Short, sharp and frank reviews from a confessed vinyl junkie. I’ll be posting my most loved records and most recent purchases right here for your perusal every week.
Orange vinyl reissue of The Shed’s sophomore album as part of HMV’s 100th Anniversary exclusives. Originally released in 1996, I’ve always thought this album was hugely underrated; every track could’ve been a single. Often seen as the underdogs, Shed Seven released some of the catchiest tracks of the Britpop movement (see also ‘Gene’), and this was their masterpiece.
Whilst Oasis robbed The Beatles back catalogue and Suede were clearly Bowie fans, Shed Seven were like a poppier, more commercial sounding version of The Smiths. Although, unlike The Smiths, ‘A Maximum High’ is full to the brim of positivity, featuring a nonstop wave of singalong anthems.
Kicking off with the superb album opener ‘Getting Better’, these lads weren’t wrong, whilst their debut was also great, ‘A Maximum High’ is a different level. The brass featured on ‘Going For Gold’ gives the track touches of early Dexys and ‘Ladyman’ is up there with their best work.
As the album comes to a close, the fourth single and penultimate track, ‘Bully Boy’, is a force to be reckoned with, before finishing with the epic ‘Parallel Lines’. Forget ‘The Big Four’. There’s some real gems to be heard on this Britpop classic.
Listen to Shed Seven – A Maximum High – BELOW:
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