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Scared to Get Happy: A Story of Indie-Pop 1980-1989: Fnarf Is Going to Flip
1
The Wolfhounds were one of the best live bands I've ever seen, and have recently reunited (check out their new 7" "Cheer Up" on the Odd Box Bandcamp page). The game is to see how many of these tracks I can cobble together from my iTunes before I go rummaging around in the 7" boxes in the garage. No Orange Juice or Felt, but glad to see they've included the rather obscure "Kardomah Cafe" by The Cherry Boys, which is a lovely song indeed.
2
I hear they had licensing problems with some stuff (Felt, Field Mice). But yeah, holy fuck. There's some great stuff here -- The Siddeleys! The Orchids! The Clouds! Shoppies! Motherfuckin' BODINES! The Charlottes! The shoulda-been-huge Dentists! Pooh Sticks! The mighty Claim!
I would have liked to see a couple entries from the US (Choo Choo Train) and Germany (Die Fünf Freunde) but I can see why they limited it. I think it's all UK or Ireland except for The Fantastic Something, who were Greek (and magnificent). I have that 7".
Back when indiepop had a razor edge to it and wasn't just cardigans and hair barrettes and humming inaudibly (not that there's anything wrong with that). "I made a big pink cake, I made a big mistake, I should have pushed the whole thing in your face". And I have to say it's quite gratifying to see this stuff get special treatment after receiving so much abuse, especially in plodding, brain-dead Grunge Seattle and other corners of what used to be called, ludicrously, "Alternative". I used to get spit on for listening to this stuff.
I would have liked to see a couple entries from the US (Choo Choo Train) and Germany (Die Fünf Freunde) but I can see why they limited it. I think it's all UK or Ireland except for The Fantastic Something, who were Greek (and magnificent). I have that 7".
Back when indiepop had a razor edge to it and wasn't just cardigans and hair barrettes and humming inaudibly (not that there's anything wrong with that). "I made a big pink cake, I made a big mistake, I should have pushed the whole thing in your face". And I have to say it's quite gratifying to see this stuff get special treatment after receiving so much abuse, especially in plodding, brain-dead Grunge Seattle and other corners of what used to be called, ludicrously, "Alternative". I used to get spit on for listening to this stuff.
3
Even in the darkest days you could still find Talulah Gosh singles at Fallout, but yeah, it was really hard living through that.
4
This is a really good tracklisting and this is exactly the kind of indie-pop I love. The Monochrome Set, swoon. Girls At Our Best are awesome, and ohmygosh, TALULAH GOSH are the greatest indie-pop band ever.
5
@4, and the most accomplished! Elizabeth Price won this year's Turner Prize for visual art, and Amelia Fletcher, main singer and songwriter, is a top economist in the British government, and is soon leaving to become a top university professor.
6
Also, Dave, there's none of the real fluffy fluff here. Nothing from Fat Tulips or Dufflecoats; Nothing from They Go Boom!, either which is a shame.
I see that Hurrah's "The Sun It Shines Here" is here, though, which is the song of songs, the one that started the revolution as much as any other with the possible exception of "Velocity Girl" with vodka in her veins.
Are you scared to get happy?
I see that Hurrah's "The Sun It Shines Here" is here, though, which is the song of songs, the one that started the revolution as much as any other with the possible exception of "Velocity Girl" with vodka in her veins.
Are you scared to get happy?
7
McCarthy are one of my faves, as well as the pre-techno Shamen. (though I love "In Gorbachev We Trust", "Phorward", and "En Tact")
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@6 Yeah but those bands were mostly 90s, right? I think of them as the second wave, maybe too Sarah-influenced for my taste. Horrible things happened to some of these bands who stuck around past '89 (I'm looking at you Primal Scream, 14 Iced Bears and Soup Dragons).
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