The La's | Album Review: One Hit Wonders?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ต.ค. 2024
- The La's self-titled debut album may have been disowned by Lee Mavers, the Liverpool band's leader, but its timeless melodies have won the band a passionate fanbase. There She Goes may be the only La's song many people know, but its parent album boasts 11 other gems - from Way Out and Doledrum to Feelin' and I.O.U. - that deserve to be heard by a much wider audience. Building their sound on the rhythm and blues originators as much as the 60s British rock canon of The Beatles and The Stones et al, the songs on 'The La's' fizz with an energy syphoned straight from the roots of rock and roll. Its foundations run deeper than most of the Brit Pop bands that followed in their wake. And while Lee Mavers' disappointment with the production may lead him to consider the album to be an albatross around his neck, to The La's fans, it's nothing less than a gold medal.
#TheLas #Britpop #MusicDocumentary
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'There She Goes' deserves all the praise it ever took, but every song on the album is superb. A masterpiece in my opinion. Every day I could listen to it and have a different favourite track. Maybe 'Failure' is my favourite today.
I always enjoy giving 'Failure' a spin - it's got a real toughness to it that makes it a real highlight for me.
The amount of money I’d pay for lee to get back in the studio and to record some more tunes like fishing net, raindance etc is obscene
Too true pal too true
5:53 this comparison grabbed my attention, as me and my band cover both these songs (one after the other) regularly when we play live! The La's album made me completely rethink my music and playing. I owe a lot to them.
I'm obsessed with this band. I've listened to/watched/read everything I can get my hands on and I'm still not satisfied because it's so unfinished, there's no closure on it.
Their story certainly is a fascinating one and makes the album feel all the more special.
@@coolnamebro have you not heard the Crescent Tape or the Kitchen Tape?
I'm so glad someone finally did this masterpiece justice.
Thanks very much, Pushon!
One of the greatest rock albums ever.
The fact it’s so overlooked is mind blowing.
Timeless Melody is my favourite, it’s absolutely unreal that song.
This is hands down the best video on The La's on the internet, this albums never gotten the retrospective it deserved till now and you dissect it perfectly. I do think to some degree Mavers may be on the Autistic Spectrum regarding his approach to music and his behavioural quirks but i guess its all speculation. I think your channels deffo gonna blow up with content of this quality.
Awww thanks very much for saying! Very much appreciated 🙂
I totally agree. 👍
Look, it's not just indie pop-fans that herald this album .. I am a METAL HEAD of the 70s and I too agree that this debut album stands with a very select few albums of TRUE greatness. Every.single.song.is.fantastic.on.it's.own.
Got it when it was released and never stopped listening to it. Followed the music press reports and rumors with increasing bewilderment as nothing new ever seemed to surface from Lee Mavers mind. How come someone with this stratospheric talent just stopped making music?
The album and the songs on it exist outside of genres as some sort of collection of platonic ideas: I have danced to it, I have cried to it .. and I will love it for the rest of my life. I have integrated it into my life because of its timelessness.
Metal head signing out. Cheers 🍺
[edit] removed the typo "s" from "albums", sorry about that.
How does this level of intelligent, insightful analysis have so few views and subscribers? Great work capturing the essence of a great album, adding to my knowledge and appreciation of it.
Thanks very much Floyd, much appreciated!
Nobody cares about musix critique now sadly
This the most phenomenal account and comprehensive review of this album for me. I think that this albums mix is dependent on mood. Heres an example; As a musician producer, and customer of music; Sometimes I want the original mix of timeless melody and other times I want the space and melancholy of the hedges mix, but I also love the acoustic live version. This is obviously just one example, but maybe Lee's mind was somewhere between the three which is a near impossible order. We dont just listen to music, we feel it. However as music history has shown time and time again, that's the flawed mind of the genius perfectionist; Lee Mavers who clearly is and will be always remembered as a songwriting giant.
Thanks very much, Luke! Yeah, the varied directions you could go with a song no doubt make it difficult to know which route to take if you're not dead set on one approach in particular.
Timeless melody
Looking glass
Feelin’
Son of a gun
Some of the greatest songs ever written
I always thought the sound of the songs describes the lyrics like a perfect marriage of the two, amazing band
Favourite album of all time!! So underrated and not enough people these days know about it! Great video 🙌🏻
Thanks Gary!
