NEW YORK (Lloyd Cole Official Website) - Through his lauded work fronting the Commotions and his later more electric solo efforts,
Lloyd Cole has established himself as one of the most articulate and acute songwriters of the post-punk era. Five years since his last US release,
Lloyd Cole returns - teaming with the acclaimed One
Little Indian label - to release "Music In A Foreign Language" on March 30th.
Following the release of "Music In A Foreign Language", One Little Indian will issue "Etc" on April 20th - a self proclaimed Lloyd Cole lost album followed by the May 11th release of Cole's ambient project, "Plastic Wood".
"Music In A Foreign Language" is the result of Cole honing a stripped down 'acoustic set' performed around the world the past five years. Recorded and engineered by Cole at a New England hideaway, "Music In A Foreign Language" reveals him to be the consummate folk guitarist, both acoustic steel and Spanish. Cole is also responsible for all the string arrangements and has added lap steel, piano and bass for good measure. And Cole continues his longstanding covers trend with a brilliant version of Nick Cave's "People Ain't No Good".
Lyrically, "Music In A Foreign Language" revisits familiar themes of cooling passions in "Today I'm Not So Sure", self deception in 'My Other Life', and the subject of substance abuse on 'Brazil'. But there is new territory also. These are songs with no silver lining, no redemption, but a outlook that Cole has not expressed before. Not so much mid-life crisis as addressing mid-life ennui.
Guests on "Music In A Foreign Language" include Neil Clark (the Commotions), Dave Derby (the Negatives), songwriter Ray Mason and Canadian chanteuse, and former topless DJ, Lullaby Baxter, who was flown in courtesy of Lloyd's air miles to contribute. Noted punk rock and Van Morrison producer, Mick Glossop, mixed "Music" in London.
Released on April 20th, "Etc." is a collection of songs originally recorded between Lloyd Cole's release of "Love Story" and "The Negatives". A remarkably cohesive record, "Etc" showcases Cole's masterful songwriting as well as interpretations of Bob Dylan's "You're A Big Girl Now" and "Memphis", written by actress Karen Black for Robert Altman's 1975 motion picture, "Nashville".
"Plastic Wood", released on May 11th, comes from a different musical perspective than the traditional singer-songwriter work of Lloyd Cole. Purely instrumental, the album is a beautiful collection of 18 ambient electronic songs. It's remarkably subtle and delicate ? and something every Lloyd Cole fan will want to hear.
