Teenage Fanclub raise the Royale

TEENAGE FANCLUB ROCK The Royale, 9/25/10

Kurt Cobain once described Teenage Fanclub as "the best band in the world." Noel Gallagher called them the second best (behind his own group, Oasis). In the nineties they were revered by contemporaries such as REM, Nirvana and Matthew Sweet, and quietly over the last two decades, the Scottish rock band has built an impressive catalogue of songs.

This past June, Teenage Fanclub released their ninth full-length album entitled Shadows (Merge Records). I was fortunate enough to watch them perform Saturday evening at Royale (formerly the Roxy) in Boston during their first US tour in five years. They played a fluid 90 minute set to a half empty room (less than 300 people). Ultimately, I was more affected by the disappointing turnout than they were, as the band would soldier on to showcase some of grunge pop?s most beautiful and captivating three-chord songs in the key of G. And like Kurt and Noel, it reinforced my belief that this really is one of the greatest bands in the world.

The band promptly took the stage at 8 p.m., cruising out of the gates with the lead track of their 2005 release, ?Man-Made? entitled ?It?s All in My Mind?. Often described as a combination of the Byrds and Big Star, Teenage Fanclub offers a broad spectrum of styles that also includes alt-country, grunge, lo-fi, pop, and singer-songwriter ballads. Mind you, there are three songwriters in this band, and each sings and plays an instrument. Lead singer Norman Blake?s chunky pop rhythms grooved with lead guitarist Raymond McGinley?s complementary riffs. Bassist Gerard Love sat back and played a steady groove, sometimes behind the beat, sometimes ahead, but always on the level with drummer Francis MacDonald, whose steady anchor kept the band in lock-step. And so it would go, like Songwriters in a Round - a Blake tune, a McGinley tune, a Love tune. Each with his own style, all inclusive of gorgeous harmonies, pristine arrangements and a shoegaze or two.

A bevy of numbers from their new album featured the vibey ?Sometimes I Don?t Need to Believe in Anything?, Blake?s undeniable and earnest hit ?Baby Lee?, Love?s breathtaking anti-war number ?Shock and Awe?. McGinley?s ?The Past? lacked the breezy synth sound heard on Shadows, but still proved to be a winning outcome. Other standouts in the set were more of the band?s cooler McGinley compositions like pop rock anthem ?About You?, ?Your Love is the Place? and Love?s classic ?Ain?t That Enough?. Three part harmonies were sung by Blake, Love and drummer MacDonald (not McGinley, who sang only on his songs). Blake would take several positions during the set, replacing his guitar with a handheld xylophone, swapping guitar for keys with ancillary member/touring multi-instrumentalist Finlay MacDonald, who provided an ambiance that the songs deserved with keyboards and pedal steel. The show closed with a three song encore that included ?Neil Jung?, Love?s gorgeous Velvet Underground inspired ?Sweet Days of Waiting? and the two-decade old hit ?The Concept?.

Undoubtedly, showmanship is a vital aspect of rock n roll (file under Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, James Brown). But in today?s world of American Idol and corporate entertainment, elements like musical integrity and the soul of the song have taken a back seat to pose. Whether a perfectly executed harmony, a haunting guitar chord, or a tune that puts you in another place, it is refreshing to witness a band like Teenage Fanclub enjoy what they do and do it really well ? without pretense. Which begs their question "here is a sunrise, ain't that enough??" Indeed it was.

Review by Michael Hayes for Boston Band Crush