Lowlife are easily one of the most under-rated bands of all time. I expect that most of my readers are very familiar, or at least somewhat familiar with their music. For those that are not, it's time!I plan on posting a semi-discography of the band that came prior to Lowlife (Dead Neighbours) after this.
A quick summary on the sound: A perfect blending of post-punk/goth/shoegaze sounds. Heavy, melancholic vocals and some of the most ethereal, dark, and overall brilliant musical compositions you'll hear anywhere. The members shifted around a bit early on (ex-Cocteau Twins, etc) before settling on a final line-up, which produced some of the most saldy over-looked songs of the style/era. Comparable to a number of bands, including Joy Division, The Cure, SaTB, Chameleons, Cocteau Twins, Asylum Party, etc.
Ok, enough out of me. On with the downloads:
Lowlife - Rain EP (1985)
Track List:| A1 | Sometime Something | |
| A2 | Reflections Of I (For Kelly) | |
| A3 | Gallery Of Shame | |
| B1 | Sense Of Fondness | |
| B2 | Hail Ye | |
| B3 | Again And Again |
Download
Lowlife - Permanent Sleep (1986)
Track List:| A1 | Cowards Way | |
| A2 | As It Happens | |
| A3 | Mother Tongue | |
| A4 | Wild Swan | |
| B1 | Permanent Sleep | |
| B2 | A Year Past July | |
| B3 | The Betting And Gaming Act 1964 | |
| B4 | Do We Party? |
Download
Lowlife - Vain Delights (1986)
Track List:| A1 | Hollow Gut | |
| B1 | Permanent Sleep (Steelmix) | |
| B2 | From Side To Side |
Download
Lowlife - Swirl, It Swings EP (1987)
Track List:| A1 | Swing | |
| A2 | Colours Blue | |
| B1 | Ramified | |
| B2 | Eternity Road |
Download
Lowlife - Eternity Road 12" (1987)
Track List:A1 - Eternity Road
B1 - Ramified
B2 - Of Pale Yellow
Tracks available on other releases
Lowlife - Eternity Road 7" (1987)
Track List:A - Eternity Road
B - Of Pale Yellow
Tracks available on other releases
Lowlife - Diminuendo (1987)
Track List:| A1 | A Sullen Sky | |
| A2 | Big Uncle Ugliness | |
| A3 | Raggedrise To Tumbledown | |
| A4 | From Side To Side | |
| B1 | Off Pale Yellow | |
| B2 | Tongue Tied And Twisted | |
| B3 | Licking Ones Wounds | |
| B4 | Wonders Will Never Cease | |
| B5 | Given To Dreaming |
Download
Lowlife - The Black Sessions (1988)
Track List:01 River of Woe
02 Where I Lay, I'll Lay
03 Missing The Kick
04 The Beggars Burning Bush
05 Moved To Tears
06 Bittersweet
07 Forever Filthy
08 Neverending Shroud
09 We The Cheated
10 Acrid Tongue
Download
Lowlife - Godhead (1989)
Track List:| A1 | In Thankful Hands | |
| A2 | Where I Lay, I'll Lie | |
| A3 | Marjory's Dream | |
| A4 | I Don't Talk To Me | |
| A5 | Drowning Leaves | |
| A6 | Bittersweet | |
| B1 | River Of Woe | |
| B2 | I The Cheated | |
| B3 | Missing The Kick | |
| B4 | Forever Filthy | |
| B5 | Neverending Shroud |
Download
Lowlife - From A Scream To A Whisper (1990)
Track List:| A1 | Ramafied | |
| A2 | Sometime Something | |
| A3 | Cowards Way | |
| A4 | Big Uncle Ugliness | |
| A5 | Wild Swan | |
| A6 | Hollow Gut | |
| B1 | Again And Again | |
| B2 | A Sullen Sky | |
| B3 | As It Happens | |
| B4 | Eternity Road | |
| B5 | Swing | |
| B6 | From Side To Side |
Download
Lowlife - San Antorium (1991)
Track List:| A1 | Jaw | |
| A2 | Inside In | |
| A3 | My Mothers Fatherly Father | |
| A4 | Big Fat Funky Whale | |
| A5 | Good As It Gets | |
| B1 | Suddenly Violently Random | |
| B2 | June Wilson | |
| B3 | Give Up Giving Up | |
| B4 | Bathe | |
| B5 | As Old As New |
Download
Lowlife - Gush (1995)
Track List:| 1 | Bleach (5:13) | |
| 2 | Kiss Me Kick (6:34) | |
| 3 | Former Compadre (5:55) | |
| 4 | Truth In Needles (4:27) | |
| 5 | Tocopherol (4:40) | |
| 6 | Loaded Primed And Pulled (3:51) | |
| 7 | Wicked Papa Tantalus (4:16) | |
| 8 | Patricide (4:12) | |
| 9 | Swell (4:44) |
Download
Lowlife - Eternity Road: Reflections of Lowlife 85-95 (2006)
Track List:| 01 | Sometime, Something | |
| 02 | Again And Again | |
| 03 | Coward's Way | |
| 04 | Permanent Sleep | |
| 05 | The Betting & Gaming Act 1964 | |
| 06 | Hollow Gut | |
| 07 | Ragged Rise To Tumbledown | |
| 08 | From Side To Side | |
| 09 | Eternity Road (7" Version) | |
| 10 | Swing | |
| 11 | Ramified (Underground Version) | |
| 12 | Where I Lay, I'll Lie | |
| 13 | I Don't Talk To Me | |
| 14 | I The Cheated | |
| 15 | My Mother's Fatherly Father | |
| 16 | Suddenly Violently Random | |
| 17 | Give Up Giving Up | |
| 18 | Truth In Needles | |
| 19 | Swell |
Phew, that took a while. Enjoy!
