This is the 30th Anniversary re-issue of Heavenly's third album, like all the other Heavenly re-issues I've reviewed, shows me how wrong I was to ignore the band at the time, as this is another near perfect album of heartbreak indie-pop, totally sophisticated and complete with the currently immensely popular on Tik Tok P.U.N.K. Girl single. The band are Peter Momtchiloff, Cathy Rogers, Matthew Fletcher, Amelia Fletcher and Rob Pursey, the album was produced by Ian Shaw at Shaw Sound in Fulham. Originally released on Sarah Records in the UK and K Records in the USA. The Bonus material are all five songs that feature on the Atta Girl and P.U.N.K. Girl singles.
The album opens as Me And My Madness comes right in, with no intro, nice and sweet before the guitars interject violently, as this tale of love and betrayal sets out who did what, why they walked out and how predictable it all was, as they flex there Quiet/Loud grunge muscles.
Modestic is about a spurned woman whose life is all in a quandary, of being somewhere between being Modest and Majestic, as the brass stabs help her point out that it's no use trying to win her back, as she will just harm you as the 60's organ and tambourine breakdown adds a layer of beauty among all the heartache.
Skipjack isn't in praise of every student's favourite tin of fish, instead we find out all the ways she is keeping her eye on you and your cheating ways, sweet sorrow evoked once more.
Itchy Chin takes a classic childhood taunt, that someone is boasting about all sorts they clearly haven't done, is turned into a sweetly insistent song calling out the liars, with the harmonising vocals make crystal clear the game is up.
Sacramento is a desert blues meets indie pop instrumental with all sorts of cool odd musical twists celebrating Sacramento.
Three Star Compartment has fizzing guitars supplementing the sweet vocals, detailing yet more dissolving relationships, asking searing questions of the love rogue they called a boyfriend, while wondering if they can still be friends.
She And Me isn't about the ads in the back of Record Mirror and Melody Maker for the outre clothes shop, with slow deliberate guitars and vocals for what sounds like a song of yearning for a love that never happened between Cathy and another girl.
P.U.N.K. Girl has become the bands most streamed song, well into the millions this song has connected to a new generation of Tik Tok fans, it's easy to hear why, as this is a brilliant fun pop, in love with that always slightly out of reach P.U.N.K. Girl.
Hearts & Crosses has them longing looking at Melanie as she's lusting after a so called perfect good boy, the jealously comes through every pore of this song, until it shifts into an unsettling depiction of rape, as she gets to have the sort of fling with the guy she never wanted.
Atta Girl has the twin vocals working against each other, as they tell him that they will never be his, no matter what he does, when the swearing comes in it feels shocking, as this is the last band you expect to be using language in that way, which of course means it has real impact.
Dig Your Own Grave makes crystal clear it's over and you're not welcome round here anymore.
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