Search - Trip Shakespeare :: Lulu

Without a doubt, one of the finest pop records

S. Hawkins | New York, NY | 08/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you haven't heard of this band before, then here's a brief rundown.



Formed by Matt Wilson, Dan Wilson, John Munson, and Elaine Harris, this band created some of the best pop to come out of the late 80s/early 90s. Admittedly, that means it wasn't up against any great competition, but it holds up against music before and after that time. The group broke up after this album, Lulu, and Dan and John formed Semisonic with drummer Jake Slichter.



Anyway, this album, their last, is also their best. It explores every facet of their quirky, yet earnest and deep, nature. Songs like Lulu and If You Miss Me are beautiful ballad-type tunes, while Jill Can Drive and Your Mouth are more fun, pre-power pop pieces.



To say the album is diverse in the material it covers is an understatement. It really is a summa of their musical interests...for some people, this may be a turn-off. Down My BLock might be a bit poppy for some, while Graveyard might be a bit too weird, but for those who like their music on the creative yet enjoyable end, this album is a must-have.



The fact that it's out of print is simply tragic. No band can nail three and four part harmonies like Trip Shakespeare could."

One of a kind

Matthew Parks | DURHAM, NC USA | 04/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having produced such wildly different acts as Prince and the Revolution and the Replacements, for a while in the late 80's and early 90's, the Minneapolis music scene was the next big thing. Among the best bands to come out of that was the eccentric pop quartet Trip Shakespeare. The bands music was strongly influenced by the more experimental pop and rock of the 60's and 70's--the Beatles of Revolver and later albums; The Beach Boys circa Pet Sounds; with perhaps a little Todd Rundgren and Queen thrown in. But the band's sound is always its own, and based solidly on the band's vocal talents, which include brothers Matt and Dan Wilson, and bassist John Munson, all three capable lead vocalists. Lulu is chocked full of pop gems. Check out the title track, along with "Bachelorette," "Down My Block," "Jill Can Drive," and "Look at the Moon," as well as the lyrically incoherent but brilliant "Your Mouth.""

A superb tour de force, majestic, soaring

johnnyqb | United States | 04/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am glad to read that there are others who think Lulu is one of the greatest albums of all time. You know how when you see a movie once in a while that makes you think, "now THAT is why I watch movies"? Well, Lulu is why I listen to rock and roll. This is perhaps the most tragically overlooked record in rock history, with the exception of all three records by Big Star. Trip Shakespeare was an incredibly magical unit, and their live shows were just devastating. I saw them at the Cubby Bear in November '91, and I still get chills recalling how they opened with Bonneville from Lulu, and it was just SHIMMERING with beauty. Their concerts were the best shows--the sound was so wonderful, and they could sing, and they could jam. And they were happy and funny and full of life. It is one of those strange ironies of music that Semisonic is ten times more popular than Trip ever was, because Trip is so much better. I mean, Feeling Strangely Fine doesn't have any songs that are good enough to be on Lulu. This album is in my top 5 of all time. They are, in no particular order: Lulu by Trip Shakespeare; #1 Record/Radio City by Big Star; Songs From Northern Britain by Teenage Fanclub; The Who Sell Out; and Quadrophenia, also by the Who. Get Lulu if you love harmonies, and melodies, and guitars. It is essential and indescribably wonderful."