Over the past couple of years I have bought 3 of Lloyd's works - Songs in a Foreign Language, The Negatives, and Antidepressant.
SIAFL is disapppointing, Antidepressant is absolutely gorgeous.
As a 'solo artist' he is far more successful with the robust backing of The Negatives - sounding more like his old self. Excellent songs on this effort. It rocks along in places and bears comparison with his original work with the Commotions.
When at his best his song writing is always interesting, enigmatic and hypnotic, however those vocal mannerisms can grate when the songs are weak - which is why, generally speaking, he sounds more confident with the backing of brilliant musicians. The Negatives deliver and so do the musicians who dress up so superbly the songs on Antidepressant.
I enjoy The Negatives as much as his earlier work, but for Lloyd the solo artist I treasure Antidepressant.

It's now 2005 and I've finally gotten this c.d. Where the hell was I? The most interesting peice of positive guitar pop since Matthew Sweet's ditty "Sick of Myself" (which charted in 1996)was arriving to an empty platform, and would have to face a long hike into my life. I would apologize for the inconvenience, but it's been 4 YEARS and how does one apologize to a song??.

That song "What's Wrong With This Picture?" is that rare entity, a (gasp!) SENTIMENTAL catchy ditty driven by equal measures of jangly and fuzzy guitar, insistent yet simple bass groove, and anchored by a solid, relentless kick drum, with a theremin-sounding solo that actually evokes human emotion. All the more unlikely, it actually rings true lyrically and says something interesting! U2 gave us "It's a Beautiful Day" (in a harder rock style) a couple years ago and all the sudden everyone was positively euphoric. When Lloyd offered his ray of sunshine it was all the more eloquent given his brooding history and a catalogue utterly devoid of manic pop (unless you count "undressed" from 1990*s "Lloyd Cole" - which many of us did for lack of a better example!). If Lloyd ever needs a hit-single to bring to potluck supper, it's in the freezer and will warm quite nicely.

As for the album as a whole, it features some pretty impressive names: Jill Sobule, Stephen Street (of Smiths fame), Mick Glossop (notable producer, here on a couple final mixes), on "That Boy" we get producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (Madness, the Commotions 2nd album, and a hell of a lot more-They are affectionately known as "Clanger"), here and there are Neil Clark (highly-regarded guitarman from the Commotions), Robert Quine (ace avante-garde guitarman featured on Lloyd's earlier solo work, but sadly no longer with us), William Wittman (producer of Cyndi Lauper and Joan Osborne, among others), and on all tracks the remainder of the Negatives: Dave Derby, Michael Kotch, and Rafa Maciejak on bass, guitar, and drums respectively.

Clearly a band effort, the Negatives oozes the sense of collaboration that is unavoidable with so many greats in one project. The music is particularly guitar-rich , which it ought to be with no less than 5 "G-men (and lady)" at hand. Kicking off with an almost pleading "jangly" guitar that evokes the Sundays for an instant, the first song lets you know that many things are going to be said that aren't always easy to say... A few, at least will be incredibly poignant, and all will be as truthful as possible. That first song is "Past Imperfect", and serves notice that Lloyd would like to reset the counter please... Imagine having to drag around the foolishness of your twenties AND the mis-steps toward fulfillment that are your thirties in one oversized, overpacked, unwieldy, and simply unfashionable bag (as you climb the steps "out" to get on with your forties).

With a rich slice of acoustic guitar and a Ringo Starr drumfill, "Impossible Girl" comes right back to present day and Lloyd's seldom idle (if occassionally mislayed) pen. It's a sing-along number with a great middle section and Lloyd's ever quirky observations are married to a classic Beatles sound, nice that...

"No More Love Songs" veers widely off the expected path and instantly draws you into it's story, which is really Lloyd taking a jab at himself in the guise of a well-crafted vignette (which indeed it is...). Then starts an unexpected, almost dancey kick drum, followed by the ring of a mesmerizing, shimmering and quite original jangly guitar riff (with a little digging I can say it's likely Lloyd who wrote/played the riff and good on 'im!) The guitar gracefully makes room so Lloyd can start singing and the bassline can get in on the action. We are off on our flight of fancy, this is "What's Wrong With This Picture" and that mysterious question can only be answered by purchasing the c.d.

