Loveblows & Lovecries: A Confession

[3LB]

I finally got my hands on a copy of this a few months ago, and I have obcessed it since. This is No-man's debut album, and starkly different than everything that came after. Having more in common with Depeche Mode's Violator than anything remotely involving Steve Wilson's later work, some elements of Loveblows did bleed over into Porcupine Tree's On The Sunday Of Life, but this style was ditched for a darker, meloncolic, brooding and beatless motif on later No-man albums... and its a damn shame.
Sounding like a cross between DM's Violator and Roxy Music's Avalon, Wilson melds aspects of '70s art rock, '80s techno as well as an unexpected depth of production. Synths and drum program are used to augment live musicians on bass on drums. Of course there's Steve Wilson's guitar, but then there is also flourishes of Hammond organ, flute and lilting Grappeli-esque violin. Tim Bowness' vocal style is perfect for this as its similar to Bryan Ferry, but more disembodied and understated.
Never has techno-based art pop sounded so organic.

I have had a couple of these songs for years, thanks to Demetrio's comps. I have waited for this album to be reissued forever, but after seeing that this album had been largely ignored, its no wonder only one of the songs ever made it to an official compilation. I've seen this OOP CD on Amazon.com for anywhere from $30-$50 used, but wouldn't spend that kinda jack. Then I saw one posted for $15 so I swooped in and got it. After listening to it a dozen or so times, it would have been worth the big bucks.

Its a crime that '80s groove driven art pop like OMD, Erasure, New Order, Depeche Mode and others get lumped into the same techno genre as Jump In The Fire and Right Said Fred and other 64 beat-per-second dance tripe that followed. Loveblows & Lovecries is pure genius. Any fan of albums like Avalon, Technique and Violator needs to hear this album.

[Swish]

I finally got my hands on a copy of this a few months ago, and I have obcessed it since. This is No-man's debut album, and starkly different than everything that came after. Having more in common with Depeche Mode's Violator than anything remotely involving Steve Wilson's later work, some elements of Loveblows did bleed over into Porcupine Tree's On The Sunday Of Life, but this style was ditched for a darker, meloncolic, brooding and beatless motif on later No-man albums... and its a damn shame.
Sounding like a cross between DM's Violator and Roxy Music's Avalon, Wilson melds aspects of '70s art rock, '80s techno as well as an unexpected depth of production. Synths and drum program are used to augment live musicians on bass on drums. Of course there's Steve Wilson's guitar, but then there is also flourishes of Hammond organ, flute and lilting Grappeli-esque violin. Tim Bowness' vocal style is perfect for this as its similar to Bryan Ferry, but more disembodied and understated.
Never has techno-based art pop sounded so organic.

I have had a couple of these songs for years, thanks to Demetrio's comps. I have waited for this album to be reissued forever, but after seeing that this album had been largely ignored, its no wonder only one of the songs ever made it to an official compilation. I've seen this OOP CD on Amazon.com for anywhere from $30-$50 used, but wouldn't spend that kinda jack. Then I saw one posted for $15 so I swooped in and got it. After listening to it a dozen or so times, it would have been worth the big bucks.

Its a crime that '80s groove driven art pop like OMD, Erasure, New Order, Depeche Mode and others get lumped into the same techno genre as Jump In The Fire and Right Said Fred and other 64 beat-per-second dance tripe that followed. Loveblows & Lovecries is pure genius. Any fan of albums like Avalon, Technique and Violator needs to hear this album.

...pity click.

[ForeverAutumn]

Thanks 3LB. I'll see if BarryL has this so that I can borrow it. I've heard some of the later No-man stuff and found it rather boring. Although I have to say that it was much more interesting played on good speaker than played in the car. But still not something that I've found myself ever returning to.

Your description of this disk intrigues me. I liked the No-man sound but, as you said, it was just too dark and brooding. If this disk is a little more melodic it might be more my cup of tea.

[3-LockBox]

I've heard some of the later No-man stuff and found it rather boring. 'tis true. I have Returning Jesus and I've heard parts of the last one, Schoolyard Ghosts and the one before it (fergit the name)... funeral dirges they are. I don't get why they changed gears after one album, and I don't know why they release such mundane stuff. Modern day No-man makes Wilson's Blackfield seem uplifting in comparison. Loveblows is the only album I care to own of theirs.