While their roots were in a dreamy post-shoegazing area, Lush abandoned all of that in 1996 to go the way of the newest trend—Britpop. The four-piece band did everything precisely by the books as laid out by Elastica, Blur, Pulp, etc. The band delivered an album heavily laden with pop melodies, occasional electronic flourishes, and “hip” arrangements. Everything that others did right, Lush did very wrong on their uninspired third and final release.
Lovelife marked the official end of the road for Lush. Oddly enough, it also gave the four-piece band their only hit stateside in album opener Ladykillers. In retrospect, the song is dull in comparison to the work of many of their contemporaries. Lovelife was clearly the work of a band struggling to stay afloat in the changing musical tides. Early on, they found a cult following with their frequently released EPs on 4AD but Lush came about a bit too late—formed in 1988 London their melancholia was for a while relevant but come the mid-1990’s was passé.
Led by childhood pals and guitarists Emma Anderson and Miki Berenyi (who was also the vocalist) and rounded out by Christopher Acland (drums) and bassist Phillip King (who replaced Steve Rippon in 1992), Lush released but three full-length albums in their tenure. The official breakup came in 1998—a full two years after Acland hanged himself. Lovelife is the last impression the band gave to fans, albeit an unrepresentative one.
What is particularly disconcerting about Lovelife is the music. Sure it can be entertaining, but at the same time it seems forced, unnatural, and uninspired. Like I said above, it’s cut from the exact cloth that Elastica wove. Of course, there is something to be said for first impressions, and my first impression of this Lush release is mostly positive. The problem is that these ten years later, I can see it for what it is. It is an attempt to be trendy, with-it, and hip to Britpop. It’s too little, too late for the previously popular band.
Ladykillers sparkles with energy, jagged beats, and outstanding performances. It’s easy to see why it was a hit. Berenyi’s vocals are heavy with punk attitude (sounds like she heard quite a few Sex Pistols albums over the years) and the song positively reeks of radio-ready glee. I particularly enjoy as the frenetic song nears the end and it momentarily breaks and simultaneously features just a voice and handclap. It works so well and sets the stage for what could have been a striking and wholly entertaining album. As it is, it leaves me chanting alongside Berenyi:
Ooh, you're such a ladykiller, always on a winner, thinking that you're in there
Oh boy, you're such a ladykiller, super sexy mister, call it what you will, oh
You think you're such a ladykiller, I just bet you're still there, posing in the mirror
Hey girls, he's such a ladykiller, but we know where he's coming from and we know the score.
As Lovelife continues on, I’m immediately impressed by the second track. The Hives clearly used Heavenly Nobodies for inspiration on their album Tyrannosaurus Hives. Funny thing is that I’m more impressed by The Hives than Lush. A good song for sure, but it doesn’t seem to go anywhere of note. 500 (Shake Baby Shake) is an annoyingly sweet, child-like song. It’s high-pitched and short and definitely not worth too much attention. I’ve Been Here Before is a somewhat intense mid-tempo track. It works relatively well but overall it fails to really stick despite the sweet Beatle-esque melody.
Papasan is similarly unremarkable, but my main problem is with the lack of direction and unemotional delivery. Fortunately, Single Girl picks up the pace again. Returning to the jagged guitars, upbeat melody, and kinetic pace of Ladykillers it is easily one of the most memorable moments of Lovelife. Nearly as interesting is the duet between Berenyi and Jarvis Cocker (Pulp). Of course at the time Pulp was at the forefront of Britpop so by just having him on this album it speaks to the respect that Lush once commanded. The strange, chunk-chunking arrangement and irresistible melody are what make it one of the best.
The second half of Lovelife takes a turn for the worse. Tralala is an atonal, painfully directionless ballad. Last Night goes into the odd, unnecessary territory of Trip Hop. Lush is not a trip hop band. The mid-tempo, trippy direction does not work in the context of this album. However, maybe had they done a whole album with this in mind it may have worked at least as well as the mediocre Lovelife. Runaway and The Childcatcher are momentary returns to form. In the same vein (although not nearly as attractive) as Single Girl and Ladykillers they provide the occasional semi-interesting moment. However, The Childcatcher is so high-pitched that it proves more annoying that entertaining by a long shot.
Lovelife wraps up with another ballad. Olympia is easily the best ballad on the album. It’s soft, acoustic, gentle, and emotional. The honesty is a welcome relief, especially considering the lack of depth and emotion on so much of the rest of the album. I also adore the acoustic guitars, rich vocal harmonies, and strings are glorious. It proves that Lush had talent, but that they didn’t know where to go or what to do next.
I’m torn over Lovelife. On one hand I adore Ladykillers, Ciao!, Single Girl, and Olympia but on the other hand I am unmoved by at least half of the songs. I want to love the album on the whole but I cannot. Inconsistent, unfocused, uninspired, and un-Lush the disc is also an unfortunate last impression despite the one hit.
Rating: 2.5/5 stars (rounded up because a few of the songs are REALLY good)
Track Listing:
01. Ladykillers
02. Heavenly Nobodies
03. 500 (Shake Baby Shake)
04. I’ve Been Here Before
05. Papasan
06. Single Girl
07. Ciao!
08. Tralala
09. Last Night
10. Runaway
11. The Childcatcher
12. Olympia
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