L (Godley & Creme album)
| L | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1978 | |||
| Recorded | March–June 1978; Surrey Sound Studios | |||
| Genre | Art rock | |||
| Length | 34:22 | |||
| Label | Mercury Records | |||
| Producer | Kevin Godley, Lol Creme | |||
| Godley & Creme chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [1] |
L is the second album by Godley & Creme. It was released in 1978. Its 34-minute running time was a stark contrast with that of the ill-received triple concept album Consequences (1977). Despite this, the album was not received well commercially.
The songs contained much variation and artistry, dissonances, complex time signatures and melodies, poetic lyrics, and some echoes from Frank Zappa's Over-Nite Sensation (1973). 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 "This 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. 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
- "This Sporting Life" – 7:25
- "Sandwiches of You" – 3:17
- "Art School Canteen" – 3:00
- "Group Life" – 4:11
- Side 2
- "Punchbag" – 4:44
- "Foreign Accents" – 4:37
- "Hit Factory/Business Is Business" – 7:08
Personnel
- Kevin Godley – vocals, drums, xylophone, roto-toms, percussion, congas, triangle, Clavinet, high-hat, tonal percussion, snare drum, bongos
- Lol Creme – vocals, piano, Rhodes electric piano, guitars, Kramer bass, Gizmo, Farfisa organ, Guild 12-string acoustic, Guild acoustic bass, Clavinet, drums
- Andy Mackay – baritone, tenor, soprano and alto saxophone
- Paul Gambaccini – Bad Samaritan voices on "The Sporting Life"
- Jonathan Handelsman – alto and soprano saxophone on "Group Life"
- Chris Gray, Nigel Gray – engineers