There is no Ryan O’Neal or Ali MacGraw here. No dewy-eyed sentiment, either. This latest CD from British singer-songwriter Cole offers 12 smartly written, mid-tempo ruminations on relationships, played out in gentle, acoustic style. Ever the lovesick fool, Cole keeps his voice just above a whisper, whether he’s portraying a man who regrets running out on his woman and child in “Baby” or discovering the virtues of couplehood in “Unhappy Song” (“He was torn between the romance and the mundane/…He was surprised or was he horrified to find/ The mundane the more rewarding”). The songs are sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet, but Cole’s low-key musical approach is always warm and irresistible. (Rykodisc)
Photo cutline: LLOYD COLE
The singer-songwriter spins a compelling Love Story.
Publication: Time
Publication date: 13/11/95