Teenage Fanclub - Here (Merge Records) 2016
7
A jangly guitar infused, shaggy haired, harmony0singing throwback to a time when chart music was full of well crafted guitar lead songs that parked their car somewhere in the “Easily Listening” section of the musical parking lot. Teenage Fanclub seem to have never left that early noughties sound of shoegazey, indie guitar music that is wistful and innocent and sugar-coated in naïve charm. Here is a candy-coated breeze to listen too. In-offensive, full of open breasted blazer wearing charm. Music for people with no fear of the world, who constantly gaze skyward and make stories from the clouds. It’s innocent, chirpy and genuinely able to conjure smiles from nowhere. What it lacks in songwriting prowess it more than ably makes up for in its purity and optimism, and for that you really have to applaud its efforts.