I took a break from posting after my dad died at the start of last week. I said to myself that when I returned to updating this site, it would be for music that made me happy. And the music of Heavenly certainly makes me happy. It's had that effect for more than three decades now. And the staying power of the group's second record, Le Jardin de Heavenly is clearly evident on the new reissue of the album from Skep Wax.
The sound here defined what indie was supposed to sound like for me. I know that others call this twee, but somehow that doesn't indicate just how robust this pop is still. There's something resilient and stubborn (in a good way) about the whole DIY vibe here, and it's worth noting that this second long-player from the band came out on Sarah Records in the U.K. and K Records here in the States. That mattered because the sound here sort of codified a mood and outlook for each of those respective imprints. For fans of Sarah, Le Jardin de Heavenly seemed a brighter version of the jangle-pop that other acts on that label had conjured up too, and for fans of Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening) and his label, this was a must-purchase, not only due to Calvin's appearance here on the winning "C is the Heavenly Option", but also because of the U.K. group's burgeoning allegiance with the riot grrl movement here in the States. Put simply, Le Jardin de Heavenly would be a classic just for how much it influenced a genre on both sides of the pond, even if the tunes weren't glorious.
But they are glorious, even 31 years later. Things have progressed here, with Amelia Fletcher, the late Mathew Fletcher, Peter Momtchiloff, Rob Pursey, and Cathy Rogers approaching the material with a real gusto. It helps that the hooks are pretty big all over this one too. "Starshy" and "Tool" are heavier than earlier offerings, with a hint of what the group's contemporaries (like Teenage Fanclub on Bandwagonesque) were also serving up. Still, Heavenly always placed a premium on a melody, and "Orange Corduroy Dress" is as bright and sharp as its title, while "Sort of Mine" reaches lift-off on a delicious riff that the players sharpen to a fine point behind the vocals of Amelia and Cathy. Elsewhere, "So Little Deserve" is an early indication of just how bracing Amelia's vocals had become. It helps that the heavy chords and restless rhythmic track on this one keep things interesting on those levels too. It's really one of this band's very best numbers. And I've barely mentioned "C is the Heavenly Option" yet, you know? The band's new video for the song should please long-time fans of this lot, and remind one yet again of how special they were. It's twee for some, but wonderfully vital for even more of us.
The expanded reissue of 1992's Le Jardin de Heavenly by Heavenly is out now via Skep Wax.
[Photo: Skep Wax / Heavenly]