Lush - Lovelife

Lush's Lovelife (1996) is a, hook-laden Britpop album that marked a shift from their earlier shoegaze sound toward a more direct, melodic, and mainstream-friendly style. It features major singles like "Ladykillers" and "Single Girl," offering a witty, often dark, pop-oriented experience that is considered a strong, albeit slightly uneven highlight of the 1990s Britpop era. Lovelife moved away from the dreamy, high-pitched, heavy-effect sound of Spooky and Split toward a brighter, poppier, and more guitar-driven sound. Notable songs include the energetic "Ladykillers," the charming "500 (Shake Baby Shake)," the catchy "Single Girl," and "Ciao!" which features a duet with Jarvis Cocker. Lovelife was the band's third and final album before their initial split, representing a high point in their commercial success while showcasing a different, more direct, and often humorous side of their songwriting. 

Review by Mike Diver 2009

Although they produced three of the Britpop era’s best-loved singles – Ladykillers, the sublime 500 (you know the one: “shake baby, shake”) and Single Girl, all of which feature here – Lush’s first two albums were firmly entrenched in shoegaze territories, more Slowdive than Sleeper.

1996’s Lovelife, their third album, marked a shift in sound, from shimmering introspection to confidently upbeat indie and sparkling, hook-laden pop. But while the melodies became catchier the four-piece didn’t compromise their integrity, and this album represents no cynical pursuit of the pounds and pence that stacked up around Britpop’s finest acts (and, depressingly, many of its less-than-brilliant ones). Compared to albums of the time from the likes of Cast, Menswear and Shed Seven, all of which have dated terribly, Lovelife stands up well to contemporary scrutiny. It exudes a quality that, while not timeless, will remain obvious for some years yet.

There are several signs of its year of origin evident throughout its 12 tracks – scene idol Jarvis Cocker descends from his lofty perch above the wannabe pack to duet with singer Miki Berenyi on Ciao! (also the title of 2001’s greatest hits set) – but notable diversions from the Britpop path can cause a lump to swell in the throat. Papasan is a stripped-bare affair, the interwoven voices of Berenyi and Emma Anderson truly raising the hairs, and Tralala is the atmospheric opposite of its onomatopoeically jolly title, a downbeat delight.

Of course, Ladykillers and 500 are the hits, and evoke memories of teenage days where all possibilities seemed achievable, where one’s future wasn’t written by forefathers or schooling limitations. But nostalgia only elevates Lovelife so far – it’s the accomplished songwriting on show that ensures it should be as celebrated today as it was back when. It’s a true tragedy that the band’s upward trajectory was so dramatically halted in October 1996, when drummer Chris Acland committed suicide. Despite trying to soldier on, the band officially split in 1998.

An album tinged with a sense of sadness that didn’t appear quite so significant at the time of its original release, Lovelife is a bittersweet collection of songs crafted so well in the first place that they’ve effectively withstood the ravages of time. And those singles, with their sing-or-shout-along choruses, rightfully remain indie-club classics to this day.

Lush - Split

Lush's Split (1994) is critically re-evaluated as a sophisticated, emotionally charged masterpiece of dream-pop and shoegaze, often cited as their best work. Featuring standout tracks like "Desire Lines" and "Hypocrite," it offers a blend of moody soundscapes and pop melodies, heavily lauded for its improved production by Mike Hedges over their debut. "Desire Lines" is widely considered an "elegaic epic" and a high point of the album. Other favorites include the moody "Light From a Dead Star," the punk-pop inclined "Hypocrite," and "Blackout". Initially overlooked due to the waning popularity of shoegaze upon its 1994 release, it is now considered an essential, underrated album of the era. 

