Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope's solo career began as a logical extension of his days with The Teardrop Explodes. The handsome Cope in his leathers would be a British Jim Morrison for the '80s. But by 1991's Peggy Suicide, he eschewed whatever commercial considerations had guided his image—along with the production decisions of his previous albums—and zeroed in on achieving pure modern psychedelic bliss. Expanding on the private mania of Skellington and Droolian (the two low-profile albums that directly preceded Peggy), Cope created a career highpoint. The plaintive "Pristeen" starts things calmly, but it isn't long before things heat up and climax with "Hanging Out and Hung Up on the Line." The eight-minute "Safesurfer" reflects on the realities and consequences of AIDS and captures the kind of psychedelic jam that would become Cope's future trademark. His leftist politics are on full display and come to a cathartic point during "Leperskin." There are signs of Krautrock and rave-like rhythms, yet one of the most poignant moments is the stripped-down ballad "Las Vegas Basement," in which Cope nods toward Elvis Presley.