It's inevitable that Wolverhampton's MIGHTY LEMON DROPS will probably be forever associated with the NME'S "C-86" compilation, allegedly helping greet a new dawn fro British pop during the grey 1980s.
Personally, though, this writer never rated much from that scene. PRIMAL SCREAM, for instance, didn't get interesting until much later when they lost the wimpiness, while the likes of THE SHOP ASSISTANTS were at best desperate and frankly best forgotten now.
THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS, however, were a classy and sturdy pop affair, deserving better than being spooned in with the lumpy spuds'n'gravy outfits of the time and "Rollercoaster" does an exemplary job in reminding us why t'LEMON DROPS grabbed decent size attention and actually converted this to sales success on the lucrative US college market.
"Rollercoaster" boasts a generous, but viable 19 tracks and remarkably precious little flab or filler. All the group's singles are featured from their debut "Like An Angel" on, and I must admit I'd forgotten what an impressive band THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS were in the 45RPM format. Indeed, the urgent riffing, supple basslines and monumental drums of "Like An Angel" are as fine an introduction to a cool UK pop band as you'll find to this day.
The seven other subsequent singles hardly let the side down either. "Into The Heart Of Love" rides in on one of those tip-of-your-tongue riffs and develops into something fantastic all of its' own volition; "My Biggest Thrill" is sharp and uncompromising and both "Inside Out" and "Fall Down(Like The Rain)" present a grasp of dynamics similar to those other starsailing late '80s heroes THE HOUSE OF LOVE.
If we're talking comparisons, though, the one that repeatedly nags at this reviewer's little grey cells is early ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, especially Mac's boys circa "Crocodiles". Sonically, there are a number of similarities. For instance, the way the guitars drop out and let the rhythm section carry the tune; or the way the hollow, coruscating lead guitar continually recalls WILL SERGEANT; or the hectoring, tribal drumming. Mind you, the vocals possess little of Mac's affectation and eschew the obscure lyrical flights of fancy.
|
"Rollercoaster" proves THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS were anything but pale imitators, however. The tunes here really are top notch and instantly shake you back into familiarity. A few of the things I didn't already know were pleasantly surprising, too: not least their faithful(ish) cover of the 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS' spooked "Splash #1" and the fuzzy, demo-ey quality of the harsh album closer "Now She's Gone."
Besides THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS didn't just give good single, and some of the album tracks/ live favourites like the title track, dumb fuck stomper "Uptight" (dig those stereo FX guitars) and the crystalline forearm smash of the opening "Happy Head" are amongst the very best things here.
"Rollercoaster", then, is an irresistible and much-needed compilation of one of the UK'S best, (relatively) unpretentious combos of the questionable 1980s, whose proud, tight sound is still contemporary enough to resonate today. Exhilarating stuff.
|
