The Undertones - The Best Of The Undertones, Teenage Kicks 1978 (@320)

 

The Undertones - The Best Of The Undertones, Teenage Kicks 1978

Teenage Kicks: The Best of the Undertones Review by Stewart Mason.

Seeing as how there are only four Undertones albums, and fully three of them are brilliant, the fourth, 1982's The Sin of Pride, is a misguided attempt to recast the group as slick and soulful dance-poppers, but even it sounds pretty good in comparison to singer Feargal Sharkey's positively wretched solo albums from the mid-'80s, it's really silly not to simply buy them all. However, the cautious newcomer might want to check out the U.K. compilation Teenage Kicks: The Best of the Undertones, a smartly chosen mix of singles and album tracks that shows that even in their noisier early days, as demonstrated by the title track and "Get over You," two of the finest singles of the post-punk era, this Northern Ireland quintet were among the canniest pop songwriters of the era. The hooks in these choruses are undeniable, and guitarists John and Damian O'Neill were able to create unforgettable hooks even out of a measly two or three notes. The set traces their development into more sophisticated, adult pop, culminating in the excellent 1981 effort The Positive Touch, before losing the thread with the aptly titled The Sin of Pride. Essential for newcomers, but redundant for fans, who already have all these songs.

Tracklist:

01.Teenage Kicks

02.Get Over You

03.Male Model

04.Jimmy Jimmy

05.Mars Bar

06.My Perfect Cousin

07.Tearproof

08.Hypnotised

09.Positive Touch

10.It's Going To Happen

11.When Saturday Comes

12.Love Parade

13.Casbah Rock

14.Family Entertainment

15.Girls Don't Like It

16.Here Comes The Summer

17.You've Got My Number

18.Let's Talk About Girls

19.Way Girls Talk

20.More Songs About Chocolate And Girls

21.Wednesday Week

22.You're Welcome

23.Julie Ocean

24.Forever Paradise

25.Soul Seven

****