A long trip to America followed, and del Amitri returned with a new look, a new sound and another major-label deal. Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid, but they didn't need me. The sophomore album. 'Waking Hours,' was a smash. For me, it's a familiar tale of going against the grain to be repeated over and over in this series.
As you listen to these, you're bound to be reminded of favorites like early Aztec Camera and 'Swoon'-era Prefab Sprout. For you younger readers out there (and is there any chance of that?), think Cats on Fire. The singles were "Hammering Heart" and "Sticks and Stones Girl," but the following two have been my go-to songs for decades, particularly "Deceive Yourself." I dedicate this one to Friend of Rachel Worth. He waxed poetic about this album quite a few times at his old blog, Cathedral of Sound, and he did it far better than I ever could.
"Heard Through a Wall"
"Deceive Yourself"
8 comments:
Wasn't aware that they had done anything before Waking Hours Brian
You are spot on with your analysis although I think that Nothing Ever Happens is a great song
Blogging pal John Medd is a big fan of latter day Justin Currie and he successfully turned my ear towards one or two of his favourite Del Amitri tunes. I recognise the cover of the Chrysalis LP, but can't remember having heard anything from it before today and the difference between this stuff and the A&M period is pretty vast. 'Deceive Yourself' is particularly good.
You're right Brian, and I'm one of the "it was all downhill after the first album" crew. It seems as if there are two bands sharing the name. "Deceive" is for me the better track.
Haven't played this album in over 20 years.
Sadly, I never really got into this album, but I loved their later work and especially Justin Currie's mildly misanthropic solo work. I must be a populist.
I just love this lp . Justin currie noted in tge recent reissues sleeve notes that "there are too many fucking words" but i love them all
FORW, I went back and read your posts about this one before I put this one up. He's right. Rather wordy, but I love it too. Choosing what to play was such a tough call. Not a duff note on the album.
One of my biggest disappointments in the mid 80s was Del Amitri shifting away from the indie-pop stuff into the more radio-friendly material that brought them some fame and fortune in later years. Indeed I was so embarassed by them that I gave away my copies of the debut LP and. more annoyingly, debut 45 'Sense Sickness' which now goes for a good price on the second-hand market.
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