Housemartins
The Best Of The Housemartins
Label ©  Mercury
Release Year  2004
Length  45:37
Genre  Pop-Rock
Personal Star Rating [1-5]  
  Ref#  H-0009
Bitrate  ~203 Kbps
  Other  
  Info  
    Track Listing:
      1.  
      		 Happy Hour  
       2:24  
      2.  
      		 Five Get Over Excited  
       2:43  
      3.  
      		 Caravan Of Love  
       3:41  
      4.  
      		 Think For A Minute  
       3:30  
      5.  
      		 Me And The Farmer  
       2:55  
      6.  
      		 Flag Day  
       3:34  
      7.  
      		 Sheep  
       2:17  
      8.  
      		 Build  
       4:47  
      9.  
      		 There Is Always Something There To Remind Me  
       3:32  
      10.  
      		 Anxious  
       2:21  
      11.  
      		 Hopelessly Devoted To Them  
       2:12  
      12.  
      		 I Smell Winter  
       3:24  
      13.  
      		 The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death  
       3:30  
      14.  
      		 I'll Be Your Shelter (Just Like A Shelter)  
       4:47  
    Additional info: | top
      Artist : The Housemartins
      Title : The Best Of The Housemartins
      Year : 2004
      Label : Go! Discs
      Genre : Indie


      Here's some classic indie pop from the mid eighties. Despite the cheery sounding
      singalong nature of many of these tracks they are actually full of quite sophisticated
      socio-political comment and wit... most of this being due to Paul Heaton's song-
      writing I suspect. Check out the lyrics if you don't believe me.

      The Housemartins were one of the few indie bands who retained their indie cred yet,
      through sheer talent and originality, managed to appeal to almost everyone and even
      achieve success in the mainstream charts... Just great.

      Anyway... I haven't seen The Housemartins posted here for some time and I, for one,
      wouldn't complain at all if this week turned into Housemartins Week...

      Standout Track/s:

      Think For A Minute, Anxious, Sheep

      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Review / Notes:

      One of Britain's more popular indie guitar pop groups of the late '80s, the
      Housemartins' post-Smiths guitar jangle and subtle updating of catchy, melodic British
      beat groups earned the Hull-based quartet a substantial critical and popular following
      within the U.K. Though the group never gained much more than a cult following in
      America, their balance of simple, memorable melodies and cutting sarcasm helped them
      rise into the British Top Ten, as well as earn consistently strong reviews. The
      Housemartins broke up in 1988, just before they fully broke into the mainstream. The
      group's lead songwriter, Paul Heaton, formed the Beautiful South the following year,
      and his new band capitalized on the success of the Housemartins to become one of the
      more popular U.K. groups of the early '90s.

      Paul Heaton (vocals, guitar) formed the Housemartins with Ted Key (guitar), Stan
      Cullimore (bass), and Hugh Whitaker (drums) in 1984. From the outset, the group cultivated
      a distinctly English image, blending a cynical sense of humor with leftist political
      leanings and a low-key, commonplace appearance. In 1985, they signed with Go! Discs
      and by the end of the year, Key was replaced by Norman Cook. "Happy Hour," the
      Housemartins' third single, became the group's first hit in the summer of 1986, climbing
      all the way to number three. London O Hull 4, their debut album, followed shortly
      afterward and, like the single, it cracked the British Top Ten. At the end of the year,
      the a cappella "Caravan of Love" became a number one hit.
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