Typical, isn't it? You wait ages for an Album Of The Week and then two come along at the same time. Sort of ...
This is yet another (relatively) obscure album from what is fast becoming known as the ToffeeBoy era. Before I got involved with this strange 'Spilly thing, it hadn't particularly occurred to me that so much of the music that I love dates from the 1980s but I can't deny that it does seem to be the case. Perhaps it's because I lived and breathed music during much of the decade, playing in bands and working for Our Price. Who knows?
Win were a short-lived band, formed out of the ashes of Postcard-era Scottish indie-popsters, The Fire Engines. Their first single was released in 1985 and they had disbanded by 1990 - if you blinked, you'd have missed them. The entire back catalogue consists of seven singles and two albums. That's all there is.
The album I'm sharing with the class today, is Win's 1987 debut, the strangely (pretentiously?) titled Uh! Tears Baby (A Trash Pop Icon).
It's not really typical of the sort of music I tend to like - it isn't full of jangly guitars, it's not at all fey or whimsical and it's far more dance-based and much, much funkier than you might expect from an old fogey like me. But what it does have is great tunes, soaring melodies, interesting lyrics and some inventive use of electronic keyboards/synthesizers. More than anything else, it sounds to me like a band having fun.Some of you (I'm sure) won't like the production - there's almost certainly too much reverb for Chris's liking (whether we're talking spring reverb or otherwise will have to be left to Abahachi to judge) - and some of you may not like the (admittedly very '80s) vocals - and you know what? I don't care. This is an album that's been part of my life for twenty two years and I love it. And I just wanted to share ...
Super Popoid Groove
Shampoo Tears
Binding Love Spell
Un-American Broadcasting (Ext)
Hollywood Baby Too
Empty Holsters
You've Got The Power
Charms Of Powerful Trouble
It May Be A Beautiful Sky Tonight But It's Only A Shelter For A World At Risk
Charms (Reprise)
Baby Cutting
Scots amongst us may remember this:
