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CD Description
Sleeper were massive! Hit singles, sell out tours, and at
one point you could not open a magazine or a newspaper
without seeing a picture of the band oh and they made
some great records too!
Britpop delights part of the memory and scares other
parts of the brain, Sleeper are from the right side of the
tracks, yeah they looked good (even The Sleeper blokes)
but more importantly they sounded great, no style over
substance here.
The it Girl was their second album it followed the
debut smart at pace and did not miss a beat, packed with
singles and presented here with a hatful of B-sides and
live tracks the time is right to dip your toe back in the
Britpop waters.
one point you could not open a magazine or a newspaper
without seeing a picture of the band oh and they made
some great records too!
Britpop delights part of the memory and scares other
parts of the brain, Sleeper are from the right side of the
tracks, yeah they looked good (even The Sleeper blokes)
but more importantly they sounded great, no style over
substance here.
The it Girl was their second album it followed the
debut smart at pace and did not miss a beat, packed with
singles and presented here with a hatful of B-sides and
live tracks the time is right to dip your toe back in the
Britpop waters.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Back in the day, the phrase "I like Sleeper" would instantly invlaidate any of your opinions on music, in the eyes of your peers. Yes, it was a savage time.
I found a tape of this when I was moving house, and it's just great. I will hold up my hands and admit there are some songs that don't measure up on this - Good luck Mr.Gorsky and Glue Eyes being the worst offenders. Remember, even the Queen is Dead (namechecked on Dress like you Mother) had Vicar in a Tutu.
Next to these are the shining pop gems that are Sale of the Century, What do I do Know and Dress like your Mother. Crowning this is the lyrically sublime and beautifully arranged Shrinkwrapped - insomnia never sounded so good.
This album won't change your life, but it will leave you bouncing up and down, singing along in husky mockney accent. And I for one am perfectly happy with that.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Sleeper were, in their heyday one of the finest Britpop bands around. Overshadowed (rather unfairly in my opinion) by Justine Frischmann's Elastica, they nonetheless produced some high quality pop tunes, and The It Girl is the perfect showcase for the band's talents.
While most of the album sticks to the upbeat, guitar-laden sound the band is mostly known for, there are also a couple of quieter, more contemplative tracks, which give Louise Wener's vocals a chance to shine. What is striking about this album is the consistent strength of the lyrics - neat, meaningful and beautifully crafted. The melodies are almost as strong, and, on listening to this album it's difficult to see why Sleeper aren't held in quite the same high esteem as Elastica, as there are some genuine indie-pop gems on this album.
How many good tracks? Eleven, out of thirteen
Best Track: A three-way tie between the fabulously shouty-ranty Factor 41, the gorgeously melancholic Shrinkwrapped, and singalong favourite What do I Do Now?
Worst Track: Compared to the rest of the album Good Luck Mr Gorsky stands out as not really being up to scratch.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Whenever Britpop is discussed in the monthly music mags, Sleeper are usually placed firmly in the second division alongside the likes of Cast and Shed Seven. If they weren't at the right place at the right time they would never have made it seems to be the general premise. This opinion seems very harsh when this excellent album is played or re-played.
The It Girl, Sleeper's second album is a superb example of indie-pop with an added edge and bite courtesy of Louise Wener's sneery vocals and lyrics. It's no coincidence that it's one of the most frequent LPs playing in the background to the bitchy, era-defining TV series This Life.
Wener's expressive, often semi-spoken singing and angry lyrical put-downs are highly effective especially on tracks like the opener Lie Detector and Dress Like Your Mother. I could quote examples though, as with all songwriters apart from the true poets like Leonard Cohen and prime Bob Dylan, the impact of a lyric is at least half down to the musical context and delivery rather than merely the words themselves...
Aha, the musical context. As well as some fine words and vocals, The It Girl also includes some excellent tunes. In addition to the tracks already mentioned, further highlights include the hit singles Sale Of The Century, What Do I Do Now? and the Blondie influenced Statuesque. Further highpoints include the biting bounce of Feeling Peaky and coming-down closer Click...Off...Gone.
