Lloyd Cole and The commotions are no more. After three fairly successful albums with the band, Cole packed his bags and moved to New York. Maybe it’s those artsy Big Apple vibes that make this, his first solo album, so darn good.
With his rough, earthy voice, Lloyd Cole sings to us from somewhere deep inside his body, lending the songs a sense of both urgency and honesty. The melodic songs, which are very strong both musically and lyrically, are testament to Cole’s talent as a complete songwriter.
The album as a whole is very mellow, and even the upbeat tracks never really escape this feeling; the entire album sounds as though it must have been recorded on a dark and rainy Sunday afternoon.
So don’t come to Lloyd Cole if you want to rock out. You’ve got to close your eyes and feel this one.
Craig McConnell is a student at Agincourt Collegiate.
Publication: The Toronto Star
Publication date: 10/06/90