Close Lobsters - Forever, Until Victory! The Singles

Snappy Scots indiepop

Having long since stewed in their own juices, there’s a definite irony to the title of Close Lobsters’ singles collection. These jangly Scots popsters made a splash on the C86 compilation, but called it a day when they couldn’t claw a deal in America.

They did manage two albums and six singles in the interim, however, and this is a comprehensive guide to the latter, with A- and B-sides combined on CD for the very first time. This means that familiar tracks such as the spiky debut Going To Heaven To See If It Rains and Wedding Present-esque Never Seen Before are secondary to the fresh delights of Wide Waterways and the Lobsters’ cover of Leonard Cohen’s Paper Thin Hotel. If you haven’t dug out your late 80s 7”s for a while, it’s almost like discovering new Lobsters material; and if you have DJed those singles recently, you’ll know that’s a good thing.

If Close Lobsters are to be remembered for anything (apart from that awful name), it will be for their brace of albums. This collection, however, shows they had plenty more to give. If you’re a fan of 80s Scots jangle, it’s definitely worth shelling out for.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Fire | SFIRE 039 CD

Reviewed by Simon Hugo
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