The introduction is so Johnny Marr, it's bordering on the hilarious. I imagine an updated version of Hank Marvin striding across some Stretford pavement, Rickenbacher in hand - all the way from Virigina. "I'd rather live in dreams/Than I'd rather die," he says, vocals a bit higher up the mix than the later albums. "Summer Holiday" has some full-on shoegaze background "aaah"'s that could've been cut out of a Ride record. After three albums full, I'm still not getting tired of the sound.
"Drifter" even cracks open a couple of Peter Hook bass solos. Blissfully Eighties alternative, this stuff; so many boxes touched and bases ticked. Sigh. How many albums would carry a title like "O Lilac" with s straight face? Maybe Jack Tatum isn't either. Even when the drum patterns get a bit ironically Hi-NRG on "Bored Games", it's still about slurred lyrics and gaseous melodies. "Where are you going?/Can I come with you?" "Chinatown" is a bit livelier too, but Jack still sounds largely unmoved.
How long might have gone within hearing these albums?
Rating: Three out of Three
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