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Lloyd Cole's second solo album, 1991's Don't Get Weird on Me, Babe, was about a half-decade ahead of its time. If it had come out in 1996, after Richard Davies' Cardinal project, the High Llamas' Gideon Gaye, and the new belief in indie circles that Pet Sounds and Burt Bacharach were musical icons worthy of veneration, this would have slotted right in. In the year bracketed by My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and Nirvana's Nevermind, Don't Get Weird on Me, Babe (title courtesy of Raymond Carver) was considered a self-indulgent oddity. In retrospect, however, it's clearly one of Lloyd Cole's finest works. The album is divided into two distinct parts. One (the first half in the U.S., the second half everywhere else) is more of Cole's trademark literate, jangly guitar pop, featuring the sterling "Tell Your Sister" and the uncharacteristically rocking "She's a Girl and I'm a Man," the closest Cole ever came to an American hit single. This side features a core band of Fred Maher (who co-produced) on drums, Matthew Sweet on bass, and Robert Quine on guitar. That trio also appears on the other half of the album, but that set of six songs is dominated by a full orchestra arranged and conducted by Paul Buckmaster. Buckmaster's dramatic orchestrations add an entirely new dimension to the darker-edged songs without drowning them in Mantovani-style glop. In fact, the arrangements are rather low-key, especially on the haunting, hushed "Margo's Waltz," a gorgeous song with a jazzy bass part by Leland Sklar, subtle vibes, breathy female backing vocals, and almost subliminal brushed drums. Strongly reminiscent of Bacharach's most restrained '60s work -- especially during ex-Commotion Blair Cowan's lovely Hammond B3 solos -- "Margo's Waltz" is among the three or four best songs Cole has ever written. However, it's only one of many highlights on this exceptional, underrated album.
© Stewart Mason /TiVo
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Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Blair Gray Cowan, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Blair Gray Cowan, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Blair Gray Cowan, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Blair Gray Cowan, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Blair Gray Cowan, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Buckmaster, Conductor, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Organ, Piano, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Carlos Vega, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Leland Sklar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Carlos Vega, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Leland Sklar, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Beti, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, Drums, Guitar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Blair Cowan, Hammond Organ, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Beti, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Bashiri Johnson, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Blair Cowan, Accordion, AssociatedPerformer - Matthew Sweet, Bass Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Fred Maher, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Blair Cowan, Piano, Harmonium, AssociatedPerformer - Robert Quine, ComposerLyricist - Lloyd Cole, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Vocals, Harmonica, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Paul Hardiman, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Album review
Lloyd Cole's second solo album, 1991's Don't Get Weird on Me, Babe, was about a half-decade ahead of its time. If it had come out in 1996, after Richard Davies' Cardinal project, the High Llamas' Gideon Gaye, and the new belief in indie circles that Pet Sounds and Burt Bacharach were musical icons worthy of veneration, this would have slotted right in. In the year bracketed by My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and Nirvana's Nevermind, Don't Get Weird on Me, Babe (title courtesy of Raymond Carver) was considered a self-indulgent oddity. In retrospect, however, it's clearly one of Lloyd Cole's finest works. The album is divided into two distinct parts. One (the first half in the U.S., the second half everywhere else) is more of Cole's trademark literate, jangly guitar pop, featuring the sterling "Tell Your Sister" and the uncharacteristically rocking "She's a Girl and I'm a Man," the closest Cole ever came to an American hit single. This side features a core band of Fred Maher (who co-produced) on drums, Matthew Sweet on bass, and Robert Quine on guitar. That trio also appears on the other half of the album, but that set of six songs is dominated by a full orchestra arranged and conducted by Paul Buckmaster. Buckmaster's dramatic orchestrations add an entirely new dimension to the darker-edged songs without drowning them in Mantovani-style glop. In fact, the arrangements are rather low-key, especially on the haunting, hushed "Margo's Waltz," a gorgeous song with a jazzy bass part by Leland Sklar, subtle vibes, breathy female backing vocals, and almost subliminal brushed drums. Strongly reminiscent of Bacharach's most restrained '60s work -- especially during ex-Commotion Blair Cowan's lovely Hammond B3 solos -- "Margo's Waltz" is among the three or four best songs Cole has ever written. However, it's only one of many highlights on this exceptional, underrated album.
© Stewart Mason /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:48:19
- Main artists: Lloyd Cole
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK) ℗ 1991 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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