Highway To Heavenly

Fifth album for the English band considered one of the originators of ‘twee’ indie pop. Active from 1989–1996, when drummer Mathew Fletcher took his own life. Core members then migrated to Tender Trap, releasing four more albums from 2002–2014. Highway to Heavenly features all the remaining musicians. This album isn’t simply a nostalgic trip into the past. Rather, like the band’s previous albums, it merges “sharp-edged politics with shamelessly joyous pop music…combining the American Riot Grrrl sound with the pop charms of the English indie scene.” RIYL: Tiger Trap, Tullycraft, Go Sailor and even 70s/80s female-first bands such as Blondie.
— Francis

Recommended: 1, 2, 7, 10, 6. No FCCs noted.

1. (3:49) Scene Stealing — Smoothly tripping twee pop with a sunny girl group sound. Rich harmonies. Sustained organ and minimal guitar. ****
2. (3:12) Portland Town — Punky with scratchy, palm-muted guitar. A bit of a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” vibe. Amelia Fletcher and Cathy Rogers trade off on lead vocals. ****
3. (4:03) Press Return — Urgent guitar-led track with plenty of organ or synth mixed in. Lyrics focus on the arrogance of some tech bros.
4. (3:00) Skep Wax — Playful with lilting vocals. The song is titled after the band’s UK record label, which is run by Fletcher.
5. (3:57) Deflicted — Opens with spoken lines, like hits from the Shangri-Las or other girl groups of the 60s. Then, shifts to shimmering organ-led pop.
6. (2:36) Excuse Me — Energetic punk. A retro review of teen romance with a definite 60s vibe. Stop-start guitars, organ and cooing harmonies. ***
7. (4:59) A Different Beat — An intriguing guitar melody over a hint of a disco-influenced foundation. Transitions from up-tempo bass-driven sections to wistful choruses. Reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian. Excellent! ****
8. (3:29) Good Times — Dreamy and chime-y. Swingy melody set to a stately pace — with lots of xylophone.
9. (4:06) The Neverseen — Simple storytelling ballad. Strummed guitars and organ.
10. (4:01) She Is The One — A boy/girl tale. Almost a Latin flavor to the rhythm. Uplifting female lead vocals in a light melody. ***
11. (3:20) That Last Day — A song about when lead singer Fletcher’s mother passed away. Mostly light guitar work underlying the heartfelt lyrics, but with clash-y discordant guitar in the lead break.