Thirty-year-old albums are always hard to appraise: everyone wot wants them has got ‘em, and no-one else really cares. While George Best is an indie classic, it’s not the Weddos’ best. (As we think singer David Gedge lives locally we’d better say all their albums are great, obviously).

We quite liked the Wedding Present. We were fans of The Buzzcocks, and The Wedding Present were more of the same, except with an indie bent.

The Buzzcocks were basically one good album, 1978’s Another Music in a Different Kitchen, and some ace singles. They were characterised by good tunes and an outstanding drummer, John Maher, who was fast and precise (the latter skill presumably helping in his later career with John Maher Racing, building performance racing engines).

The Wedding Present had equally fast and precise guitars, and wrote similar songs, though like the Buzzcocks they tended to get samey. This album is like that — the first half is great, your brain gradually fading it out as it plays through what would be side two. What there is, is good enough though, bittersweet love songs and DIY sound played at speed.

This recording is pretty old: in early 2008 The Wedding Present had completed a successful 20th anniversary concert tour for George Best and laid down a “live” recording.

We reviewed The Smiths’ The Queens Is Deadlast week. That’s a classic album but this is a lot more fun.

https://scopitones.co.uk/