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Music Review

03 December 2008 05:14 BST

Shack: Time Machine - The Best Of

Sour Mash/Big Brother recordings, out Sept 24th

In a nutshell...

Band justifies two decades of critical praise with 'best of' compilation.

What's it all about?

Not so much a 'time machine' as a time capsule, chronicling the best of Shack.

In an age when acts are releasing 'best of' albums after just a few years in the game – three-album Jamelia springs immediately to mind – it's refreshing to have a band put together two decades worth of material for the first time. Tracks are taken from all five of their albums, including four tunes off Waterpistol, finally released in 1995 after most of the master tapes were lost four years earlier when the recording studio burnt down. Tagged on at the end for good measure and for added value are two new tracks, Holiday Abroad and Wanda.

Who's it by?

Since Scouse brothers Michael and John Head formed Shack out of the ashes of 80s also-rans The Pale Fountains almost 20 years ago, they have consistently garnered praise for their jaunty pop tales of everyday life.

Despite the admiration of both the music press and their peers – Oasis, the Coral and the Zutons are among the contemporary bands citing Shack as an influence – poor record sales saw them temporarily disband, with the Head brothers finding alternative employment touring as the backing band to Arthur Lee's Love as well as releasing tunes as the Strands.

The group reformed in 1998, signing to the Sour Mash label owned by fan Noel Gallagher, though again critical acclaim has continued to far out-weigh commercial success.

Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys

While the critics know they're good and the band's self-confidence has never been in doubt, just as gold discs have continued to elude the group, so too has industry recognition in the shape of awards.

Perhaps it's due to the fact that the music they produce breaks no moulds or explores any territory outside of story-telling psychedelic guitar pop but this fact looks unlikely to change.

However, it seems pretty clear that Michael Head has never actively sought any official approval and is most probably happiest to hold onto his band's cult status – songs about a girlfriend's tea-making abilities are never likely to win a Mercury or Brit, after all.

What the others say

Mick Head is "a lost genius and among the most gifted songwriters of his generation" - NME

"Time Machine squanders the opportunity to showcase Shack’s very best material. It is a very good record, but not the must purchase it might have been – 4 out of 5." - Manchester Evening News

So is it any good?

Indeed it is, though it works better as an introduction to one of England's finest bands than as a release for their established fan base to enjoy.

Given that the band have achieved little in the way of chart success – with the exception a Comedy, Time Machine's second track, which reached the heady heights of number 44 back in the day – track selection has clearly been a rather arbitrary affair, meaning many Shack aficionados may be left perplexed if not disappointed.

For example, Natalie's Party and Daniella, among the highlights of the HMS Fable album, are left out in favour of less obvious examples of the Heads' writing skills such as Al's Vacation.

The tracks that have been given the nod by the band are, however, without exception three-minute masterpieces, both musically and through their wry and witty observational lyrics.

Perhaps the best thing about Time Machine is that it serves as proof that Shack are still very much with us, ongoing record label pressures and heroin troubles aside, with new track Holiday Abroad showing that the future is bright.

8/10

David Hewitt