Teenage Fanclub Album: “Bandwagonesque”

Teenage Fanclub have made a better album than this in the form of Grand Prix but Bandwagonesque is an equally essential purchase. Part self-conscious evocation of sixties' pop, part grunge-inspired guitar fest, Norman Blake, Raymond McGuinley and Gerard Love pointed the way for a host of cross-Atlantic guitar bands with a Lennon/Wilson fixation and a modicum of talent. Alcoholiday, a blaze of criss-cross guitars and heart-breaking lyrics, is one of the finest singles never released, while The Concept, Star Sign and Guiding Star are not far behind. Utterly wonderful.

Big Star means Big Time for me. Their number one record is one of my fave records, all time fave and i think such records deserve admiration, respect and a following crowd behind them. And when the crowd is good like these fellows, nothing to say. Alex Chilton but mostly Chris Bell must have liked this collection of beautiful, haunting rock songs. Teenage Fanclub have never touched this perfection again (unfortunately).

This is where is all started (discounting A Catholic Education). One of the great underrated bands of the last decade showed just what they were capable of in the messy, poignant, joyous collection of songs that is Bandwagonesque. Big Star blah blah - Teenage Fanclub stand on their own as a great band who write great songs, full stop. And they invented Travis.

December, Guiding Star, What You Do to Me and Alcoholiday are all lovely, but my favourite is the Gerry Love penned instrumental Is This Music, though how the Fannies managed to get their guitars to sound like bagpipes is a mystery not uncommon in Scottish bands (remember Big Country?).

Bandwagonesque is not as smooth as later Teenage Fanclub offerings, the wonderful Grand Prix, the excellent Songs From Northern Britain and their latest long player Howdy, but in its sheer ragged exuberance it stands out as one of the best albums of the 90s.

BANDWAGONESQUE was my introduction to Teenage Fanclub. This is "The Fannies" 3rd release and their first successful achievement. It also gained notoriety by beating out Nirvana's Nevermind, My Bloody Valentine's Loveless, and R.E.M 's Out of Time as 'Album of the Year' by Spin magazine.

This album's lyrics and melodies shows that the Band were highly influenced by The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and of course Big Star.

I really can't believe Teenage Fanclub weren't considered the future of British Rock. Oasis and Blur won over that Crown. Blech! ...Kind of sad since Teenage Fanclub features 3 Master singer/songwriters in Blake, Love & McGinley.

BANDWAGONESQUE has so many wonderful highlights in twelve songs. It seems like it would be a 'Greatest Hits' for any above average Rock band. Although their later stuff is just as Good. Check out 1995's Grand Prix, which is even more lush w/ guitars a shinin' bright and clear, also no fuzz-boxes. Yep, BANDWAGONESQUE & GRAND PRIX are my two favorite studio albums by this marvelous band.

My favorites on BANDWAGONESQUE include: Opener - "The Concept" - "December" - "What You Do to Me" - "I Don't Know" - *Star Sign* - "Metal Baby" & "Sidewinder" but ALL are close to perfect 'lil pop-rockin' Hits, well to me at least.

If you love perfect early 1970's style pop, this is for you! One of my all time favorite cds, rich with lush harmonies and rock and roll guitars. Well constructed songs that rival any of the many bands they have been compared to (Big Star, Badfinger.)

This is their first commercial effort and all of their other releases are great as well. Start with this one and buy your way through the collection. This is an underrated gem which rarely strays far from the cd player.