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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably the best Half Man Half Biscuit album in the world.., 16 Aug 2001
I first encountered HMHB in the mid 80's - I remember an interview with them in Melody Maker (or NME, I forget which) when 'Back in the DHSS' had just been released (yep, I am THAT old), and laughing a lot. What more can anyone ask? The only thing I bought after that was the Trumpton Riots single, and then, I'm ashamed to say, I left them behind... not really sure why... maybe it's because they split up?Over the past few weeks I've rediscovered them, and I can honestly say that they have 'made' the last few weeks for me. I've managed to acquire 4 of their CD's in fairly quick succession - DHSS, Godcore, Wirral and this one (and I'm on the look out for the others). I haven't laughed so much in a long time, and find that all the albums have a certain 'charm' about them in that typically English Ray Davies/Paul Weller style - poking fun at the out and out drabness of modern life and picking out people that we all know and despise. But obviously with the emphasis mostly on humour. What non-Brits make of this stuff I have no idea... But this is the album I find myself returning to time and time again. There are so many great songs, so many fantastically catchy hooks that once the songs are in your brain, you just can't get rid of them - not that you'd want too. Favourite songs: 'Bad Review' ("Not that I'm concerned (course you're not), You're paper's full of crap (course it is), I only read the gig guide anyway") is inspired. I don't know what happened to them in the past 5 or 6 years, but musically they've improved beyond all recognition... Jesus, they might even be described as <sharp breath> 'musical'!!! "Paintball's Coming Home" with its rant against pretension is just wonderful ("they know where things are at B&Q") and you'll find yourself singing this while you're getting dressed in the morning... "Eno Collaboration" has a fantastic hook and, well, anything that takes the piss out of former glam rockers and U2 is fine by me... The lengths people will go to to get their hands on a season ticket, the w*nk*rs who campaign for real ale, stars in their eyes and every other topic on this album makes it definitely a 5 star job. All I ask is that you give us more stuff more regularly Nigel.
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