- Released: 1987
- Origin: Leeds, England
- Label: Reception
- Best Track: Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft
I mentioned The Wedding Present in my last review of The Bodines, which made me realise I haven’t heard many of their albums. So let’s start at the beginning.
George Best was the debut album from the jangle-pop legends, who even managed to persuade the legendary footballer to pose with the band for the artwork. Surprising a Leeds band would immortalise a Manchester United player in such a way, but it makes for a very British, everyman first foray into music.
Aside from the infectious jangly guitars, it’s David Gedge’s blunt Yorkshire wit and turn of phrase that make The Wedding Present great, and opener ‘Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft’ is this in spades. “Don’t give me that! Because you were seen!
Everyone thinks he looks daft but you can have your dream” – it’s kind of a mockery and hope at the same time. He has this way of making hopeless situations seem not only relatable, but something to be owned and celebrated.
The Wedding Present don’t do bad songs basically, do they? And while I wouldn’t say there’s anything on here as good as ‘Suck’ or ‘Come Play With Me’, the likes of ‘All This and More’, ‘Shatner’ and ‘Anyone Can Make a Mistake’ would have been effortlessly pacey, catchy, and moving enough to leave 1987 indie fans with that “I’ve just found my new favourite band” feeling.
366Music 