The Scot has signed an exultant disc, “Broken record”, the first recording with the band in the last decade and one of the year in review
Pop and rock artists are mature thing, just the blues, country or jazz. Generalizing is bad because, at minimum, you keep your ass in the air if there comes a Scottish guy like Lloyd Cole, who was unveiled with the band The Commotions, and marked an adult pop record of quality. Barrel, the wines that improve with age. Cole, who over the past decade had decided to work alone, with the singer, has been surrounded by the best musicians he has worked in nearly three decades to record Broken record (Green Ufos), an album full of pop harmonies and choruses calm and melancholy, with some aftertaste country rock and many details. “I felt like in 1987,” says the artist.
Cole, who is heading the half-century, is one of those musical goldsmiths that the public does not know but can boast of having an ample discography spotless and summits of the caliber of Rattlesnakes, their first album with The Commotions ( 1984), one of the best debuts of the 80 next to The Smiths “, or the latest Music in a Foreign Language (2003) and Antidepressant Night (2006). What he defines as “almost a decade of self-imposed exile as an aspiring folk singer” ended last year when he entered the bug to retrieve “certain aspects of my old life in the rock that I missed.”
Ni refers to the managers, or the record or the tour buses. Cole, who now acknowledges that “never wanted to do solo albums,” recalls in its reflection “to the interaction with the musicians, the camaraderie and joy of listening to the music of an enhanced and upgraded to the aesthetic of others.” And it was because he had written a repertoire of songs that “were asking for a beat, a higher rate.” Besides, he was enjoying his new acoustic trio, The Small Ensemble. “Why not redo a rock, or whatever comes when a man of 49 years is it?” He asked.
The result is Broken record, a record result of “a frantic work of writing” because the session had a deadline and had little money. And a result of the work Cole has forged friendship with a cast of famous musicians over nearly three decades. “I sent emails to my ideal band was making a record in the studio, the old fashioned way. There was not much money and was not negotiable,” says the Scot gracefully. The result? All signed up. Drummer Fred Maher Riny bassist Ortec, to Mark Schwaber guitarist, keyboardist Blair Cowan …
The result is glorious. Sounds mature, in the most commendable of the term. The wise, experienced. Pop with gray, yes, but serene and exciting. A pop chorus full of harmonies and beautiful and enjoyable, with some rock, especially on tracks like That’s alright, some concession to the British folk, in the case of Man overbar, and, above all, mid-tempo ballads such as emotion pierces the heart like the wistfully beautiful The flipside, Why in the world or that touch by the name of If I were a song, and concludes by referring to a waltz sung by Leonard Cohen.
Pop and rock, yes, but with a clear sediment country on various issues but as a sublime use of mandolins, banjos and pedal steel guitars. And Cole is singing! With a sweetness and elegance that love. “Singing with a rock & roll band in the studio, I felt exactly as in 1987, or 1995, and then looked at my reflection and I wondered who was this old guy … I’m happy to have finished these songs because I’m not re sure to make another record like that again, “concluded Cole. Solo or group will be passionate, sure. For now, signing one of the albums of the year
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Publication: Deia - News Bizkaia Bilbao
Publication date: 03/10/10