'Howdy' will make you jump back on Fanclub bandwagon

Ross Raihala

Originally published Friday, March 22, 2002

A decade ago, it looked like Teenage Fanclub could do no wrong.

Spin magazine named the Scottish group's 1991 release "Bandwagonesque" the best album of that year -- above Nirvana's "Nevermind."

After earning the designation as Rolling Stone's "Hot Band" the following year, Teenage Fanclub hit the road with Nirvana.

And then Teenage Fanclub hit the road to nowhere.

After a string of disappointments and a four-year absence from this country's record stores, Teenage Fanclub has returned with two pretty excellent new indie-label albums, "Howdy" and "Words of Wisdom and Hope."

"Howdy" actually dates back to 2000, but it has just received a belated American release thanks to the Thirsty Ear label.

"Words of Wisdom and Hope," meanwhile, is an oddly appealing collaboration with Jad Fair that comes to us via San Francisco's Alternative Tentacles label.

Teenage Fanclub first arrived on these shores via indie Matador, with 1990's "A Catholic Education." Critics rushed to praise the group's three songwriters -- Norman Blake, Gerard Love and Raymond McGinley -- who delivered sparkling, classic-sounding pop songs bathed in extremely loud guitars.

Alan McGee, head of England's influential Creation Records, loved the group as well and bought Teenage Fanclub out of its deal with Matador. Geffen signed on for the band's domestic distribution and released "Bandwagonesque" (Olympia's K Records, by the way, put out a Teenage Fanclub 7-inch single in 1992.)

On "Bandwagonesque," Teenage Fanclub smoothed out some of its rougher edges and focused on the sort of well-scrubbed, intelligent pop music perfected by Big Star in the mid-'70s.

The critical buzz the album earned even helped lead to a re-release of several Big Star albums, with Teenage Fanclub earning thanks in the liner notes.

But just as Big Star proved the first time around, all the critical praise in the world doesn't necessarily lead to record sales. While Teenage Fanclub did manage to sell some records abroad, American stardom did not ensue.

By the time of the 1993 follow-up "Thirteen," critics began to cool on Teenage Fanclub, mainly because the band couldn't live up to the now-heightened expectations.

Two more largely ignored albums earned Teenage Fanclub few new fans, either in critics or among those who actually buy albums. Even a high-profile opening spot on Radiohead's "OK Computer" tour did little to change the band's fortunes.

Clearly it was time for a rethink. The band took its time crafting "Howdy," and it shows. It's a gentle, tuneful and very mature record that sounds a thousand miles from the youthful squeal of "A Catholic Education." It also happens to contain some of the finest songwriting of the group's career, from the jangling "I Need Direction" to the sweetly sad "Cul De Sac."

Indeed, "Howdy" comes across as the type of record R.E.M. has been trying -- mostly unsuccessfully -- to make since the 1997 departure of its drummer Bill Berry.

Teenage Fanclub had finished "Howdy" just as its British label Creation was falling apart. The band ended up releasing the record abroad on Sony, which owned most of Creation anyway. "Howdy" largely got lost in the shuffle, and its lack of momentum led Sony's Stateside division to pass on releasing it here.

And that's why, weirdly enough, "Howdy" is now competing with the band's new "Words of Wisdom and Hope."

Unlike the polished "Howdy," "Words of Wisdom and Hope" sounds like the result of a couple of freewheeling days spent in a studio. Fair (who, incidentally, has recorded for both K and Kill Rock Stars) co-wrote and sings the dozen songs on this collaboration which, thankfully, is much more tuneful than Fair's similar 1998 effort with Yo La Tengo.

Next up for Teenage Fanclub is a career-spanning compilation set for release later this year. It will complete the band's contractual agreement with Sony. With any luck, that freedom will lead to more great music in the future.

Unwound update

Here's a little more news on the Unwound split, which I reported on last week in this column.

Unwound's bass player Vern Rumsey contacted me earlier this week to confirm that, yes, the Olympia trio is about to call it a day.

"The main reason is that I had a daughter 10 months ago," said Rumsey. "And, basically, I just want to make sure I'm going to be home and that I raise her properly. It's not a very exciting reason, it's not like there's all kinds of bloody stories or anything."

Rumsey said the band had hoped to not make a big deal about breaking up, but word spread quickly thanks to several Internet reports of Unwound's impending demise.

It also turns out the March 29 show at the Northwest Asian Art Theater in Seattle won't be the final Unwound concert. The group plans to play an all-ages show at Thekla in Olympia on April Fool's Day. Rumsey said they are hoping to keep the ticket price low, "just enough to pay the sound guy and the door guy."

Troubleman Unlimited has plans to release solo singles by Rumsey and Justin Trosper. And Rumsey will continue to run his record label Punk in My Vitamins.

As for the future of Unwound, Rumsey wouldn't rule out any possibilities: "We've all been really hesitant to use the word 'forever.' In a few years, it could be possible we'll do another record. If we are 'breaking up,' it's definitely on good terms."

Neil Young sick, solo

Another update from last week. The Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert that we previewed with a cover story was postponed after Weekend went to press. Neil Young apparently came down with the flu.

The Tacoma Dome concert was promptly rescheduled for April 28.

In the meantime, Young is previewing his new solo album "Are You Passionate" in its entirety on his Web site, www.neilyoung.com.

The record will be released in stores April 8. It includes the song "Let's Roll," inspired by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.

Ross Raihala covers music for The Olympian. Send items of interest for this column to: rraihala@olympia.gannett.com.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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