This is a great album review. I’m 45 now and been listening to and buying La’s records, cds, pretty much everything they’ve ever released (and haven’t) for most of those years in between. You’ve put a really interesting spin on it with some of your comparisons and obvious love for the band and Mavers in particular. Really enjoyed watching this and have to agree with you on Way out... especially the 1987 andy Macdonald mix, which wipes the floor with any other mix. Thanks once again for this vid. Look forward to similar ones in future. Also, check out the unreleased ‘was it something I said/ fishing net.( for any viewers that haven’t already) it’s just mind blowing !!
Feelin is the perfect song for me. There isn’t a song that makes me happy more than this in the world
This is a very interesting analysis of the La's, their mindset and their approach. I saw the band several times (1989, 1990 a couple of times). I grew up in South Liverpool (I moved away in 1999). The album is etched into my subconsciousness; I can't envisage a time when the songs and melodies weren't washing through my mind: I feel like songs were always there. I know Mavers doesn't stick by the final album but it's loved by so many. I think the song writing is as close to perfection as possible. The songs are so pure. It maybe the distillation of all the lads could be in one piece of art. I wish Lee the best! And thank you for rightly (in my opinion) arguing that the La's album is truly a great piece of original and powerful music.
Tony
Thanks Tony!
Colorful, in depth, poignant, and even psychoanalytic, this is the best commentary on the La’s album ever. Can’t thank you enough, especially for taking the time to show all the comparisons to past musical influences. (And the Byrds connection... Yes! I used to think I was the only one who ever felt that McGuinn vibe in There She Goes.)
Thanks very much Curtis! That's lovely to read and I'm very glad you enjoyed it.
Great video, thank you. I bought the album in 1990 and saw them play the same year. I'm in my mid 40s now and this album is still a favourite, and one of the few from the time that I still listen to, and not just for nostalgia's sake. In fact, I think it's got better with time. I also agree about Way Out, the harmonies and the lead guitar lift it into something very special. It's a shame Mavers still has issues with it. I hope he can see how much joy it has brought to people.
Thanks! Yeah, I hope he takes enjoyment from how many people enjoy his music. Glastonbury must've been a great moment for him. There's probably only a handful of bands (if that!) who could release just one official studio album and find themselves playing Glastonbury 15 years later.
This is just as underrated as house of love, it's actually one of the best albums ever, the La's the self titled album has not one bad song, songs like son of a gun there she goes and way out liberty ship etc are great, every song was so perfect in this album. An underrated classic indeed, more people should definitely listen to this album.
Thank you for the intro on The La's. I'm planning to do a deep dive on the album someday, and will be sure to cite this, as I cite all my sources.
You have a very good ear to make those connections to past artists/bands. Excellent video!
Thanks very much!
great video mate not enough vids like this on the la's who deserve analysis more than most bands imo
Thanks! Much appreciated 🙂
I suggest everyone would give s listen to thst "BBC Session" of them, I bet's its organic sound is closer to Mavers' view of how the finsl product of the debut should've sounded. + there's some extra songs as well.
Agreed. Sometimes the immediacy of having to record a song as a radio session cuts through all the BS and indecision. Some of my favorite bands, especially from the late 70s / early 80s, did their best work for John Peel and the rest. For some post-punk and indie bands, it was the first (only?) time they were in a "proper" studio. I'm thinking Orange Juice, Wild Swans, Pale Fountains... even early Smiths.
I vividly remember meeting Lee Mavers in 1990 (who was one of the nicest lads - as was John Power) and he seemed so desperate about the album and its "messed up" sound and production. He had a tape with the demo recordings claiming it as the recordings he wanted to have the album sound like. He also said he did not want to have the singles released but the record company just did. It was so tragic to see pure talent being wasted by selling strategies but that´s the music business. I also know too well how you can be completely destroyed by hunting to get your visions manifested by people who are not involved into your mind and thinking. Anyway this is one of the best and most timeless albums to be released in the early 1990s and everything you said about the album is absolutely correct.
Wow, this is the second of your videos I have watched and so impressed by your knowledge, research and passion. Looking forward to more. BTW love the La's!
