NATIONAL ALBUM DAY 2024 LIGHT BLUE COLOUR VINYL SHACKs 1999 MASTERPIECE ISSUED FOR THE *FIRST TIME ON VINYL* ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FIRST RELEASE! LIGHT BLUE COLOUR VINYL VERSION (NON-RETURNABLE) plus 180GM BLACK VINYL and CD. ALL FORMATS INCLUDE A NEW 8-PAGE BOOKLET. One of THE most iconic albums to hail from Merseyside. ‘H.M.S. Fable’ was the third LP released from Shack following 1988’s ‘Zilch’ and 1995’s ‘Waterpistol’. A collection of majestic storytelling in guitar form, written by two extraordinarily talented brothers, Michael & John Head. Originally released on Laurel Records/London Records in 1999, the band at that time comprised of MICHAEL HEAD – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar JOHN HEAD – Electric Guitar, Vocals REN PARRY- Bass Guitar IAIN TEMPLETON – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals. The album was voted #2 in both NME and Uncut’s critics album of the year polls, only missing out to The Flaming Lips’ ‘The Soft Bulletin’ in both. Now released on the band’s newly-formed label Shack Songs, ‘H.M.S. Fable’ encompasses many musical styles, from orchestral guitar pop to psychedelic-tinged folk and even elements of Britpop, nicely summed up by the editor of NME Steve Sutherland in a 9/10 review, in June 1999: ‘’Not since Liam Gallagher howled his early indolent disdain has this music sounded so alive. Pull Together is an anthem easily the equal of Oasis at their most loved-up and huge. ‘Comedy tender and uplifting, like the missing track from Bridge Over Troubled Water, Daniella a haunted and exhausted homage to Heads hero Arthur Lee, and Lend Some Dough a rollicking Scouse Play For Today with a chorus that goes, “Ive got a sore back and Im itching’’ ” The Shack story is one of music’s greatest legends. It incorporates hardship, bereavement and chaotic misadventure, but above all it tells the tale of beautiful music triumphing over trouble and tragedy. In the 80s, the two brothers from the notorious Kensington estate in north Liverpool were singer and guitarist with The Pale Fountains, an effervescent pop group which imploded under the weight of two albums in 1986. The Heads returned in ‘88 as Shack and a debut album ‘Zilch’. In 1991, Shack made ‘Waterpistol’, an inspirational guitar jewel that would have proved just as influential as any British album in that era had the studio not burned down, taking the master tapes with it. Four more years passed, but by the time it was finally released on Marina it had developed ‘lost classic’ status. The Heads battled on. They toured as their hero Arthur Lee (RIP) of Love’s backing band. In ‘97, they created a new group called The Strands and recorded the delicate, dreamy masterpiece ‘The Magical World Of The Strands’. They spent a long time making another classic ‘H.M.S. Fable’… PREVIOUS PRESS ON ‘H.M.S. FABLE’: ‘It’s so splendid it will make you cry’ – 9/10 NME ‘If the Pale Fountains were chamber pop, then Shack is anthemic, orchestral pop at its glorious best. Wistful and irresistible melodies back up lyrics of well-worn lives‘ – 8.8/10 PopMatters PRESS FOR THE RECENT ‘HERE’S TOM WITH THE WEATHER’ REISSUE (SHACKLP/CD2) “This rich and cosy 2003 record highlights a strong heritage – one that sits well beside the older Head’s clean-and-serene current work leading Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band’’ – 4/5 MOJO “Essential listening for lovers of singer Michael Head and timeless melodies in general’’ – 4/5 RECORD COLLECTOR “Twentieth anniversary of sublime Head music’’ – 9/10 UNCUT ‘Head has long been lauded as one of the country’s great ‘lost’ songwriters, the prevailing narrative being that his generational talent was consistently denied the attention it was due thanks to a series of crises and misfortunes; perhaps it’s finally time to drop the ‘cult’ from the ‘cult hero’. THE QUIETUS https://thequietus.com/articles/34060-michael-head-bakers-dozen-favourite-albums-shack-pale-fountains PREVIOUS PRESS: ‘This man is our greatest songwriter. Recognise him?’ Mick Head – NME front cover October 1999. Mick Head is a genius – Noel Gallagher. 1 NATALIES PARTY 2 COMEDY 3 PULL TOGETHER 4 BEAUTIFUL 5 LENDS SOME DOUGH 6 CAPTAINS TABLE 7 STREETS OF KENNY 8 REINSTATED 9 I WANT YOU 10 CORNISH TOWN 11 SINCE I MET YOU 12 DANIELLA
