335) Angelfish

Goodbye Mr Mackenzie were a six piece, and they were at their best as a six piece, but keyboardist Rona Scobie had left before their third record Five and guitarist John Duncan also moved on, famously becoming involved with Nirvana. When working on Five there had been plans to push Shirley Manson’s vocals more to the front, but this had only happened on the track Normal Boy. Time for a re-think.

From the outside the lead singer becoming the guitarist and the backing singer keyboard player becoming the lead singer seems bizarre but the record company were keen to hear Manson as a lead singer.

The band couldn’t do this as Goodbye Mr MacKenzie due to contractual issues, would have been strange anyway, so Angelfish were formed.

Talking Heads Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth were brought in as producers and the album was recorded in little over a week and sadly did nothing and was never actually released in the UK.

However, the second track Suffocate Me had one airing on MTV and was seen by Steve Marker and paved the way for Manson to join Garbage and international success. Suffocate Me is all mean and moody with brooding guitars from Martin Martcalfe and Manson sultry vocals work a treat, it’s not far away from the Garbage template and just as good.

Metcalfe, drummer Kelly, and bassist Fin are still together all these years later in the reformed Goodbye Mr MacKenzie and The Filthy Tongues and the three work well together backing Manson.

Ten original tracks with a cover of Holly Vincent’s You Can Love Her that fits in with the style of the record. Sleep With Me is a slow burner a chugging guitar with Manson sounding like early Debbie Harry, it never cuts loose but doesn’t need to, excellent alternative pop.

Heartbreak to Hate was also a single, you can see why as it has a hell of a catchy chorus (ditto The Sun Won’t Shine) with swaggering guitars, fair play to Manson who after years in the shadows with the Mackenzie’s stepped up.

Mummy Can’t Drive is one of those songs that rips straight in then drops to minimal music as Shirley comes in but as she hits the chorus the drums and guitar storm in and a perfectly timed guitar solo arrives and the band and Shirley are swept up in the momentum as the song does not let up to the end, a highlight.

The record finishes on The End one of those fitting brooding numbers the band and Shirley restrained, a dramatic finish. 

You wonder why this record wasn’t bigger but maybe the association with the MacKenzie’s was just to strong and sadly once a record label and the public have decided your moment has passed then no matter the quality that’s it.

Record company and record buying public both wrong there’s a shock, give it a listen.

8/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: Mummy Can’t Drive