No-Man – Loveblows And Lovecries

Label: One Little India
Catalog No.: TPLP-57CD
Musicians: Tim Bowness; Steven Wilson; Richard Barbieri; Ben Coleman; Richard Felix; Steve Jansen; Mick Karn


Track List:
1. "Loveblow" – 1:24
2. "Only Baby" – 3:47
3. "Housekeeping" – 5:29
4. "Sweetheart Raw" – 6:04
5. "Lovecry" – 4:52
6. "Tulip" – 3:56
7. "Break Heaven" – 4:59
8. "Beautiful and Cruel" – 4:48
9. "Painting Paradise" – 7:32
10. "Heaven's Break" – 4:01


About the album:
Taking all the many strengths of Lovesighs and never looking back, Loveblows is a stunner, utterly out of time and place in 1993 and all the better for it. As the culmination of the original three-person partnership with Coleman and as a formal album debut both, it's simply wondrous, a collision of hip-hop rhythms, delicate art rock, and more into something all its own. There are two absolute standouts that should be heard by just about everybody if at all possible, the first being "Sweetheart Raw." One of the many partnerships the No-Man and Japan family trees would form over time, it features all core Japan members minus David Sylvian -- bassist Mick Karn, drummer Steve Jansen, and keyboardist Richard Barbieri, the latter soon to join Wilson full time in Porcupine Tree. Karn's instantly recognizable fretless work and Wilson's sometimes stinging, sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful guitars set the tone, Bowness delivers a portrait of a ruined life with astonishing empathy, and the result simply amazes. The second is "Heaven's Break," the final tune and one of Bowness' own favorite songs, his vocals flying up to the sky as Coleman and Wilson create a combination of strings, guitar and synth -- but no beats -- to die for. Plenty of other treasures can be found throughout, starting with Coleman's violin piece "Loveblow," accompanied by Richard Felix's moody cello and Wilson's equally so production, and the immediately following "Only Baby," a lush, modern disco/techno classic in the making that slams into life and doesn't stop. When Wilson adds piano and strings to the chorus behind Bowness' soaring vocal, it's note-perfect inspiration. "Tulip" is another winner, a great lyric about needing the just right someone in an equally ugly and lovely world. Quite why something so at once creative and exploratory and on the other hand perfectly, engagingly modern pop never truly hit big will simply have to be one of the great mysteries of music. ~Ned Raggett (AMG)


About the Artists:
As No-Man is an Island, Tim Bowness (b. Warrington, England) vocals/lyrics, met multi-instrumentalist Steve Wilson, guitar/bass/keys programming/mixing etc., through an avid interest in all kinds of music. Cross breeding is a particular forte, for example, it is not uncommon to hear a dance beat, a violin and a sprawling guitar solo on the same track. Influences range from Arvo Part to Talk Talk. For a time the duo were complimented by violinist Ben Coleman. Although several minor releases came in the mid-late eighties, it's really in 1990 the no-man catalogue begins with a cover of Donovan's "Colours." Next was the "Days in the Trees," now long since deleted, this remains one of no-man's most memorable recordings. In 1992 the band found themselves playing live shows with ex-Japan maestros Steve Jansen, Richard Barbieri and Mick Karn, who also guest on much of no-man's output beginning with 1993 debut Loveblows and Lovecries. For their second album, 1994 masterpiece Flowermouth, help was also enlisted in the form of Robert Fripp, his old colleague Mel Collins and jazz musician Ian Carr. A remix edition entitled Flowermix was issued the following year, featuring a stunning ten minute re-working of "You Grow More Beautiful," re-titled "Faith in You." More experimental was their next outing Wild Opera (1996) with titles such as ep Housewives Hooked on Heroin, Infant Phenomenon (seemingly a cousin to David Sylvian and Fripp's Darshan). The band were obviously not concerned with the realm of commercial activity, however, the album did contain moments that were more 'radio friendly', notably standout track "My Revenge on Seattle." Wild Opera also spawned an off-shoot semi-album, Dry Cleaning Ray. At present, both members have persued their various side projects: Porcupine Tree/Bass Communion - Wilson, Darkroom - Bowness (he also recorded excellent album Flame, with Richard Barbieri and World of Bright Futures with Samuel Smiles). Wilson has recently been engaged in production activities with Fish and his former colleages Marrilion, but these projects all lend to clogging up the progress of no-man; apart from the 1999 ep Carolina Skeletons and the reissue of late 80s work Speak, their forthcoming album has been just that for 3 years. Nonetheless this duo is far from done yet and the new year should see more from the band, as yet unheard by many deserving ears. Housewives Hooked on Heroin followed in mid-2000; Returning Jesus appeared a year later. ~Kevin Hayes (AMG)