The La's - The La's (1990)

The La’s mainman Lee Mavers discounted their one and only album when it was released citing he's unhappiness with the way the songs ended up sounding. He promised a follow up that was not to be. This prompted bass player John Power to form his own band, the excruciatingly bad Cast. Lee Mavers is still talked about in hushed tones in his native Liverpool, his low profile only fueling the legend. Mavers possessed a unique grainy vocal style that was adept at reinventing itself within the confines of a single tune. As a result of several years gigging his band became accomplished at providing jangling guitar moments at every turn. The La's sound was made up of a hybrid of influences from the sixties with token modern ingredients to make it sound contemporary. At various times through the album you can hear seminal bands like the Beatles and the Byrds filtering through.

The La's contains the ubiquitous 'There She Goes' but there are several other tracks that are just as intoxicating. 'Looking Glass' is the work of an unequivocal genius. It builds up to an apocalyptic crescendo over 7 gorgeous minutes. Mavers sounds particularly vulnerable as the acoustic guitars swell around him. Powerful lyrics like 'Tell me why I'm bound to tear the pages open, Turn the world around' spill gorgeously over the seismic musical backdrop. As a steam train momentum cracks the early peace, watch as the delph on your kitchen table rattle under its rollercoaster spirit. 'Doledrum' is like a Gomez take on Mexicano, far removed from the conventional view of pop music but it is sassy, confident and uplifting all the same. 'Feelin' is perhaps the best song Paul McCartney never wrote. The guitars have a resplendent retro appeal, while Mavers vocals skip the light fantastic all within the blinking of an eye. A perfectly formed jewel of a song for the price of 104 seconds of your time. 'Way Out' continues the unwavering quality, full of scattershot guitar bolts and sweet summertime harmonies.

There is not much you can say about 'There She Goes' that hasn't already been said. A little known rumour that went around when it was originally released supposed that the song was written about heroin addiction. References to 'pulsing thru' my vein' and 'racing thru' my brain' perhaps adds a little credence to this argument. The subtext hardly matters anyway when those sunny harmonies and shiny guitars kick in. There is no question that 'There She Goes' will permeate through the vagaries of time and fashion. For some reason 'Timeless Melody' used to remind me of James. Lee Mavers doesn't sound like Tim Booth but there is a melodic swing that could have easily fitted onto James' album 'Seven'. As it is, even though Mavers vocals are to the forefront the guitar riffs are clear and exquisite. 'I Can't Sleep' is another high mark for the album, a simple chord change is all that is required to weave a rich sonic tapestry.

Not everything Lee Mavers turned his hand to turned to gold however. 'I.O.U.' rattles in under a cowboy hat and marks an album somewhat running out of steam. Its ill defined approach is refreshing but the song veers too close to the shoe box marked duds to be very likeable. 'Freedom Song' is almost a pantomime routine that wouldn't be out of place on the soundtrack to Last of the Summer Wine. It is a plodding dirge and perhaps goes some way to explaining the indignation Mavers holds towards the album. 'Failure' is also a little rough and ready, sounding like little effort was put into its construction. Perhaps if these hiccups had been dealt with, the La's could have been genuine contenders. The La's were the genuine article unsullied by a marketing department's hand. Their album may be flawed in places but it remains a beautiful attempt at recapturing the glory days of distilled inventive pop. Look at the cover and imagine how their notions were firmly set in the present with one big eye trained on the glorious past.

Rating: 7.5/10

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