Teenage Fanclub, Here, 2016

Album Review

By Henry Lipput

Despite the title of their 1995 EP, Teenage Fanclub have NOT lost it. In fact, based on their wonderful new album, not only have they not lost it, but Here may very well be one of their best. Here is the band’s 10th album and their first in six years.

The band, and their extremely talented songwriters -- Gerard Love (bass), Norman Blake (guitar), and Raymond McGinley (guitar) -- split equally the number of tracks they have on an album with each of them adding ideas, licks, and harmonies to what the others bring to the mix (the band line-up also includes Francis MacDonald on drums and David McGowan on keyboards).

It's band-democracy in action. It's also something you can actually see. On YouTube concert videos, you can watch Blake add backing vocals and harmonies to songs by Love and then on songs by McGinley and then hear McGinley and Blake take turns on guitar solos.

There's a celebration of sorts on the new album. The Fanclub, from Scotland, have been around since A Catholic Education was released in 1990. But instead of ignoring the fact that they've grown up, Here embraces it and is full of songs that find joy in love, life, and experience. And all of it has the terrific melodies, harmonies, and guitars that make Teenage Fanclub so great to listen to. (Oh, yes, the guitars! Fanclub is very much a guitar band. Just check out the guitar solo on "I Have Nothing More To Say.")

On the riff-driven opener "I'm In Love," Blake sings about the healing powers of the emotion: "You came to me with your arms open wide / you don't know what you mean to me / girl I
owe you my life."

Love's "Thin Air" has a classic Fanclub sound with a chorus that has moments of pure musical joy and a guitar solo that rocks. Both this song ("I was hiding / I was always in disguise / I was blending with the rain-grey streets") and "The First Sight" -- also by Love -- ("Only smoke and mirrors / they deceive and they lie / False flags are raised / playing tricks with my mind") have lyrics that belie the cheerful feel of the music. (Don't worry. It works really well.)

Some of the strongest songs on Here are from McGinley. His "Hold On" is sung in his comforting croon and its positive message has music that supports the positive vibe: "Hold on / to your life / to your dreams / don't get lost in their schemes / just hold on to your dreams." His "Steady State" later on the album is a gorgeous ballad, and "With You" is another gem with a swell organ break from McGowan.

When they started out, the Fanclub were compared to The Byrds, among other bands. Love's "The First Sight" begins with a guitar riff echoing "Eight Miles High" and then adds some horns and a crunchy guitar. Horns also appear on Blake's "Live In The Moment" with a bit of a "Got To Get You Into My Life" feel. "It's A Sign" from Love is pop all over, and the guitars take turns sounding like The Allman Brothers and Neil Young (or is it Neil Jung?).

The album is bookended with songs by Blake. But "Connected To Life" is a beautiful, slow song: "Once in a while I do see you / living so bold and so bright / my darling I just want to see you connected to life. There's some feedback-drenched guitar and a line, although not addressed to us, that could be a message from the band to its fans:

"I only want to please you / I hope I'll never see you / disappear into shadows, into night."

Here is out now on Merge Records.