Work and vanity wasted my time inside

It’s easy to see why The Sundays got compared to The Smiths.

Or rather, it’s easy to hear.

The echoes of Johnny Marr’s jangling six string resonate through pretty much every track The Sundays ever recorded. Not that they were mere imitators. Harriet Wheeler’s distinctive little girl vocals were suitably different to Morrissey to create enough distance between the two. And maybe it’s unfair to compare them but when the similarities in sound are so apparent, the debt so heavy, it’s almost impossible not to.

What’s odd is that I never felt the same connection to their music. As gorgeous as her voice is and as exquisite as the music could be, I’ve always felt a distance. As though they’re keeping me at arms length. Holding back. More concerned with creating something aesthetically pleasing, as opposed to emotionally personal. And I think there’s a few factors that contribute to this. They lack the wit and intelligence that Morrissey injected into his lyrics. While their rhythm section is neither as inventive nor interesting as Messrs Rourke and Joyce. And if I’m completely honest, prolonged exposure to the band results in Harriet’s vocals become a tad grating. Like having an extra teaspoon of sugar in my tea. Having said all that, this is still a sublime session version of the opening track off their debut album.

The Sundays - skin and bones (live session version) original version available on 'Reading, Writing And Arithmetic'

mp3 / music / the sundays