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"THE SUNDAYS" THEN AND NOW A History of THE SUNDAYS

"READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC"	"STATIC AND SILENCE"
"CRY" Part 1 & 2

Label:	DGC
Reviewed By:	David Merrill

David Gavurin and Harriet Wheeler met while attending college in Bristol, England. They both began writing songs while at school and continued after graduating. They decided to form a band, asking two friends, bass player Paul Brindle,y and drummer Patrick Hannan, to join them in what would become "The Sundays." In 1989 "The Sundays" released their first album, "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic" on "Rough Trade Records," the label that launched 'The Smith's" career. It contains the alternative rock hit, "Here's Where the Story Ends." I have to admit straight off that I'm completely biased when it comes to "The Sundays." I knew I had to own the album the first time I heard that song and wasted no time in finding it. Since then I've eagerly anticipated each new release by the band. Those releases are few and far between. There were three years between their first album and the second one, "Blind," in 1992. Since then, I can't imagine how many times I've searched the "s" section at the CD store with the meager hope that there might be a new "Sundays" album that somehow I'd missed hearing about. That search came to an end with the release of their third album, "Static and Silence," last year. The album "Reading Writing and Arithmetic" is beautiful. Complex guitar sequences drive the music behind Wheeler's ethereal and enchanting vocals. Something that has always fascinated me about this album is that no one song really stands out for me. With most albums, I find I usually pick a favorite song and become more familiar with it, learning the name of the song and most of the words, sometimes playing it more than others. Other times there are songs I like less, so I skip them. This never happened with "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic." All of the songs are equally good, so I've always listened to the album from start to finish, never really learning the names of the songs. "Skin and Bones," the first track, invites the listener in with the soft sound of a bomb drop, followed by Gavurin's guitar. Repeated two and three note sequences seem like they would become boring, but the notes he chooses make a perfect backdrop for Wheeler's voice. The music remains interesting, despite the repetition. The sound is smooth and infectious, as Wheeler sings, "Here's Where the Story Ends." It's about a relationship gone sour and being on the outside of an "in" crowd. The lyrics repeat in the same manner as the note sequences. The song "Can't Be Sure" is aptly named, as I'm not certain what it's truly about. The strongest message that comes through, is living for shallow things like possessions and that it's OK. "Did you know desire's a terrible thing/ It makes the world go blind/ But if desire, desire's a terrible thing/ You know, I really don't mind/ It's my life/ And it's my life/ And though I can't be sure if I want to any more/ It will come to me later." This song opens with drums and a quirky guitar line, then Wheeler's vocal comes in a bit later, weaving in among the notes. "I Won" begins with a totally different drumbeat. Great guitar licks soon join, giving the song a touch of attitude. The song is about winning an argument and paying for it, as we all have at some time. "I won the war in the sitting room/ I won the war and it cost me/ I won the war and I feel proud/ But I don't know why/ It's hard to get to sleep in my house." In "Hideous Towns," "The Sundays" look back at their "hopeless youth" and find they were "just really very young." The lyrics for "You're Not the Only One That I Know" are tough to fathom. Wheeler sings, "You're not the only one that I know/ And I'm far too proud to talk to you anyway . . ." repeating it many times. By the end of the song she sings, "But I know, I know, I know, I know/ I'm far too proud to talk to you any day/ But if you do, don't you know/ That I don't mind . . ." The song, then, is about someone with an attitude, trying to play "hard to get," yet really wanting the attention. It's an interesting song; the music is of the same high caliber as all the other songs, carrying the repetition of lyrics without becoming dull. "A Certain Someone" has a more manic pace to it, though at the beginning it's fairly calm. The song builds as Wheeler sings, "If I could have anything in the world for free/ I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me/ Except perhaps a certain someone/ Except perhaps a certain someone . . ." finally reaching a fever pitch by the end. Lyrics for "I kicked a Boy" are pretty strange. They're about a girl who "kicked a boy 'til he cried." She looks back on it," wondering lately just who's gonna save me." "My Finest Hour" careens along until the ending when it becomes soft. I'm not completely sure what the song is about, but it involves a relationship that didn't work out. "Joy" is pretty vague as far as lyrics too. They're interesting, yet hard to get a hold on. I think it's about a relationship with a man who is hard to grasp as well. This album is an alternative rock classic now. By comparison with their new album, "Static and Silence," it's stripped down. "The Sundays" add instruments to the new album, which make it sound somewhat fuller, though it's the bare feeling of their first album that makes it so appealing, since they make so much with very little. Still, "Static and Silence" is an excellent, long awaited outing. It brings a new slant on their patented guitar work, adding some strings, flute and synthesizer in appropriate places. It has