Artist: EDWYN COLLINS (Edinburgh Scotland) Single: A GIRL LIKE YOU
Released: In 1994 – 29 years ago Score: #4 in the UK, #6 in Australia and
Top 10 all over Europe
Band: ORANGE JUICE Who: Jangly indie popsters from Bearsden, Scotland
led by vocalist/songwriter Edwyn Collinswho
started a successful solo career afterward Active: 1979–1985 / 4 albums
AllMusic/Tim Sendra wrote: “Made up of a couple re-recordings of brilliant songs from early singles (“Falling and Laughing,” “Felicity”), cleaned-up versions of songs from the demo, and a few new tracks, the album is a slick, tuneful slice of early-’80s pop that’s catchy and bright, and only slightly overcooked. Both Edwyn Collins and James Kirk could have retired after this album and been secure in the history books as two of the finest songwriters of the era.”
Full review here. Score: 4/5.
Turn Up The Volume: So influential for modern-day jingle-jangle
guitar bands. Indie pop at its effervescent and entertaining best.
This day 30 years ago, on 29th May 1989, former singer/songwriter EDWYN COLLINS
of Scottish popsters Orange Juice released his solo debut album HOPE AND DESPAIR.
ALL MUSIC wrote: “Collins’s post-Orange Juice debut album has the familiar trappings of one of Glasgow’s most celebrated songwriters. A man whose main fallbacks seem to be lovelorn pessimism and cynicism toward the entertainment industry. Still, when you prepare the same feast as lovingly as Collins does, you’ll never be short of house guests. The songwriting craft here is as keenly evident as you’d expect, with reggae hero Dennis Bovell providing production help & bass… as the artist treads carefully through everything from blue-eyed pop to rustic country in his resolutely surefooted manner”.
Highlights: If Ever You’re Ready / Darling They Want It All / The Beginning Of The End / Testing Time / The Wide Eye Child In Me / Hope And Despair