Lene Lovich - Stateless

ok for what it is but.....

Whenever I buy a cd I will listen to it completely to see if I like at least have of the songs if not I'll get rid of it. Lene Lovich barely made it, most of these songs are just too bland for me. Although I can see why everyone likes Lucky Number its fun and u can dance to it. Other highlights for me were Sleeping Beauty, Say When (although the lyrics were rather cheesy), Momentery Breakdown (had to grow on me), Be Stiff (was intersesting because I heard a Devo version of this there's was better her's is ok though) Big Bird and Blue. Honestly the main reason im keeping this for collective purposes so if u like female post punk/new wave artists I would go with Siouxsie or the Slits or somebody. July 8, 2008

"One in a 1,000,000" reasons to love Lene Lovich's "Stateless"

Yep, count me in among those of you who still harbor their old vinyl copies of "Stateless" (I must've been in the 8th. grade back when I bought it--yikes!) It's still in good playing condition, thank goodness; I have been playing it quite a bit since last Christmas when I got a new turntable! I remember when I first heard Lene Lovich on the radio--the DJ didn't know how to pronounce her name and kept calling her "Lenny Lo-vich" until some other listener finally called him on it, LOL. That was about the time I first saw the album in stores and noticed right off the phonetic spellings underneath both "Lene Lovich" and "Stateless", so why did the DJ keep mangling her name when his station started playing cuts off of it?!? That was a little strange, LOL.
As far as the extra tracks included on this CD version, really only her version of "Be Stiff" piqued my interest, so I may wait on buying another copy of "Stateless" unless after all these years I've managed to maintain my old vinyl copy I end up carelessly tripping over it in the dark and breaking it, or (even worse) I leave the thing out in direct sunlight and melt the sucker, LOL.
BTW, I have that Japanese version of "I Think We're Alone Now" on an old compilation LP Stiff Records put out in 1980 called "The Last Stiff Compilation..." As a promo gimmick, the song was simply used as a surprise unlisted track at the end of side 2 after the Dammed's "Smash it Up"--I thought that was pretty clever of them to do that, but looking over much of my collection of Stiff artists, I've noted tacking on extra liner notes or in the case of Ian Dury's 2nd. LP, "Do it Yourself": marketing it in a choice of several colors, seems to be par for the course with that label anyway. What fun!
Another old band I've loved since the '80s is Throwing Muses...a while back I had read an interview with their frontwoman, Kristin Hersh, and got quite a pleasant shock after learning that Lene Lovich was a major influence in Kris' vocal style--there is that similar manic wailing quality in much of Throwing Muses' material that eerily mimics Lovich's. A definite "aha" moment! Nice to know other musical gals beside me have been that much inspired by Lovich's music--beside Rachel Sweet, Lovich has always been a major player for Stiff Records as one of their best female artists, IMO. "Stateless" itself certainly proves it!
June 8, 2007

I Love Lene!

I got "Stateless" on vinyl when I was 16 -- I still have that copy. Last year, I finally caved and got the CD. I don't think the bonus tracks on the CD really add anything, but after all these years, I still enjoy listening to Lene's unique vocal style. This is a solid, catchy disc. December 23, 2006

One of THE great albums of late 70s/Early 80s.

And it's as fresh, and creative today as it was back then.

A real treat. I remember hearing this AND the B-52s "Planet Claire" for the first time on the same afternoon. I still enjoy both. November 20, 2006

A new LENE cd in 2005!!!

Lene is back! And stronger than ever! Lene has released a new cd on the stereosociety web page run by Mike Thorne, the 80's producer. It's a startling come back....Lene is in top form just as if she never left! It honestly took me a few listens to like this cd...but it has grown on me, and in my honest opinion, it is Lene's best, right next to FLEX. Lene proves she is Queen of the fun gothic dance songs.

The cd is packed with sounds...voices echoing the the background...calls and shrieks, la la la's and sonic blasts of synth. Les Chappel's deep baritone echoes in places, and adds a dark atmosphere to the music. Lene's voice has never sounded better. It's full and rich as she sings, calls, speaks and shrieks through this 10 song set. I wish it had been a longer cd!

The cd begins with "Craze" a snewy, plucky song, with Lene's rich alto singing against the music...not with it...and she uses her voice as a squealing escalating trill up and down as a hook. A new, funky lene has been born! Possibly one of the best songs she has ever done!!!!

Lene touches darkwave with the passionate "Remember"....and once again her voice is rich and full...and lonely...

She then hits a fast pace with "Gothica"....a driving, guitar powered song....with her and les shouting "Goth-ic-ca!!!" as the hook. It's a fun, spooky song...with echoing voices and odd sounds popping in and out of the mix....this song should be the single. Les is also in top vocal form providing a deep croaking buried into the mix. It sounds like he is chanting "ooga shocka ah ooga shocka ah"

The song "The Insect Eater" is a brilliant masterpiece about Renfield, the crazed slave of Dracula. It's cartoony, and fun...and when Dracula speaks to Renfield, the production is top-notch, with Lene and Les's altered voices speaking...it's brilliant! Lene sings "earwigs in my fridge at midnight put me in a dancing mood" then Les screams "Earwigs!!!"

The cartoony, gothic fun contiues on "The Wicked Witch". You'll find yourself singing along to the chorus. It's a cross between the Wicked Witch of the West and horror movie witchcraft with blaring synth and guitar...and more voices and calling in the background. A memorable line "I'll do more than make you cry!"

This is a deep cd. the production is some of the best you will ever hear. It's thick, and sonic...and the vocals come at you from all directions, as screams, yodels, whispers, croaking, singing, chanting...and it all blends together into one startling masterpiece.

December 7, 2005

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