Godhead (album)

Last updated
Godhead
Godhead.jpg
Studio album by
Released1990
RecordedSummer of 1989 at Pet Sounds Studios - Glasgow, Scotland
Genre Alternative rock, dream pop, post-punk
Length38:34 (original edition)/57:35 (2006 CD reissue)
Label Nightshift Records
LTM
Producer Ted Blakeway and Lowlife
Lowlife chronology
Black Sessions and Demos
(1988)
Godhead
(1990)
From a Scream to a Whisper
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Godhead was Lowlife's third album, released in 1990 in Scotland on Nightshift Records, an independent music record label. The LP had been recorded at Pet Sounds Studios in Glasgow, Scotland. Prior to the recording of the album, original guitarist Stuart Everest had been asked to leave the group by the other bandmembers, and was replaced by Hamish McIntosh. LTM Recordings reissued much of the band's entire back catalogue on CD, and released Godhead in August 2006, with five bonus tracks taken from the band's unreleased "Black Sessions" demo album.

Lowlife (band)

Lowlife was a Scottish alternative rock/dream pop band, active from 1985 to 1997. Although the group never obtained mainstream popularity, they developed a cult following that continues to this day.

Scotland Country in Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Sharing a border with England to the southeast, Scotland is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast, the Irish Sea to the south, and the North Channel to the southwest. In addition to the mainland, situated on the northern third of the island of Great Britain, Scotland has over 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides.

Independent music is music produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing. The term indie is sometimes used to describe a genre, and as a genre term, "indie" may include music that is not independently produced, and many independent music artists do not fall into a single, defined musical style or genre and create self-published music that can be categorized into diverse genres. The term ‘indie’ or ‘independent music’ can be traced back to as early as the 1920’s after it was first used to reference independent film companies but was later used as a term to classify an independent band or record producer.

Contents

The album received critical acclaim, but not a significant amount of mainstream attention. Martin Aston, of Music Week said of the album: "Lowlife's Godhead takes us back to that classic case of a band who never reap enough acclaim because they won't play the game, but they deserve serious attention" [2] The Catalogue gave the album 4 stars, stating: "Lowlife cast aside past references and perceptions with the most evocatively impressive music. It would be unforgivable if this album remains totally unnoticed" [3]

Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry. It is published by Future.

Track listing

  1. "In Thankful Hands" - 3:43
  2. "Where I Lay, I'll Lie" - 3:52
  3. "Marjory's Dream" - 3:19
  4. "I Don't Talk to Me" - 3:05
  5. "Drowning Leaves" - 2:18
  6. "Bittersweet" - 4:12
  7. "River of Woe" - 3:01
  8. "I the Cheated" - 3:25
  9. "Missing the Kick" - 3:45
  10. "Forever Filthy" - 3:43
  11. "Neverending Shroud" 4:05

Bonus Tracks on 2006 CD Reissue (from "The Black Sessions" demos):

  1. "The Beggar's Burning Bush" – 3:41
  2. "Moved to Tears" – 3:54
  3. "Acrid Tongue" – 2:43
  4. "River of Woe" – 3:35
  5. "Where I Lay, I'll Lie" – 4:15

All tracks were written by Will Heggie/Craig Lorentson/Hamish McIntosh/Grant McDowall

Personnel

Lowlife consisted of:

Guitar fretted string instrument

The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that usually has six strings. It is typically played with both hands by strumming or plucking the strings with either a guitar pick or the finger(s)/fingernails of one hand, while simultaneously fretting with the fingers of the other hand. The sound of the vibrating strings is projected either acoustically, by means of the hollow chamber of the guitar, or through an electrical amplifier and a speaker.

Will Heggie is a Scottish musician. He co-founded the Cocteau Twins in 1980 with Robin Guthrie, and served as the bassist for them until 1983. Immediately after departing the Cocteau Twins, he helped form Lowlife and played bass with them from 1983 to 1997.

Bass guitar Electric bass instrument

The bass guitar is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, except with a longer neck and scale length, and four to six strings or courses.

Additional personnel

Keyboard instrument class of musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard

A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The most common of these are the piano, organ, and various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers and digital pianos. Other keyboard instruments include celestas, which are struck idiophones operated by a keyboard, and carillons, which are usually housed in bell towers or belfries of churches or municipal buildings.

Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices and computer software, such as sequencers and workstations, to generate sounds of musical instruments. Programming is used in most electronic music and hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in "modern" pop and rock music from various regions of the world, and sometimes in jazz and contemporary classical music.

Record producer Individual who oversees and manages the recording of an artists music

A record producer or music producer oversees and manages the sound recording and production of a band or performer's music, which may range from recording one song to recording a lengthy concept album. A producer has many, varying roles during the recording process. They may gather musical ideas for the project, collaborate with the artists to select cover tunes or original songs by the artist/group, work with artists and help them to improve their songs, lyrics or arrangements.

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References

  1. Godhead at AllMusic
  2. Guthrie, Brian. "Lowlife Biography". LTM Recordings. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  3. Guthrie, Brian. "Lowlife Biography". LTM Recordings. Retrieved 3 September 2015.