Like many bands of the British pop movement of the early 1990s, the La's created a big--though short-lived--splash, then belly-flopped into obscurity. Most will remember them only from their pillowy single, "There She Goes," but this album is replete with delightfully jangly, remarkably well-crafted songs and deserves to be waived from the stigma of one-hit-wonderdom. Lead singer and songwriter Lee Mavers is largely the culprit responsible for the success and failure of this album; a perfectionist, he ultimately paralyzed the album's momentum with band-member changes, the relentless rerecording of songs, and obsession over details, which caused fatal delays in its completion and release. But his pursuit of perfection was nearly achieved--almost every song had potential as a successful single. Truly a sleeper classic. --Beth Bessmer
eview by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The La's were one of the few English alternative groups to keep traditional British guitar pop alive during the late '80s and early '90s. Drawing heavily from the punchy British Invasion sound of early Beatles, the Hollies, the Searchers, and the Small Faces, the group's eponymous debut is a swirling array of ringing guitar hooks and strong, undeniable pop melodies. Throughout the record, chief songwriter Lee Mavers turns out small, well-crafted gems, highlighted by the hit single "There She Goes," whose jangling hooks and sighing melodies simply scratch the surface of the abundance of pleasures on the record. While Mavers claimed at the time that the label forced him to release The La's, it's hard to imagine the record being any more infectious. As it stands, The La's was a refreshing slice of classicist guitar pop at the time of its release, and its charms have not faded over the years.
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