Love and Money

Littledeath turned out to be an appropriate title for this 1994 release. In 1995, the Scottish band broke up, so Littledeath was the last album that Love & Money recorded before its regrettable demise. And regrettable is definitely the word that describes Love & Money's breakup; this album (which combines pop/rock with soul and folk elements) demonstrates that the band still had a lot to offer. But while Littledeath was not a creative disappointment, it was a commercial disappointment -- especially in the United States -- and that fact can probably be attributed to the lack of a really strong single. As an album, Littledeath is fine. The writing is consistently strong, and lead singer James Grant is expressive throughout the CD. Littledeath is a great album to sit down and listen to, but that doesn't make it radio-friendly. In 1994, Love & Money desperately needed a powerful, attention-grabbing single that would drive radio programmers wild, and there is nothing on Littledeath that fits that description. While moody, introspective offerings like "Ugly As Sin," "What Time Is the Last Train," and "Pray for Love" work well as album tracks, none of them had serious radio appeal (at least not by U.S. standards). Creatively, Littledeath is successful; commercially, it didn't do Love & Money justice in 1994. That isn't to say that gems like "Ugly As Sin" or "What Time Is the Last Train" should not have been recorded; however, Love & Money could have provided some radio-friendly gems, along with some gems that aren't so radio-friendly. Nonetheless, Littledeath was a rewarding swan song for the Scottish outfit. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide