A Century Removed: The Popguns
(I've always made it a point to focus on posting new music here instead of digging into the past. Well, blogs aside, I've been digging into the past quite a bit lately. Consequently, I'm straying from my overly-purist, self-imposed must-be-new "rule" and offering you Episode 1 of a potential new series highlighting said past digs. It's not-so-cleverly titled "A Century Removed" to keep the ACR acronym fully in play.)It's common knowledge that both of my brothers could care less about lyrics. I played with both of them in a band for 7+ years and it was never until we recorded something that they had even the slightest clue what any of the words were (in hindsight, perhaps a good thing). I, on the other hand, am a huge sucker for a good/catchy/clever/insightful line. Quality lyrics can't save a crap tune, but they can completely elevate a really good one.
A few weeks back I somehow ran across an old Popguns b-side called "I'm Spoiling Everything" which re-ignited my dormant love for this band. For those not in the know, we're talking early-90's here (bad fashion and all), when they cranked out 4 full-length albums, a grip of great singles, and an amazing compilation (thanks again to the mighty Cherry Red).
For me, the Popguns were the flipside of The Wedding Present, a feminine spin on the same endless stream of indie love songs. "You want to see her, I know you do, you want to laugh about the things that you went through...". And, like the "Weddoes", the words were always top notch.
The songs included here are utter classics for me. The bounce and jangle of "Every Dream". "I think too much and don't laugh enough...". The early-90s-indiepop-big-chorus rush of "Bye Bye Baby". "In the back of a taxi cab... as London whistled by...". And, finally, the "this tune has appeared on at LEAST 100 mix CDs that I've made over the years!" beauty of "Daybreak". "Does your heart still hesitate?".
I know this stuff sounds a bit dated; but, for whatever reason, it owns my stereo again lately. Enjoy.
The Popguns - "I'm Spoiling Everything".
The Popguns - "Every Dream".
The Popguns - "Bye Bye Baby".
The Popguns - "Daybreak".
Website
posted by The McFersons | 11:07 PM
9 Comments:
Damn. I loved the Popguns. Saw them at Break for the Border opposite Foyles Bookshop back in the early 90's. Jingle jangle indie pop gets a bad rap these days, but the Popguns jingled and jangled better than almost anyone. My favourite is still 'Landslide'.
someone has put some vids on "you tube". Thanks for the downloads
I listen to this band - comeback to them every so often...
saw them many times in Brighton and London ,
dated? i don't think so. i'm of the opinion that indie pop has held up well over time, and i still love all the stuff i listened to in the 80s and 90s, from sarah to slumberland to summershine.
Lovely. Any chance of you putting the mp3 of "Does your heart still hesitate" up here? I'd be extraordinarily grateful if you could.
Isn't "does your heart still hesitate" just a lyric from the song "daybreak", which is posted? If not, then I don't know of an actual Popguns song by that song.
Of course it is. I thought that there was a Popguns track that I'd never heard there. Thanks for the response.
Not a week goes by without me listening to something by the Popguns. Still sounds awesome. Pickles was surely one of the finest songwriters of his era, I reckon.
hey..great post! I'm looking for a different version of "bye bye baby" - off the Alvin Lives in Leeds comp. "Bye bye baby, don't make me cry-yyyy, bye bye baby, don't say good by-yyye" - since I lost the disc I haven't been able to find this song ANYWHERE! :(
Great band. I sort of knew of them back in the day but I recently picked up the Midnight Records compilation and am really really liking them.
Post a Comment
<< Home