ALBUM: L
MVC Rating: 4.0/$$$
Yes the album is called ‘L.’ This almost became a Frisbee when I first heard it. I was a big 10cc fan but this … this was 10cc stirred in with Frank Zappa and Dr. Demento. In fact in “Sporting Life” which sounds like a Zappa song, there’s a voice that sounds like Mr. Frank, so much so that I had to check out the credits — didn’t find him listed. Now I like some Zappa but let Zappa do Zappa. I knew I wasn’t losing my mind when I heard this lyric:
“Does getting into Zappa mean getting out of Zen,’ is an actual lyric in ‘Art School Canteen which follows the Sporting Life and Sandwiches of You, a song I actually like.
This was the second album after these two left 10cc using a guitar synthesizer type of instrument they invented called ‘The Gizmo.’ Not sure what it does or sounds like even now. It might be that zither-sounding strum on ‘Sandwiches. bit no it’s not listed as being in that song.’
Ah, funny reference to their old fun hit ‘Donna is in ‘Group Life.’ Punchbag is interesting (as all this interesting) but I’m sure I’d understand it more if I knew what ‘fourth form punchbag’ means.
The instrumental ‘Foreign Accents’ has some good funky and crazy sounding sounds but, again, I though they were showcasing the Gizmo and it’s not listed for that song.
All in all it’s an ambitious record, which I would expect from 10cc spinoff. But if is too Art School Canteen-ish. I’ll stick to my 10cc when I want a little pretentiousness with my contentiousness. Checking around on the Internets I find some crazy devotion to G&C, especially this album. I’ll keep trying. ‘Business is Business ‘ at the end of the album finally gets to the not so avant gard point. “That the record people and people in general don’t get us and we hate M.O.R.’
Sorry, but I’m not in L ove.