Classic Albums: Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix (1995) on Spotify
In a new regular series, we’ll be digging through the Spotify catalogue to pick out some classic albums. To start, here’s a relatively modern classic from one of Britain’s greatest groups.
Much-loved and critically-acclaimed, yet never best-sellers, Glasgow’s Teenage Fanclub have influenced a generation of indie groups – Kurt Cobain once named them as the best band in the world. Formed in 1989, the band will release their ninth studio album, Shadows, later this year. But it is 1995′s Grand Prix that is perhaps the most beloved among the Fanclub’s, erm, fanclub.
The real strength of Teenage Fanclub is that the band has three excellent songwriters in Norman Blake, Gerard Love and Raymond McGinley. Grand Prix, the Fannies’ fifth release, was probably the first time Love and McGinley really stepped out of Blake’s shadow to offer songs of equal prominence. As a result, the album is a triumph from start to finish, and singles Mellow Doubt and Sparky’s Dream even gave the band a couple of top 40 hits.
Overall, Grand Prix is quintessential Teenage Fanclub, packed full of glorious Byrds and Big Star-influenced jangling pop songs about love and longing. Top tracks include Love’s soaring Don’t Look Back and Blake’s fantastic Neil Jung. Grand Prix is a great highlight of a golden era of British pop music – and one of the best British pop albums of all time.
