Not to be confused with their erstwhile LTM labelmates The Blue Orchids, Glasgow's THE ORCHIDS recorded extensively for the much-maligned Sarah Records label between 1987 and 1994 and - as these extensive re-issues of their entire career demonstrate - left behind a relatively good looking corpse.
"Lyceum + Singles" effectively covers the years 1987 - 1989 and the band's first batch of singles and debut(10")album.Normally, your reviewer would initially concentrate on the main album first and foremost, but in The Orchids' case, some historical perspective is required, so let's start with the extra tracks featuring the band's first three singles and a rare 7" release for the Caff label.
Listening to these tracks almost 20 years on, you can understand why the Sarah label got panned for releasing the weediest of fey, janglesome indie. Despite the undeniable charm of a lyric like "I'm drinking Irn Bru and thinking of you", songs like "I've Got A Habit" and "Give Me Some Peppermint Freedom" are cheap, cheerful and malnourished and haven't aged well, while "Underneath The Window, Underneath The Sink" is more of a simper than a song and too wimpy to make the grade.
Not a great start, though things start perking up with third single "What Will We Do Next" which announces itself with feedback, snarling riffs and steroid-pumped attitude. Drummer Chris Quinn gives his kit a good Moon-ing and even James Hackett's off-the-cuff vocals are threatening to have presence. It's a step in the right direction, while the excellent "Yawn" uncovers further possibilities, opening with what sounds like a Gregorian chant and ushering in drum machine and keyboards. The song itself is ever bit as wonderfully somnolent as the title suggests and the bassline introduces a neo-dub mentality that's wholly attractive.
Released in an intriguing black and white sleeve featuring snaps of Glasgow's less celebrated monuments and what appears to be a mugshot of a Glaswegian relative of Hunter.S.Thompson, "Lyceum" itself largely eschews "Yawn"s experimental approach (for now), but while it sees a return to jangly, lovelorn pop, by now The Orchids were beginning to learn their craft and make it sound far more convincing.
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Produced by "sixth" member Ian Carmichael (later of chart-worrying dance-pop outfit One Dove), "Lyceum" certainly has its' moments, not least early on. Opener "It's Only Obvious" is a winsome, old skool indie-pop rush of a thing featuring the great first flush chorus "Who needs tomorrow? When all I need, all I needed was you?." "A Place Called Home", meanwhile, is wistful and sly with echoes of early Aztec Camera and "Caveman" is - by this lot's standards - adrenaline-fuelled power pop with unexpected howls of lead guitar and the band pushing the chorus's pulse.
Indeed, it's only as they hit the final few tunes that things start to unravel. "Blue Light" - which briefly sounds like Bowie circa "Space Oddity" - is a lingering ache of a thing and just about makes the cut, but both "Hold On" and the closing "If You Can't Find Love" revert to the wimp-outs of yore and could do with their fringes trimming and a good knee in the balls for good measure.
Nonetheless, The Orchids were at least beginning to flower by this stage and there would be better things to come over the next few years with 1991's "Unholy Soul." But that's for the next instalment
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