Thanks again! Glad you've enjoyed them 🙂
Only yesterday I wrote a blog about The La's..Then I stumble across your superb appraisal of them...They have always been so important to me...👌✌
Thanks very much Keiron! Feel free to post a link to your blog 🙂
@@2020Sound Hey! Thanks! Here you go www.keironfarrow.com/post/callin-all
Brilliant and insightful review. i enjoyed that and learned a lot. Thanks.
Wow, truly excellent analysis, and I've read/listened to many. I hope Lee eventually managed to accept that those of us who treasure this album are responding to the song _ideas_ as much as to the actual recordings. Regardless of whether it's the sound Lee wanted, the melodies and performances are still there, and that's what we love. From a production standpoint, I definitely think there's room for improvement... *but that doesn't matter* because the recordings could be just Lee strumming guitar and singing, and the album would still be great because of those fantastic *songs.*
Excellent analysis of a corker of an album. I had no idea that so many top level producers were wheeled in one after the other to be rejected by Lee.
Thanks for posting this up.
Thanks Steven! It's quite a line up of rejections isn't it? 😆
@@2020Sound yes it is. I have subbed to your excellent channel. Keep up the great work.
Thanks very much Steven! Much appreciated 🙂
About time this album got some credit, worth buying just for looking glass alone.
It's funny you mentioned Love's Forever Changes as an influence in the La's sound. John Power, ex La's bassist and Cast frontman told me on instagram how his favorite album was Love's forever changes :)
I love Love! 😄 And they certainly seem to have had a disproportionately huge impact on a lot of the bands that came out of Liverpool from the 80s onwards. This article's worth a read if you like the band (it covers their relationship to the city a little, too): www.bidolito.co.uk/from-liverpool-with-love/
What a fabulous review! Makes sense of the enigma surrounding the album, and articulates so well why it transcends its era 👍
As long as I have this album to take to my desert island I don't care what the other albums are.
Very interesting and very sad story. I just figured the La’s had this huge body of work that didn’t make it over here to the States. Sad to hear there is no more of their music to be found anywhere
Although this was their only official studio album, there's quite a few demos and alternative takes you can find on compilations and box sets like 'Callin' All' 🙂
There is a lot of other songs and demo's etc on 'ToneGarvey' channel youtube.
With hindsight...I think it's clear to see that the endless dissatisfaction and disillusinment felt by Mavers is the classic example of how a person's own mind can totally sabotage and destroy the person the mind is suppose to serve for the person's betterment. The way his mind was always able to highlight the negative aspects of each element of his musical creation must have been literally soul destroying. Is Mavers yet again one of society's tortured geniuses??? Probably. It's a real shame that even as I write this comment that Mavers can't experience along with each of us the sheer joy his music has and continues to give to us. Hopefully one day in the near future those conning feelings will dissipate and allow Mavers to at last recognise what a wonderful gift this so rejected wonderful album is. Deep breath Lee...all is good!!
And excellent review Sir!!!
One of my favorite albums ever
Supposedly Lee was happy with one of the recordings of the album but John Power went on holiday with someone else in the band without telling Lee and that pissed him off and again wanted to record the album. No idea if that's true or not.
I heard that as well. I think the recording that was ditched was the Mike Hedges-produced version.
This is one of the last bands I can think of in my life that has a genuine misique! No social media presence is refreshing and I'm happy with the demos, the album and the book!
Yeah, mystique is something that's definitely been lost for most bands with the rise of social media.
In context to the "plucking out of the aether" insight on There She Goes, what other songs do you regard in that way, you mentioned Dylan n that. Noel Gallagher seems to have this similiar philosophy, brilliant observation
Great question! Huge amounts of Dylan and Beatles songs in particular feel like that to me - stuff like Blowing In The Wind, Yesterday, It Ain't Me Babe, Hey Jude etc. It's incredibly hard for me to imagine a time when songs like those didn't exist. It's no doubt got a lot to do with such songs being so omnipresent growing up, but there's something in those melodies that feels almost elemental - foundational to my appreciation of melodic music. When someone tells me they don't like The Beatles, I can't understand it, because to me it's almost like saying "I don't like the sky" - like they don't like this thing that is a fundamental part of my existence, something that is just...... *there*.
Great video this. The point you made about the songs sounding as if they could have been written in any period of music history is the exact point I made to a friend of my mine when I first started getting in to the band. Has earned a subscription. Look forward to future videos. Could I possibly suggest the wedding present - George best?
