A compilation for the US market of three EPs released in the UK, GALA is a presentation of a new band finding its way musically. It's a fantastic album, although some of the songs are understandably weak due to the uncertainly of its young performers. The production is atmospheric and shimmery, and the complex feedback-drenched songs came to create that particularly fitting adjective "Lush-ious." Brightest highlights are "Thoughtforms," in it's second version (track 7), and "De-Luxe."


Sweetness and light   January 4, 2000
XS (Regensburg, Germany)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Take the melodic power and the ethereal vocals of the Cocteau Twins, mix it with the guitar crash and punk appeal of bands like the Pixies or Throwing Muses, and you'll get the sound of early Lush. "Gala" is a compilation of three EP which were originally released between 1989 and 1990. The sound is a bit thin and you feel that Lush had to improve their skills yet. But they did the best thing a young band can do: They engaged some well-known British producers who knew how to turn their mediocre performance into little pop gems. Ultimately there's not a single bad song on this album. Killer tracks are "Baby talk", "Bitter", "Etheriel" and the cover version of Abba's "Hey hey Helen". I think this album is must-have for every fan of the old-style 4AD sound. By the way, this is an US-only compilation!


Nice stuff   June 9, 2006
Blake Ruiz (phoenix, az)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

This band burned bright for an unfortunately brief period. Gala is a great collection of songs from one of the best bands of the so-called shoegazer movement . As far as the songs go, there isn't a dud in the bunch but Sweetness and Light and De-Luxe are absolutely gorgeous songs, both among the best of all time. This is a great time capsule for a band that ended under the most heartbreaking of circumstances.

Blake Ruiz


Let it breeze away...   June 16, 2004
Barbara Streisands Love Slave (MI)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Lush were an early 90's "shoegazing" band that I feel were very underrated and didn't get the recognition they deserved. This is their first US release and it's a compilation of EP's that were previously released in the UK. Best songs: Sweetness And Light, De-Luxe, and Breeze. If you like bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Ride, then this is definately worth checking out.


wonderous world   October 30, 2005
J. Holmes (yokohama, japan)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

this album confused me greatly when i first heard it. the dreamy guitars and wistful melodies floating around the bouncy drums and throbbing bass...and those beautiful, haunting vocals, which seemed so buried in the mix that there were times when i had to strain my ears to listen closely. i loved how mysterious it all sounded. i was already becoming a Cocteau Twins fan, and this album reminded me of them...but in a much more rocking sort of way. Lush has the power to contrast their lovely blissful numbers with sngs like "Leaves Me Cold" and "Downer" which seemed to spark a bit of a more violent and jagged mood. and that kind of contrast left me cold for awhile...eventually, i grew into this album and i looked forward to hearing the future albums from this band. i was sad when they broke up, because by the time they released Lovelife, i was really hooked! recently, after years of having having this recording on cassette, i was pleased to be browsing a bargain bin and come accross a copy of Gala on cd. it's been great to rediscover the wonderous world of this album and take a trip back to the glory daze of shoegazing.