Description

Lemonheads’ seminal album ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’, lovingly reissued for its 30th Anniversary. Reissue includes a slew of extra material, including an unreleased ‘My Drug Buddy’ KCRW session track from 1992 featuring Juliana Hatfield, B-sides from singles ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ and ‘Confetti’, a track from the ‘Mrs. Robinson Being Round’ EP, alongside demos that will be released for the first time on vinyl. This reissue celebrates their prestigious fifth album, these deluxe bookback editions feature new liner notes and unseen photos. ‘It s A Shame About Ray’ had a considerable impact back in those heady, carefree days of 92, the record perfectly captures Dando’s ability to effortlessly encapsulate teenage longing and lust over the course of a two-minute pop song. Singles such as My Drug Buddy and the breezy perfect pop of the title track might stand out (plus the add-on of Mrs. Robinson which later copies included), but the album s real strength lies in the tracks in-between; the truly fantastic Confetti (written about Evan s parents divorce), and the eye-wateringly casual acoustic cover of Frank Mills (from the hippie musical Hair), a version that seems to resonate with every ounce of pathos and emotion felt for the lost 1960s generation. To hear Evan Dando sing lines like I love him but it embarrasses me To walk down the street with him He lives in Brooklyn somewhere And he wears his white crash helmet is to truly appreciate how wonderful and tantalising pop music can be. Then, there s the rush of insurgency and brattishness on the wonderfully truncated Bit Part ; the topsy-turvy Ceiling Fan In My Spoon … this was male teenage skinny-tie pop music on a level with The Kinks, early Undertones, Wipers.