Everyone needs to listen to Jellyfish

Bucket

Really, everyone does. Discovered them recently and have been going on and on and on about them to anyone who will listen (and probably a fair few who won't). Absolutely amazing band.

They were a band from the early 90s who did two albums before breaking up. Their music sounds to me like a cross between the Beatles, Queen and Cheap Trick with a dash of Beach Boys and an occasional hint of ELO in there. The drummer, Andy Sturmer, was the primary songwriter and lead singer (he played standing up at the front of the stage while singing) and the keyboardist/guitarist Roger Manning (the other main songwriter) also took quite a few lead vocal parts but they all join in for the backing vocals and harmony parts, which are incredible. Fucking magnificent band, and criminally underrated.

Their first album, Bellybutton, is awesome:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB_vc-K_lEU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jWmvRX8jo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9kCCTJRBw

But the second album, Spilt Milk, from 1993, is where they really came into their own IMO. Musically way more ambitious, and the songs were even better. This album has become a firm favourite of mine - it's been on very heavy rotation recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JojV8kNfWK8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKquzN8S_Cc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgKjC2V4xfk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1djpqeA3j8

I hope you guys don't think I'm overselling them, I truly think they're one of the most underrated bands out there. I do tend to overstate the brilliance of many artists I post about... I go on and on about how amazing they are and everyone else seems to think "meh", but really - I love this stuff. It's absolutely awesome and I wanted to share them with you all, because I really think you're missing out if you haven't heard them.

ICBM

Painfully 90s .

There are a lot of much better and more interesting bands from that era, if these clips are representative - I did listen to all of them, and I still think "meh", sorry!

I suppose I'm now seeing what the old-timers thought of my enthusiasm when I discovered music made before I was born...

octatonic

I think they are great- they have been one of my favourite bands since they came out.

I was there from the first album- do you know that the singer is also the drummer?

The King is Half Undressed is one of the finest pop songs ever written.

Glad you have found them.

Bucket

@ICBM - I did suspect I was being quite OTT, I do think they're genuinely brilliant though. They do sound pretty 90s, but to my ears they sound more like a 90s version of music from the late 60s/early 70s. What bands would you say were better and more interesting btw?

@octatonic - love that one! And yeah, Andy Sturmer is quite a sight to behold standing at the front of the stage with his kit, singing and playing at once. They were brilliant live from what I've seen - not a note out of place most of the time, no mean feat with those harmonies etc, and when they're all playing other instruments at the same time. There's a lot that could go wrong!

[Deleted User]

Bought Bellybutton (on vinyl!) when it came out. Liked it very much....

Grunfeld

Had a listen because hell why not cos I thought I could hear it again with fresh ears but.... I think I have a block on this stuff.  My ex- was into Jellyfish and maybe it's just impossible to hear it without going back "there" at some level.  I Spotified jellyfish and nearly all the related band suggestions evoked similar feelings.  The only exception was The Smithereens.  The 90s was a time when I lost interest in music and the only input was from her.  Except... The Smithereens.

It's incredible how powerful binds our emotions.  [/blog haha ]

Kebabkid

Not OTT at all Connor and glad you found them too. Like Octatonic, I was there from the start and to this day, they're one of the best live bands I've ever seen. Their harmonies (without backing tapes etc) were brilliant. I even played in a Crowded House/Jellyfish tribute in the 90's for a while and a couple of months ago that band got together and played "That is why" and "Man I used to be" at the drummer's 50th.

If the clips come across as a 90's band, I'm surprised as they were more 10CC, Wings, Queen, Beatles and The Beach Boys

Spilt Milk is an absolute classic. Brilliant song-writing and production. Did you know "Joining a fan club" is all about joining the Kiss fan club and my personal fave is "New Mistake" (see video) and for sheer humour, "He's my best friend".

You should check out the solo stuff by their 2nd album guitarist, Jason Falkner

randomhandclaps

This song never fails to make me smile - though I do love everything they did.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jWmvRX8jo

Bucket

@Kebabkid - I agree on the humour of "He's My Best Friend" - very sly, because if you're not paying attention you might not even notice Great music as well, as always from them. I agree with your allusion to 10CC as well, there's definitely a bit of that in there.

@randomhandclaps - I love "All I Want..." - sounds kind of like a lost Cheap Trick song to my ears.

ICBM

Bucket said:

They do sound pretty 90s, but to my ears they sound more like a 90s version of music from the late 60s/early 70s.

That's the exact problem.

randomhandclaps

ICBM said:

Bucket said:

They do sound pretty 90s, but to my ears they sound more like a 90s version of music from the late 60s/early 70s.

That's the exact problem.

Ultimately this is what split Jellyfish.  Jason Falkner felt they were too reliant of borrowing and replicating Big Star and Wings et al rather than developing their own sound so he walked after Bellybutton.  Sturmer and Manning had always seen Jason's issue as not being allowed to contribute to the song writing rather than the over reliance on influences claim.  Once Jason had left the infighting then started between Sturmer (who was in the writing driver's seat) and Manning over the exact same issue so they split shortly after finishing Spilt Milk.  It's really no surprise that Sturmer went on to write catchy songs Japanese pop bands that reference many western pop icons.

Basher

I like Jellyfish but I prefer the stuff that came after it. The Jason Falkner solo albums are fantastic, for example, as is just about anything that Roger Joseph Manning has been involved with since (Imperial Drag, solo, Beck, Moog Cookbook).

Nice to see The Smithereens get a mention!

And as this is turning into something of a power-pop thread, fans of anything similar should be sure to check out The Posies for some fantastically crafted tunes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtQmIhadS8

randomhandclaps

Basher said:

And as this is turning into something of a power-pop thread....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9aWPTCc2r0

Basher

+1 For Matthew Sweet.

I know that most people seem to think Girlfriend is his best but I prefer the Altered Beast and 100% Fun albums.

Robert Quine was great on the stuff he did with MS.

ICBM

Basher said:

+1 For Matthew Sweet.

I know that most people seem to think Girlfriend is his best but I prefer the Altered Beast and 100% Fun albums.

Robert Quine was great on the stuff he did with MS.

Both played with Lloyd Cole in his New York post-Commotions period too. Some of my favourite music.

Check out 'Lloyd Cole' (the 'X' album), 'Don't Get Weird On Me, Babe', 'Bad Vibes' and 'Love Story'. Sweet is on the first three, Quine on the first two and Love Story.

[Deleted User]

ICBM;30672" said:

'Love Story'.

I'd completely forgotten about that album. I need to find the CD - I really liked it at the time it came out. Thanks for reminding me of it.

Kebabkid

XTC take some beating at the "power-pop" thing. I listened to "Nonsuch" today- classy!

dindude

While we're on a pop trek, and a lot more recent, I absolutely love the recent Everything Everthing album Arc, defo some XTC influences in there. Here's a starting point.

 

dindude

One more from Everything Everything then I'll leave you all alone.

strumjoughlamps

When you have done listening to Jellyfish (who were excellent live) get some Redd Kross down your neck, come back here and thank me