The Housemartins Album: “London 0 Hull 4”

This is pop. 3 minute songs. Catchy melodies and memorable refrains. BUT it is not shallow. Good pop-songs take great skill to write. The Housemartins just said more so succinctly. Their music stands in stark contrast to so much other self-absorbed music with a message. And you can party to this music. When they were a pub band in the early eighties then they had no peers. It is one of life's great regrets that I never saw them in a smoky bar in Bristol (or Hull, or London) before Happy Hour made them nationally famous. Cheerful music that makes me think and makes me smile.

This record is a joy from start to finish. "Anxious" could have been recorded by the Dave Clark Five at their peak, and "Happy Hour" was one of the best singles of the 80s. The leftist sentiments expressed in the lyrics could be used today in this era of capitalism run malignantly amok. Like Billy Bragg, the Housemartins made polemics fun.

Oh, and for you teenyboppers out there, Fatboy Slim was their bassist.

These guys are exceptional. A rare glimpse at a band that is capable of mixing the social and the political with impact and fun. This is not to be missed, buy it on blind faith. As the Housemartins say next time the bankers are having a party don't crash it, burn the house down!

London 0 Hull 4 is a great CD. It has an excelent mix of inspirational songs and political songs. From the brashness of "Get Up Off of Our Knees" to the slower, spiritual "People Get Ready" this album is excellent

]Okay, so maybe the Housemartins didn't set the world on fire with their first two albums. They disbanded around 1990 and went on to form other groups. But if you were around in the late 80s and listened to PD (Paul) Heaton's amazing vocals and the beautiful songs on this masterpiece, you most likely never forgot it. It's a shame that "Caravan of Love" their a capella stunner isn't on this album and is only available on "best of" compilations. Also, check out the Limited "Best of" Edition [[ASIN:B0001Z48MA The Best of the Housemartins], which includes a DVD of eight of their videos. The Martins are still funny, amazingly talented and socially relevant. They are the greatest band of the 80s that never became famous. Even The Smith's Morrissey is a fan of Paul Heaton.