Thanks Louis! I've not delved much into The Wedding Present beyond maybe a couple of their bigger songs, but I'll check it out.
Great video. Mike Badger told me. There she goes is about The Heroin buzz leaving your body .
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
You could do The Darkside (two ex-spacemen 3 members)?
Such a good review on probably the best album ever made, and yet I don't even like R&B, most Americans bands (because of the heavy R&B influence), the Rolling Stones, or The Beatles, etc, so it must be quite incredible to win me over!
So much power, the fantastic acoustic guitars, the extremely well player electric guitars, the fabulousl musicianship, the terrific drumming, and Lee's fabulous voice, along with the incredible happiness that There She Goes generates. Simply awesome!
Thanks Kay!
I'm a huge fan of this album but have nothing to say about it here. This is the very best, most succinct, example of music documentary I've seen. Art X-Ray. I hit "Subscribe" while watching it.
Thanks very much Andrew, much appreciated!
John powers band after the la's cast are a great band aswell
Fascinating video. Thanks for the insights! Out of curiosity, how did you manage to play some of the copyrighted songs without infringement? Cheers!
Thanks Connor, glad you enjoyed it! I think within the context of commentary, it's classed as "fair use". But I also try to keep the snippets very short to avoid potential issues.
A superb album..... and I'm really fussy!
Beautiful analysis! I cannot tell you how many thousands of times I played this album. Loved every second of it. To me the La's are second only to the Beatles...
This is a great one to do (La's) and think your handling of it is excellent. A couple of suggestions also for Underrated bands: Thin White Rope (most all of their catalogue is fantastic!), Come (a Boston based band that I never thought got its due) and an album by the band Longpigs; The Sun is Often Out (British Band I think- album almost as seminal I think as La's debut), LongWave (NYC band ) album of The Strangest Things (never did anything as great but this record is wonderful).
Just saw that you already HAVE a segment on the Longpigs! Kudos!
Thanks David! I'll check out the ones I don't know. Always good to hear from a fellow Longpigs fan!
Thank you, great review. I grew up with those influences you speak about, such as the Byrds, and you get it just right. I only discovered the La's a year ago. Just as those influences have lived on, so 'There she goes' and the LA's, do too. Timeless, as if always there.
Thanks Keith, much appreciated!
Great coverage of this legendary album. Your story line of the doomed chase of Lee Mavers for the sound makes a perfect paradox for how its power to be important for so many people, including myself of course.
Beside the quote in the beginning, Noel Gallagher also once said that there is only 1 person he is scared of, and that is Lee Mavers, because of his incredible song writing.
I don't remember where or when he said this, perhaps in one of the MOJO that I read. Anyway, it says it all, coming from such a prolific songwriter himself.
Thanks Christiaan!
"Way out" is my favourite too man. Plus the point you make about some songs have always been there "There she goes" certainly fits. Great video.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Brilliant video the la’s are one of the best bands of all time
Would love to see you review Shack- waterpistol or colour of spring by talk talk or even Primal Scream- vanishing Point, to name but a few. Just watched your reviews on Sugar- copper blue, Ride- going blank again and TeenageFanclub-grand prix. Absolutely superb. Have already subscribed and am looking forward to more excellent content !
Thanks Aka! Love 'Vanishing Point', that's a great shout as it doesn't get the love 'Screamadelica' or even 'XTRMNTR' gets. Funnily enough, 'Waterpistol' has been on my mind to cover just because the backstory's amazing, isn't it? Only problem is I'm not massively familiar with it (I had 'HMS Fable' as a kid but only listened to 'Waterpistol' for the first time last year). I'll no doubt return to it at some point. Same with 'Colour of Spring' (I had 'Spirit Of Eden'). Thanks for subscribing!
@@2020Sound absolutely agree re vanishing point. It’s an absolutely amazing record, given the fact that it followed the often slated and misunderstood Give out but don’t give up. Xtrmntr is a massive record for me too. And yea, the pitfalls prior to waterpistol finally being released are unreal, but what an album. That’s an excuse for you to get the headphones on tonight. Same with talk talk. I really hope this channel takes off for you, your enthusiasm for music is right up there.
Cheers Aka! Much appreciated!