Review by Andy Kellman

Entire albums spent exploring the depths of the various nasty things surrounding romantic relationships were nothing new by the mid-'90s, but the vaguely cinematic and slightly conceptual Split is something more. Perhaps it's the manner in which each distinctive song manages to melt into the next. Or maybe it's the across-the-board improvements over Spooky. Most knew they were capable of more after the decent but flawed record, but it's doubtful many could have predicted something this thoroughly wonderful and varied. Throughout, Lush sounds confident and downright muscular, as opposed to the feathery wisps of earlier material that could be knocked down with the slightest of breezes. Miki Berenyi's high-heaven vocals have increased range, power, and presence. Chris Acland's drums propel the proceedings more than before, perhaps pushed into better realms by new bassist Phil King. Producer Mike Hedges knows just what to do with the band's elements, adding grace and balance that no other could previously achieve. Kudos as well to a bang-up job by mixmaster Alan Moulder. It's an ardent roller coaster ride, centered around the lengthy mourners "Desire Lines" (oddly a single) and "Never-Never," which clock in at eight minutes apiece. Berenyi effectively conveys the resigned and soul-deadened nature of the lyrics. "Blackout" and "Hypocrite" prove the band's ability to be more assaultive, laying the foundation for their sound on Lovelife. Through breezy pop ("Lit Up"), brief shards of electrocuting dread ("Invisible Man"), and tales of obsessive voyeurism ("Starlust"), Split touches on most forms of emotional turbulence. Not necessarily a comeback but certainly a legitimizing stunner, the record prevented the band from being lost amidst the bunker of form-over-function dream pop bands. Split shattered every negative aspect of those failed acts with flying colors. A fantastic record within any realm.

Lush - Spooky

With Lush's first proper full-length, 1992's Spooky, it becomes quite clear that this band possessed the substance to match its style. As part of the wave of British acts that were first slapped with the shoegaze tag—Ride, Slowdive, and Pale Saints among them—Lush's music was naturally defined by its seemingly endless ripples of delay, reverb, flange, and chorus. But the almost-supernatural power of frontwoman/guitarist Miki Berenyi and lead guitarist/vocalist Emma Anderson's vocal harmonies and intertwining guitar work set Lush apart from the shoegaze pack on a number of levels.
After a brief intro, Spooky launches straight into the stratosphere with "Nothing Natural," a pinnacle moment not only for Lush but for shoegaze/alternative across the board. Although Guthrie brings his soft-focus production once again, no amount of sonic soft-pedaling can contain the band's assuredness as it aspires to—and mostly reaches—a beauty so sublime that it pumps you up as much as it takes your breath away. Sure, Lush made melancholy, ethereal music, but such was the band's range during this period that none of the songs on Spooky conform strictly to one mood.
By turns dour, impatient, hopeful, and resigned, the album never runs out of shades. Uptempo numbers like "Laura" and "Superblast!" counterbalance the more reflective moments, which hit hardest on album closer "Monochrome," a song with a swaying underwater groove. In the chorus, Berenyi sings, "And sometimes I think if I stand by the phone it may ring/ And sometimes I worry and fear what tomorrow may bring," her voice drenched in reverb so she sounds less like a human than an apparition. It is one of several moments on Spooky where Lush's music verges on mind-altering.

Lush - Gala

Serving as an introduction to the U.S. market, Gala compiles the band's first three EPs and adds a couple outtakes. One thing that went overlooked about Lush was their ability to veer from violent and edgy noise breaks to pop effervescence. They were always capable of spewing out Saturday morning glow and Sunday evening doom from song to song. Their early reliance on sheets of distortion, buried vocals, and production issues didn't help this situation. As a result, their out-the-gate raw talent went rather unnoticed, evidenced on their earliest works. Scar demonstrated their under-appreciated diversity immediately. "Thoughtforms" is an example of their heavenly pop greatness, with the vocals sweeter and lighter than angel food cake. The haunting, atmospheric vocals and jittery tempos on the doomy "Second Sight" would end up laying the foundation for Chapterhouse's early material. Not a bad start. Guthrie and his beard hopped on board for the Mad Love EP, immediately chucking the guitars through the Guthrie-izer(tm). Most criticism of the EP pointed at the Cocteau Twin himself, who was accused of heavy-handedness. The guitars do sound a bit like Guthrie's own, but in a more assaultive, jabbing manner. A bad thing? No. All four tracks are goodies, from the cascading and shimmering walls of "De-Luxe" to the darker and heavier middle tracks. Production was an issue again on the Sweetness and Light EP. Tim Friese-Greene kind of polarizes the band's extreme ends, separating the noise and pop just a little too much. Despite a patched-on noise break during the title track, it's still one of the band's career highlights. 