34 comments:
Can't understand why there is no one commenting. I had never heard of them and am just listening to their first EPs. They seem pretty good to me, solid songwriting, good tunes, good voice, all the guitars we love to hear from that era (in fact, fortunately they sound more like 1982). Well, it's not a unique sound, but a very likeable one. Thank you for sharing this!!
I think you will enjoy their following couple of albums, where their sound really starts to sound like their own. One other track to note from their Black Sessions is "Moved To Tears", which I don't think is on any other release. Very good track.
It's a very big band
Lowlife were truly a gem in the schism of gloomy pop bands...I too, was always struck by how many folks were hard core Cocteau Twins fans and had no idea of Lowlife...further they are part of that whole cannon, Sad Lovers and Giants, Breathless, Lucy SHow...etc, that do what they do so well and yet are infrequently ever referenced as bands that defined that gloomy dreampop sound...They were perfect throughout the bulk of every recording...is there a bad song?
I used top make tapes and evetually burn cd's of their work to send to people around the world who expressed an interest in who they were...
I'm glad I can still find in 2009 a person whom is excited about them...I started the Lowlife forum that eventually merged with their official site and am glad the spirit continues!....They are a keeper!
Cheers, Plastiquegal, I totally agree with your sentiments :)
Just to let you know how far Lowlife went: I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and in 1988 (I think) I could record the 3 songs from "Vain Delights" EP broadcasted during the "Novas Tendencias" (New Tendencies) radio program, presented by DJ Jose Roberto Mahr, at a rock radio station of that time, named Radio Fluminense.
Since then, I became a big fan of this band.
Thanks for this discography.
good to see interest still in a sound that has not been repeated.
e (permanentsleep.com)
THANK YOU FOR THIS; I love this band!
The singer Craig lorentson passed away a couple of weeks ago around the 6th of June in Grangemouth Scotland, Will miss you your voice and music were amazing. RIP
Wonderful! Band .....
muchas gracias!!, thanks for posting discography of a Great band,
cheers from Costa Rica!!.
a Lowlife documentary, produced by David Bruggink and guitarist Stuart Everest, is in the works...check out the facebook page and the trailer... Cheers! David
The film's facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/eternityroadfilm
The film's teaser trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nysW3Orn2Ic
thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!
Magnific blog, wonderful band. I neede the lyrics
As a huge fan of Lowlife and always spreading the word for them to whomever wants to know about the band i have to pay tribute to you for sharing the amazing gemgraphy of the band in this blog.
why is "A Sullen Sky" track one? when it should be Sometime Something?
WTH?
Not sure what you're talking about, MIke Brandon?
A lovely tribute to one of my favourite ever bands and thank you for putting a download of the Black Album up. I had it and can't find it, so this is so welcome!
Lowlife were timeless. Are. Their songs and sound echoes in the space of so many rooms, solid and grey and dark. One of the greatest bands from the 80´s. Great voice and atmospheres. Just listen to the very first Cocteaus album... Garlands and you'll see. The same dense textures and circle sound. Too good to be forbidden and forget.
Thank you Sir for this tribute.
I discovered this band few months ago,i think it was that i read the Bío of higgie that i could heard them for first time. Eternity road!, just amazing Sound, voice, of course bass to (Searching my experience.
), just amazing. Well now i can enjoying this albums, thnk you again.
Cheers!
I recently heard a few Lowlife songs, and I'm hooked. I want to thank you for taking the time to share their discography! I'd like to eventually find and purchase their albums on vinyl, and your uploads give me a chance to enjoy their music and decide what to buy. Thank you so very much!
I have been a fan of Lowlife since my school days (late eighties). Thank you very much for sharing this.
Greetings from Lima, Peru
I have never once heard of this band before. Wow this is really good.
grandioso aporte. Great Band. Gracias totales.
best post punk band so far. and my favorite one. the coldest vocal of Craig Lorentson. I can listen to them even when i don't want to listen any music at all. what makes them so special among all other good and iconic bands?
THANKS!!!
Muchas Gracias desde Perú!
Thank you kindly.
Thank you for keeping the flame alive. Just discovered this band I truly enjoy that 80s' melancholy Brit sound!
thx!
hello,
i discover this group today and i thank you so much for this... i send you a big kiss and a big sun from the south of france, in Provence..
Thank you for introducing me a "new" music act I did not know.
Congrats for your job!!
Francisco P., Spain.
It is all full of virus, watch out.
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