The Wedding Present: Tommy 30 (Scopitones) Review

The Wedding Present

Tommy 30

Scopitones

Dec 04, 2019 The Wedding Present By Michael James Hall

This is a seemingly unlikely re-recording of the Wedding Present album that served as a stop-gap compilation of early singles between the releases of their iconic 1987 album George Best and 1989’s definitive Seamonsters. It follows this lineup’s re-recording of George Best in 2017 with none other than Steve Albini.

It is though, a very different proposition—a record which once sounded disparate and more a grab-bag of exceptional songs than an album, now has a cohesion, precision of playing, and depth that may not have been previously obvious. Early A-sides “Go Out and Get ‘Em Boy” and “You Should Always Keep In Touch With Your Friends” shine, as gruff, grumpy, and strangely electrifying as ever, much like bandleader David Gedge himself. The Wedding Present have, here, managed to exceed the expectation of an awkward project and deliver a minor triumph. (www.scopitones.co.uk)

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