Love Story (Lloyd Cole album)

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Love Story
Studio album by
Released1995
GenrePop[1]
Length44:02
Label
Lloyd Cole chronology
Bad Vibes
(1993)
Love Story
(1995)
Music in a Foreign Language
(2003)

Love Story is the fourth solo studio album by the English musician Lloyd Cole, released in 1995.[4][5] Cole supported the album with UK and North American tours.[6][7]

The album peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart.[8] The first single was "Like Lovers Do".[9] "Sentimental Fool" and "Baby" were also released.[10]

Production[edit]

Recorded in New York City, the album was produced by Cole and Stephen Street, among others.[11][12][13] Cole considered the album to be an example of what he does best, rather than another attempt to reinvent himself.[14] Robert Quine and Neil Clark played guitar on the album.[15][16] Fred Maher played drums.[17] "Trigger Happy" is about getting older.[18]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[19]
Calgary Herald[20]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[21]
The Guardian[2]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[13]
NME4/10[22]
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide[16]
Martin C. Strong5/10[23]

Trouser Press noted that "there's certainly nothing lacking in the spare, well-crafted songwriting or Cole's frequently beauteous (and ever-breaking) shaggy-dog voice."[15] The Guardian opined that the album "passes in a comfy blur, only the melancholy 'Baby' making much impression."[2] The Chicago Tribune determined that "the record's stripped-down arrangements, built around Cole's acoustic guitar, focus attention on how economical his songwriting has become over the years."[24]

The Irish Times concluded that Cole "seems to have regained the immediacy and simplicity which made him an icon of the bedsit set, and which put him right up there with Morrissey in the hearts of many thinking teens."[25] The Calgary Herald deemed Cole "a British Leonard Cohen in soft-soled shoes."[20] The Ottawa Citizen stated that "'Sentimental Fool', 'Love Ruins Everything' and 'Trigger Happy' are infectious, timeless pop with a hint of irony."[26]

AllMusic called the album "melodic folk-rock" that presents a "negative world-view."[19] Mark Beaumont of NME considered Love Story to be Cole "stripped down" which, despite "some moments", is "not robust stuff" but largely "one man and his orchestra's trawl through the lite romance of familee life".[22]

Track listing[edit]

Love Story track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Trigger Happy"3:01
2."Sentimental Fool"3:24
3."I Didn't Know That You Cared"4:11
4."Love Runs Everything"3:20
5."Baby"3:57
6."Be There"4:48
7."Unhappy Song"3:41
8."Like Lovers Do"3:59
9."Happy for You"3:50
10."Traffic"2:50
11."Let's Get Lost"2:02
12."For Crying Out Loud"4:59
Total length:44:02

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Love Story
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 9
UK Albums (OCC)[28] 27
Scottish Albums (OCC)[29] 42

References[edit]

  1. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (Dec 1995). "Lloyd Cole gets happy". Stereo Review. 60 (12): 100.
  2. ^ a b c Sullivan, Caroline (22 Sep 1995). "Pop". The Guardian. p. T16.
  3. ^ Cohen, Randee Dawn (Nov 1995). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly (27): 30.
  4. ^ "Lloyd Cole Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  5. ^ Buckley, Peter (October 29, 2003). "The Rough Guide to Rock". Rough Guides – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Brown, Glyn (6 Oct 1995). "Lloyd Cole Shepherd's Bush Empire, London". Pop Live Reviews. The Independent. p. 12.
  7. ^ Renzhofer, Martin (3 Nov 1995). "Scottish Love Stories". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. E1.
  8. ^ "LLOYD COLE | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  9. ^ Bond, Marlow. "Cole Comfort". Phoenix New Times.
  10. ^ Flick, Larry (Feb 3, 1996). "Sentimental Fool, a single by Lloyd Cole". Billboard. 108 (5): 71.
  11. ^ Harrison, Tom (9 Nov 1995). "Older and wiser: Lloyd Cole matures". The Province. p. B3.
  12. ^ Thompson, Dave (October 29, 2000). "Alternative Rock". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  13. ^ a b MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 255.
  14. ^ Morse, Steve (1 Dec 1995). "Cole mines a pop vein for 'Love Story'". Arts & Film. The Boston Globe. p. 60.
  15. ^ a b "Lloyd Cole and the Commotions". Trouser Press. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  16. ^ a b Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (October 29, 2004). "(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide". Simon and Schuster – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Mirkin, Steven (Aug 12, 1995). "Lloyd Cole's Ryko 'debut' aimed at triple-A demo". Billboard. 107 (32): 10.
  18. ^ Strauss, Neil (4 Dec 1995). "In Performance". The New York Times. p. C13.
  19. ^ a b "Lloyd Cole - Love Story Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  20. ^ a b Muretich, James (15 Oct 1995). "Lloyd Cole: Love Story". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
  21. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 462.
  22. ^ a b Beaumont, Mark (23 September 1995). "Long Play". New Musical Express. p. 49. ISSN 0028-6362.
  23. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate U.S. p. 316.
  24. ^ Kot, Greg (3 Nov 1995). "Cole Sweat". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. O.
  25. ^ Courtney, Kevin (29 Sep 1995). "Lloyd Cole Mean Fiddler". Sound & Vision. The Irish Times. p. 13.
  26. ^ Blanchfield, Mike (11 Nov 1995). "Lloyd Cole returns to winning qualities". Ottawa Citizen. p. D3.
  27. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lloyd Cole – Love Story". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 December 2023.