The Cover Doesn't Matter

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The title (The Cover Doesn't Matter), along with the wearyingly self-righteous sleeve notes, are intended as indications that Richard Lloyd is a very serious musician with no time or need for the fripperies of modern pop marketing. As the former guitarist with the undeniably influential New York new wave pathfinders Television, Lloyd is more entitled than most to delusions of grandeur, but it is difficult not to conclude, after enduring the spiritless, rigidly orthodox guitar rock of The Cover Doesn't Matter, that Lloyd's rhetoric is writing checks his music can't cash. One senses that Lloyd is trying to emulate the sparse urban atmospherics of, say, Lou Reed's New York-a record that managed to make a virtue of its pared-down instrumentation and brutally direct production. Unfortunately, Lloyd has neither the vocal presence necessary to carry such a record, or the lyrical dexterity necessary to make up for his singing. "I Thought" has a certain languid Byrds-like appeal to it, but there the praise must end. --Andrew Mueller

About the Artist
Guitarist/Vocalist RICHARD LLOYD is a founding member of TELEVISION, whose 1978 album MARQUEE MOON is widely regarded as one of Rock's all-time classics. Television disbanded after releasing their second album ADVENTURE in 1979. RICHARD LLOYD subsequently launched a solo career releasing the albums ALCHEMY, FIELD OF FIRE and REAL TIME. In the early 90s, Richard drew wide acclaim from recording and touring with MATTHEW SWEET. Richard has also recorded and toured with JOHN DOE, HEALTH & HAPPINESS... read more

Album Description
THE COVER DOESN'T MATTER is a brand new CD from guitarist/vocalist Richard Lloyd

The Cover Doesn't Matter

Average customer rating:

listen
It Grows On You...
Dissapointing.., self indulgent.
edgy as ever
Amazing guitar playing, marred by weak vocals

The Cover Doesn't Matter
Richard Lloyd
Manufacturer: Upsetter Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Field of Fire
Alchemy
Real Time
Television

ASIN: B000055X7N
Release Date: 2000-12-01

Tracks:

the knockdown
ain't it time
she loves to fly
i thought
strangestrange
torn shirt
downline
raising the serpent
submarine
cortege

Amazon.com

The title (The Cover Doesn't Matter), along with the wearyingly self-righteous sleeve notes, are intended as indications that Richard Lloyd is a very serious musician with no time or need for the fripperies of modern pop marketing. As the former guitarist with the undeniably influential New York new wave pathfinders Television, Lloyd is more entitled than most to delusions of grandeur, but it is difficult not to conclude, after enduring the spiritless, rigidly orthodox guitar rock of The Cover Doesn't Matter, that Lloyd's rhetoric is writing checks his music can't cash. One senses that Lloyd is trying to emulate the sparse urban atmospherics of, say, Lou Reed's New York-a record that managed to make a virtue of its pared-down instrumentation and brutally direct production. Unfortunately, Lloyd has neither the vocal presence necessary to carry such a record, or the lyrical dexterity necessary to make up for his singing. "I Thought" has a certain languid Byrds-like appeal to it, but there the praise must end. --Andrew Mueller

Album Description

THE COVER DOESN'T MATTER is a brand new CD from guitarist/vocalist Richard Lloyd

Customer Reviews:

listen .......2007-05-04

some staggeringly great stuff here. no doubt about it, this one grows and grows with repeated listens. singing is quite good actually, just a bit lonely in the mix, but after a while you get how & why he did that. this record has a very distinctive sound of its own. muy raw. it comes into view and... "down line" may be his finest post TV moment... spin that one if you made an early exit on this record. it'll getcha. "cortege" is also clean, crystaline and beautiful -- impossible to resist.

lloyd is a far greater guitar-song-songwriter than he gets credit for -- and scads of brilliant stuff he's done has never seen the light of day (he played a bunch of songs on the first field of fire tour that still k-o me today...but you gotta have the cassette I guess). see him play live tho, any chance you get...he's about 50X bigger than any room he plays.

and *that* is very rare these days.

