S*M*A*S*H* - Dear Lou

In the mid-1990s there were a small handful of bands who the NME briefly tried to promote the hell out of, as bringing back the spirit of '77. The Manic Street Preachers (who I've never liked) were of course at the top of this class, with the likes of S*M*A*S*H* and These Animal Men several paces behind. In truth they were all pretty ordinary, though I do give TAM credit for putting on an absolutely brilliant performance the one time I saw them - in a desperate little hole of a town with about 15 people in the audience. From the band's enthusiasm you'd think they were headlining Wembley. Fair dues, lads.

But I don't actually own any TAM records so these will have to do instead. S*M*A*S*H*'s first (and I think last) album isn't bad, but there's nothing particularly exciting on it either; it's best listened to in intervals on your iPod shuffle. If I was going to pick one particular song to go out of my way to listen to, though, it would be this one. Not much of an endorsement I suppose but there you go.