Search - Lush :: Gala

Real "sweetness and light"

Christopher Culver | 10/14/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although 1994's SPLIT was by far Lush's best effort, showing a full-circle maturity in musicianship and songwriting, GALA is certainly the best introduction to Lush, as it was the beginning of a seven year career tragically cut short by the death of drummer Chris Acland. A compilation for the US market of three EPs released in the UK, GALA is a presentation of a new band finding its way musically. It's a fantastic album, although some of the songs are understandably weak due to the uncertainly of its young performers. The production is atmospheric and shimmery, and the complex feedback-drenched songs came to create that particularly fitting adjective "Lush-ious." Brightest highlights are "Thoughtforms," in it's second version (track 7), and "De-Luxe.""

Sweetness and light

loteq | Regensburg | 01/04/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Take the melodic power and the ethereal vocals of the Cocteau Twins, mix it with the guitar crash and punk appeal of bands like the Pixies or Throwing Muses, and you'll get the sound of early Lush. "Gala" is a compilation of three EP which were originally released between 1989 and 1990. The sound is a bit thin and you feel that Lush had to improve their skills yet. But they did the best thing a young band can do: They engaged some well-known British producers who knew how to turn their mediocre performance into little pop gems. Ultimately there's not a single bad song on this album. Killer tracks are "Baby talk", "Bitter", "Etheriel" and the cover version of Abba's "Hey hey Helen". I think this album is must-have for every fan of the old-style 4AD sound. By the way, this is an US-only compilation!"

Nice stuff

Blake Ruiz | phoenix, az | 06/09/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This band burned bright for an unfortunately brief period. Gala is a great collection of songs from one of the best bands of the so-called shoegazer movement . As far as the songs go, there isn't a dud in the bunch but Sweetness and Light and De-Luxe are absolutely gorgeous songs, both among the best of all time. This is a great time capsule for a band that ended under the most heartbreaking of circumstances.



Blake Ruiz"