This album was never going to revolutionize modern music -- you don't have to
look past the intentionally understated title to figure that out. Instead, the
Fanclub have opted for something subtler. "Here is a sunrise/Ain't that
enough?" asks Gerard Love on first single "Ain't That Enough." For once, it
is.
If Songs... tones down the flash of 1995's glorious Grand Prix, it feels
like a natural progression for these elder statesmen of Scotpop. And if their
oft-cited influences (Neil Young, The Byrds, B*g St*r) are still present and correct, you can hear the Fannies settling into a warm, comfortable groove all their own. Songs From Northern Britain, then, is a sort of TFC Cream Ale: rich, full-bodied, and best served at room temperature.
Take "Planets": a muted, country-flavored endeavor that revisits the emotional
territory of Grand Prix's "Going Places," but feels more at ease with the
surroundings. Even better are the two final offerings from Love. "Mt.
Everest" grinds through a particularly Young-ian guitar struggle, while "Speed
of Light" resonates long after it rumbles the album to a close.
The overall effect is welcoming but not over-familiar, relaxed where a fifth
album could sound tired. It's hardly a revelation, but Songs From Northern
Britain is certainly a triumph.
If you like Teenage Fanclub, check out:
Big Star Radio City
Yo La Tengo
The Byrds 20 Essential Tracks From the Byrds Box Set
Flying Burrito Brothers Hot Burritos!
The Raspberries
Teenage Fanclub Bandwagonesque
-- jf
