REWIND: The Supernaturals - 'I Wasn't Built To Get Up'
After reacquainting myself with the first two albums from 90s Scottish combo The Supernaturals, I presumed that they had no plans to reform. So imagine my surprise when a few months ago I found out that the band have new album out in April, and that they'd been playing together again since 2012. I'd refer to The Supernaturals as more of a "post-Britpop" group, as they fitted in with the style and sound but arrived on the scene too late. They were bloody good too, taking inspiration from Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys rather than The Beatles or The Kinks. A five piece from Glasgow, the band were signed to Parlophone Records in 1996, scoring five Top 40 entries in the UK Singles Chart between '96 and '98. Best known for their hit 'Smile', in May of 1997 they released their debut LP 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore', (a Number 9 chart entry) but personally I prefer the 1998 follow-up 'A Tune A Day'. It was released during the same week that I went to see the band at the Fleece And Firkin in Bristol where they were supported by Carrie. Great days. After that album only reached #21 following a lack of promotion, they were dropped by their label before re-emerging four years later with their third, synth-flavoured effort 'What We Did Last Summer'. The band soon split after that. '360' is their first new material in over a decade, and sees the original line-up returning to their original sound and style, as reflected by the album's title. Sadly, it hasn't turned out to be a very strong comeback and my forthcoming album review will not be an encouraging one. So here's the sort of song that I want to remember the band for, rather than their lacking new stuff.
A press release states: "Written and recorded over the previous 2 years at Gorbals Sound studios in Glasgow, the album ranges from the skiffle beat of 'My Sweet George' to the satirical whimsy of 'Air Hostess', with the balladry of 'Zombie' and many points in between. The band hark back to their Sixties roots in what is a resounding return to form with their knack for offbeat, wry story telling welded to classic melodies. The cover of the album, the shoreline of the Firth of Clyde, refers to the sea journey undertaken in the last song on the album, 360." More details can be found at their website and Facebook page, which are both linked below. In the meantime, here is a single of theirs that brings back wonderful memories of being a teenager in the late 90s, and a song that I can relate to in many ways. It reached number 25 in the UK singles chart when it was released back in 1998.
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