Thirteen [180GM Vinyl LP]

Teenage Fanclub is one of the best unoriginal bands in pop music. Borrowing heavily (some would say plagiarizing) from the Byrds and Big Star, these Scots make beautifully simple--often formulaic--pop textured with lush harmonies and layered, chime-y guitars. Only the most curmudgeonly sort could resist pop this sweet.
The Fannies' sweeping, infectious melodies rouse the adolescent rock & roll romantic in us all, evincing visions of summer vacations, cruising with the windows down, and the giddiness that accompanies first love. THIRTEEN is a collection of perfect, shining pop songs, and such tunes as "Hang On" and "Radio" are sublime examples of their kind. One of the group's finest and most cohesive offerings, this disc is further proof of Teenage Fanclub's enduring and irresistible charms.