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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Like the album's title, this music is about the basics. This seminal release from 1990 rerouted pop music for several years, and for the better. This simple guitar/bass/drum/vocal affair cut like a searchlight through the fog of tortuously overproduced music of the time, as The Sundays proved that more is often merely more. Harriet Wheeler's lilting, swooningly sweet voice is clearly the strong driving factor behind this debut's appeal, fore-grounded through spare arrangements and an almost timid rhythm section, though the timbre of Wheeler's voice is perfectly matched to David Gavurin's terrific 12-string guitar. Taken as a whole, the album bears repeated listening, even though some of the songs tend to blur together. The hit single "Here's Where the Story Ends" is rivalled by, if not equal to, "You're Not the Only One I Know", "I Kicked a Boy", and "Joy". --Alan E. Rapp
Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
Much as I'd love to sound like Harriet wheeler, I hope I've never sung along to this out loud whilst wearing my walkman. I could never match a) her voice or b) her style.
I can't explain how good this album is but every time I listen to it (which is still alot) I remember and feel something so deep that I say to myself 'this is definately my favourite album of all time'. And I hope Harriet Wheeler reads this one day as I'd love her to know.
I don't know what it is about it, or rather there is just too much about it which makes it my number 1. - Harriet Wheeler's pure crystal clear voice, the depth of the lyrics, the tunes....I have to sing along.
I can't explain how good this album is but every time I listen to it (which is still alot) I remember and feel something so deep that I say to myself 'this is definately my favourite album of all time'. And I hope Harriet Wheeler reads this one day as I'd love her to know.
I don't know what it is about it, or rather there is just too much about it which makes it my number 1. - Harriet Wheeler's pure crystal clear voice, the depth of the lyrics, the tunes....I have to sing along.
It's miles better than anything else The Sundays have done - Blind was OK and Static and Silence was a bit depthless (but quite nice). I wish I'd made this album!
The only thing which comes close in my opinion is The Cocteau Twins stuff (Elizabeth Frazer has an amazing voice too).
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
I love this band. Right from the first delectable wafting of Skin & Bones, Harriet Wheeler is a pleasure to listen to, as she takes us through tales of lost and longed-for love, recreating a mellower world perfectly. Can't Be Sure is perhaps the best, with some interesting musical effects, but I ahve especially soft spots for Here's Where the Story Ends (one of the msot famous tracks ever to start life as an album cut, alongside maybe Stairway To Heaven, Yesterday, Champagne Sueprnova and not much else), My Fienst Hour and A Certain Someone. The quality of the songs never falters, and the voice was jsut created to sing, to soothe, to shine.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
Rated as the 93rd best album of all time by NME magazine in 1993, the Sundays groundbreaking debut album could, quite easily, top any all-time best top 10. With Harriet Wheeler's wispy vocals (perhaps matched only by the voice of Frente's Angie Hart)entwined within a web of carefully constructed guitar chords and drum rhythms, the album borders, somewhat contradictorily, upon both the majestic and the fragile. Highlights include I Kicked a Boy, Here's Where The Story Ends, Can't Be Sure and, perhaps The Sundays most impressive song to date, the appropriately named 'Finest Hour'. This bitter-sweet and often enchanting album is a must for any true music fan's cd collection.
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4.8 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
still great!
It must be 20 years since I last listened to this and yet still sounds great. Beautiful album. Ethereal and fragile female vocal yet down to earth lyrics.
Published 3 months ago by J. Grice
5.0 out of 5 stars
reading writing and arithmetic adds up
'Finest Hour' is one of my all time favourite songs and,as I'm updating my music collection to cd,I'm listening to it along with many others from years ago. Read more
Published 7 months ago by fairygirl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reading Writing and Arithmetic
This cd is one that I have been after for a while and as a long time fan of the Sundays I was not dissapointed with it. Read more
Published 10 months ago by teddyboy10w
4.0 out of 5 stars
original and pretty good
This very original sounding work is certainly competent, but lacks an edge of brilliance that could set it apart. Read more
Published 11 months ago by dan
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thing of beauty - highly recommended
Far and away the Sundays' strongest and most consistent album, "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic" is a virtually flawless piece of indie heaven. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Bob C
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heard That Listen To This
Rightly regarded as 0ne of the best albums of the nineties if not of all time.This brilliant band no longer exists but there is an alternative,try the Innocence Mission, especially... Read more
Published 22 months ago by disraeli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brian
A timeless album. Got it on vinyl and now pleased to have it on c.d. The music is clever whilst Harriet's got a beautiful voice which sends you into a blissful state, love it.
Published on 16 May 2011 by Brian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Here's where the story starts
The Sundays debut album arrived in 1988 on Rough Trade and immediately became one of the labels biggest selling bands thanks to the wonderful debut single "Can't be sure". Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2010 by Mr Ticko
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect
I cant do this album justice. I dont have the skill to express my feelings in words. I will say that what we have here is a timeless set of songs only rivalled, in my opinion, by... Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2010 by David Gallacher
3.0 out of 5 stars
TOO MANY WEAK TRACKS
This is pleasant enough, but there is far too many weak tracks for me to give it more than 3 stars. Which probavly explains why I have only got 3 tracks off this album on my MP3... Read more
Published on 1 April 2010 by Stephen
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