XX Teens – Welcome to Goon Island

In the early 2000s I had a friend living in the UK doing temp work. They'd post me all their records for safe keeping and occasional listening until they returned home. My dad would add up the postage on the company account when he'd pick up another package from the post office. He enjoyed telling me the tally "it's 200 pounds now..."

It was the height of skinny jeans post punk and my friend and I were all for that shit. One stand out in the post (there were many) was a 45 by formally named Xerox Teens (until the company threatened to sue) and now the awkward Google name XX teens. I loved Darlin' and My Favourite Hat. Think the Fall but with more saxophone. Looking back whilst the album art from that 45 was probably trying to make some political tongue in cheek commentary on British colonialism, I'm not sure it'd fly now. When this album came out I did my UK mail order. I don't remember why I got the cd - I assume the vinyl sold out.

I was inspired to dig out my CDs after a couple of friends had been doing so recently. This album didn't use to be on streaming but is now I've since discovered. It has the hallmark 2000s vocal sound but I was surprised how well this album sounded now. Contains a ghost track which is a brief clip from Brian Hall - famous UK peace protester talking about the Iraq War.

When the CD was half way through I had the natural instinct to walk over and flip the record over.

#cd #nowplaying #nowspinning #2000s #2000sindie #2000spunk #XeroxTeensband #punk #postpunk #roughtrade