Rattlesnakes

Quite a nice little album. Certainly never would have found it otherwise.

Quality is up and down a lot. I think there’s an excellent EP in here.

Jangly guitars with plenty of chorus, airy synths, reverb drenched vocals, heartfelt lyrics.

I know this kind of music isn’t “cool” but I’m a sucker for this kind of thing.

White noise

The music was decent but I just couldn't stand Lloyd's vocals. Favorite track: Forest Fire

Для идеального прослушивания (без сна) этого альбома нужно включать одну песню из Rattlesnakes, а затем песню из репертуара Suicide Silence

“We have Dire Straits at home” vibes up and down this record. I like it more than a lot of the synth-pop style New Wave that was destroying radio by 1984, but this… Honky Tonk New Wave? Roadhouse New Wave? Country & Wave-stern? never took over or made a big enough splash to mean much to music history… or did it? Maybe this aided the country music crossover that would eventually give us Sheryl Crow, Shania Twain, and all the bro country in the radio today? I fear I’m reaching for meaning, and also terrified to be right, so I’ll shut up.

I still need some convincing as to why we aren’t letting this one rest in peace back in 1984, but I might be re-listening to this until I get it. Woof. Absolutely not how I thought this review would end when I started writing it.

Highlights:
When Lloyd Cole says “vITimins” in “Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?” Nothing says C ountry like British pronunciation.
All of the twinkly guitar fills that help sew the seeds for Midwest Emo in the 2000s.

2.0

Rattlesnakes is a pretty decent album. I haven't really heard anything from Lloyd Cole or his band, The Commotions, but by listening to this album, i feel a strong bit of R.E.M. vibes from it with maybe a few extra synths that i feel that the R.E.M. albums that i have listened to did not have. But other than that, it seems to mark a lot of the same checks like the vocals and the general direction with the melodies and of course, having very similar sounding guitars. While i don't think this album is as good as any R.E.M. album i have heard, I still think this album is a fairly solid listen which breezes through without feeling like its missing anything.
Best Song: Down On Mission Street
Worst Song: Forest Fire

Another one I had never heard of. Decent, but ultimately not that memorable. 2.5/5

Pretty nice.

Pretty decent 80s sound, enjoyable but nothing too mindblowing.

Standouts: Perfect Skin • Speedboat • Patience • Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken?

This album is just so lame. Acoustic guitar nonsense

Kelpo rock-levy, mutta ei myöskään ihmeellinen. 3/5

The Good: We are warned to be attentive to rattling sounds!
The Bad: This rattlesnake has lost its rattle…
The Ugly: Getting fuckin’ bitten…

What in the actual fuck?
This album contains 1 listenable song, which happens to be the first song on the album, and also the only real hit Lloyd ever managed to score… Why? Because his voice is annoying as hell and only works ones.

So, though I started off the album thinking “this might be fun”, I quickly found myself trampling bushes, hoping that there was a rattlesnake lying in hiding, ready to strike and take me out of my fucking misery.

Not scoring this album 1* due to Perfect Skin...

YABA!!!!
(Yet Another British Album)
Lately, a whole string of these; they must comprise 80% of the list. At least this one is short.
Nothing special, Temu Morrissey sounds. 2*

Constent musical movement

Five songs in and I was loving life and this was a sure fire 5 star. Then there was the back to back of Charlotte Street and 2cv which really did bore me. Luckily the rest of the album picked up again but those two songs are keeping it from top marks.

Top Track - Four Flights Up

Despite its polished sound and clever references, 𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 feels oddly lifeless. The songs blend into one another with little variation, and the emotional impact never quite lands. It’s all very tasteful — but far too tame to leave a mark.

Forgettable

You've got to love random timing. I'm currently reading Limmy's autobiography. Look up "Limmy Lloyd Cole" on YouTube for a wee rage filled treat and to discover what a miserable snob old Lloyd is. The video is Limmy reacting to Lloyd's review of his book on BBC Radio 4. My opinion of Lloyd is even lower having now read most of Limmy's brutally honest, sad and funny book.

Anyway I loved this album as a teenager and I'm not changing my mind about it now. The lyrics can be incredibly pretentious but that's part of its youthful charm. Neil Clark's guitar playing is up there with early Johnny Marr. But the arrangements are more mainstream 80s pop than The Smiths.