Express (album)

Express is the second studio album by English alternative rock band Love and Rockets, released in 1986 on Beggar's Banquet.

Background

The band continued in the same musical direction as their first album, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, with a strong psychedelic and glam rock sound. Although still retaining a bit of their gothic rock sound, the band continued to distance themselves away from their previous work with Bauhaus.

The album contains two versions of "All in My Mind", one of which is labeled as an acoustic version. Although both feature similar lyrics and chord structures, the songs are clearly distinct from each other.

Release history

In 2001, the album was remastered and expanded to include two single remixes and several contemporaneous B-sides, including a cover of Pink Floyd's "Lucifer Sam". Two short experimental pieces that had been found on the studio tape masters labeled as "B Side #1" and "B Side #2" were also added. Note that "Ball of Confusion" was released before Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, but since the USA mix could not be fit on the reissue of that album, it was appended to the Express reissue.

Track listing

Original LP release

1. "It Could Be Sunshine" – 5:00
2. "Kundalini Express" – 5:47
3. "All in My Mind" – 4:45
4. "Life in Laralay" – 3:35
5. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)" – 5:56
6. "Love Me" – 3:54
7. "All in My Mind (acoustic)" – 5:08
8. "An American Dream" – 6:04

Original cassette release

1. "It Could Be Sunshine" – 5:00
2. "Kundalini Express" – 5:47
3. "All in My Mind" – 4:45
4. "Life in Laralay" – 3:35
5. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)" – 5:56
6. "Love Me" – 3:54
7. "All in My Mind (acoustic)" – 5:08
8. "Holiday on the Moon" – 6:07
9. "An American Dream" – 6:04

The UK cassette release did not include "Holiday on the Moon".

US LP release (Bigtime Records)

1. "It Could Be Sunshine" – 5:00
2. "Kundalini Express" – 5:47
3. "All in My Mind" – 4:45
4. "Life in Laralay" – 3:35
5. "Ball Of Confusion" (USA Mix) - 6:16
6. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)" – 5:56
7. "Love Me" – 3:54
8. "All in My Mind (acoustic)" – 5:08
9. "An American Dream" – 6:04

The original CD release also included "Angels and Devils", "Lucifer Sam" and "Holiday on the Moon".

2001 CD reissue

1. "It Could Be Sunshine" – 4:59
2. "Kundalini Express" – 5:52
3. "All in My Mind" – 4:43
4. "Life in Laralay" – 3:31
5. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)" – 5:56
6. "Love Me" – 3:54
7. "All in My Mind (acoustic)" – 5:08
8. "An American Dream" – 6:09
9. "Angels and Devils" – 6:10
10. "Holiday on the Moon" – 6:07
11. "Lucifer Sam" – 3:21
12. "B Side #1" – 1:16
13. "B Side #2" – 1:31
14. "Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man) (Remix)" – 5:29
15. "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) (USA Mix)" – 6:18

Reception

Allmusic gave the album four-and-a-half stars out of five, writing "Rich in sonic detail, the neo-psychedelic Express offers a listening experience like no other album -- guitars spiral to dizzying heights from beds of sound, arrangements swirl, songs change and mutate."^[1]

Personnel

• Daniel Ash – guitar, saxophone, and vocals
• David J – bass and vocals
• Kevin Haskins – drums and synthesizers

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Ball, Jonathan. "Express - Love and Rockets". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/express-expanded-r561614/review. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
2. ^ Piero Scaruffi (1999). "Love And Rockets". scaruffi.com. http://www.scaruffi.com/vol4/loverock.html. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
3. ^ Johnson, Howard (7 August 1986). "Love and Rockets 'Express'". Kerrang! (London, UK: United Magazines Ltd.) 126: 19. 

External links

• Express at Allmusic