a much more finished, cleaner sound than "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic." I managed to pick up the new British single, "Cry." It's readily available on the web and in independent record stores. Packaged in two parts, sold separately, and with only three songs each, it's pretty pricey. Still, you get two songs each that you won't find anywhere else. Volume 1 has the single plus two demos from their first album, "Can't be sure," and "You're Not the Only One I know." They sound surprisingly like the studio versions from "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic." Even back then, the band was obviously pretty proficient on the recording end of things. It's pretty evident on the new album too, as they recorded it themselves in their own studio. Volume 2 contains the single again, identical to the one on volume 1. The other two songs, "Through the Dark" and "Life Goes On," are new studio recordings unavailable elsewhere. "Through the Dark" is an excellent song with beautiful soft guitar. If you're a "Sundays" fan, you need this CD just for this song. It has a sort of sixties retro feel to it, yet still retains that wonderful "Sundays" sound. "Life Goes On" is a more traditional "Sundays" sound. It's a pretty good song, with some pleasant guitar work. The first song on "Static and Silence" was also the first single, "Summertime." There is a two part British single set available for this single also. It opens with funky, distorted guitar sounds, and some strings add a new element to the music. The music has an upbeat, happy attitude. It tells the story of someone confused by the media's version of what love is, and trying to find love in the personals. "Homeward," musically, is much more straightforward, yet still has a fuller sound than their first album. It's about being in love, yet alone and drifting. "Folk Song" is lovely, with strings, flute and some gorgeous turns of phrase. The lyrics are a bit vague, but the message comes through of a contemplative walk on a lonely road, moving uphill toward the sun on the horizon. "Dusty lane with a song in my brain/ And it stoned me to my soul/ I climb higher move towards the fire/ Blaze sun . . ." Few songs can do what this one describes, but this one might. "She" is much more upbeat, moving quickly with screaming guitars in some portions of the song. Snapping fingers keep the beat, as Wheeler sings a story of an adolescent girl who "craves noise" and "just to be one of a crowd." She finds sexuality in the process. One thing I like about "The Sundays' " songs, is that even if most of the song makes little sense to me, they'll have a kernel of truth in it to grab on to. "When I'm thinking About You" is like that. "When you're searching your soul/ When you're searching for pleasure/ How often pain is all you find/ But when you're coasting along & nobody's trying too hard/ You can turn around and like where you are." It's a warm song that drags you into its mindset. One of my favorites on the album, "I Can't Wait," has few words, yet says a lot. "When there's more in your head than you find in your life/ Calls for a change . . ." Complete with the sounds of birds and a brass section, the song addresses waiting for things to happen, for people to be there, and that it's a waste of time. The new single, "Cry," is an intense song about a broken, long standing relationship. It tells the story of not being able to exorcise someone from one's mind. "And you're standing here beside me/ In a picture in a frame/ And your voice could never fade, it's so familiar/ Things you said in my head/ Every day." The pace changes completely with "Another Flavour." Johnny Marr influenced guitar work, meshes with Wheeler's voice, to weave a song about fleeting fashion. The manic quality of the song suits the subject matter well. It's an awesome rocker that, at the same time, keeps the serenity "The Sundays" bring to all of their songs. The album slips back into a slower, softer mode with, "Leave This City." There's enough energy even in the slower songs for them to alternate this way. The song is nostalgic for things remembered in a city long since changed, and the necessity to leave that city behind. "Your Eyes" is also a slow song. Guitar, drum and Wheeler's voice make up most of the sound. Toward the end a flute joins, creating a wistful feeling. A meeting of two people and their short relationship is the topic. "So Much" is a great song about the effect of advertising and the commercializing of everything from products to Jesus. Though the subject sounds rather dry, "The Sundays" make it interesting with their turns of phrase and great guitar riffs. "Dream and fantasize/ Slave to your desire- you'll buy anything/ curse and criticize/ Middle-aged and at your door/ And they're selling you the son of God." The final track, "Monochrome," contains the title of the album, "Static and Silence." I think it's about angels or ghosts, though it could also be about a young girl and her sister spying on a party of adults dancing late into the night. The song is dreamlike and ethereal, like Wheeler's voice and the music itself. If you like alternative rock music, you can't go wrong with any of "The Sundays' " albums, but I think their quintessential album is still their first. Wheeler's voice seems to have improved with this new album, something that seemed impossible, given the caliber of her voice on the first one. Gavurin's guitar work is top notch on both albums. The added instruments on "Static and Silence" bring a new dimension to the music. "The Sundays" have a way of transporting one away from the daily rush of life. The serenity their music contains is infectious. Catch some!

 

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