BCB 100 - Teenage Fanclub

[Oscar]

I was never keen on the way Hang On begins as a riff-tastic heavy metal beast and then turns into a sweet pop songs. But it's better than I remembered.

It's a direct rip-off of '20th Century Boy', which seems to add a degree of mischief and arrogance.

[soundchaser]

I've still only got Grand Prix, so I guess it will have to be that. I like all the songs, but the various songwriting styles do become a bit obvious at times. I recently came across a band from the mid-nineties called Silver Sun, who, to my ears, though working in a similar musical area, were every bit as good as Teenage Fanclub: they don't appear to have had much in the way of success though. Their eponymous debut, had the same Who, Beach Boys and general power-pop influences as T.F. and used them to equally good effect, but perhaps there was only room for one band like this at the time: well worth checking out though.

[Tom Violence]

I think this is a brilliant post.

Grand Prix symbolises the initial stages of our great romance perfectly and for lots of reasons but, later on and when things had settled in a bit, I can remember some lovely times listening to Songs from Northern Britain. So, I guess, a lot of the passion for Grand Prix must lie in the association it has to a particularly wild and romantic time of expectation in my/our life.

[Beno]

I'm with Geoff here. I have a reputation as a Teenage Fanclub hater, simply because I don't fall in with the ridiculous hype surrounding this band.

I actually think they're OK, but, yes, they're basically a by-the-numbers powerpop band, good within their parameters. But the parameters are suffocatingly narrow.

Best album is probably "Songs From Northern Britain" - it's got a bit more life to it. Best song is "The Concept", if only for the cheeky Status Quo reference at the start.

I've had to go back four pages to find views I kind of agree with. I only know Songs From Northern Britain and 13 and whilst one of those two albums is very good I just can't be arsed to explore them further. Whilst I am sure they have done some good work I'm equally sure there is nothing they have done that will totally blow me away. I probably end up listening to a lot of crap that's far inferior to Teenage Fanclub but at least this other stuff initially gives me the excitement and optimism of not knowing what I am going to get in advance.

[Penk!]

I'm with Geoff here. I have a reputation as a Teenage Fanclub hater, simply because I don't fall in with the ridiculous hype surrounding this band.

I actually think they're OK, but, yes, they're basically a by-the-numbers powerpop band, good within their parameters. But the parameters are suffocatingly narrow.

Best album is probably "Songs From Northern Britain" - it's got a bit more life to it. Best song is "The Concept", if only for the cheeky Status Quo reference at the start.

I've had to go back four pages to find views I kind of agree with. I only know Songs From Northern Britain and 13 and whilst one of those two albums is very good I just can't be arsed to explore them further. Whilst I am sure they have done some good work I'm equally sure there is nothing they have done that will totally blow me away. I probably end up listening to a lot of crap that's far inferior to Teenage Fanclub but at least this other stuff initially gives me the excitement and optimism of not knowing what I am going to get in advance.

You should at least give Grand Prix a try before you give up on them. It is like the two albums you mention, but with more really great songs.

[Heilan Coo]

There can be only one, Grand Prix and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

Apart from me...

Best album: clearly Songs From Northern Britain, by a huge ruddy country mile.

Best song: God Knows It's True.