"Mainstream" is the third and final studio album by Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, produced by Ian Stanley and released by Polydor Records in the UK and Capitol Records in the US on October 26, 1987. The album features the singles "My Bag," "Jennifer She Said," and "From the Hip." While it reached number nine in the UK, it did not chart in the US and is the only album by the band that did not sell at least 100,000 copies there.
Finding a producer was challenging for the band. They initially worked with Chris Thomas and then Stewart Copeland, but ended up with Ian Stanley, known for his work with Tears for Fears. Bass player Lawrence Donegan later reflected that after their previous album, Easy Pieces, they aimed to create something more powerful. However, the lengthy recording process led to a loss of their original vision, resulting in more introspective songs.
Mainstream cost £300,000 to produce and took five months to record. By the time of its release, keyboardist Blair Cowan had left the group, and Donegan was close to leaving for a journalism course. The band decided to split after promoting the album, which included a year-long tour. Following the breakup, Cole moved to New York to continue his songwriting partnership with Cowan and started his solo career.
The album opens with "My Bag," which alludes to cocaine and was inspired by a drunken night. Cole described it as reflecting the experiences of a coked-up stockbroker. "From the Hip" addresses themes of violence and helplessness, while "Jennifer She Said" features a Mark Knopfler-like guitar break and tells the story of a disenchanted newlywed.
"Mr. Malcontent" is based on a character from the film My Beautiful Laundrette and discusses avoidance of reality. "Sean Penn Blues" is an upbeat track inspired by an incident involving the actor, and it features dialogue from the BBC series Tutti Frutti. "Hey Rusty," produced by Copeland, carries a Springsteen-like theme, and "These Days" has a melancholic bassline inspired by Laurie Anderson’s work.
