|
|
|
|
|
Heavenly (British Band)Heavenly was a 1990s twee pop band, originally forming in Oxford, England in 1989. Amelia Fletcher (vocals), Mathew Fletcher (drums; Amelia's brother), Peter Momtchiloff (guitar) and Robert Pursey (bass) had all been members of Talulah Gosh, formed in 1986. Heavenly debuted with "I Fell in Love Last Night", followed by "Our Love Is Heavenly", both released in 1990 on Sarah Records. Heavenly Vs. Satan, the group's debut album, came out in 1991. At this stage in their career, Heavenly's songs were still mainly concerned with an innocent view of love, whether or not requited, and the instrumentation remained very much the same jangly guitar style used by Talulah Gosh. Before releasing the critically acclaimed Le Jardin de Heavenly, Cathy Rogers (keyboard, back-up vocals) joined the band. Her harmony vocals and keyboards became an integral part of the group's sound. Another strikingly different element of the group's second album was the inclusion on the track, "C is the Heavenly Option", of guest vocals by Calvin Johnson, who also released Heavenly's records in the USA on his own K label. The song even featured Cathy Rogers rapping, after a fashion. Before their next long-player, Heavenly released two non-album singles, "P.U.N.K. Girl" and "Atta Girl". These signalled a growing complexity in Amelia's songwriting, particularly "Atta Girl" in which two separate vocal lines were used simultaneously. A broadening (and darkening) of lyrical subject matter was shown in the B-side, "Hearts and Crosses", which told the story of a date rape, with a cheesy keyboard riff providing an ironic counterpoint. The band's third LP was The Decline and Fall of Heavenly (1994). Here the group were at their most commercial. The arrangements expanded even more to include strings and a large amount of percussion, and the dual-vocal trick was used on several tracks. Lyrically, the old romantic view of love was largely banished, with tracks such as "Modestic" and "Three Star Compartment" portraying people trapped in loveless relationships and "Sperm Meets Egg, So What?" (the title adapted from McCarthy's "Boy Meets Girl, So What?") being about an unwanted pregnancy. The tunes remained as jolly as ever. The group's last album was Operation Heavenly (1996). Sarah Records had closed while the album was being recorded, so the album came out on Wiiija instead. Arriving in the middle of the Britpop boom, the album contained some tracks that seemed like deliberate attempts at a contrived "cool" factor - "Ben Sherman", with its self-conscious Uma Thurman namechecks or a cover of cool icon Serge Gainsbourg's "Nous ne sommes pas des anges", for instance - though it was still recognisably the Heavenly sound, and even included a second Calvin Johnson guest spot. However, shortly before the release of Operation Heavenly, Mathew Fletcher committed suicide. The remaining members announced that Heavenly was to be retired, but that they would continue, using the name Marine Research. Discography Singles (all are 7" unless otherise indicated) - "I Fell in Love last Night" (Sarah, 1990)
- "Our Love is Heavenly" (Sarah, 1990)
- "She Says" (K, 1991)
- "P.U.N.K. Girl" (Sarah, 1993)
- "Atta Girl" (Sarah, 1993, also on CD)
- "Trophy Girlfriend" (K, split single with Bis, 1995)
- "Space Manatee" (Wiiija, 1996, also on CD)
Albums - "Heavenly Vs Satan" (Sarah, 1991, later issued on K)
- "Le Jardin de Heavenly" (Sarah / K, 1993)
- "The Decline and Fall of Heavenly" (Sarah / K, 1994)
- "Operation Heavenly" (Wiiija / K, 1996)
Compilations - "Atta Girl EP" (K, 1994, CD compilation of "P.U.N.K. Girl" and "Atta Girl" singles, also on 10")
- "This is Heavenly" (Elefant, 1995, Spain. A "best of" drawn from the first two albums and single A&B sides)
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|