what Frank is listening to #231 – THE SOUP DRAGONS – This is Our Art – (Sire) – 1988
I knew very little about The Soup Dragons before sliding this on the turntable.
I knew they did appear on a Kinks cover versions tribute album that I have some years ago. That's a good thing.
I knew they did a "baggy" cover of the Stones "I'm Free" which was obvious but fun which is also a good thing.
I knew they were English and from the 80s. That's not a good thing.
Actually as it turns out they are Scottish. My apologies to the Scots for that faux pas.
Allmusic: "Before Scotland's Soup Dragons hit the mainstream with their reggae-infused cover of the Rolling Stones' "I'm Free," the Glasgow four-piece were poised to carry the torch first lit by the Buzzcocks and the Adverts. Formed in the mid-'80s around singer/guitarist — and eventual programmer — Sean Dickson, the band included guitarist Jim McCulloch, bassist Sushil Dade, and drummer Ross Sinclair. Their punk-pop debut, Hang-Ten!, consisted of two years worth of singles and EPs — the shorter Hang-Ten! EP arrived via Raw TV Products in 1986 — and was released in 1987 on Sire Records. Their direction changed completely on 1988's uneven but ambitious This Is Our Art, a schizophrenic collection of hard rock, funk, and harmony-laden pop that showcased the group's love of melody and willingness to experiment within the modern rock genre".
As suggested above in the allmusic extract The Soup Dragons vacillated in their sound looking for an audience, which after this album became an even more pronounced vacillation.
Wikipedia refer to the same: "Originally inspired by Buzzcocks and lumped in with the C86 movement, along with fellow members of the Bellshill Sound, such as the BMX Bandits and Teenage Fanclub, they went through a number of stylistic changes in their career".
I try not to read to much but just listen to the music as I sit here scratching myself. After all, I have to try to challenge my prejudices. Right? A little background can't hurt too much though. Can it?
The Soup Dragons have been called a "C-86" band. Surely one of the most obscure music genres, if it is in fact one.
Allmusic: In 1986, the British music weekly NME issued a cassette dubbed C-86, which included a number of bands — McCarthy, the Wedding Present, Primal Scream, the Pastels, and the Bodines among them — influenced in equal measure by the jangly guitar pop of the Smiths, the three-chord naivete of the Ramones, and the nostalgic sweetness of the girl group era. Also dubbed "anorak pop" and "shambling" by the British press, the C-86 movement was itself short-lived, but it influenced hordes of upcoming bands on both sides of the Atlantic who absorbed the scene's key lessons of simplicity and honesty to stunning effect, resulting in music — given the universal label of "twee pop" — whose hallmarks included boy-girl harmonies, lovelorn lyrics, infectious melodies, and simple, unaffected performances.
I don't know about "influenced hordes of upcoming bands on both sides of the Atlantic". That's a bit much. Otherwise the definition is apt but ultimately this is just retro 60s music.
There is nothing new here. The English (and others from the Isles) were playing catch up. By 1986, 60s garage had already been updated in the US (around the turn of the decade) with The Fuzztones, The Chesterfield Kings, The Fleshtones and others. Jingle jangle and harmonies had been exploited and updated by Californian Paisley Underground bands like The Three O Clock (initially The Salvation Army), The Rain Parade, The Long Ryders, and The Dream Syndicate whilst 60s girl group pop had a look-in with the influential Bangles. The 60s powerpop would continue to be mined successfully in the US with Jellyfish, Urge Overkill and others.
Ultimately, though the Soup Dragons headed into "Baggy" territory, a close relative, as did many of their peers. Baggy (and Madchester) music was a perfectly English, highly derivative, limited and very short-lived mix of the poppiest elements of 60s psychedelica, 70s glam, 80s new wave and dance music. A lot of it was catchy but most of it is so poppy, light and frivolous (as was the associated scene) that like fairy floss it dissolves, pretty much, instantly. Excessive use will lead to cavities. It's best taken in very small doses but it did ultimately lead to many superior Britpop acts like Oasis.
Whoops, my prejudices are showing.
Anyway, who gives a flying fuck if the music has been done before.
I like 60s music so this will be given a go, err, more of a go.
This is The Soup Dragons first album – all the other releases of the preceding couple of years were EPs.
I sit here writing and I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised though not entirely excited. To me they sound like a catchier Wonder Stuff (though with a poorer sound).
The songs are a grab bag of styles but there is a 60s vibe running through the whole album so the band certainly fit the definition of 60s retro updated to the 80s thought there is more 60s here than 80s. It's certainly not very far from here to Oasis though Oasis can play better and write better songs.
Tracks (best in italics)
- Kingdom Chairs – a incredibly catchy song (admittedly a bit deja vu) but with an incredibly lame harmonica solo.
- Great Empty Space – catchy (and deja vu) again
- The Majestic Head? – Fuck this sounds like The Three O'Clock. And it's more the better for it.
- Turning Stone – ho hum
- Vacate My Space – another Three O'Clock type number but average
- On Overhead Walkways – dull.
- Passion Protein – a wannabe rock song with some lame keyboard. Sounds like bad "Blue Ruin", if anyone remembers that great band from Australia.
- King of the Castle – a slightly funky
- Soft as Your Face – a beautiful, katchy (sic) bubblegum pop song with a knod (sic) to The Kinks "Better Things".
- Family Ways – did Blur rip this off?
- Another Dreamticket – just dull.
And…
There are at least 3 great songs here dying to get out. But whether it is the production or the band I do not know but ultimately the album is underwhelming. There is no punch or passion.
I suspect I will tape a few tracks and sell.
I am keen to hear their earlier albums though…but definitely not their later LPs.
Chart Action
US
Singles
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Album
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Singles
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Album
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England
Singles
Singles
Soft as Your Face #66
Album
#60
#60
Sounds
Kingdom Chairs
The Majestic Head
attached
Turning Stone
Soft as Your Face
Others
Review
Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soup_Dragons
http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-soup-dragons-p5484
Website
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Trivia
- The band split in 1995 with Quinn joining fellow Bellshill band, Teenage Fanclub. Sushil K. Dade formed the experimental post rock group Future Pilot A.K.A., and singer Sean Dickson formed The High Fidelity. Jim McCulloch joined fellow Glaswegians Superstar, and has since formed musical collective Green Peppers. He writes and records with Isobel Campbell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soup_Dragons
Other Comments
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