Lloyd Cole & The Commotions - Live At The BBC Volume 1 / Live At The BBC Volume 2

Confusing compendiums of radio broadcasts

Rather than present Cole’s entire Beeb output on an easy-tonegotiate five-disc set, the compilers have opted for three separate releases which, while marking out specific periods in his career, threaten to overwhelm the casual browser. It’s therefore RC’s duty to mark the individual signposts for punters. Hope you’re all paying attention...

Volume 1 of The Commotions offerings basically covers the sessions recorded between the group’s first two albums (Rattlesnakes and Easy Pieces), with an inevitable slant towards songs from the former. Volume 2 brings together a paltry six tracks from studio sessions on one disc, plus their 1986 Glastonbury set on a second disc.

The solo Cole release, again a double-disc set, dates from the 90s and includes two broadcasts from the In Concert series, augmented by a quartet of acoustic performances recorded for Nicky Campbell’s show. There’s little difference between much of the material and the commercially available releases, Lloyd opting to recreate the originals as faithfully as possible. The spirited charge through Elvis Presley’s Mystery Train on Volume 2 is one of the few surprises, and a total of six versions of Perfect Skin across the whole bunch might be overcooking things for even the most ardent fan.

All Universal | cat nos tbc

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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