L (Godley & Creme album)

Last updated

L
Lalbum.svg
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 1978
RecordedMarch–June 1978; Surrey Sound Studios
Genre
Length34:22
Label Mercury Records
Producer Kevin Godley, Lol Creme
Godley & Creme chronology
Consequences
(1977)
L
(1978)
Freeze Frame
(1979)
Singles from L
  1. "Sandwiches of You" / "Foreign Accents"
    Released: 5 January 1979 [2]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Birmingham Post Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]

L is the second album by Godley & Creme. It was released in 1978. At 34 minutes, it is less than a third as long as the group's previous effort, the ill-received triple concept album Consequences (1977). Despite this, L was also not received well commercially.

Contents

The songs contain much variation and artistry, dissonances, complex time signatures and melodies, poetic lyrics, and some echoes from Frank Zappa's Over-Nite Sensation (1973). Zappa is even name-checked on the song "Art School Canteen." The album was played almost completely by Godley and Creme, except for saxophones, and a brief vocal cameo by Paul Gambaccini.

The lyrics retained the satirical stance of some 10cc material, with songs such as "The Sporting Life" and "Art School Canteen", which deal with suicide and art school angst.

The album cover depicts an "L-plate", used in some countries to designate vehicles with novice drivers ("Learner"). Although the duo were generally known as 'Godley and Creme', the original cover merely repeats their surnames around its perimeter (on the back) and delineates their 'group' name as 'Godley + Creme' on the spine.

Track listing

Side 1
  1. "This Sporting Life" – 7:25
  2. "Sandwiches of You" – 3:17
  3. "Art School Canteen" – 3:00
  4. "Group Life" – 4:11
Side 2
  1. "Punchbag" – 4:44
  2. "Foreign Accents" – 4:37
  3. "Hit Factory/Business Is Business" – 7:08

Personnel

Credits sourced from the original album liner notes and "Sound International" [6]

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References

  1. Push. "1978". Electronic Sound. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  2. "Fact Sheets" (PDF). Music Week . 13 January 1979. p. 27. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. Allan, Mark. L at AllMusic
  4. Cowen, Andrew (14 August 2004). "CD Reviews: It's too little and too late". Birmingham Post. Birmingham Post and Mail: 52 via ProQuest.
  5. Smith, Robin (19 August 1978). "Driving without L plates at last" (PDF). Record Mirror: 24 via World Radio History.
  6. Denyer, Ralph (October 1978). "Godley & Creme". Sound International (Oct 1978): 34–37.