This is the first in Skep-Wax's program of re-issues of Heavenly's four albums that originally came out during the band's life span between 1989 and 1996, when the band came to a shuddering halt, after the bands Drummer Matthew Fletcher committed suicide. This re-issue of the Sarah Records classic comes with the bands first two singles as bonus tracks.
The Album opens with Cool Guitar Boy a gorgeous jangling pop song of longing for that Cool Guitar Boy that Amelia Fletcher is lusting after.
Boyfriend Stays The Same has super sweet vocals set against the clattering percussive parts on the chorus and sweeter verses, this is a sophisticated song of independence as she looks for change rather than stasis.
Lemonhead Boy is a song in love with the boy child that is Evan Dando, this thankfully sounds far more focused than his song usually do. This song has some whistling set against the jangling guitars and sweet harmonies.
Shallow feels more pensive and is slower and more considered as we find out just how Shallow he is, the person at the centre of this love triangle.
Wish Me Gone sounds so carefully constructed as this tale of love going wrong and a relationship falling to pieces unfolds far more messily than any of the music, that needs to be heard a few times to get everything the guitars are doing, as this tale unfolds.
Don't Be Fooled is super sweet jangle pop that makes you question what your lover says to you, is it real, or just a pack of lies, to get you to do the things they want you to do, all the while you fantasize about someone else while your together.
It's You is super speedy jangle pop that won't let up as the lyrics fly at you and you must stop to hear them all, to know just how this relationship is working, or not.
Stop Before You Say It is always good advice no matter what you are about to say, that our current government really needs to heed as advice, as this song makes clear over the sweet jangle and precise drumming.
The first of the bonus tunes and the bands first single I Fell In Love Last Night is next, this has all the youthful lust and dreams of a future together for someone you've just met, with lush harmonies and hope in it's heart, that you'll be hers and you'll have more than a one night stand with her.
Over And Over has some really cool guitar bits and pieces as the repetitive nature of relationships are investigated.
Our Love Is Heavenly could almost be the bands' theme song it has all the yearning and obsessive lusts at the centre of many of the albums songs, no matter how messy things get, as love goes wrong more than it goes right.
The album closes with Wrap My Arms Around him a song that I'm sure has been re-worked by a few other bands as the tune is so familiar, it's one more song of that agonies of love and relationships in the early days, while clearly showing how Heavenly have been influential on many dreampop bands that have followed in their wake.
