That's funny because "Grand Prix" sounded nothing like I expected it to sound. In fact this is the second time this happened to me with Teenage Fanclub. The first time was in 1992, picking up "Bandwagonesque" fully expecting a grungy album. Too bad that album is as much "grunge" as "Grand Prix" is "britpop". That said I was surprised how good "Grand Prix" is, very strong songs, very good arrangements. Sounds like a very individual alternative to what was hip at the time. That's definitely a band doing their very own thing. Why didn't I pick this up in 1995? Well... I guess back then there wasn't Spotify and one had to choose very carefully which CDs would come home with them. In that sense these modern times are definitely easier. Will investigate this band further. And.. hey.. I've still got my old Creation "Bandwagonesque" on vinyl so that's probably due for a rotation tonight.
Glad you liked it! There was a lot going on in the mid 90s and new CDs weren't cheap. All the Teenage Fanclub Creation albums were reissued on vinyl a couple of years ago and should be easy to get.
Back then one had to choose carefully what to get. Still need to decide if I want originals or reissues. Kicking myself for passing these albums up multiple times but.... one simply can't get everything at once. It's also beautiful to discover a band much later. Thanks to Spotify that's easy nowadays.
Thru Love's departure after "Here" in 2016, I would say their albums were very good with exception to The King (which was just a release to get out of a contract). They have better b-sides than most bands have songs.
At least "The King" was fun. Yes, it's knockabout jam sessions which would likely have remained in the vault or appeared on b-sides were it not for the contractual shenanigans but there's joy in them.
Originals have become really expensive. I have most of them. The one reissue I don't recommend is Thirteen. It sounds duller and not like the Creation original. A lot of them had really bad non fill problems too. They did repress it but you won't know what you're getting. I really regret selling my original Thirteen back in the late 90s because the CD had a bonus disc. The Howdy reissue is excellent and that's one of the most difficult to find originals. It's not quite up there with Bandwagonesque, Grand Prix and Songs From Northern Britain, but it's a very good album. Thirteen and Man Made are excellent too. You can't really go wrong at least up to Man Made.
Interview with Norman Blake in the Irish Times: Teenage Fanclub: ‘We’ll keep playing as long as we’re enjoying it’
Spinning the new one on a fetching translucent Green vinyl. It’s a similar sonic palette to Shadows & Here. The absence of one or two Gerard Love tunes means it’s not quite on a par with ‘Here’.
Just a heads up that Green Noise have it on translucent pink vinyl with a signed print for $22, which seems like a fair price. Mine hasn't arrived yet.
Woke up and listened immediately to the soundclips on Amazon as today his the release day . Will pick it up tonight or tomorrow latest at my local . First impression is quite good , mainly thanks to the Norman's numbers , plenty hooks and upbeat . i feel , but to be confirmed with proper listen , that 6 songs from Raymond may be overkill : they all seem to be in the same key and pace and his voice is monotonous . This is where Gerry 's contributions may be sorely missed
Really enjoying this new one, nothing releveatory but superb melodies as ever. Last few got into a comfort zone perhaps, but love's departure has spurred them on a little.... For anything after Grand Prix are all on the same consistent level
They’re going to miss Gerry for sure. I hope he does more solo stuff, the Lightships record is great. The thing about the Fannies is they’ve never felt they had to apologise for getting older and growing up. And there’s no harm in that. There’s a rich depth to all their mature work that’s really engaging.
Well. I bought the cd at my local store and have now listened to the album in full , once. Much Much better than the last album , solid set of songs here with instant memorable melodies . Norman’s contribution is stellar really except maybe Home that drags on for much too long and is a strange choice as album opener. Raymond ‘ s keeps his trademark slow paced numbers input that are growers as usual but is let down by the the mediocre Endless Arcade with his. atrocious proggy keyboard solo. So very pleased with it for a first listen . Weird thing to me is that they open the album with the 2 weakest songs of the bunch.
Here took a while to grow on me, but now I love it. Endless Arcade also feels like it’s going to take a few listens, so I’ll reserve judgment for now. I do like the opening song Home as a quiet epic and then the title track, quality music as always and then the album is solid overall but no Gerard Love is quite a big deal, when all is said and done. Of course. I don’t mind Norman downplaying the drama around his departure in interviews, kudos to the band for soldiering on, and for me McGinley has always been underrated. But...
"Come With Me" is my fav of Raymond's contributions on this new set and after listening to it 3 times now - I think it's one of his career best. It is preceded by a most brilliant Norman Blake instant classic called "The Sun Won't Shine on Me". "In Our Dreams" is another excellent Raymond track and would have been given a bit more psychedelic production if I ran the zoo. "I'm More Inclined" is great and I've been listening to it since it was previewed a while back. Anywho, these are my initial reactions having just received this album today.
I'm streaming it now, I'm in song 4 so far and I'm enjoying the album. I like the songs and the atmosphere. It's not gonna change my life like Bandwagonesque did when I was 17 in 1992 but at this point nothing is ever going to do that again anyway.
"Living with you" and "Back in the day "( ah those harmonies towards the end ) are some of Norman's best ever written songs , fantastic and i keep returning to the short power pop sixties stomp that is " Warm Embrace " , really addictive . "Come with Me " and " In our dreams " are indeed great contribution from Raymond
I’m enjoying the new one, but I’m genuinely shocked you think it’s far superior to ‘ Here ‘. ‘Here’ is their most consistent effort since Songs from Northern Britain, in my humble opinion. The First Sight & It’s a Sign are two of Gerard Love’s best songs...all four of his efforts hit the mark. McGinley comes up trumps with Hold On & I was Beautiful When I was Alive. Blake is his usual reliable self on Here - The Darkest Part of the Night & I’m in Love are vintage Blake! As good a songwriter as Raymond McGinley is, asking him to provide 6 songs at the expense of Gerard Love’s magic was always going to hamper ‘Endless Arcade’ a little.
This. No Gerard, no Fannies. Long may they continue, but I'd be surprised if they ever turn out anything to match their best stuff.
Well i am shocked to read this Seriously , Howdy , Man Made ... so much better than Here , by a wide margin in my opinion . The loss of Gerald Love is another story . I am a big fan of vintage Gerry but i have to admit the level of his contribution was declining on the last 2 albums ; i would not even be able to remember or hum one of his song .
They were already declining with Gerry on board . No way they could ever match the greatness of their peak period .
