A cool new book about Josef K by Johnnie Johnstone published by Jawbone Press
Perusing it reminded me of the unhappy occasion of the group’s debut album – which was savaged by the two journalists who had championed Josef K most fervently: Dave McCullough of Sounds and Paul Morley at the NME.
Which reviews were coincidentally made available again recently by those wonderful Twitter scanners NME1980s and Zounds Abounds
Neither review is among either’s finest moments – it’s as though the anguish of assassinating a pet group has mutilated intelligibility.
I wonder if it was Morley who instigated Propaganda's cover of "Sorry For Laughing" on A Secret Wish - either to "do it properly" or as a kind of belated "sorry for destroying your morale and career", maybe earn them some royalties.
It got me wondering about other examples of debuts by
much-touted groups that have disappointed.
The only one I can think of is from the same era – A Certain
Ratio’s To Each, which was gently demolished by Ian Penman.
It also got me wondering if I’d ever been in a similar predicament.
The answer is not really.
I did find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to
slag off the first Breeders album – I
didn’t have massive expectations, but “Gigantic” plus the involvement of Tanya
from Throwing Muses, created some hopes for Pod.
Uncomfortable because of being friendly with that camp, an early supporter. But you just have to steel yourself. There can be no pulling of punches.
Also from that same camp: Hunkpapa from Throwing Muses (admittedly not a debut) was one where I had to adopt a stern, “can do better” tone.
I suppose this is where the old cliche of “they build ‘em up just to knock ‘em down” comes from.
Usually, though, it’s someone else at the paper that does the take-down, and “they” is about a perceived institutional inconstancy or spitefulness.
That’s what is so unusual about the Morley and McCullough reviews of The Only Fun in the Town - they are the ones who'd most extravagantly heralded Josef K. It gives the reviews that tang of bitterness, feelings of “how could you show me up like this?!?” combined with the fan’s savage sense of let-down
The subject of Disappointing Albums has come up before on this blog constellation - but that was about albums where the expectations had been built up by a fantastic debut and in many cases excellent second, third, even fourth records.
The Disappointing Album is the first glum sign that your heroes are fallible – that they might be creatively running on empty, have exhausted all that they have to say… the first hint of self-parody, or commercial-minded caution.
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Repeat airing of Melody Maker retroactive reviews of Josef K from Steve Sutherland and yours truly
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McCullough love for Postcard and Josef K
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The debut albums by AR Kane and Levitation were both big disappointments for me at the time, compared to the previous EP's. But I listened to them both again very recently, and in both cases my younger self was totally wrong.
ReplyDeleteOne odd thing was that as far as my memory is concerned I barely listened to them at the time, maybe only gave each album a single disinterested listen. But hearing them again I remembered pretty
much every single word and note of every song. I'm sure this says something about the incredibly deep mnemonic power of music.
That's strange re. AR Kane and 69. Critically, that album got rave reviews - well, the MM one was by me!
DeleteYeah the Levitation album makes sense... although I don't remember anything about it (must have heard it). I do remember seeing them live and only being semi-swayed.
Levitation's music has endured surprisingly well, considering how obscure they now are. Their hyper-detailed sound definitely works much better in hindsight, seeing as Radiohead basically adopted the same approach.
DeleteThese may be disputable, but Northside, Menswear and Gay Dad spring to mind. All three have elements of coming too late, so lacking distinction, thus surplus to requirements. Gay Dad were particularly curious, being formed by the rock journalist Cliff Jones. In hindsight, that meant they never stood a chance.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Campag Velocet.
I wasn't reading the UK papers in the days of Gay Dad, but was there really a huge head of anticipation for Northside's debut?
DeleteMenswear - I remember the hype, I don't remember the disappointment, but in truth I probably wouldn't have bothered to read the reviews of them.
Would a Nuggets-style compilation of Britpop also-rans work? The singles might be strangely durable. Hell, I didn't mind Menswear. I was 12 though.
DeleteYea, it has been done: "Martin Green Presents: Super Sonics – 40 Junkshop Britpop Greats" (RPM Records)
DeleteI really enjoyed the Gay Dad album; thought it had an affecting dark pop sensibility.
DeleteElectric Six managed two ubiquitous singles before being jettisoned. But they sold themselves as a novelty act that appealed to NME readers.
ReplyDeleteThe disappointing debut album that really stands out for me is the Woodentops’ Giant: after three fantastic EPs, a totally de-fanged LP. Seems like the band agreed, because they released a live version not long after. But by then their moment had passed.
ReplyDeleteThe disappointing major label debut must also be a crowded category: the House of Love self-titled being a prime example.
Another debut album widely seen as a disappointment, and still not loved by many: The Smiths.
ReplyDeleteAnother botched job that the band attempted to fix, in this case triumphantly succeeding with Hatful of Hollow, which is probably their best LP.
The Smiths debut is a funny one - because it had such an impact on me, and so much the arrival of this unique voice, that it seems like a smashing debut. But - listening objectively - I can see why it felt a bit drab to some listeners. Morrissey of course hates it, says it's feebly produced.
DeleteTrack for track, Hatful is the best album, if we count it as an album, which it isn't really. All those amazing songs they threw away as B-sides. However I prefer the Smiths-debut-proper iteration of certain songs - e.g. "Still Ill"
The Hatfull "Still Ill" has a fucking harmonic on it - ridiculous.
Deleteharmonica
DeleteHaha I like the harmonica Still Ill! A smear of ugly noise across Marr’s melodic brilliance gives it some extra zing. Makes the muted-strings percussion effect that replaces it on the first album seem rather drab by comparison.
DeleteIt probably depends on which you heard first. I know other people whose favorite album is the first one, and see those versions as definitive.
Oh yeah, Woodentops - it was disappointing, feeble and shiny production. After three or four killer singles too
ReplyDeleteDo you still agree that the Josef K album is disappointing? (There are a couple singles/outtakes compilations that came out later, right?)
ReplyDeleteI never heard it at the time of release - the reviews put me off!
Delete(I wonder what the Melody Maker take was on the LP)
But yeah I do think the aborted first version of the debut that they thought was too clean and shiny, Sorry For Laughing, was much better. The Only Fun In Town is scrawny and overly abrasive - trying to reproduce their live sound.