Senseless Things - The First Of Too Many (Expanded Edition)

Originally released in 1991, this new three CD box set marks the Thirtieth Anniversary of The First Of Too Many, the sophomore album from the English band Senseless Things.  While their debut Postcard C.V. was released in the UK on Way Cool Records, this was their first on the major label Epic Records.  Over the course of four albums and numerous singles they did have some minor hits in the UK, but they never really took off in the US and were dropped from the label there after this one album (this might explain why they haven’t been on my radar before now).  Along with a version of the original 1991 mix of the album, this set also includes a brand-new mix from founding members Morgan Nicholls and Cass Browne.  They went back to original two-inch 24-track master tapes and created a fantastic new mix that is crisper and cleaner and has a lot more punch to it.  Having said that it still hasn’t lost any of the charm of the original.  Sadly this is also a tribute to vocalist and songwriter Mark Keds, who passed away last year.

Often straddling the line between punk and pop, sometime moving more towards one or the other, and occasionally shifting in a completely different direction, the album is a really fun, extremely catchy collection.  The perfect examples of this are the opening tracks, which are two of the best on the album. “Everybody’s Gone” is a hook heavy pop punk tune with a hint of grebo (think Ned’s Atomic Dustbin or The Wonder Stuff) and “Best Friend” is a punchy pop tune with never ending hooks and great harmonies that’s just a little ragged around the edges and an absolute feel-good gem (the lyrics here are very bittersweet following Keds passing).  Driven by a thumping bass “It’s Cool To Hang Out” is an interesting cut that kind of sounds like a grebo band with Flea sitting in, while “19 Blue” shuffles along with an infectious melancholy groove only to be broken apart from time to time with brutal blasts of guitar and drums, and “Should I Feel It” is pure power pop, but with a punky edge.  On “Lip Radio” they completely shift gears with a gentle, jangly guitar driven tune that has a strong early REM feel, while “In Love Again” is another straight-ahead power pop tune that often channels Cheap Trick and actually has an intro quite reminiscent of “Surrender”.  The bass moves to the forefront again on “Got It At The Delmar”, a more dance oriented, Happy Mondays-ish grebo tune.  “American Dad” is a ballad that’s a little darker and heavier, treading a little too close to “grunge light” (a la Bush) and therefore one of the album’s weaker cuts in my opinion.  Thankfully they make up for that quickly with “Radio Spiteful”, a fun, extremely catchy pop tune that you will have a hard time not bopping your head to and “Wrong Number”, a ragged country punk track complete with a little banjo.  Things slow things down a bit to close the album out with the grungy ballad “Different Tongue” and “Fishing At Tesco’s”, a very mellow track that has a really nice laid-back groove.   

In addition to the two mixes of the album found on the first two discs, the third is a live recording of their performance at Camden Palace on June 22, 1991 during the tour supporting The First Of Too Many.  Initially recorded on a 24-track Mobile Recording Unit, Nicholls has restored and remixed these recordings as well and the results are outstanding.  In just over forty-one minutes the band tears through eighteen tracks including seven from The First Of… and four from their debut.  They sound extremely tight and energetic and they do a great job of pulling off the various styles of music, although for the most part they stick closer to the faster and punkier tracks.  Whether you are an old fan of the band or you’ve never heard of them before, I would highly recommend checking out this outstanding box set. 

(Cherry Red Records)