THE SPRINGFIELDS
“Singles 1986-1991” due 15th November
via Slumberland Records
Indie-pop royalty The Springfields have shared the track ‘Wonder’, taken from their new singles collection, ‘Singles 1986-1991’, due 15th November on Slumberland Records.
When it comes to indiepop, few names are as respected as Ric Menck and Paul Chastain. Through years of collaboration (perhaps most notably with The Velvet Crush) they just about *were* the entire US indiepop scene, but it’s as The Springfields that they made perhaps their best, most beloved records.
Taking their cues from influences like The Byrds and The Hollies they created a sound that was as jangly and melodic as their inspirations, marked by terrific songwriting, excellent tunes, and sterling arrangements.
Ric Menck says of the track “‘Wonder’ is about my friend Aimee Mann. It was written in response to a song she wrote about me called “Put Me On Top”. It was recorded at ’Til Tuesday’s rehearsal space in Boston, just around the corner from Fenway Park. My friend Buddy Judge plays some guitar on the recording. Buddy was in ’Til Tuesday at the time, and he went on to play in the Grays with Jon Brion and Jason Faulkner. The song is supposed to have vague country overtones, but was mainly another one of those jangly pop tunes I was writing at the time. I recently found out there’s is a club in japan named after the song, which is pretty flattering.”
Singles 1986-1991 collects the 5 singles The Springfields released on Sarah, Picture Book, Summershine and Seminal Twang and adds one extra tune, here on vinyl for the first time.
From the Paisley Underground-aligned opener “This Perfect Day” through the perfect pop of songs like “Sunflower,” The Springfields created a compact, flawless catalog that more than justifies its legendary status and this timely reissue. Add in a clutch of savvy covers of songs by Matthew Sweet, The Pastels, The Clouds and Primal Scream and we have a time capsule of pop history that is as fresh-sounding as when these recordings were made 30 years ago.
Tracklist:
1. This Perfect Day
2. Bicycle Song
3. Sunflower
4. Clown
5. Are We Gonna Be Alright?
6. Wonder
7. Tomorrow Ends Today
8. She Swirls Around Me
9. Million Tears
10. Reachin’ For The Stars
11. Tranquil
12. Scatter Good Friends
Pre-Order link:
https://smarturl.it/springfields
https://www.facebook.com/SlumberlandRecords
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