The Case For: Teenage Fanclub's Best Single - Articles - Soundblab

The Case For: Teenage Fanclub's Best Single

by Dan Clay Rating: Release Date: Label:

Glasgow's finest band come with enough West Coast harmonies to belie their harsher Scottish roots. Picking one track from each of their albums through the years we aim to arrive at their ultimate melodic gem.

A Catholic Education (1990) The young band's debut fizzes with fuzzy guitar and low-fi grunge and

certainly shows the group in full flow. A live favourite even now.

Bandwagonesque (1991) The group's second album kept the distorted guitar but introduced a softer sound and more melodies. Lead single

is a perfect example.

Thirteen (1993) The band's most misunderstood album which bridges the gap between their earlier grunge and latter melodic strum features enough dark material to keep Philip Pullman happy while being crowd-pleasingly sing-a-long. Listen to their

and see why.

Grand Prix (1995) An absolute masterpiece, the band's fourth album proper features 12 songs which rank alongside their best. But for sheer melody, craftsmanship and pleasure

is simply put one of the best three minutes guitars were made for.

Songs for Northern Britain (1997) The fact their follow up album is nearly as good (and loved by Nick Hornby most) speaks volumes about what the 'Fannies' can do when on form. Forget British weather can be so dispiriting, listen to

and blow away those cloudy days.

Howdy (2000) After two career-defining albums Howdy was slowly received by fans and critics. A shame because it's packed with just as many gems, nicely polished and features the delightful

among others.

Man-Made (2005) Five years in the making Man-Made showed that while the band's output and style may have slowed (no one gets any younger), their grip on poppy, melodic tunes was as strong as ever. Surprisingly good live,

will certainly stick there.

Shadows (2010) After another needlessly long five year break the band returned this year with a softer, warmer sound and in

one of their most enjoyably tuneful songs to date.

Top 3 Finalists

1. 'Baby Lee'

2. 'Sparky's Dream'

3. 'Ain't That Enough'

And the winner is…..without doubt the sublimely gorgeous declaration of love 'SPARKY'S DREAM'.

Comments (6)

  2. #201
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Really like Sparky's Dream but again the early stuff wins out:

1. Starsign - I've played that to death at Bollox and it still gets danced to - their best
2. Everything Flows - Just for the repetitive guitar riff and is the best song that goes on...

Really like Sparky's Dream but again the early stuff wins out:

1. Starsign - I've played that to death at Bollox and it still gets danced to - their best
2. Everything Flows - Just for the repetitive guitar riff and is the best song that goes on forever since Wedding Present's Kennedy
3. God Knows It's True - just heavenly
4. Is This Music - Instrumental off Bandwagonesque, amazed when I heard it as the theme tune to Football Focus on Grandstand in the early 90s - beautiful song
5. I Don't Want Control of You - the best of their mid to late 90s stuff

oh and Dan I'd never associate themselves with having a low-fi grunge sound, they were more gazing towards their shoes in the early days!! :-)

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  2. #204
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I struggled to get into Teenage Fanclub in the early 90s. They were lumped in with grunge and being a fan of Mudhoney and the noisier stuff I just didn't see the point of them. I think their early stuff is great now I'm a bit older and as I'm a...

I struggled to get into Teenage Fanclub in the early 90s. They were lumped in with grunge and being a fan of Mudhoney and the noisier stuff I just didn't see the point of them. I think their early stuff is great now I'm a bit older and as I'm a crazy list person just like you Dan, I'm off to have another listen.

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  2. #205
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I think 'Mellow Doubt' was the first Teenage Fanclub song i heard, on a Creation Records Cd free with NME, so that one's always pretty special to me...Have to agree that 'Sparky's Dream' is pop-perfection though...'What you do to me' and 'The...

I think 'Mellow Doubt' was the first Teenage Fanclub song i heard, on a Creation Records Cd free with NME, so that one's always pretty special to me...Have to agree that 'Sparky's Dream' is pop-perfection though...'What you do to me' and 'The Concept' (both from 'Bandwagonesque) are probably my two favourites after Sparky's....

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  2. #207
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'Sparky's Dream' is a great song, also like 'What you do to me' straight forward indie pop song.

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  2. #210
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I was a really early fannies convert. Catholic Education is like a warm fuzzy cuddly version of dinosaur jr. There best single, its a hard one but i love 'Everything Flows' off that album.
Saw them at Shep bush empire last month and they did that...

I was a really early fannies convert. Catholic Education is like a warm fuzzy cuddly version of dinosaur jr. There best single, its a hard one but i love 'Everything Flows' off that album.
Saw them at Shep bush empire last month and they did that as the encore - Heaven.

What is it about Scotland and music? They have produced some great material over the last 25 years of my listening time.

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  2. #211
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I meant their, not there in regards to best single. Doh!

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