Teenage Fanclub - Shadows

Wed 26th May, 2010 in Music Reviews

Although they’ve never really cracked the mainstream market, Teenage Fanclub has enjoyed a long and illustrious career. They haven’t done it quietly either – in their 20 years together they have, among other things, been hailed the “second best band in the world” by Liam Gallagher (no prizes for guessing who he considered to be the first), and their sophomore release, Bandwagonesque, famously topped Spin magazine’s 1991 best albums list, nudging past Nirvana’s Nevermind for the honour.

Songs like The Concept, Neil Jung and Ain’t That Enough have made Teenage Fanclub one of the brightest alternative pop sparks of the ‘90s, but in the past decade they have slipped underneath the radar, with only a smattering of releases since 2000’s Howdy!. Shadows, the band’s latest album, comes after another long, agonising five years since their last studio effort, Man Made.

On first listen, it’s is everything we have come to expect from the Scottish lads: simple chord arrangements, warm vocal harmonies and the distinct hallmarks of bands like The Byrds and The Beach Boys. Never ones for fanfare, Teenage Fanclub’s music is endearingly uncomplicated – they have an uncanny ability to create lovely hooks and sweet pop tunes using the simplest of elements, and tracks like the instantly catchy Baby Lee and the warm four chorder The Back of My Mind are easily and instantly charming.

Teenage Fanclub are lucky enough to boast not one but three talented songwriters, but the consistent standout of the trio has always been Gerard Love (the pen behind the brilliant Sparky’s Dream and Star Sign ). His more uptempo tunes are the perfect foil for Norman Blake’s tender, acoustic numbers and Raymond McGinley’s penchant for more stripped-back sounds. Gerard’s tracks are just as remarkable on this album – he is responsible for the richly melodic ode to the journey home, Into the City, and the catchy, politically charged Shock and Awe.

Shadows may sound quintessentially like Teenage Fanclub, but overall it lacks the longevity of many of their previous releases. This album should satisfy their longstanding fans, but for newcomers, I highly recommend you grab the aforementioned Geffen debut Bandwagonesque or Grand Prix, which showcased the band at their best.