It Grows On You..........2004-06-25

This record is a keeper and a piece of genius. At first I wasn't sure what I thought but now I can't turn the thing off. It is in my car all the time. Simply great and wonderful.

Dissapointing.., self indulgent........2003-01-21

Alchemy is one of my favorite albums and I was really looking forward to hearing, buying this album but I was dissapointed. It was too roughly produced and sounded to muddy some tracks were weak and Richards singing off. I guess Im guilty of expecting another Alchemy! The liner notes really turned me off ..,Richard seems pretty impressed with himself, a little too self indulging espially since its not that great an album., it would of been better if someone else produced it or on better equipment since Im not a muscian I really cant say. Maybe I would of liked it better but its good to here him and that he"s being productive and he didnt end up like Johnny Thunders a sad story. Alchemy still is one of my favorite albums as Marquee Moon Televisions first albums and Im glad will finally be released on CD!..,I"m already on preorder. Maybe Richards next album will be better. If your a Richard Lloyd fan youll like it., but dont expect it to flow or be as great as Alchemy., sorry Richard!

edgy as ever.......2001-06-22

I used to think that Verlaine was the interesting guitarist in Television and that Lloyd was the traditional one. But I was disappointed by the improvisational parts of Verlaine's Warm and Cool and I am impressed by Lloyd's increasing proficiency with absolutely no loss of passion and fire. Lloyd spends a lot of his time teaching guitar now and maybe that has made him more reflective about his playing. I just saw Lloyd and his band earlier this week (double bill with Steve Wynn and band!) and was amazed by his live playing. I have to concur with an earlier reviewer who finds Lloyd's vocals to be distracting. His singing has come a long way since Field Of Fire and it was even better live than it is on this album. His singing seems more uncertain than anything else. With repeated listens you do get used to his phrasing. His songwriting has come a long way too. His lyrics on Field of Fire were sometimes way too close to the June/moon/spoon variety. That is gone now (mercifully).

I am not impressed by mere technical mastery. I don't listen pop music to be wowed by the playing. That would throw the lesson of punk right out the window. Television flew in the face of punk back in the 70s by putting out long, elaborate guitar-based songs, but there was always a frantic, erratic quality about the playing that made it new and exciting. Lloyd has preserved that combination of complexity and craziness. See him live for the real deal. Stand-outs on this record include "Torn Shirt" and "Serpent", but there are no duds whatsoever.

Amazing guitar playing, marred by weak vocals.......2001-05-18

My previous exposure to Richard Lloyd was through Television and Matthew Sweet. I still think Matthew Sweet's 'Girlfriend' and '100% Fun' are two of the finest rock album's of the 90's, largely due to the guitar work of Richard Lloyd and Robert Quine. I have long considered Richard to be one of the most talented and underappreciated guitarists in rock.

I love Richard's inventive, unpredictable, chaotic yet melodic guitar stle, and found it in spades on this disc. But I was also surprised with the overall quality of the songwriting. The layered, interlocking guitar parts are pure genius, and most songs are miniature guitar masterpieces. Truly amazing guitar playing!

But one unfortunate factor prevents me from giving this a five-star rating - the vocals. I found the lyrics strained and awkward, and Richard's delivery strained and awkward as well. At first I was really put off by it, but I've found the vocals have become less intrusive with each listen. So it's not enough to sink the ship, but I really wish Richard had concentrated more on his strengths - guitar playing and songwriting - and brought in someone else to contribute the lyrics and vocals. Of course that would have undermined Richard's entire intention in making this album, and it would have been much less of a personal creative statement. But still I believe that with better lyrics/vocals, this disc could have become an absolute classic, and may have even attained some mainstream popularity.

Overall, I am really impressed with this disc! One of the best guitar-rock releases I've ever owned. Can't wait to see Richard live.

Cover Doesn't Matter
Average customer rating:
Cover Doesn't Matter
Richard Lloyd
Manufacturer: Evangeline Music/Hepcat
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00005AV0B
Release Date: 2003-04-08