Really liked this at the time but never listen now, their headline set at Reading that year was ace. They never managed to follow it up with a decent album but were a good singles band.
I do prefer the Dung 4 versions of these songs from a year or two before this album, they are a bit more gritty and also have the original/current vocalist.
I see Tom Hingley who sang on their big albums is often ranting online about their original/current singer which is sad as he just comes across as bitter.
Yes, it’s a bit of a Hooky / New Order situation - you feel for them in some ways, but I don’t think the rest of the band are bothering to respond to the bitterness, so we may not know if the grumbling is true or not, or to what extent.
Stephen’s a better singer, sorry Tom.
Agree he’s a better singer, ironically all his posts state Stephen can’t sing!
At the end of the day Inspiral Carpets would have been successful with or without Tom, he was lucky enough to be their singer during the hit making years.
That’s the nail on the head there - I wonder what made Stephen leave when he did? Maybe the label situation?
I quite liked this album at the time, and had the Cool As Fuck t-shirt, although I never wore it outside because I was too polite. They were very much the junior partner in the Roses-Mondays-Carpets triumvirate.
I was too scared to even buy one. Was prepared (at the ripe age of 49) to buy an obscene cow this weekend though, but the merch stand doesn’t have them currently - new logo and psychedelic football strips are the order of the day I think.
Here’s a fun video which you just wouldn’t see now - the Inspirals up early (apart from Craig with the flimsiest excuse for a hangover ever) on the 8:15 from Manchester kids show.
Clint actually goes Tony Hart and shows us all how to draw the cow!
I thought he didn’t want to do it (for some reason) so he announced the band were finished and they responded with a “no we’re not” reply. This article sums it up. Maybe being angry and bitter is one of his hobbies.
Right, am gonna put the album on now.
The Ray Manzarek worship is strong with this. Never heard the album before.
Tellingly, I saw a couple of people with Doors t-shirts on at the gig on Sunday!
Very hazy memories of this. I think I had this on CD presumably bought because of This Is How It Feels, it got nicked in a burglary in 1993 and I never replaced it.
I’ve therefore not heard it in more than 30 years, may give it a listen later, see if it fires any memories
Had my first listen in many years, the singles and Directing Traffic were good, the rest very forgettable. It really misses not having Joe, Find Out Why and Commercial Rain on it.
Clint Boon and his keyboards are the real star of Inspiral Carpets, otherwise they’re just your typical indie band of that era.
They’re touring with The Wonder Stuff in the autumn, will hopefully be a good night.
I think the Inspirals did the theme tune for ‘8.15 from Manchester’.
Yeah, based on Find Out Why
Yep, indeed - think that’s why they were on the show. Funny to think that theme is probably the first song I heard by them and I didn’t actually hear Find Out Why until about 20 years later!
Bought this the Saturday of the week it released on vinyl. Immediately felt nauseous, got home, put the record on, threw up immediately. Never listened to it ever again, and just looking at the album art always reminds me of vomit.
Well, that’s a review you can’t argue with! 
I was never a big Inspirals fan. I did buy the cd single of She Comes in the Fall on release which also had Sackville and Commercial Reign on it, but This Is How It Feels never really clicked despite being absolutely everywhere at the time.
Years later I really liked I Want You but that was largely because Mark E Smith was on it. Just checked and I do own a copy of Life on cd but honestly dont know if I have listened to it. Might see if the mood gets me sometime this week.
Anyway, ramble over. Will listen to this now
Mine arrived today, quality looking book, not opened it yet just unboxed it. She said she said you don’t know shit…
Ok, since I just got paid today I’m going to order my Jonn book today!
And, also, let’s do this!
Score out of 10 for Life
I’m going for a solid 8 - the singles are great, and so is pretty much all of side one, but the second side drags a little before Sackville.