I looked up this band a couple of days ago after going about 30 years without hearing them. It was good to revisit their album, and they do an amazing job on both the instrumentation, lyrics and vocals. It’s really sad that they couldn’t produce a second album, or various other albums though, as I’m sure they would have been really good as well.
Lee’s perfectionism over the album though probably would have caused further problems had they continued on with a second, third or fourth album though. I’ve heard of different performers who immediately disown the album they put out, and I often wonder how the other participating vocalists and musicians feel. Unless they are in agreement as well, then I can only imagine that privately they feel slighted when hearing the leader/front person of the group disavowing the creation all of them worked so hard to bring to the public.
As I hear more about Lee’s dislike of the album as well as his wanting to make the sound as perfect as humanly possible, I’m reminded of the perfectionism shown when the media discuss what Night Wish leader Tuomas Hollopainen says when talking about some of the albums they’ve released over the years. For example, on Night Wish’s latest album Human Nature, Troy who plays the Eulleann Pipes talked in an interview about how Tuomas told him what he wanted him to do on the pipes for one of the songs on the album. When Troy told him that he didn’t think the pipes would hit the range he wanted, Tuomas told him that he’d be alright and to go ahead with it.
In short, though for Tuomas Hollopainen of Night Wish, he eventually finds that spot where his perfectionism is soothed, Lee of the La’s hasn’t come to that place yet, and their self-titled album was released all the way back in 1990. As the guy in this video said though since it appears that Lee is attempting to capture a feeling more than a musical sound, then that perfectionism might never be eased.
In closing, I really enjoy the La’s and what they’ve brought to music, and I really enjoyed this video, and all that you had to say in it.
Thanks! (I definitely had to Google those pipes to see what they look like - never heard of them before! 😄)
@@2020Sound I’m glad you were able to find them to check out what they are.
Great review, really enjoyed that. That album changed my life. Lee Mavers is often referred to as a genius, and I can agree. I think he might be up there with Lennon and McCartney, talent wise, but I believe it was his attitude that held him back from being massive. Saying that, I get the impression he really never wanted stardom..?
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Yeah, if anything, he's actively shunned those opportunities for stardom.
Mate, top, top video man, really enjoyed it, you did it justice for sure. One of the best albums ever made easily, like someone below said, you could listen to it every day and have a different favourite track lol. I love how it's kind if achieved a mythical entitity over the years too, just shows how special it is.
Thanks very much, Kyle!
This is a beautiful video. I’ve somehow missed this band completely (apart from the obvious). I will go and investigate!
Thanks very much Jacob! Enjoy investigating!
Amazing video personally my favourite song is looking glass
Thanks Exotic!
I think the issue with the La's, beyond paranoia, perfectionism and certain illicit products, is that most of the post-Badger songs were written with the Rhythm guitar as focus. Check out Feelin', Way Out... and mostly everything else!
As you've identified, this was always Lee's song-writing focus - chunky Rhythm Guitar as nominal lead. The Trad. Lead guitar and drum parts for many songs were essentially established and locked in place in 1987 by Paul Hemmings and John Timson.
There She Goes by contrast had a riff that screamed lead guitar; screamed hit single; screamed route-one production. And that obscured all else.
Being a sad bastard I've listened to many, many versions of The La's songs, from the De Freitas Sessions onward, picking my favorites. I think Steve Lilywhite did a pretty good job considering, although I've often thought his productions were piss-weak and thin at times.
Anyways, 1987-1990 represents about 22 songs, most of which are great. Is it too much to ask for more? Discuss
The thing with the la's is, if you just hear Their studio album you'd just probably think, yeah there she goes it's a classic and they're a solid rock band, but you've really gotta hear all the many alternative versions of each song that make them at times sound like a totally different band, you've gotta hear the b sides and rarities, you've gotta hear the crescent and kitchen tapes, and then and only then you can say, Damn, one of Britain's finest ever singer songwriters squandered his talent.
Hey mate really great video! Only recently discovered The La's and deep diving into this amazing album! I was wondering if you had any other recommendations based on the ones you said in this video because all the ones you said I already love and want to find more (i.e. Kinks, Love... which btw definitely hear forever changes in this album..., Velvet Underground, The Birds, Oasis, Blur). Obviously these ones are all well known and hence why I already know and love them all but would love some recommendations of more obscure or not well known artists, as based on this video I definitely trust your judgement! thanks in advance!
