---

Songs from Up North

---

Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain
The Hutchinsons - Plastic Fruit and Popcorn | Tom, Dick and Harry - The Blue Album
Suburban Sect - Margo Bird | Acrylic - You | Ocean Colour Scene - Marchin' Already

Teenage Fanclub - Songs From Northern Britain Creation

With 'Songs From Northern Britain' Teenage Fanclub give us another dose of their Byrdsian sound and ethereal harmonies. It marks a refreshing break from the over indulgent, ego driven, rock/pop pomposity of late. The music that makes up 'Songs From Northern Britain' really is the comfy armchair on which to rest your weary bones after a hard day. Its gentle, mellow and heavenly melodic, without ever being dull and repetitive. One gets the impression that the band have put full heart and soul into this record, giving it that soothing sparkle that it exhudes. It's hard to nominate particular tracks for merit on this album, they are all wonderful in their own special way (with the possible exception of 'I don't want control of you', the runt of the litter in my opinion). 'Planets', with its string accompanyment and touching tenderness, possibly stands out most for me. On the whole though, 'Songs From Northern Britain' is one of those albums that it is a crime not to have in your collection. - Wayne

From The Net:
These next four albums were from independent bands who found Chester on the Internet

The Hutchinsons - Plastic Fruit and Popcorn RTG

Tom, Dick and Harry - The Blue Album Tripek

For those, like me, that have had very little aquaintance with Hutchinson's, they are the L.A based, eponymous offspring of the brothers Joe and Jimmy Hutchinson. They are a band still very much in their formative stages (Plastic Fruit and Popcorn is only their second release, following on from, what the band inform us, a well received debut ep) and this is reflected in the eagerness that characterises the album. Yet, Hutchinsons are well beyond the realms of perfunctory power pop dirge that many, who have picked up a couple of guitars and some "cool" influences, have fallen foul of. Plastic Fruit and Popcorn flourishes with warm and breezy pop anthems, whilst maintaining, in measured doses, a number of jagged, off the cuff rockin' tunes. This record is certainly an impressive debut. Also, interestingly, while a number of bands trip over themselves trying to be "ironically cool", Hutchinsons did it quite inadvertently, having recently supported Debbie Gibson-now how's that. e-mail The Hutchinsons or Order their CD www.notlame.com (Pure Pop section)

I must admit, this is a curious record. The lofty claims that came with the press release had me poised on a seriously cynical threshold. And, following a somewhat limp and pitiful start, 'Pennies From Heaven' and 'Rainsong', two sad 80's pastiches that would even make The Style Council blush, I was ready to write off The Blue Album with the wise aphorism 'you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear'. However, by the third track 'All About Me (it's Not), Tom, Dick and Harry's debut offering really gets it together. From here on in we are treated to some fine music indeed. The fixation with the cheesier sounds of the 80's is relaxed and the band adopt a sort Housemartins sensibility with acid jazz workovers. And believe me it works a treat. Sadly though, towards the end of the album, the band once again paddles its feet in the murky waters of 80's plop, and the album concludes as it began. Nevertheless I still recomend The Blue Album to you (it's not out until February next year by the way) on the merits of that all too brief spark of brilliance.

Suburban Sect - Margo Bird Psychodaisy

Acrylic - You Tripek

Being not in the least reticent over where their hearts lie, Suburban Sect provide us with more mod images than you can poke a stick at. Sadly though, this over redundant mod motif can only cloud the fact that Suburban sect are to mod, what Rancid are to ska. Yet, unlike Rancid, Suburban Sect's genre of choice is not as easy to ape, and the end result, 'Margo Bird' sounds rather disorientated. The album opens with four somewhat rushed and poorly handled tunes, each of a rather lacklustre quality. However, 'catching all' (a rather fine piece of music) ushers in a more stable and melodic direction, one that we are to enjoy sporadically, as it jostles for attention with the previousely mentioned noisy mess for the remainder of 'Margo Bird'. I believe though, given a little more time and maturity, this band could have a great deal to offer. For the time being, although pretty close, I'm afraid this album didn't quite hit the target. Visit the Suburban Sect Home Page

It would be extremely pleasant to see a band like this receive the acclaim and attention they deserve. As this highly impressive low key release abounds with the potential to satisfy the most discerning of guitar driven indie palettes. After a somewhat noisy and clumbsy start, Acrylic lessen the distortion and a rather delightful sound begins to filter through. 'You' contains some great music, sounds that remind me of so many bands, yet not one I could draw a clear comparison with. I think this has a lot to do with Bill Conran's cameleon vocal delivery, a sort of quasi Brett Anderson one minute, odd Jarvis Cocker the next, with an overriding Nick Cave flavour pervading the whole thing. And believe me it does sound good. But 'You' is not a one person show by any means, Neil Edwards guitar yields some sweet and often melencholy melodies from within the highly competent backing soundscape. If you're craving something new, but not something that deviates too far from the formula, then Acrylic's 'You' is for 'you'.

Ocean Colour Scene - Marchin' Already Universal

Marchin' Already marks the return of Wellers mates and Mod sycophants, Ocean Colour Scene. More than anything though, this album testifies how much Ocean Colour Scene's reinvention has reached its triumphant fruition. Kudos must now be firmly established. Anyway, Marchin' Already is, as you would probably expect, very much in a similar vein to its highly successful predecessor. Although it doesn't contain the 'big singles' like Moesely Shoals did, Marchin' Already is more of an 'album' album. While there are songs that stand out on this long player ('Travellers Tune' and 'Get Blown Away' for instance) they don't seem to posses the same gusto as say 'You've Got it Bad' or 'The Day We Caught the Train'. To compensate though, it appears the band have aquired, along with one or two additional guitar peddles, a broader scope, giving the release a more rich and varied sound. - Wayne