The La's (album)

The La's, the self-titled album by The La's, was the only studio release from the Liverpudlian four piece, released in 1990. It included "There She Goes," the group's biggest hit, and "Timeless Melody". A deluxe edition of The La's was released on 7 April 2008.

Writing and recording

All of the songs on The La's were written by Lee Mavers between 1986 and 1987 and after signing to Go! Discs in 1987 and for the next three years The La's worked with several producers to record their debut album, including John Porter, Gavin MacKillop, John Leckie, Bob Andrews, Jeremy Allom and Mike Hedges. The final sessions for the album were recorded December 1989 – February 1990 at the Eden Studios, London with producers Steve Lillywhite and Mark Wallis. "There She Goes" is a remixed version of the original single recording produced by Bob Andrews in 1988.

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Chicago Tribune	^[2]
Drowned in Sound	10/10^[3]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[4]
Entertainment Weekly	A+^[5]
NME	9/10^[6]
Q	^[7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	^[8]
Uncut	^[9]
The Village Voice	A–^[10]

The album was released in 1990 on Go! Discs in the United Kingdom and in 1991 on London Records in the United States. The album was praised by critics and embraced by fans. It was the result of nearly three years in the studio with a string of acclaimed producers. Each attempted to capture the sound sought by Lee Mavers, the lead singer and principal songwriter of the band.

Unfortunately, due to Mavers' exacting expectations, the sound eluded each of the producers, and the album eventually released was immediately disowned by the band.^[11]

A new version of the album, recorded by Mike Hedges (who has also worked with U2, Manic Street Preachers and The Cure) was found on a cassette, this new version was digitally remastered and released for the first time as part of The La's: Deluxe Edition.

This edition also includes previously unreleased archive recordings and radio sessions by the band, as well as deluxe packaging and expanded sleevenotes. The GLR session is a mono reproduction of the right channel only from the original stereo broadcast.

Legacy

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[12]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Lee Mavers (except where stated).

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Son of a Gun"	1:55
2.	"I Can't Sleep"	2:37
3.	"Timeless Melody"	3:01
4.	"Liberty Ship"	2:31
5.	"There She Goes"	2:42
6.	"Doledrum"	2:50
7.	"Feelin'"	1:45
8.	"Way Out"	2:32
9.	"I.O.U."	2:13
10.	"Freedom Song"	2:23
11.	"Failure"	2:54
12.	"Looking Glass"	7:51
Total length:		35:14

Bonus tracks

Japan bonus tracks (1998)
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Knock Me Down"	3:17
14.	"Endless"	3:11
15.	"Come in Come Out"	2:14
16.	"Who Knows"	3:31
17.	"Man I'm Only Human"	4:34
18.	"All by Myself"	5:56
19.	"Clean Prophet"	1:49
20.	"There She Goes" (original single version)	2:35

UK remastered edition bonus tracks (2001)
No.	Title	Length
13.	"All by Myself"	5:53
14.	"Clean Prophet"	1:47
15.	"Knock Me Down"	3:15
16.	"Over" (live in a stable in Liverpool, Mavers/John Power)	5:02
17.	"I.O.U." (alternative version)	2:08

The La's – Deluxe Edition (2008)

Disc 1 tracks 1–12 per original release

Disc 1: Bonus material
No.	Title	Length
13.	"Son of a Gun" (Gary Crowley, GLR Session Dec '88)	1:55
14.	"Doledrum" (Gary Crowley, GLR Session Dec '88)	3:00
15.	"I Can't Sleep" (Gary Crowley, GLR Session Dec '88)	2:34
16.	"Way Out" (Key 103, Jan '89)	2:42
17.	"I Am the Key" (Key 103, Jan '89)	3:05
18.	"That'll Be the Day" (BBC2 The Late Show Feb '89, Buddy Holly/Jerry Allison/Norman Petty)	2:07

Disc 2: Mike Hedges album
No.	Title	Length
1.	"I.O.U." (Mike Hedges version)	2:05
2.	"I Can't Sleep" (Mike Hedges version)	2:43
3.	"Knock Me Down" (Mike Hedges version)	2:56
4.	"Way Out" (Mike Hedges version)	2:47
5.	"Doledrum" (Mike Hedges version)	2:57
6.	"There She Goes" (Mike Hedges version)	2:49
7.	"Feelin'" (Mike Hedges version)	1:48
8.	"Timeless Melody" (Mike Hedges version)	3:07
9.	"Son of a Gun" (Mike Hedges version)	2:05
10.	"Clean Prophet" (Mike Hedges version)	2:09
11.	"Come in Come Out" (Mike Hedges version)	2:16
12.	"Failure" (Mike Hedges version)	3:08
13.	"Looking Glass" (Mike Hedges version)	7:28

Disc 2: Bonus material
No.	Title	Length
14.	"Doledrum" (John Porter mix)	2:53
15.	"Way Out" (Andy MacDonald mix)	2:39
16.	"There She Goes" (John Leckie mix)	2:44
17.	"Man I'm Only Human" (John Leckie mix)	5:00
18.	"Feelin'" (Bob Andrews mix)	1:53
19.	"Clean Prophet" (Bob Andrews mix)	2:02
20.	"I Can't Sleep" (Jeremy Allom mix)	2:41