Do you know Shack? Or any of Michael Head's other stuff (solo, or with the Pale Fountains)? The first time I heard 'HMS Fable' by Shack, it reminded me a little of The La's. A lot glossier, though. It's partly the dulcet Merseyside vocal tone, ha! Plus, Shack were Arthur Lee's backing band in the 90s so there's a good chance you'd enjoy them. 'Waterpistol' is often considered their masterpiece and the problems that led up to its release are arguably as mythical as The La's album. For me personally, 'HMS Fable' was the gateway album, though. You can't go wrong with either.
If you like Love and 60s psychedelia stuff, one of the lesser spoken of albums worth checking out is probably 'SF Sorrow' by The Pretty Things. Similar-ish feel to 'Forever Changes' and even Sgt Pepper with some great songs. Worth a punt! Also the Nuggets garage rock compilations are a treasure trove of stuff from that era you might enjoy.
If you're a fan of the Velvets & Oasis and 60s stuff, I very much imagine you'd enjoy the House Of Love. I did a video on them here: th-cam.com/video/JaOf74UJzqw/w-d-xo.html
And for a few other Brit Pop era groups you might enjoy, I did a video on lesser talked about Brit Pop albums here: th-cam.com/video/kpYIllh-0Es/w-d-xo.html
Hope you discover something you enjoy!
@@2020Sound you're a legend mate! Thankyou!!
@@2020Sound For me Waterpistol is an album that truly deserves to be called a lost / (re)discovered / not set on fire or left in a car classic. Hmm... Venn diagrams anyone? There's Love in there, plus Buffalo Springfield in the glorious sliding precisely imprecise guitars. The Magical World of the Strands record is a lovely companion to Waterpistol. I think parts of HMS Fable were a bit of a clumsy attempt at the mainstream. Comedy is gorgeous; Natalie's Party is a song looking for a better tune. Interestingly (to me at least), the two songs best fit for a single were either written or co-written by Mick's brother John: Paul Together and Beautiful.
Re: Lost "Indie" bands in the classacist ballpark. For me, The Sea Urchins were too shrill, Delta kind of forgettable and East Village a little too doctrinaire for my tastes. Check em' out and tell me if I'm wrong.
Brilliant analysis!...the passion for the depth of meaning good music gives to our lives is matched by an amazing grasp of the history of rock/pop...immensely enjoyable
Thanks Shawn!
Excellent review of an excellent album. And while we don’t have more from the band, at least we have this - and that’s reason enough to celebrate.
Re: The influence of Love. Yeah, they are from Liverpool so It flows. For the La's I'd check out My Little Red Book and Can't Explain from the first Love album (Pale Fountains / Shack took the Forever Changes orchestration over the beat group beneath it).
Truly a great band and without a shadow of a doubt an awesome album and 'There She Goes' for is the pure essence of perfect pop song, could they have equaled or better we will never know... What I do know is that Power & Cast were great too, should have been bigger...
To be honest, Mavers' songwriting is so perfect they could've recorded that album on wax cylinders and it would still have been great.
Best comment on TH-cam, thanks man!
they probably did
Great album. One of my all time faves.
Me too - and the fact that there was never a follow up makes it feel all the more special.
I love the LA’s and this video is absolutely brilliant. Described the album and each song to a tee and loved the suggested influences for each song. Would have liked a nod to the La’s in how much they influenced Liam Gallagher and Oasis, and even how oasis have directly plucked some riffs from the La’s kitchen tapes songs, but great video
Cheers Terry!
Great review. Perhaps they needed their own Woodland Hills house and absolute creative control? I imagine there was pressure to record 'hits'!
Thanks!
I’ve listened to the la’s at least a couple of times a year since the 90’s, and too be honest, I’m stopping listening to this review now and will just listen to the album whilst going to bed. Lovely.
Ha! Fair enough Feni 🙂
Great analysis and real insight... 'The Las's' (despite what Maver's maintains) is ONE OF IF NOT THE best debut albums ever... I LOVE your take on the 'pre britpop' that, consciously or not, inspired Mavers... (Lonnie Donegan, Presley, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry and YES the Sex Pistols and others...) As a FAN who saw the La's live concerts as often as I was able, later unrecorded songs like 'Over' or 'I am the Key' are as good if not better than anything on the debut album... (Though those songs were mere ideas, Mavers never really polishing/finishing those gems...) Who knows what was going on with Lee Mavers??? (Even John Power, VITAL to 'The La's' and Mavers himself, walked away in the end...) 'Cast' were an okay band, and Power is THE NICEST BLOKE EVER, but it wasn't the same... xx SF
Incredible video mate
Thanks Jake!
