#42

The record label we’re trying to position him as the new George Michael and the press around it was building up a head of steam.

But it was shite wasn’t it? It’s also called Second First impression ffs.

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#43

Good thread this

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#44

Oh yeah, I think that was Gary Gersh, who had just joined Capitol and was a big fan of Westerberg. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure Gersh left just before the album came out, which left Westerberg without an ally at the label.

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#45

Being a musician must be fucking exhausting man. If you can get the songs, if you can get the right sound, you still need heavy behind-the-scenes game to make it work - and it seems like everyone at every label changes jobs every 18 months. It would definitely make me think ‘you know what…’

#46

Love it - and a perfect example. I’m sure he still writes stuff for others or releases his own but he went from being everywhere to being nowhere.

#47

Felt/Denim?

Think the Denim album got quite a push in the Britpop era but might just be disparity between critical acclaim and commercial success.

#48

Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion. The Booksmart of pop music albums.

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#49

Dear Science was massive to me. Loved it and knew a lot of pals that loved it too.

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#50

This is the only album of hers I know (and love) - did it fail then? I suppose my sense is that it moved her into more indie dude territory than pop chart?

#51

Alienated the fans and didn’t gain the audience they expected. Sounding like Rumours doesn’t equate to doing a Rumours.

I actually think it’s got a couple of really good songs on it.

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#52

I like bits of Dear Science but, it isn’t Return To Cookie Mountain or Bloodthirsty Babes.

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#53

Obviously it established her as much loved by the music press and gave her a cult following which has remained strong after Dedicated, but I think the music press was expecting her to become a big star on the back of it with all the hype they gave it, and commercially it didn’t do much

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#54

And the band acrimoniously broke up afterwards. It does have some very good songs on it though yeah (along with some ‘what the hell were they thinking’ songs)

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#55

Arguably the fanbase she’s cultivated from it being a cult hit will end up being longer lasting than if she had a ‘breakthrough’ with it, which is quite impressive.

#56

Now that’s an album I actively dislike. Ear grating

#57

When it’s bad it’s fucking awful

#58

Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

Move to a major label, more commercial sound, big marketing push - got the same chart position as Wind in the Wires did and didn’t get a Mercury Prize nomination. And then The Bachelor and that Paul Morley article really killed things.

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#59

Oo what was the Paul Morley article?

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#60

The Secret Machines’ second album ‘Ten Silver Drops’.

The first album got hyped by Bowie and Noel Gallagher and they supported Radiohead on their world tour. ‘TSD’ came out (to pretty great reviews actually) and it looked like they were primed to become the Pink Floyd of the 21st Century but then… didnt. The guitarist left not long after that and the 3rd album was a real damp squib.

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#61

I absolutely love Ten Silver Drops. It’s one of those records I keep expecting to be anointed a cult classic.

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