Lloyd Cole
"Music in a Foreign Language" CD
One
Little Indian
Genres: singer / songwriter, indie pop
One Little Indian
34 Trinity Crescent
London SW17 7AE, UK
Sep 26 - Oct 3 2004 |
Over two years ago, I reviewed an album by Chris Cacavas
entitled Bumbling Home From the Star. It was a solo
effort from a rather prolific musician, and ended up as Indieville's
best album of 2002 - rightfully so, as even to this date it remains
one of the best pop albums in my collection.
I bring this up because Lloyd Cole (ex-Commotions)
has a similar low-key pop sensibility to his work. Music in a
Foreign Language has much in common with Bumbling Home,
although it is far from the same album. Cole wisely keeps
his songs simple and accessible, crafting well-written melodies with
little more than guitar, piano, voice, and occasional
percussion. This makes songs like "Today I'm Not So
Sure" and "Shelf Life" positively irresistible - once
you've let them play, you're hooked; the music's relaxed, unobtrusive
nature allows it to work well in the foreground or the background,
making for a truly versatile record.
"Brazil" is the pivotal three minute pop song - its
dreamy structure is dangerously catchy, bringing everything together
with a lovely ba-ba-ba chorus. Cole works cutely with
mock naïveté in his lyrics, and the lush atmosphere makes for one of
Music in a Foreign Language's best moments. The
album-opening title-track is also a significant piece of music - its
dreamy duration is completely devoid of tension or stress, resulting
in a charmingly relaxed pop number.
Altogether, Music in a Foreign Language is a particularly
lovely album that can be listened to in almost every situation. Whether it's a backdrop to late-night work, or the music to which you
relax after a long day, this album fits the bill.
87%
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
10 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2004] |