0258. The Soft Boys
Underwater Moonlight
This is alternative pop in sheep's clothing (and the woolly underwear itches). This post-punk act has a flavour of Magazine's darkness in the vocals, but with the ear fixed to the classic pop-music.
I'd have mostly written this off as an unusually good mainstream album if it wasn't one minor detail: the seriously demented lyrics lifts it above and beyond.
The only song where they lose their edge is Old Pervert, it just doesn't click with me, but songs like Kingdom Of Love definitely compensates for it.
Delivered with harmonies, jangly guitars and the occasional sitar it's as if The Monkees or the Kinks decided to nest in the brit-punk scene and wrote psychedelia based on PCP. Inspiring surreal and all thanks to Robyn Hitchcock.
I think I've found a favourite songwriter to add to the list.
