Lloyd Cole - Anti Depressant

year 2006 * Adult Alternative Pop/ Rock * Singer/ Songwriter

review: Lloyd Cole is part of a select (though not exactly enviable) group of musicians that have either been criminally overlooked by the general public, or are just too good for mainstream tastes. You will inevitably find a few of these "cult artists" among the top 5 favorites of most of those appreciative music fans with "discriminating tastes." It's safe to assume the people most likely to purchase this record are already fans of Lloyd. They should recognize similarities to the last two records ("The Negatives" & "Music in a Foreign Language"), and it is a typical solid effort from Lloyd (lots of highlights and no filler). The first four songs are the strongest, and had me wondering if this was going to rank among his best records....which I think are: "Rattlesnakes," "Lloyd Cole" (solo debut) and "The Negatives." While the remaining seven songs are good, they are not strong enough to gain top 3 status. The trademark clever wordplay is still there, and it is encouraging to see Lloyd's lyrics getting more political ("The Young Idealists"). Lloyd Cole and the Commotions and The Smiths are generally regarded as two of the most "literate" bands of the 1980's. Ironically enough, this record was released in England on the same label (Sanctuary) that helped resurrect Morrissey's career. Maybe lightning will strike twice, and help Lloyd to either gain some new fans or reaquaint himself with some of his old fans.