The {|Primitives|}' sound pretty much defines the lighter side of British pop in the late '80s: straight-ahead pop melodies tinged with a bit of Manchester danceability and shoegazer experimentation. Some of {|the Primitives|}' more pop songs are a b... Read more

The {|Primitives|}' sound pretty much defines the lighter side of British pop in the late '80s: straight-ahead pop melodies tinged with a bit of Manchester danceability and shoegazer experimentation. Some of {|the Primitives|}' more pop songs are a bit too straightforward and bland, but the majority of {|Lovely|} is well-written enough to make up for the occasional lapse into plainness. The album is at its best when the band departs from its pop sound -- {|the Jesus and Mary Chain|}-inspired noise of {|Spacehead|} and {|Stop Killing Me,|} or the Eastern-sounding {|Shadow,|} with its sitar and backwards vocals, stand out as some of the more artistically worthwhile tracks. The {|Primitives|}, however, are more about writing hooky pop songs than making great artistic strides; {|Lovely|}'s most memorable tracks are built around {|P.J. Court|}'s simple, jangly guitar lines and {|Tracey|}'s sweet, melodic vocals. If one can look past the fact that their brand of Brit-pop sounds a bit dated, {|the Primitives|} are a consistently exciting listen. [The 2013 reissue features remastered sound and a bonus disc of singles, mixes, and live tracks. Includes the excellent single Way Behind Me, which was tacked on to the American release of the album.] ~ Nitsuh Abebe Less