All songs on The It Girl are written entirely or co-written by Louise Wener who at the time was quite justifiably angry that critics often presumed that she, as a woman, didn't write the music. Yes Sleeper certainly had their detractors and further less understandable outbursts in the press probably didn't help Louise's cause. However, this shouldn't take any credit away from The It Girl which is a superb period-defining LP. Maybe those who placed Sleeper in Britpop's second stream should listen to it once again, ignore their prejudices and adjust the band's league position accordingly.
The It Girl, Sleeper's second album is a superb example of indie-pop with an added edge and bite courtesy of Louise Wener's sneery vocals and lyrics. It's no coincidence that it's one of the most frequent LPs playing in the background to the bitchy, era-defining TV series This Life.
Wener's expressive, often semi-spoken singing and angry lyrical put-downs are highly effective especially on tracks like the opener Lie Detector and Dress Like Your Mother. I could quote examples though, as with all songwriters apart from the true poets like Leonard Cohen and prime Bob Dylan, the impact of a lyric is at least half down to the musical context and delivery rather than merely the words themselves...
Aha, the musical context. As well as some fine words and vocals, The It Girl also includes some excellent tunes. In addition to the tracks already mentioned, further highlights include the hit singles Sale Of The Century, What Do I Do Now? and the Blondie influenced Statuesque. Further highpoints include the biting bounce of Feeling Peaky and coming-down closer Click...Off...Gone.
All songs on The It Girl are written entirely or co-written by Louise Wener who at the time was quite justifiably angry that critics often presumed that she, as a woman, didn't write the music. Yes Sleeper certainly had their detractors and further less understandable outbursts in the press probably didn't help Louise's cause. However, this shouldn't take any credit away from The It Girl which is a superb period-defining LP. Maybe those who placed Sleeper in Britpop's second stream should listen to it once again, ignore their prejudices and adjust the band's league position accordingly.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great album, poor re-master
If you're reading this review you will already know the main album contained here. I liked the album then and had it on vinyl so, on seeing this release I thought to myself "look... Read more
Published 9 days ago by S. Cobb
Its OK
I got hold of this cd because it was very cheap and I never got around to getting it when it came out, despite being into lots of Sleepers contemparies. Read more
Published 19 months ago by C. Booler
Britpop at it's best!
I'd recommend this album to anyone and everyone! Some catchy tunes and excellent lyrics, it's by far the best of Sleepers 3 albums. What Do I Do Now? Read more
Published on 1 July 2007 by Chapman
A More Than Adequate Brit Pop/indie Listening..
Although Sleeper belong to a genre which is subjected to many a critism when brought up (Brit Pop if you were still wondering) -if you havent heard this album before then throw all... Read more
Published on 24 Dec 2003 by "alex846"
Possibly the best album ever!
This is a front-runner for the best album ever. I've had it since it was released (1996), and have never tired of it's catchy tunes and ironic and witty lyrics. Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2003 by Sian
One of britpop's more enduring moments
This album has many impressive pop tunes, and they, along with Wener's pouty sex appeal, saw it become quite a success commercially. Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2000
Catchy but patchy
Sleeper epitomise the mid-nineties phenomenon known as 'Brit-Pop', a sorry malady that elevated bands of mediocre ability to stardom. Some survived to fight another day. Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2000 by c.m.weekes@sms.ed.ac.uk
My favourite album of all-time
There is no other way to describe it. The album is almost operatic in its continuity: each song perfectly compliments the next, and yet stands out as a magnificent song in its own... Read more
Published on 28 July 2000
A must for Britpop fans. Second only to 'Parklife'
I know Sleeper are no more but they were the best British band of the 90's after Blur. Louise Wener has an excellent lyrical wit and a gorgeous yet powerful voice demonstrated on... Read more
Published on 20 April 2000
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