Enough play by play, further highlights include every song to follow! Seriously, they all shine with distinct personality and their own little behavioural problems, just like children. The black sheep would be "Negative Attitude", while the chronic overacheiver with low self-esteem would be "Tried to Rock". Here Lloyd attempts to apologize for having a chance, taking it, and not exactly failing. He claims he isn't the stuff of Rock and Roll while singing in homage to John Lennon and oh-so-slyly evoking "Sexy Sadie" and "Jealous Guy" in a song that remains undeniably original. The overall effect is as cool as Lennon ever got, but I guess that won't appease Lloyd's misgivings, so I'll say it clearly:

Lloyd, love means never having to say you're sorry (as opposed to marriage- which means saying your sorry to avoid being TRULY sorry...) Lloyd very obviously loves what he does. Anyone who's bothered to purchase one or more of Lloyd's albums loves him. What's wrong with this picture? Nothing at all.

Another great release from the master, this spirited and brooding disc is on par with Love Story, Lloyd Cole and Rattlesnakes. The band live is even better - the show at Bowery Ballroom was, well, fantastic --- highlighted, suprisingly, by Lloyd's funky guitar work on Jill Sobule's "BITTER", which made the good song 10x better.

There are just so many things to love about Lloyd Cole, but why? He is far from the best singer anyone has ever heard. His voice cracks, he sings out of tune, he sings notes that aren't in the chord. So why is it so infectious? I have been a huge fan since a freind turned me on to Cole in the early 90's. Fo me it has been his song writing, his meoldies and the way his band rocks for the lack of a better term. He has this knack for making the emotion of the music really come alive. That's what is missing is so much music today. So for me, finding out that Cole had a new band a a new release was like striking gold. This album is as good as anything he has done. So much of it is classic Lloyd Cole songwriting. This band is incredible. The groves are infectious. And every once in a while Lloyd sings really, really well. Vin Ordinaire is one of the truely greatest Lloyd Cole songs ever. And wow!!! Does the band rock on it or what?

I just want to know when Lloyd will make a stop in Omaha.

Here are the only three negative things I will ever say about Lloyd Cole: 1) aside from the entire player roster of the National Hockey League, he's the man most perennially in need of a shave since Richard Nixon, 2) how can you take a guy seriously when he's pushing forty and still calling himself a boy?, 3) he's never risen again to the peak of his best with the Commotions (e.g. Brand New Friend, Perfect Skin, Rattlesnakes). Well, annoyances 1 and 2 may still apply but these Negatives bring Lloyd back close to his Eighties glory, and it's a fine return indeed. We start off with Past Imperfect, where he apparently looks back on those years with something like incredulity, sung to a sound straight out of that past. Impossible Girl is Chapter Infinite of Lloyd's women problems with a nice universality -- she calls collect, you change all your plans, and, naturally, she doesn't show. In What's Wrong With This Picture we have the near impossible, an almost happy Lloyd discovering that there really is nothing wrong with that picture. "Smile, she said,...I'll look the other way until you regain your melancholy disposition..." Negative Attitude is another high point, a mid-tempo rocker, underpinned by a steady drum line and some nifty lead guitar, and once again a feint into near happiness. But this is Lloyd Cole after all. One doesn't buy him for happy and Vin Ordinaire brings us back to brood, I love her, she loves him. On Tried to Rock he has "four girl friends, no visible means of support,(and)lived on credit card rye bread." I don't believe it for a minute but it's a great pose. I'm Gone closes the CD in perfect form and image, bathrobe on the floor, open door, too short -- the romance and the song --, and departing "with a suitcase of memorabilia," he's done all too soon with this CD. Bottom line: when you're feeling sorry for yourself in love, no one's better company than Lloyd Cole and it's grand to have that persona back.