Reissued gem from 1986 casts new spotlight on would-be pop stars THE WOODENTOPS, sensational and sadly overlooked indie eccentrics originally on Rough Trade. Fusing the flip sides of the British music scene in the mid-'80s, the Woodentops dared to juggle the sensitive acoustic jangle of the Smiths with rollicking dance beats that were never predictable.
The Woodentops used synthesizers as frosting, adding rainbow colours to twisted folk-rock visions. Unlike the gloom-and-doom that saturated U.K. post-punk at the time, the Woodentops - especially warm-throated leader Rolo McGinty, formerly of the Wild Swans - were absolutely giddy. "Giant" is brimming with good vibrations, especially on "Love Affair With Everyday Living," "Shout," "Love Train," and "Get It On."
Almost hard to believe that the Woodentops were released on CBS in the U.S. and even roamed freely on American alternative-rock stations at the time, considering how none of this could be classified as commercial. But wasn't that the point of alternative music anyway? The Woodentops epitomize the genre in its purest form - accessible yet off-kilter pop that busts stylistic boundaries with a sledgehammer.
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There was nobody one could compare with the Woodentops back then - and the same can be said today despite the recent and massively thrilling new wave revival with the Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand. Quirky, imaginative arrangements abound, startling listeners with sampled sound effects that are clever not cheesy and relentless, hyperspeed percussion. "Giant" continues to loom large in the alt-rock landscape.
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