Lloyd Cole
From his days in the mid-'80s with his band the Commotions to his solo debut last year, Cole has been a songwriter who bears comparison with folks like the solo Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello. The problem was his tendency to strike one moody pose too many and make records too cold to be cool. But with this album, he keeps the artiness in check and turns material so sweet and soothing, every song leaves the listener aching to hear another.
This is easygoing stuff with a minimum of decibels. The first half is full of jangly tunes with irresistible choruses. Almost imperceptibly, each song gets a little slower than the last. By the time you get to "There for Her" and "Margo's Waltz," Cole's guitar is playing second fiddle to the gentler strains of a Hammond organ.
If it weren't for all the problems the men in the lyrics seem to have with women, these songs would provide perfect make-out music. (Capitol)
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