49) Whipping Boy Heartworm

Since I started the site one album keeps coming up, I had heard of it but never listened. Whipping Boy were a four piece from Dublin and Heartworm was their second album that the Irish people took to their hearts.

First listen I thought it was okay but with these reviews, if it is a request, I have three listens before I write anything.

By third listen I realised what I had been missing although I can see why it did not sell. This was 1995 we were at the height of Britpop, if released when Nirvana dominated, I think they may have had a chance. As with one of my favourite bands of all time, That Petrol Emotion, it’s all about timing sadly.

The album opens with Twinkle a lone violin before the band come in and at one minute the guitars and drums come to life as lead singer Fearghal McKee croons “She’s the only one for me.”

Second song When We Were Young is even better a narration of anyone’s youth with Pernod, cider, rubber johnnies and Starsky getting mentioned over a fast-paced rollicking number, should have stormed the top ten.

Tripped has a riff to die for, guitarist Paul Page excels throughout.

We Don’t Need Nobody Else is McKee speaking the first two minutes of the song before him and the band take it up a notch, its powerful stuff.

Users is bleak and compelling, and the album ends on a downbeat note with A Natural.

The narrative of these reviews is they are quick. I could talk about every song. Summing up I’m fifty-two I could have listened to this album since I was twenty-four, what a fool.

9/10

GIVE IT A STREAM: When We Were Young