CHINESE ALBUM/Pink Vinyl

Description

The second release (1998) from the British expatriate band Spacehog, The Chinese Album, was initially conceived as the soundtrack for a film titled Mungo City; the film was never made, but fortunately, the album retained the glam/power pop song of the same name (which, in a just universe, would have been a major hit)! This record never really received the recognition it deserved, partly because the band took three years to follow up on the success of their debut album Resident Alien and its hit "In the Meantime." However, The Chinese Album, in many ways, is a much more accomplished work than its predecessor; instead of simply playing the glam-rock band, Spacehog here creates a fully realized sound and aesthetic, with nods to artists such as Queen, Badfinger, The Kinks, and even R.E.M. (Michael Stipe makes an appearance on the sweet "Almond Kisses"). And the songwriting (for example, "Lucy's Shoe") is consistently strong, making The Chinese Album one of the great lost records of the late '90s.