Notes On Music By Lloyd Cole: The Album Is Dead, But I’ll Go Down With It

Lloyd Cole first made a name for himself in 1984 with the Commotions, the British band he founded in Scotland before relocating to New York City four years later. Since, he has released records both as a solo artist and with the Negatives. Now based in western Massachusetts, Cole recently formed the Small Ensemble. The trio is joined by the likes of Fred Maher, Joan Wasser and Kendall Meade for new album Broken Record (Tapete), Cole’s first “rock” LP in almost a decade. Cole will also be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new Q&A with him. Says Cole as an introduction/disclaimer for his guest-editing posts, “I am 50 years old. More than twice the age I was when I began making music. I have developed opinions, certainly, and these opinions have evolved, but I can only speak for myself. I am still astonished by music. I am still perplexed by it. I am still moved by it. I am still revulsed by it. And I am more and more confused by how others make use of music in their lives. Music seems to be everywhere. Here are some of my thoughts on it.”

Cole: Sure, shuffle mode can create wonderfully unexpected juxtapositions, the playlist is now ubiquitous, and it’s much easier to create than the mix tape of yore. All good. In the iTunes environment, the listener is boss. I ask just one pause: Please don’t dismiss out of hand album running orders. You may well come up with a better one for your personal listening pleasure (it’s much easier once you’ve deleted the rotten tracks, right?), but please don’t automatically assume that your order will be optimal. Give the artist’s running order a try first. Live with it a little while. That is that is the album we made. The running order is an integral element. Then, if you hate it, feel free to do as you will.