I'm a little disappointed in this one! And it's too bad because I scanned the great liner photos of so many things I love from the 1960s, including a photo of Brian Jones and a newspaper reference to a beat poet dying, upon first listen and had great hopes. Here's where things fell apart for me:

Of the 12 tracks, BNL are on two of them. BNL are the sultans of silliness, in my opinion, and I simply can't stand their vocals. Thus their association with sad Stephen seems somehow "forced" on this record.

Stephen's past efforts with producers and musicians such as Andy Partridge, Elastica, Mitch Easter, and Aimee Mann have produced better results. (Check out I Love My Friends, SD's last solo effort before reforming TLT. I believe it's still in print.) E.g., Music in Colors' songs, though overwhelmed by the extravagence of the guest violinist in many places on the album, couldn't be faulted for their variety and expressiveness. You simply can't beat a song like "Holte End Hotel."

Returning to lilac6, two tracks are instrumentals by Nick Duffy. The first, with its sounds of a baby interrupting at intervals, is annoying to these ears.

RE: the eight remaining tracks belonging to Stephen (and Claire, who provides outstanding harmonies). Stephen can't write a bad song; however, he can write lyrics so full of desperation that at times it's impossible to listen.

This album seems to be largely devoid of any cheerfulness or mysticism that always had a place, however small, on previous albums. It feels like one dire lament after another.

However, on lilac6, This Morning and Foglights are standouts. I may grow to like the others more, but this album is not up to Stephen's solo efforts and TLT's vastly underrated Paradise Circus.

Stephen, if you're reading this, dump the BNL connection and ubiquitous pedal steel, bring back the designer beatnik turtleneck attitude and hippy chick vocals, and maybe get a producer who will do you justice.


A welcome return   October 12, 2001
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I understand that after the release of the last Lilac Time cd Stephen Duffy gave up music to write his memoirs. Fortunately for us during his self imposed exile he put down his pen (or more properly his word processor) and picked up his guitar. if you're familiar with his work then you're probably already a fan and will be buying this cd anyway. If you're not but you'd like to hear more buying this cd won't disappoint. The familiar Lilac Time trademarks are all there - beautiful melodies, plaintive vocals, banjos, drums played with brushes, acoustic and pedal steel guitars, accordions and the feeling that Stephen will never be lucky in love. The album shimmers with quality.

The Lilac Time is a loose arrangement nowadays with contributions coming from his brother and The Barenaked Ladies. The new single "This Morning" is a great pop song. It deserves to be a hit. We know it won't be. The rest of the album is in the same vein. Stephen rarely plays live now which is a shame. He isn't a star though he should be. However, that allows us lucky ones to savour his music. Treat yourself - you won't be disappointed!


Stephen Duffy continues to produce beautiful, timeless songs   October 11, 2001
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Lilac6 is a self-explanatory title, as this is the sixth Lilac Time album, their second for the Cooking Vinyl label. The first, Looking For A Day In The Night, was a triumphant but understated return for the Duffy brothers, Stephen and Nick, after a seven year lay-off during which Stephen released two solo albums. The new album equals the excellent music of the last. Once again, we get ten Stephen Duffy originals and two Nick Duffy instrumentals. Stephen remains one of the most underrated songwriters in the world. His ability to write a proper song with a proper structure is not to be undervalued in contemporary music, where there is very little evidence of great songwriting. His melodies are always completely compelling, and his lyrics are always thoughtful and profound. Perhaps people have never been able to accept that this is the same guy who recorded throwaway commercial pop music in the mid eighties. But everything he has done since has proved that he is a supreme songwriting talent. One of the highlights of the album, is 'Entourage', which was co-written by Stephen Page from Bare Naked Ladies, a long-time fan of the group; he also sings backing vocals. The song is a jaundiced look at fame and all the hangers-on it attracts. Another highlight is the opening song, 'Dancing In The Shadows', which is a celebration of music itself, how popular music has affected all our lives; it is blessed with a beautiful and memorable melody. There is also an excellent live version recorded at The Albert Hall on the CD single of 'This Morning', which is itself a sedate pop song about family life in the morning, the older sister coming home wrecked from a night out, the younger ones going off to school. A more obvious choice of single from the album would be 'Jeans And Summer', as it's the only overtly commercial song on the album. Most of the songs are restrained and elegant numbers. A sign of the quality of Stephen Duffy's songwriting, is that he can write a song about a child whose parents have deserted him - 'Come Home Everyone' - without it seeming cloyingly sentimental or sickly; this is due to the purity of the melody and the sincerity of the vocal delivery. For fans of the Lilac Time, this album will only re-confirm what they already know: that the Lilac Time are one of the best pop groups of the past twenty years. For newcomers, this album will prove an accessible and rewarding introduction. It's unlikely that any of these songs will trouble the charts, but this is in fact what real pop music is about and has always been about. Away from the bright lights, dancing in the shadows. Beautiful.