Richard Youngs - Beyond The Valley of Ultrahits

Aw man, I really wanted to hear this when the (long sold-out and now highly sought-after) Sonic Oyster CDr came out a year or so back but somehow I never quite got around to it. Everyone and their mum was banging on about how this veteran of the UK underground had finally made a record in thrall to his most overtly pop side and how it was totally amazing and all that stuff so it's super-fortunate that Jagjaguwar have seen fit to remaster it and stick it on a shiny platter of vinyl for those that missed out first time around. And I'm glad to report that everyone and their mum were pretty much bang on as it's quite fantastic! Expect moments of Pet Shop Boys-style synth pop and dark post-punk balladry sitting alongside (or even mixing with) stylish flecks of New Romantisicm and hints of Scritti Politti or David Bowie. It'd be easy to go on with all the things these songs reminds me of but for all those comparisons it definitely sounds very unique and the presence of the kind of experimentation that's made his name is always somewhere to be found in this very excellent LP!