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Rating: Lush is the name of a cosmetics company founded in 1995 and present in Italy more or less since the late nineties. It spreads across the territory with small, unobtrusive shops, sporting green, yellow, and white signs; the cloud of fragrances escaping from its windows can be recognized from about ten meters away. I remember their forte was the colored balls to be thrown into the bathtub, some of which release extremely annoying little leaves that cling everywhere as you get out. But really everywhere. A couple of times, I found interesting gifts there in absolute lack of ideas, then ideas came to me later imagining her body wrapped in the embrace of the soap I had chosen for her.
Split is a city in Dalmatia where I have never been, Italian for a short period with the name Spalato; the only thing I know is Via Spalato in Milan. Let's play a little with Alchemy, and combine Lush with Split: with the same surprise as seeing the Moon pop out from the union of Sky and Cheese, here's what happens if we combine soap with Spalato. It results in a monumental dream-pop album birthed in the mid-90s by a British band that rightfully defines itself as Shoegaze. Lush - Emma Anderson, Chris Acland, Miki Berenyi, Phil King - remained active for about a decade starting in 1987. Then, possibly overshadowed by the Lush of the colored balls, they decided to disappear down the bathtub drain, leaving scattered along the trailing and yellowish stream of dying water various encrustations that won't come off, not even with the strongest spray. Compared to their debut "Spooky," this second stone seems more solid, a continuous quest for perfection; their goal is to find the balance between the looming wave of Brit Pop that will soon flood the United Kingdom and the beloved shoegaze of Ride, My Bloody Valentine, Medicine. If the first side of the scale is weighted down by fast, simple tracks - but never trivial - to listen to as the bell rings for the last hour in a nineties school ("Blackout," "Kiss Chase," the single "Hypocrite," practically the entire first half of the album), it is the material placed on the second side to balance the account that proves enlightening: the ear begins to shine where Lush free their emotions at the expense of the radio aspect, giving birth to long, smoke-dense tracks, black and white desires and lit street lamps ("Desire Lines," "Never-Never"), aircraft carriers of sound ("Undertow"), a voice smothered by an avalanche of Noise Pop ("Starlust"), slaps in 4/4 ("The Invisible Man").
It's a dual soul of Emma Anderson, punk fairy and pop witch, always able to keep her voice in an ethereal dimension, observing from above the mud and root-laden ground built by her instrumentalists. And whenever she wants, she throws a rainbow over it, stopping only on one note. Three albums for Lush, "Lovelife" will follow shortly, then the soap ball will break into small independent fragments. All things considered, "Split" will be the one that sells the least.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 Kiss Chase (03:17)
(Berenyi)
Tiny children on their own, they learn so fast
How to make new friends, how to play their new games
I remember a man he had shiny hair
Always hanging around when you went away
Little eight year old, she knows too many secrets
Much too young to understand what it means
I remember a woman with silver hair
And the smell and the taste of the bed we shared
And that's how I behaved
Every time that you went away
And now, though I'm older nothing's changed
(playing the same games)
And I knew every day
Came a chance that you'd leave me
So I found what I could to take your place
Told me not to cry
Said that I'd survive
As he waved goodbye
And I want to try
Not to make you cry
Want us to survive
Never say goodbye
But that's how I behave when you go away
Because though I'm older nothing's changed
(playing the same games)
And I know every day
There's a chance that you'll leave me
So I find what I can to take your place
04 Hypocrite (02:53)
Silly girl I run around and never know my reasons
And though you're laughing with me I know what you say about me
I can't explain
It's not your business anyway
So don't say you understand
And don't pretend you're on my side
And I remember when you hated her for sleeping next to him
I see your smiling face but I know you've done worse than me
You hypocrite
Don't talk to me cos you're not fit to know me
So don't pretend that you could've ever been a friend
And still I'm sure you think it's OK what you've done to me
Cos I'm so bad to him
Don't even try to hide behind that stupid lie
I know your kind and I know where your loyalties lie
Silly girls we run around and never know our reasons
And though I understand I guess I say that you betrayed me
I'm a hypocrite
I dish it out but I can't take it I know
You think its wrong but maybe you're right but this is my song
And still I'm sure you think that it's OK what she did to me
Cos I'm so bad to him
Dont even try to hide behind that stupid smile
I know our kind, and I know where our loyalties lie
05 Lovelife (03:56)
(Anderson)
You are the one
In your concrete arms I adore you
Dirty and dear
Block out the sun
In your twists and turns I invade
You show me no fear
We blow around like tiny leaves in a big storm
Finding there's nothing left to breathe or to keep warm
You ebb and flow and your rhythm beats my head
Leave me alone while you swallow up your dead
You are the one
You cradle me and kill
Caressing my face
Leave me undone
You suffocate and have me
This is the place
Every door conceals a dream and a nightmare
Nothing is ever really pure in the stale air
And when it's dark everything becomes more clear
Lie in the park when I want to have you near
You are the one
In your concrete arms I adore you
Dusty and dear
Block out the sun
In your twists and turns I invade
You show me no fear
Left it unsung
I shall leave but I'll return
Poison my lungs, my blood is full of lead
Things unsaid
My love for you still burns
06 Desire Lines (07:39)
(Anderson)
It's raining in this room
And it's so hot outside this room
I don't know no one here
I don't want to be here
In this room
We hold parties in our sleep
We fill ourselves up in our sleep
And I'll heal you when you're ill
Though it's hard keeping still
In our sleep
Pries the hair out of her mouth
Whilst the circus is heading south
While we search in the sand
Don't ask them to understand
Why they cover up their hands
And their mouths
07 The Invisible Man (02:16)
Oooh
Outside you are waiting for me, hiding
You catch me when I am
Needing a friend to hold
You can soothe me, lie above me
Press hard
Then you strike
And I think that I'll die
'Cause I can't breathe, can't breathe
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Oooh
Please let me start screaming
Eyes are open seeing nothing
Hands are tied and I can't function
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
Please let me start screaming
08 Undertow (04:58)
So you want to be alone
Run and hide inside your home
Watch you fall away from me
Sinking into misery
Taste your smile and hold my hand
Make you laugh and make you dance
I remember this
Everything was in our kiss
Sink my hands into the sea
Reach your fingers up to me
Trust me one more time I can only try
Throw yourself to me
And I'll try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
Let me try to pull you free
11 Starlust (04:32)
(Anderson/Berenyi)
Walking at midnight
In the darkness, alone
Standing in the shadows
And I'm watching your glow
Standing in the red light
And I'm smiling at you
Dreaming of the starlight
Just waiting for you
I'll do anything to
Make you mine, make me shine
Take me if you want me
I don't care, I don't mind
I want your starlight
Make it mine, make me shine
Touch me with your light
And I'll burn like a star
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