The Lilac Time - Astronauts (1991)

The last album by Stephen Duffy's underrated pop combo is, in many ways,
its strongest. The group's gorgeous acoustic-based sound had been perfected
by this point, and Duffy offers up his strongest batch of songs to date.
From the sensual opener, "In Iverna Gardens," to the exquisite closing
ballad, "Madresfield," this is a consistently great album. "Grey Skies and
Work Things" is typical of the album's mood -- quiet, sensual, melancholy,
and romantic. "Dreaming" is a slight return to the dance-oriented sound
that typified Duffy's pre-Lilac Time solo work, but it still fits in well
with the more subdued acoustic numbers. The Lilac Time's only release on
Creation Records, Astronauts sold poorly and the group split shortly
thereafter. However, it remains -- along with the solo follow-up, Music in
Colors -- Duffy's strongest work and a great introduction to his talents.