by Tim Sendra
Scottish pop in the early 1990s was known for vocal harmony, Big Star chord changes, and rocked-out guitars. Think Teenage Fanclub or Eugenius, and please don't forget Superstar. They were largely ignored at the time, but looking back, the band stacks up rather well against the top power-pop groups. Their harmonies are like great, big cushions filled with spring-time air. The songs are filled with more hooks than Kareem Abdul Jabbar's highlight reel. They have also written songs that would be smash hits in a world where perfect pop was king. Songs like &Will I Ever See You& and &Don't Wanna Die are beautiful, string-coated heart-tuggers that display Joe McAlinden's sappy sentimentality like a badge of honor. Yet the band is not afraid to rock as the coda of &Could It Be You& sails along on a stream of Arena-Rock Guitars and madly sawing strings. You hate to come over all starry-eyed about such an obscure record because it makes you seem elitist, but this is truly one of the lost classics of the 1990s. Seek it out in a cut-out bin near you.