Lene Lovich - The Best of Lene Lovich

23 Tracks from One of the Most Original Sounding Women of the New Wave Movement. Pure Fun. Album Details

Very sufficient.

I'm a huge Nina Hagen and Siouxsie Sioux fan, so it's easy to see how I gravitated to Lene -- another wild, independent woman of the 80's. I was familiar with the track "Telepathy", and had heard "New Toy" on the radio, but was new to Lene aside from that. I was looking for an album that had a good selection and variety of tracks, and this is the one I wound up with.

I can't say I'm disappointed at all. I discovered some new favorites ("It's Only You", "Blue Hotel", "Angels", "Special Star"...) that still hold great memories for me, and of course enjoyed the tracks I originally bought this disc for. There's a little stretch in the middle I tend to skip over; a few of the tracks ("One in a Million", "Money Talk", etc.) just weren't my cup of tea. Still, for sheer volume, there's enough material here that I don't miss the ones I pass up.

So all in all? This disc didn't change my life or anything, haha, but it's pretty good stuff and got me exactly the Lene-fix I was looking for. Worth the purchase price, worth adding to my collection, and makes me smile even now. Can't ask for much else. :) July 18, 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

Best value but much is missing

If would be an over simplification to refer to Lene Lovich's music as "transylvania Boogie" meets Yoko Ono. Since seeing her live over 20 years ago, I still find myself grooving to Lucky Number, Telepathy, Details, Bird Song, etc. This is the next best thing since the Stiff record box set. Unfortunately some of her best work is not included here...such as 'One Lonely Heart' or 'Cats Away'. April 9, 2004

INNOVATIVE VOCAL POP

Lene Lovich emerged in the late 1970s new wave and remained primarily a UK phenomenon. This excellent compilation draws on her two brilliant albums Stateless and Flex, both on the famous Stiff label. Packed with hits, Best Of contains all the essential tracks that made her such a cult phenomenon.

What set Lovich apart was her theatrical vocal style best demonstrated on catchy songs like Lucky Number (her first hit), the ethereal Bird Song and the torch song Too Tender (To Touch). Her outstanding material also contributed to the legend - besides the aforementioned, other classics here include the fast-paced Say When and One In A Million, the sinister Telepathy and the acerbic Home.

Other tracks of note are It's You, Only You, Writing On The Wall and her interpretation of the pop classic I Think We're Alone now, of which there is also a Japanese version. Lovich excelled as both a quirky pop singer and a torch diva. Fans of, say, Jane Siberry and Mary Margaret O'Hara will find a lot to enjoy in her music. January 7, 2004

Buy the individual albums

Lene Lovich is one of the goddesses of New Wave, and she has some great songs. I would not recommend getting this greatest hits album since it only pulls songs off of Stateless Plus and Flex. For about the same amount of money, you can buy the individual CD's and get more of Lene. It is also too bad that this best of album does not have gems like "Wonderland" from March. This would really be a great best of album if they added the Nina Hagen and Lene duet "Don't Kill the Animals". I definitely recommend getting Lene albums. Just pass on this one if you can get the individual albums. December 3, 2003

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