Hi folks. Are you being crushed under the weight of work, research, and mental anguish? Are you sleeping little and stressing lots? Has coffee replaced blood as your predominant bodily fluid? If so, you need to chill out a bit, grab a scotch, and listen to Teenage Fanclub's "Bandwagonesque."
Just who is Teenage Fanclub? No frekkin' idea. I was talking music with this crazy dude at my dad's house party a few weeks ago, the dude was in his early 40's I'd say, had a huge ponytail, and played steel guitar in an old time honkytonk/rock fusion band. I told him he had to listen to "Kind of Blue" he told me I had to check out Teenage Fanclub. Behold, I left the party, was wasting time at a record shop, and I find the aforementioned album. So I bought it.
What I really like about this album is that it is a straightforward rock album, but it has little references to other styles. Definitely a grunge vibe going on, which probably makes sense since it was released in 1991. However, it does away with Nirvana style angst, and instead uses a much more melodic approach.
I don't want to call this is a pop album, because it's devoid of most all the bullshit that characterizes modern pop music. Really sparse instrumentation, pretty much guitar, bass, drums, but they get a quite rich sound. Listening to the album, you just get the sense that the group is using a very robust musical palette, if you get what I'm saying. It creates a great rock vibe, which I think is best described as even steven. You know, there are those other references, but for the most part, this album is just great melodies and great music presented in a very pragmatic rock format. It's not angry music, it's not super sad music, it's just music for that huge chunk of moderation left in the middle.
This group is Scottish, so of course, the lyrics have that British twinge to them, which I think really helps to add to a unique rock sound. I know I just said the album was one for that great mass of moderation, but I think if you check this music out, you'll agree that it is a distinctive moderation.
Bottom line, if you're sitting around and aren't looking to get super pissed, and aren't looking to wallow in self pity, I would check this album out. I bought it kind of on a whim, and I think it's fantastic music.
1 comment:
One of my old roommates was a big Teenage Fanclub fan. He has a story about flying out to DC once for a meetup with the band. He was expecting a huge party and hoping that he might get a chance to talk to some of the bandmembers. Well, 7 people showed up for this party. He hopes about speaking with the band were realized, in full.
I think he is as into the Magnetic Fields, but TFC was his first taste of fandom.
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