The Hit Parade - Cornish Pop Songs

"Semper eadem" lautet das Motto von The Hit Parade und so veröffentlicht das Trio seit 1984 unregelmäßig Singles (13) und Alben (6), die ihrem Stil zwischen Indiepop, Twee und C86 treu bleiben. 

Die ganz große Karriere haben die Schulfreunde Raymond Watts, Matthew Moffatt und Julian Henry dabei nicht mehr im Sinn, den The Hit Parade betreiben sie nur neben ihren eigentlichen Berufen. Dabei dürften die 14 "Cornish Pop Songs" zumindest Fans von The Lucksmiths, Sammlern von Sarah Records Platten und Besuchern des Indietracks Festivals ein Lächeln ins Gesicht zaubern. 

Cath Carroll unterstützt das Trio auf drei Songs gesanglich, Ian Catt von Saint Etienne nahm den zeitlosen Indiepop auf und warum es sich auf der Platte um Cornwall dreht, fasst Julian Henry so zusammen: "I'm sick of people glamorising cities like New York and Paris, Cornwall is as far away from London as it's possible to get, and that's why I love it".

This move doesn’t quite see the self-styled “London's No.1 Pop Group” turn into “Cornwall’s No.1 Pop Group” but the Cornish milieu dominates proceedings. There’s even - gasp! - biting social commentary on The Ghost of the Fishing Fleet.

Did someone say concept album? How wrong they were. This is very much a Hit Parade album, so it’s songs about girls and being a bit of a loser in love. Old musical themes are revisited: Spector piano on From Paddington to Penzance, fist-pumpin’ punk pop on Treen Girl, pocketbook electropop on See You At The Seaside, gurlie dickweed indie on Zennor Mermaid.

So business as usual, then. Only instead of getting dumped in London’s leafy western suburbs, it will come as no surprise when our hero Julian Henry advises us that the “girl from Penzance/kicks me in the pants”.
(Did not Chart)

Cornish Pop Songs is a glorious collection of melodic, memorable guitar-based tunes which harks back to the sweet sha-la-la of the indie years but packs a 21st century production punch, all topped by Julian's eager schoolboy-like vocals. You'd never guess he's 55. (...)

Highlights include the quite beautiful Zennor Mermaid (a cousin to Blur's To The End) and the Undertones-like power pop of Treen Girl. It's the perfect summer soundtrack and a brilliant, cohesive album with or without the Cornish connection.
(West Briton)