# While I am speaking of rather obscure artists from the 80s, LLoyd Cole and the Commotions

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** music
**Created:** [November 21, 2022, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296 "2022-11-21T05:52:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/1 "2022-11-21T05:52:22Z")

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The album Rattlesnakes. Loved it when it came out in 84 , forgot about it until now. I’ve just played the first song, Perfect Skin, will save the rest of the album for another deliver day drive.

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### Author: ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/2 "2022-11-21T06:09:53Z")

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The Unforgiven. 4 guitars, bass and a drummer that stood up. They were fuckin’ great!

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### Author: ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/3 "2022-11-21T06:21:24Z")

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> [@Mike\_Mabes](#):
>
> The album Rattlesnakes.

It’s on my permanent playlist. Why _Are You Ready to be Heartbroken?_ wasn’t released as a single, I’ll never know, it’s close to perfection (_Rattlesnakes_ the song _is_ perfection).

I also love _Mainstream_, and about _half_ of _Easy Pieces_. And his [solo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH74tgueBJY) stuff isn’t bad, either.

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### Author: ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/4 "2022-11-21T08:18:12Z")

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one of the soundtracks of my youth, If you like them, try some Prefab Sprout as well.

“Brand New Friend” is my favourite.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_KqWjNryjYA/maxresdefault.jpg "Lloyd Cole And The Commotions - Brand New Friend") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KqWjNryjYA)

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### Author: ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/5 "2022-11-21T08:52:20Z")

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with double pneumonia in a single room…

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### Author: ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/6 "2022-11-21T13:50:16Z")

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> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#):
>
> Prefab Sprout

Other bands I’d class somewhere with LC&TC include, yes, Prefab Sprout. Also (early) [The The](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKfJ-bAVEgQ), [Deacon Blue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsjDnLII1Go), [Go Betweens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M_P_xX9Cmw), [The Blue Nile](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4R4hAA6wGc), [Danny Wilson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rzJDyfTav8) and [Orange Juice](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zHoaLl9340). Maybe [The Housemartins](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIWOhisqrP8), or maybe they’re off to one side.

A certain jangle-pop or sophisti-pop sensibility and clever lyrics that hide some acidity, I think, is the unifier there.

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### Author: ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/7 "2022-11-21T15:32:19Z")

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> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> A certain jangle-pop or sophisti-pop sensibility and clever lyrics that hide some acidity, I think, is the unifier there.

Aztec Camera as well perhaps, Deep and Wide and Tall is worth a listen.

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4rRJ3unERtY/maxresdefault.jpg "Aztec Camera - Deep Wide and Tall (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rRJ3unERtY)

And perhaps half a musical generation on we get to Teenage Fanclub and Belle and Sebastian who seem to occupy some of that same space. (there’s a lot of Scotland going on here)

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JgyRa_7yd3I/hqdefault.jpg "Teenage Fanclub - December") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgyRa_7yd3I)

[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VWiM2Ww58WU/hqdefault.jpg "Belle & Sebastian-i could be dreaming") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiM2Ww58WU)

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### Author: ![tuesdayweld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@tuesdayweld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuesdayweld)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2022, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/8 "2022-11-22T03:59:49Z")

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Same here, and wow - another Prefab Sprout fan! Two Wheels Good (aka Steve McQueen) is about as close to perfection lyrically as an album can get, IMHO.

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### Author: ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2022, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/9 "2022-11-22T05:07:52Z")

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I was a big fan of his first solo album Lloyd Cole  
Played it a lot back when it came out, and it surfaced in my cd pack and ended up being played in the car a bit recently.

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### Author: ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/while-i-am-speaking-of-rather-obscure-artists-from-the-80s-lloyd-cole-and-the-commotions/975296/10 "2022-11-22T15:10:07Z")

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https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oik-LGcf9X0?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=PL9AC092C1773E07EB

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yLJVOAZ8Ahk/hqdefault.jpg "The Expression - Nothing Changes") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLJVOAZ8Ahk)