Great this mate keep up the videos, really enjoyable like, have a look into The Real People in my opinion there even more underrated than the la’s also from Liverpool and have a pure sound, there’s a lot surrounding them with connections with oasis I’d love to see you give this a go in a video!
Thanks very much! I had the song 'The Truth' on a compilation in the 90s - always liked that. I don't know much about them beyond how important they were to early Oasis. I'll check them out further! 🙂
@@2020Sound Mate such a good band like, dive into them some of there albums real gold, shame they were so underrated could’ve been massive if they had bigger links I think but would love to see someone go into them with bit more depth, my fave by them is one called “Ocean Child” !! 👍
Amazing band the realies
@@Themanchesteranthems up there for bein one of most underrated bands in Britain ever, every tune is a hit in my opinion!!!
I've never heard anything like I Can't Sleep before, it's so good. I wish they would repress this album.
I want a record player. Great video. 👍
Thanks Carlton!
@@2020Sound you’re very welcome. Shared it with my brother. When I was young I remember thinking this record didn’t exist or something. To my surprise I knew a lot of the songs on it, istening today. Music is sometime a gin and also a tonic
I saw them at the Royal Court in Liverpool touring this album ...I love it myself but I can understand what mavers wanted ....more raw and underproduced ...as the person above said Cast are amazing too ...total 60s influences yet again
I remember as a kid. I was a bass player in a band and my mate met lee and brought him along to rehearsals he was a bossy guy being a bit older than the rest of us but knew what he wanted. He would instruct the drummer what to play. And the rest of us... We played IOU. I wasn't that fussed like. Wish he showed us their she goes. Any way we went our separate ways. 😂
Love the album, but when I've hear live versions - a live acoustic version of Timeless Melody featuring only Mavers and Powers being a prime example - I get the feeling I'm listening to HIS versions.
I think people overstate Mavers' quest for perfection. When Elvis Presley's first recordings were made, the resulting records featured nothing more than the live performances in the room - No effects, no pitch corrections, no overdubs, just human beings creating magic in the moment. This is hardly an outlandish thing to desire.
Thanks for this. Such a shame that Mavers couldn't make peace with his personal demons. The La's album is such an underappreciated classic, and I think Steve Lillywhite did an incredible job, when you consider that they had 5 producers before him. It's a shame that Mavers sabotaged the success of his own album, and could never move on to the making of new music, and the rumored collection of songs he never got around to sharing with the world. The irony of it all, is that the album made him enough money, that he never has had to actually act reasonably, no matter how many famous musicians adore and idolize him.
Really enjoyed the video and took me back to the late 80s and 1990 when the album came out and I saw them live.
Thanks for taking the time to say so! Glad you enjoyed it. I've covered a few indie/alternative bands from that era so far (with plenty more to come), so if you're interested in watching other videos along similar lines, just give us a subscribe 🙂
really good video mate and im a real la's nerd
Thanks Daniel! Much appreciated!
I sometimes wonder about this band and why they never got huge. They had all the elements there. A lead singer that looks like a slightly undernourished mod version of mick jagger with a voice to match and a fuck perfect pop sensibility. The only thing I could work out was that where just too early. Cos what they had to offer went huge in other bands 5 years later, but when they released that album the americans where just not ready for it yet (My understanding is it did OKish in the UK?). But I guess while Pulp simply had to wait for their time to come, The Las just where not in a position to due to not getting it together to cash in when the time was right.
Agree with you on "way out' that tune is fantastically catchy and not the one you hear most on this record of course.
This album is like a song to me. How long does it take? 35 minutes... And the last song is 10 minutes.
During the 90s I was a rock DJ, spending many hours in record stores every week. Guitar music of the nineties is my emotional bedrock. Still, I don't know 5 albums like this magical one. Every second of it. There is not one moment of weakness, not a song to skip. It deserves all the praise.
