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In addition to releasing superior new music, the Words on Music label is carving out a nice little niche re-releasing out-of-print alt-rock gems from the 1980s (see For Against). The Lucy Show was a London-based 4-piece blessed with 2 talented songwriters, guitarist Mark Bandola and bassist Rob Vandeven. They split writing credits evenly on this album, which was the band's second. Bandola and Vandeven were both expatriate Canadians, and their continent-hopping reflects strongly in the band's sound, which combines the sonic moodiness of British bands like Love and Rockets ("Sojourn's End") and the Jesus and Mary Chain ("Melody") with the jangle of American college-rock. The track "Shame" is emblematic of this crossbreeding, sounding like a combination of The Cure and R.E.M. (two bands also currently getting the reissue treatment, incidentally). The songs are a dynamic fusion of post-punk tension and classic pop songwriting. For the most part it's a shimmering, layered sound, thanks to über-producer John Leckie. The disc's most arresting track is also the most unassuming, though: "Part of Me Now" consists solely of keyboards, the barest electronic beat, and Bandola's vulnerable, unadorned vocals, combining to weave a beautiful, affecting ballad. The least interesting (though still perfectly fine) track on the disc was also the biggest hit for the band, the organ- and harmonica-inflected "A Million Things," which was apparently a college radio and MTV staple back in the day.
This reissue includes bonus unreleased, live, and demo tracks. The unreleased songs are as strong as the album material, if not stronger: "Invitation" is driving pop shot through with circular-saw guitar squalls and backwards shards of keyboard, and "Civil Servant" benefits from martial touches of fife and snare drum throughout. The disc also includes the video for "A Million Things," which fortunately holds up much better than most videos made in 1986, I would venture to say. The album stands the test of time as well, and deserves a place in the playlist of anyone who appreciates the "left of the dial" sounds of the 1980s, not just as a lost curiosity but as an album that stands with the best of its era. (mike.02.06)
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