Bandwagonesque

1	The Concept 6:07
2	Satan 1:22
3	December 3:02
4	What You Do to Me 1:59
5	I Don't Know 4:35
6	Star Sign 4:53
7	Metal Baby 3:39
8	Pet Rock 2:34
9	Sidewinder 3:02
10	Alcoholiday 5:26
11	Guiding Star 2:45
12	Is This Music? 3:17

Barnes & Noble

These Scots were among the first to successfully strike a balance between the shambling charm of the lo-fi movement and the soaring beauty of classic British pop -- with additional nods in the direction of Big Star and the Beach Boys. They reached their zenith on this 1991 release (their third long player), thanks in large part to the sympathetic production of underground vet Don Fleming. As wry as ever--the title and cash-strewn album cover mock its "sellout" to major label forces -- the band shows signs of taking its craft a bit more seriously on creamy, dreamy tunes like "Star Sign" and "What You Do to Me," both of which glide along on harmonies that blend the ragged and the right-on masterfully. There's still humor to spare, as evidenced by tongue-in-cheek meta-rockers such as "Metal Baby" and "The Concept," but thankfully, Bandwagonesque never succumbs to mere novelty. David Sprague

All Music Guide

The gold standard of the early-'90s power pop revival, in its own way Bandwagoneque was as much a benchmark as contemporary records like Nevermind and Loveless; though not the generational rallying cry of the former nor the revolutionary sonic breakthrough of the latter, Teenage Fanclub's sophomore album nevertheless heralded the return of melody and craft, coupled with energy and spirit -- hallmarks of much of the greatest rock & roll of the past, and virtues as rare as hen's teeth in the years immediately prior to the disc's release. Although its incandescent harmonies, lazily immediate songs, and crunching guitars earned it endless comparisons to vintage Big Star, Bandwagonesque is in every way a product of its own time -- the thick, grungy sound of the Fannies' debut A Catholic Education remains intact for gems like "What You Do to Me" (arguably the most brilliantly simpleminded love song ever penned) and the instrumental "Satan," while the lyrics of other standout moments like "Star Sign" and "Alcoholiday" reflect a laissez faire irony and unassuming genius even more emblematic of the moment in question. Jason Ankeny