Lowlife
Godhead

I am a fan of Lowlife and have literally worn out albums like "Permanent Sleep" and "Diminuendo." I've always found their music, at least since I got to know the band, a great mix of melancholic moods in various shades, all without ever falling into the schmaltzy or pathetic. In short: with Lowlife, it was love at first listen!

The band that never left their homeland (so I read in a brief biography of theirs), the quintessential underrated band, in short: the “cult” band, had something more to add after the two magnificent masterpieces mentioned above, which were ignored by the general public at the time.

It's 1989 and after the departure of guitarist Everest, replaced by a fellow named Hamish Mackintosh, the lineup began to show some signs of compositional fatigue. Adding to this, as if it were not enough, the eternal misfortune that has constantly accompanied them since the beginning, the chronic alcoholism of leader Craig Lorentson, and internal disagreements of various kinds.

Yes, but the album? I can already hear those in the front row asking for clarity on that. The album, honestly, I don't find ugly or even boring. There are some interesting ideas, and fortunately, the "Dream Pop" trademark of the esteemed Scottish firm hasn't faded. However, it must be admitted that the songs contained in "Godhead" fail to replicate the emotions of the pieces contained in those two gems that made the quartet famous among the more attentive New Wave enthusiasts.

The dream pop sometimes seems to tend towards more “easy” drifts and, beware, some "synth" elements are introduced.

If you simply can’t do without owning their brief discography, get it without much questioning.

If instead, you always and in any case demand freshness, originality, and that irrational “quid” that decreed the (posthumous?) success of Lowlife, well, stick to the more convincing works of this fascinating combo.