| Love and Other Demons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Label | Food [1] | |||
| Producer | Paul Corkett, Strangelove | |||
| Strangelove chronology | ||||
| ||||
Love and Other Demons is the second album by the English band Strangelove, released in 1996. [2] [3] The first single was "Living with the Human Machines". [4]
The album peaked at No. 44 on the UK Albums Chart. [5]
The album was produced by Paul Corkett and the band. [6] Frontman Patrick Duff had to push himself into short periods of sobriety to work on the songs; he entered rehab after the recording sessions were completed. [6] Brett Anderson contributed backing vocals to "She's Everywhere". [7] "Sway" addresses Duff's alcoholism. [8]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| NME | 7/10 [11] |
| Martin C. Strong | 6/10 [12] |
NME wrote that "it's easy to dismiss Love And Other Demons as just another load of maudlin toss, but, as a refreshing counterfoil to the current dizzgo pop Bis-ness, it's reason enough to occasionally stop the gladness." [11] The Guardian opined that the "music has grown smooth, and frankly a trifle Adult Orientated ... True, 'Beautiful Alone' might very well be The Smiths, and 'Casualties' builds to a roaring guitar maelstrom, but elsewhere it's strings, piano and tasteful harmonies." [13] The Observer noted that the album "sounded like a series of exorcisms, particularly its beautiful keynote 'Sway'." [8]
The Sunday Times called the album "classy and assured" and noted the "uncommonly poignant lyrics." [14] The South China Morning Post determined that "Strangelove are also masters of the crescendo—'Casualties' starts calmly, but climaxes with a cascade of grinding power chords." [7] The Times concluded that Strangelove's "emotional strength lies in a certain heroic despair." [15]
AllMusic wrote that "this is the equivalent of a dormitory's ubiquitous sourpuss reading Proust only when other people are watching." [9]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Living with the Human Machines" | |
| 2. | "Beautiful Alone" | |
| 3. | "Sway" | |
| 4. | "20th Century Cold" | |
| 5. | "She's Everywhere" | |
| 6. | "#1432" | |
| 7. | "Casualties" | |
| 8. | "Spiders and Flies" | |
| 9. | "Elin's Photograph" | |
| 10. | "The Sea of Black" |
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