Can You Measure The Loss?

I always like it when a band makes a record that completely fucks with the majority of their listeners, and I particularly like sitting back and watching as everyone gets in a huge hissy fit about it. When a band goes for a radical change in sound, I always like to bear in mind that said band owe you nothing. They do not have to keep you in mind when making a record, your feelings seldom come into account in the creative process. Also, this album has been coming since Rohnert Park dropped and I couldn't be happier that it's finally here. 

Ceremony - The L-Shaped Man - Matador Records - 1st Press - Sea Foam - /? 

I haven't seen any other variant for this record yet, and I'm not sure even a standard Black copy exists? Either way this variant looks perfect next to the art so I have no complaints. It photographs up a more solid blue, but it definitely is a few shades closer to the colour of the sleeve. 

Back Cover // B-Side 

This record has a very Peter Saville // Factory Records layout to it I find, and I'm a complete sucker for that kind of thing. Heavy stock card, die cut cover, reverse colour centre labels and coloured stock on the inside sleeve are just a few of the details that I'm completely falling for here. 

I believe this is the first Ceremony full length that doesn't have some kind of photography for the main artwork, with the Line Drawing on the front cover being created by Ross Farrar. All other art and layout was a creative effort between designer Mike Zimmerman and Ceremony. Zimmerman works for the Beggars Group collective and I believe they do a bunch of work for Matador artists, alongside a few other labels. 

The L-Shaped Man 

Here you can see how the design fits into the die-cut sleeve. The sleeve kind of works with or without the illustration, and either way there is a great loneliness to this LP that I can't get enough of. There is very little about what was going on when this record was written, other than it's a 'break up' record. Up on the Ceremony webstore is a Poetry book to accompany the record that I'm tempted to buy; I really enjoyed Society Verse and this album is bloody incredible so it makes sense right? 

Lyric Sheet. 

This is the other side of the insert. Lyrics//Credits//Personnel//No Thanks. 

Stickered Sleeve 

This was another case of slowly peeling the sticker from the cellophane and hoping it doesn't rip type of deal. As there is no pressing info out there at the minute, I would love to know what 'Limited Edition' meant. I'm assuming there is at least a couple thousand of these kicking about? Either way I'm not remotely fussed, but I'm sure Matador have very different ideas of something being limited compared to your average indie label. 

Is this record a change? Definitely, and probably the most radical in the band's career thus far. But Still Nothing Moves You didn't sound like Rohnert Park either? Zoo doesn't sound like Violence Violence. Just go into this one with a fresh pair of ears and a little sense of adventure. From the moment I saw the video for The Separation I knew this record was going to be special, and Ceremony can do no wrong in my eyes. 

Cheers!