REVIEW: Longpigs - The Sun Is Often Out reissue

Sheffields melodic heroes Longpigs came to the rescue of many love torn music fans in the late 90’s on the back the britpop fad, their exciting brand of pop guitar lullabies captured many fans including Supergrass, Echobelly and Radiohead who they all supported on tour before they released their debut album The Sun Is Often Out, released impressively on U2’s own record label Mother Records. The band consisted of at this time Crispin Hunt on lead vocals/guitar, Richard Hawley on guitar/vocals, Simon Stafford on bass/keys and Dee Boyle on drums. With similarities being drawn towards their Sheffield contemporises Pulp, this debut album introduced the bands firm own sound of uplifting guitar anthems.

Opening with the brittle Lost Myself, Hunt sounding like a more impassioned Yorke, engaging and emotional, Hawley guitars laid with delicious precision and a rhythm section laying down their layers with exquisite deliciousness, the results should have seen the bands efforts receive wider aplomb than they ever did. Up next is the stand out classic of the period She Said. Reaching number 16 in the UK charts this only scratched the surface of how anthemic the track has become. A repeated anthem on all radio stations the world over, if you think Creep is the best thing since sliced bread listen to this track instead, just brilliant.

With 2 absolute classic tracks opening the album you might be fooled into thinking the band couldn’t back that up with anything more of substance, wrong. Far is gentle slice of guitar pop perfection, On and On brings the mood down to a gentler acoustic vibe which saw the band break big time in the states making it in to the USA modern tracks charts at the heady position of 17, the steel city would’ve no doubt been proud of their adopted sons breaking big time. Happy Again finds the band taking on a sleezy almost Black Crowes vibe with plenty of lively blues guitar as the band lift their tracks to an altogether mightier and beefy. sound.

The rest of the album doesn’t let up the unstoppable deliverance of great tunes. Sally Dances is the distant cousin of She Said, Elvis sounds like The Levellers sped up whilst the final track Sleep is a nod towards The Beatles Martha My Dear, but with a Longpigs twist. The Sun Is Often Out is a timeless effort from a long that firmly captures sadly departed Dee Boyle in a light that many would want him remembered.

The Sun Is Often Out can be purchased from the following link