Topolino by Lush is definitely one of my favorite releases of theirs. The album is actually a compilation but it is basically some EPs and singles smashed into one whole. It was released on 20 November, 1996 on CDs in Canada and Japan. Some genres this release is classified as are britpop, indie pop, dream pop and jangle pop. Topolino was actually released as some b-sides that were recorded during the making of Lovelife, which didn’t get nearly as much praise as this compilation.
Lush is a band made up of four members, which was formed in London during 1987. They are known as pioneers of the shoegaze and dream pop genres, until transitioning to Britpop for their last album. The four members are Miki Berenyi (lead vocals, guitar and songwriting), Emma Anderson (guitar, vocals and occasionally percussion), Phil King (bass guitar) and Chris Acland (drums and percussion). Unfortunately the band broke up after the suicide of Chris Acland, who was struggling with depression under his humorous personality. The band reunited in 2015 to release an EP and go on an international tour, but in 2016 they permanently split to focus on their personal lives.
Topolino’s position as a compilation is the reason I think this is one of the best releases from Lush. All of the songs on this album are amazing and most have found their way onto one of my playlists. My favorite songs from this album are “I Have the Moon”, “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend”, “Matador”, “I’d Like to Walk Around in Your Mind”, “Demystification” and “Carmen”. For the time I understand why this would be considered a compilation, but I think this is closer aligned with modern albums. Modern albums try hard to differentiate all their songs because culture has shifted to playlists, so artists will appeal to all the different kinds of their fans.
The variety of the compilation is probably why I like it so much, which also leads to each song having its own identity. I’m guessing that this release was also taken much less seriously because it was just a bunch of extras, so I think that more creativity and less conforming was going on compared to a studio album. Overall, I’m giving Topolino by Lush a 4.6/5 because it is a dozen songs that all have good sounds and don’t do anything that I would expect a band like Lush would do.