It's over very quickly, isn't it? Still, the songs have resonated long down the decades.
💯 perfect Analysis! I love this album I’ve played it many many times and refer it to so many of my friends and music lovers alike! Also if you want to hear a really good “Timeless melody” cover look up Pearl Jam’s version
At least we got a lot of different versions of that same one album.
Way out is a great song; it's probably the best song to sum up the sound of the band.
Loved this. The LA’s are the best. There’s a great channel called ToneGarvey with loads of performances by the band
Thanks Will! And thanks for the tip!
@@2020Sound there’s also a great book called The Isle Of Noises with a fascinating and rare interview with Lee Mavers
Yeah man Tone has cleaned up songs like 'Fishing net' 'sorry' infact every song not a single duff one.
the love album 'de capo' was one of lee mavers favourites
Nice one! Couldn't agree more.
For me it's Lady Friend by The Byrds which stands close to There She Goes.
They needed a manager that could handle and point Lee in the right direction with a firm but fair and sympathetic hand. They recorded the whole album again and again, Lee was never happy with it for unexplained reasons even the last recording that they were told this is it no matter what but even the album as we hear it they were not happy with especially Lee. He was happy with it until a couple of band members went on holiday with him, obviously upset he said he didn't like the record and refused to work on it, he actually said "I felt like I had to assert my self" so it was mixed without them and they hated it. Maybe they should have done a live album, got a permanent band together and giggeg more together them recorded a studio album together. It's a shame they imploded, I think Lee is/was bipolar he seemed to start session loving it and ended hating it all. They recorded the whole album five times and Lee was never happy.
I think the label was far to accommodating of Lee, recording it all one or two times with multiple take of songs is normal even in two different studio but to go in and out of different studios like they did isn't normal. I think he struggled to separate any feels of frustration he had during the recording with the finish product, I don't think he could separate it out at all, he was looking to record nostalgia and nothing was good enough and we will never know why, maybe Lee himself doesn't really know.
rain were another good band around that time that had a kinda la's vibe
'Lemonstone Desired' - I remember that tune. Great song!
Let’s not forget Lee powers son now has a band and are touring Europe. They are called stone
It’s a classic album, great songs and songwriting, and it’s a miracle that it was even released due to line up changes, multiple recordings and ocd,but albums (even if you want it to be retro sounding) have to be of their time, Lee got stuck in a wormhole, maybe he only wanted to release one album, but after 30 odd years its time to let go, I’m sure him and John would have gone on to make amazing records, it’s a very sad thing and I have massive respect For Mavers as an artist, but ‘things’ got in the way sadly
He is a Huyton legend like gerrard and John lennon
Everybody who truly loves the La's wants to be sold that "life story."...I bought it too, and we're all pulled down the river being at loggerheads...with him. Lee has that Neil walk away gene maybe some romantic Sydness who knows... Prolly walked away from getting that perfect sound, though time ain't over yet. Hitting those notes in tsg is a young mans pedal tone 427cc...ie: The Who's power in "young man's blues" All of us songwroters "stepped aside" on some levels, still do. (Heck, I listen to the worst Byrds Rick 12 chime and wanna quit.) I liked your bit about plucking the song outta the ether, that happens when your sitting in the right part of the room with your geetar conduit. Thanks for airing out this laundry! Smells good n fresh as ever! Can you imagine being near 60 and listening back to all them tunes with your M8's and still not digging it or some of it. Ha, imagine trying to try again at this point, Prolly doesn't listen at all because of that. You need to interview the group in 2021 round em up! ur the one. total 20/20!
Thanks Adam! There's a new article on the band/album on the BBC website I spotted only yesterday (this one: www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210315-the-mystery-of-lost-rock-genius-lee-mavers). Sounds like Lee's just as elusive as ever!
@@2020Sound elusivelee...like that article “page not found” was that on purpose? Excellent! Lol
Ha! No, I'm not that funny, unfortunately 😆. This should work: www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210315-the-mystery-of-lost-rock-genius-lee-mavers
@@2020Sound Perfect sound is not static, that vision is like a polaroid of a moving kaleidescope, changing with each day of life...and each laugh of his four munchkins.imho
Outstanding album
Brilliant
Thanks!
Noel Gallaher/Oasis couldn't hold a torch to the talent of the La's. And they know it... Hence the quib.