Personnel

The La's^[13]

Lee Mavers – guitar, vocals
John Power – bass, backing vocals
Peter "Cammy" Camell – guitar
Neil Mavers – drums
John "Boo" Byrne – guitar (on "There She Goes")
Chris Sharrock – drums (on "There She Goes")
Paul Hemmings – guitar (on "Way Out")
John "Timmo" Timson – drums (on "Way Out")

Production^[13]

Steve Lillywhite – producer, mixing
Mark Wallis – additional producer, engineer
Donal Hodgson – engineer (on "Looking Glass")
Bob Andrews – producer (on "There She Goes")
Dave Charles – engineer (on "There She Goes")

Additional personnel^[13]

Ryan Art – design

The La's: Deluxe Edition personnel^[13]

Barry Sutton – guitar (disc one: tracks 13–18, disc two: tracks 1–13, 20)
Chris Sharrock – drums (disc one: tracks 13–18, disc two: tracks 1–13, 18–20)
Paul Hemmings – guitar (disc two: tracks 14–15)
John "Timmo" Timson – drums (disc two: tracks 14–15)
Peter "Cammy" Camell – guitar (disc two: tracks 16–17)
Iain Templeton – drums (disc two: tracks 16–17)
John "Boo" Byrne – guitar (disc two: tracks 18–19)

The La's: Deluxe Edition production personnel^[13]

Mike Hedges – producer, remastering (disc two: tracks 1–13)
Ian Grimble – engineer, mixing (disc two: tracks 1–13)
Kevin Metcalfe – remastering (disc two: tracks 1–13)
John Porter – producer (disc two: track 14)
Kenny Jones – engineer (disc two: track 14)
Gavin MacKillop – producer (disc two: track 15)
Andy MacDonald – remixing (disc two: track 15)
John Leckie – producer (disc two: tracks 16–17)
Barry Hammond – engineer (disc two: tracks 16–17)
Mike Shepherd – engineer (disc two: tracks 16–17)
Bob Andrews – producer (disc two: tracks 18–19)
Dave Charles – engineer (disc two: tracks 18–19)
Jeremy Allom – producer (disc two: track 20)
Mike Haas – engineer (disc two: track 20)

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format(s)	Catalog
United Kingdom	1 October 1990	Go! Discs	LP, CD, Cassette	828,202
Europe	November 1990	Polydor	LP, CD, Cassette	828,202
United States	1991	London Records	LP, CD, Cassette	828,202
Japan	1998	Polydor	CD (8 bonus tracks)	POCD 1041
United Kingdom	29 January 2001	Go! Discs	CD (Remastered edition, 5 bonus tracks)	549,566
United Kingdom	14 April 2008	Polydor	2xCD (Deluxe edition)	5306021

Chart performance

Charts (1990–1991)	Peak chart position
UK Albums Chart^[14]	30
US Billboard 200^[15]	196

References

↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The La's – The La's". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Kot, Greg (14 February 1991). "The La's The La's (Go! Discs/London)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Westfox, James (2 December 2001). "Album Review: The La's – The La's". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-857-12595-8.
↑ Arnold, Gina (5 April 1991). "The La's". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Capper, Andy (12 September 2000). "The La's: The La's". NME. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ "The La's: The La's". Q (174): 126–27. March 2001.
↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. p. 476. ISBN 0-743-20169-8.
↑ "The La's – La's CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Christgau, Robert (30 July 1991). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
↑ Simpson, Dave (2 May 2008). "The madness of perfection". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 7 April 2010.
↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
1 2 3 4 5 The La's: Deluxe Edition (booklet). The La's. UK: Polydor Records. 2008. 5306021.
↑ LA'S | Artist | Official Charts
↑ The La's Music News & Info | Billboard

External links

The La's at AllMusic
The La's at Discogs (list of releases)
The La's at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)

The La's

Lee Mavers Mike Badger John "Timmo" Timson Phil Butcher Jim "Jasper" Fearon Bernie Nolan Tony Clarke Paul Rhodes John Power Barry Walsh Paul Hemmings Mark Birchall Peter "Cammy" Camell Iain Templeton John "Boo" Byrne Chris Sharrock Barry Sutton Neil Mavers James Joyce Lee Garnett Jay Lewis Nick Miniski Gary Murphy

Albums	The La's (1990) Lost La's 1984–1986: Breakloose (1999) Singles Collection (2001) Lost La's 1986–1987: Callin' All (2001) BBC in Session (2006) Lost Tunes (2008) De Freitas Sessions '87 (2010) Callin' All (2010)

Singles	"Way Out" (1987) "There She Goes" (1988) "Timeless Melody" (1990) "Feelin'" (1991)

Related articles	Cast The Cherry Boys Go! Discs In Search of The La's: A Secret Liverpool The Lightning Seeds The Onset The Viper Label

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