Heathers - Fear

You can, sometimes, judge a band by its record covers. Heathers' two 7" sleeves share an aesthetic with The Smiths and Belle and Sebastian that suggests, like those bands, they have an affinity with a certain louche glamour.

The incandescent Fear is brutally beautiful, perhaps closer to that early run of Wedding Present singles than anything. The b-side Life Is Elsewhere slows the pace, adds female backing vocals and builds the guitars into a frenzied squall for even greater punch.

The pay-off line "you're the only girl part of me" is up there with "the radio sucks balls" on Stanley Brinks and The Wave Pictures' Orange Juice as 2014's best.

Heathers start their UK tour tomorrow (Sunday, 20 April). I'll see you down the front. And then when they play an acoustic tribute to Grant McLennan on May 4.

EDIT: I spoke to Michael of the Heathers band tonight at their first UK gig:
M: "Good write up, but that's a man singing."
DNC: "OK, high voice. APOLS."
M: "Also, it's not "girl" it's "good".
DNC: "'You're the only good part of me'? That works, too. I like it either way. Lyrically, you understand. Anyway, did I get anything right?"
M: "The Smiths. And The Wedding Present."