Singer Lloyd Cole. Source: AP
A SCOTSMAN crooner you can dance to, Lloyd Cole is one of the finest songwriters to emerge from the 1980s.
Not only did his songs alongside Glasgow-based act The Commotions (including Rattlesnakes and Perfect Skin) feature dazzling wordplay, you could dance to them, too.
“The Commotions just accepted a lifetime achievement award,” he says with bemusement. “Not bad for a band that split up 20 years ago.”
Lloyd is never content to rest on his laurels. He followed The Commotions with a series of inspired solo albums. One crown jewel from this period was No Blue Skies, one of the most emotionally stirring pop songs of all time.
“I’m my own worst critic,” he says. “Very few songs that I’ve written turned out as good as I’d hoped.”
From a man with such an envious canon, this is an intriguing claim. Which songs do make the grade?
“I can’t fault Are You Ready to be Heart Broken?, Why I Love Country Music, Late Night Early Town, Music in a Foreign Language and maybe Undressed. But that’s it.”
His latest tour features the 18-month-old Small Ensemble. Be forewarned, songwriters and ardent music fans – Cole is one of those talents who must not be missed.
– Lloyd Cole plays the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel on February 16. Tickets from Venuetix.
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Publication: Adelaide Now/ Sunday Mail(SA)
Publication date: 13/02/2011