The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death cover

The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death

Released

The Housemartins were a pack of contradictions: Marxist Christians who played irresistibly cheerful ditties about shooting capitalists and hating farmers (because they’re… bourgeois, I guess?), and who regularly put down their instruments to sing close-harmony a cappella gospel songs. Their debut album is a celebration of tight popcraft and political provocation that lays out the map for their subsequent work: clean guitars, melodic bass lines, Paddy Heaton’s adenoidal but strangely attractive singing voice — and hooks, hooks, hooks. Highlights include “I Can’t Put My Finger on It” and the utterly brilliant “You Better Be Doubtful.”

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Chain Wallet cover

Chain Wallet

Chain Wallet
Seamonsters cover

Seamonsters

The Wedding Present
Bird Streets cover

Bird Streets

Bird Streets
Source Tags & Codes cover

Source Tags & Codes

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
After the Snow cover

After the Snow

Modern English