty Gone

4.  Grace

5.  Cut Me Down

6.  Brand New Friend

7.  Lost Weekend

8.  James

9.  Minor Character

10.  Perfect Blue

Disc three – Mainstream Tracklist:

1.  My Bag

2.  From the Hip

3.  29

4.  Mainstream

5.  Jennifer she said

6.  Mr. Malcontent

7. Sean Penn Blues

8.  Big Snake

9.  Hey Rusty

10.  These Days

Disc four – B-Sides, Remixes & Outtakes Tracklist:

1. The Sea and The Sand (B-side to Perfect Skin)

2. You Will Never Be No Good (B-side to Perfect Skin)

3. Andy’s Babies  (B-side to Forest Fire)

4. Glory (B-side to Forest Fire)

5. Sweetness (B-side to Rattlesnakes)

6. Perfect Blue (Hardiman mix) B-side to Jennifer She Said

7. Jesus Said (B-side to My Bag)

8. Brand New Friend (1985 Wessex Studio recording. Previously unreleased ***

9. From Grace (Unfinished 1985 Wessex Studio recording. Previously unreleased ***)

10. Her Last Fling ( B-side to Brand New Friend)

11. Big World (B-side to Lost Weekend)

12. Nevers End (B-side to Lost Weekend)

13. Mystery Train  (Recorded live at The World, New York, 1986) B-side to Jennifer She Said

14. I Don’t Believe You  (Recorded live at The World, New York, 1986) B-side to Jennifer She Said

15. Love Your Wife (B-side to From The Hip)

16. Lonely Mile (B-side to From The Hip)

17. Please (B-side to From The Hip)

18. My Bag (Dancing Mix) 12” single

Disc five – Demo Recordings & Rarities (ALL UNRELEASED except Trk 2 & 6)

1. Down At The Mission [Unreleased single A-side]

2. Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? [Unreleased single B-side (appeared previously on Rattlesnakes Deluxe Edition 2004)]

3. Patience [Demo recording]

4. Eat My Words [Demo recording (Never before heard)]

5. Forest Fire [Demo recording]

6. Perfect Skin [Demo recording (appeared previously on Rattlesnakes Deluxe Edition 2004)]

7. Poons [Demo recording (Never before heard)]

8. Old Hats [Demo recording]

9. You Win [Demo recording (Never before heard)]

10. Old Wants Never Gets [Demo recording (Never before heard)]

11. Another Dry Day [Demo recording. (Never before heard)]

12. 29  [Demo recording]

13. Jennifer She Said [Demo recording]

14. Hey Rusty [Demo recording]

15. Everyone’s Complaining [Unreleased recording. Studio Grande Armée (Paris). Produced by Chris Thomas]

16. Mr Malcontent [Unreleased recording. Studio Grande Armée (Paris). Produced by Chris Thomas]

17. Jennifer She Said (Polished Rough Mix) [Unreleased recording. Sarm Studios (London). Produced by Stewart Copeland and Julian Mendelsohn]

18. Hey Rusty [Unreleased recording. Sarm Studios (London). Produced by Stewart Copeland and Julian Mendelsohn]

DVD – Promotional videos & television performances

Promotional videos

1.  Perfect Skin

2.  Forest Fire

3.  Rattlesnakes

4.  Brand New Friend

5.  Lost Weekend

6.  Cut Me Down

7.  My Bag

8.  Jennifer She Said

9.  From The Hip

10.  Mainstream

Television performances

11. Perfect Skin (Top of the Pops, June 1984)

12. Rattlesnakes (The Old Grey Whistle Test, November 1984)

13.  Speedboat (The Old Grey Whistle Test, November 1984)

14.  Brand New Friend (Wogan, September 1985)

15.  Brand New Friend (Top of the Pops, September 1985)

16.  Lost Weekend (Top of the Pops, November 1985)

17.  Mister Malcontent (Recorded live in concert at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, June 1986)

18.  My Bag (Wogan, September 1987)

Discos: Don't Look Back: An Introduction To Lloyd Cole And Lloyd And The Commotions

El maestro Lloyd Cole es sujeto de una nueva colección de bajo costo en el Reino Unido, se trata de un compilado de 20 tracks que reune lo mejor del material en solitario del maestro y junto a su banda, The Commotions, incluyendo cinco top 40 que tuvo en el Reino Unido como "Perfcet Skin", "Brand New Friend", "Lost Weekend", "Lost Weekend" y por supuesto "Like Lovers Do". 

Se trata del primer proyecto que coloca el trabajo de Lloyd Cole a un precio bastante accesible para los néofitos y fans ocasionales, editado por el sello Spectrum/UMC

Don't Look Back: An Introduction To Lloyd Cole And Lloyd And The Commotions Tracklist:

1. Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  2. Forest Fire - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  3. Charlotte Street - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  4. Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken? - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  5. Brand New Friend - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  6. Rich - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  7. Lost Weekend - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  8. Jennifer She Said - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  9. Hey Rusty - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  10. From The Hip - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions  11. No Blue Skies - Lloyd Cole  12. Undressed - Lloyd Cole  13. Don't Look Back - Lloyd Cole  14. Loveless - Lloyd Cole  15. Margo's Waltz - Lloyd Cole, Orchestra, Paul Buckmaster  16. She's A Girl And I'm A Man - Lloyd Cole  17. So You'd Like To Save The World - Lloyd Cole  18. Trigger Happy - Lloyd Cole  19. Like Lovers Do - Lloyd Cole  20. For Crying Out Loud - Lloyd Cole

La Presentación: Lloyd Cole En Directo KEXP Studios En Seattle

       

El maestro Lloyd Cole inicio su gira en Seattle a principios de este mes, y durante su parada en Seattle, el artista hizo una pausa en la KEXP Studios del lluvioso estado de Washington para presentar un set acustico de 20 minutos con un total de cinco canciones.

Durante la entrega, el maestro interpreto temas de su último disco "Standards", junto a tres tracks de "Rattlesnakes" su disco debut con The Commotions, su tour concluye en marzo con nueve fechas por tocar, las cuales comienzan el 17 de marzo en Buffalo, N.Y. hasta el 29 de marzo donde finalizará en Nashville Tennesse.

Lloyd Cole Setlist at KEXP Studios Seattle, 2/3/15: 

1. “2cv”
2. “Period Piece”
3. “Women’s Studies”
4. “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?”
5. “Perfect Skin”

Lloyd Cole fechas de la gira:

Mar 17: The Forvm, Buffalo, NY
Mar 19: The Ark, Ann Arbor, MI  
Mar 20: Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL  
Mar 23: Birchmere, Alexandria, VA  
Mar 25: ArtsCenter, Carrboro, NC  
Mar 26: The Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
Mar 29: City Winery, Nashville, TN