Inspiral Carpets: Clint Boon (vocals, keyboards); Tom Hingley (vocals); Graham Lambert (guitar); Martyn Walsh (bass); Craig Gill (drums).
Producers: Inspiral Carpets, Nick Garside, Gareth Jones.
Engineers: Inspiral Carpets, Victor Van Vugt.
Personnel: Stephen Holt (vocals); Graham Lambert (guitar); Clint Boon (organ, background vocals); Craig Gill (drums).
Recording information: G-Mex, Manchester, England (07/17/1988); Maida Vale 5 (07/17/1988); Out of the Blue (07/17/1988); G-Mex, Manchester, England (07/21/1990); Maida Vale 5 (07/21/1990); Out of the Blue (07/21/1990); G-Mex, Manchester, England (09/1989); Maida Vale 5 (09/1989); Out of the Blue (09/1989).
Inspiral Carpets had been honing their skills in their native Manchester, England, when the replacement of their original singer with Too Much Texas's Tom Hingley--and an increased reliance on the Farfisa organ--soon put them at the forefront of that northern city's burgeoning Madchester scene. Their debut album, LIFE, finds the group expanding their sound beyond the poignant hit "This Is How It Feels," which is included here. The Elektra-released U.S. edition of LIFE adds tracks from their ISLAND HEAD EP, released contemporaneously with the album.
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (1/24/91) - "...one of the top three bands of the hypertrendy Manchester scene...swirling, heady music..."
Spin (p.98) - "[The songs] were arms-aloft exemplars of the scene's defiant hedonism."
Q (8/95, p.143) - 3 Stars - Good - "...their debut album, their best work..."
