Losing Sleep
A leading member of the seminal Scottish pop group, Orange Juice, Edwyn Collins has gone through personal hell and back to continue making music that is adventurous and heartfelt. In 2005, Collins suffered several brain hemorrhages that left him unable to walk and talk. Through rigorous physical therapy, Collins regained enough of himself to finish 2007’s *Home Again* and to create *Losing Sleep* from the ground up. His voice is understandably more constrained these days. It’s taken on an eeriness akin to the ghost chants of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. The manic chase of “Do It Again” is a powerful piece of angular pop where the beat shifts the weight of the melody with ease. Every track is worthy, with high honors awarded to “Losing Sleep,” “Humble,” “Come Tomorrow, Come Today,” “It Dawns On Me” and “All My Days.” The autobiographical nature of the tunes makes things even more entrancing. Johnny Marr, Aztec Camera’s Roddy Frame” and Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy are among the guests.
Five years ago, brain hemorrhages left the former Orange Juice singer unable to read, write, walk, or talk; here he makes a courageous return to form.
The problem with having turned mentor to those he inspired is that, overborne by the guest spots, his seventh solo album ‘Losing Sleep’ could have ended up being the British indie version of Santana’s ‘Supernatural’.
Discover Losing Sleep by Edwyn Collins released in 2010. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.
Collins has enlisted a fine lineup of collaborators to ensure that Losing Sleep sounds modern.
If ever there were an artist to sing the praises of stubbornness, it's Edwyn Collins.
It's a miracle Edwyn Collins is making music at all – and <strong>Dave Simpson</strong> is relieved to find it's good music
Edwyn Collins - Losing Sleep review: The Lazarus of British Indie takes another step.