Lush - Scar 12"EP

If there was one word to describe Lush, it would be understated. Hardcore shoegazers are most of who are aware of their significance to the genre's development through the late 1980's and early 1990's. But while starting a genre is quite an accomplishment, the band that popularized and mastered it is usually the one that takes all the glory (three guesses who). But while shoegazing would blossom into being mainly comprised of dense soundscapes and psychedelic effects, Scar shows how minimalistic song writing and simplicity can accomplish the same goal. Scar's biggest strength lies in its ability to convey atmosphere and mood with a minimum of production flourishes or instrumental finesse. Simple guitar riffs and uptempo drumming throw the seasoned listener off with a very different sound altogether. "Baby Talk" beings with an upbeat bass intro before the rest of the band comes in and vocalist Emma Anderson repeats the lines "Swallowed her down, she's inside me. She's struggling now, she can't break free. And my eyes are closed, my lips are sealed. She can't escape but I can feel." Morbid lyrics like these add to the eeriness of the hypnotic guitar riffs. The album highlight "Scarlet" makes use of some dissonant riffs over angelic vocals and repetitive drumming to create a unique and eerie atmosphere far more sinister than most of Lush's genre contemporaries with a roaring crescendo closing it out.

Meshing dreamy, feedback-drenched guitars with airy, catchy melodies, Lush were one of the most prominent shoegazing bands of the early '90s. Led by guitarists Miki Berenyi and Emma Anderson, the British band earned a cult following within the British and American undergrounds with its first EPs, yet the group never quite attained the critical respect given to its peers My Bloody Valentine and Ride. Even so, Lush lasted longer than any other of their contemporaries (with the exception of the Boo Radleys), developing sharp pop skills as their career progressed. By the time of their final album, 1996's Lovelife, they had converted themselves into a power pop band with dream pop overtones, which resulted in the greatest chart success of their career. Their success was dealt a blow when drummer Chris Acland committed suicide in the fall of 1996, effectively bringing the band to an end.
Miki Berenyi, Emma Anderson, Chris Acland, Steve Rippon (bass), and Meriel Barham (guitar) formed Lush in 1988 in London, England. Prior to the group's formation, school friends Berenyi and Anderson had collaborated on a fanzine together, as well as played in a number of other bands individually. Anderson, who had been working as a DHSS clerical assistant, had played bass with the Rover Girls, while Berenyi had been a member of I-Goat, Fuhrer Five, and the Lillies. Berenyi's then-boyfriend, Acland had previous played with several other groups as well, including Panik, Infection, and A Touch of Hysteria. Barham left Lush soon after the band's formation to form the Pale Saints, and the remaining members began playing around London, quickly earning a number of fans, including Robin Guthrie of the Cocteau Twins. Guthrie helped the band secure a contract with 4AD Records, and they released their acclaimed debut EP, Scar, in 1989. Lush supported the EP with opening tours for Loop and the Darling Buds, and by 1990, they had graduated to headlining tours of their own.
Throughout 1990, the band's reputation in the British music press began to grow as they released the acclaimed EPs Mad Love and Sweetness and Light, played high-profile gigs like the Glastonbury Festival, and became favourites of the music weeklies' gossip columns. Gala, an album compiling their three EPs, became the band's first American release at the end of 1990. Lush spent most of 1991 recording their debut album, releasing the Black Spring EP in the spring. Rippon left the band during the sessions, and was replaced by Philip King, a former picture researcher for NME and a previous member of Felt, Servants, and Biff Bang Pow. Lush finally released their delayed debut album, Spooky, in the spring of 1992. While the album sold well, reaching the British Top Ten and topping the U.K. indie charts, it was criticized in the press for Guthrie's heavy-handed production. The band supported the album in America by appearing on the second Lollapalooza tour, but their dream pop wasn't well-received by an audience hungry for metal. Lush released their second album, Split, in the summer of 1994 to mixed reviews. Split was lost in the twin waves of Brit-pop and American post-grunge, even though the band's song writing was more pop-oriented than ever.
After regrouping during 1995, Lush returned in early 1996 with Lovelife, an album that showcased a debt to the pop-single ideals of Brit-pop. The musical changeover paid off as "Single Girl" and "Ladykiller" became their two biggest hit singles, and the album became a British Top 20 hit; in America, it was their highest-charting album, even if it just scraped the charts at 189. Lush had completed their supporting tours and summer festival appearances when Chris Acland unexpectedly hanged himself in his parent's house on October 17, 1996. Devastated by his death, the remaining members of Lush went into a long period of mourning, eventually disbanding.