Bizarro

Wow. I listened to this for the first time in years, and I was floored by not only the sheer speed & energy, but the ahead-of-its-time use of distortion, song structures, and rhythmic sound. So many bands today owe these lads a debt of gratitude, whether they know it or not. Listen to the opening rhythm guitar of "Crushed" ...It's hard to imagine any human alive can strum a guitar that fast.... and then they keep it going! "Brassneck", of course, is a favorite, but this is one of those rare entire albums that's so good, it's almost like a greatest hits!

GREAT CD and great buying experience

Bizarro was the Weddoes' second proper album (after George Best, they had released Tommy, a compilation of singles and session tracks, and the unlikely Ukrainski Vistupi V Johna Peela, containing two John Peel sessions of acoustic Ukrainian folk tunes). It included the single Kennedy (number 2 in the John Peel Festive 50 that year, one of five songs from the album to be voted in) and the original version of Brassneck, which was to be remade as a single recorded for them by Steve Albini. Each of Wedding Present's albums has a distinct identity although Bizarro retains the blistering guitar of George Best, and David Gedge's lyrics continued to mine the dark pits of romantic and sexual hell and dark despair. The longest track, Take Me!, ends in an extended instrumental section but there is no soloing, just the intense, repeated accompaniment, expressing all the emotion and pent up frustration in noise to trance-like effect. Glorious.

As a previous reviewer mentioned, this player is fast!! First caught the wedding present in early 90's having heard dalliance (from 'Seamonsters') and decided to purchase this player. My vinyl copy is now a little frayed and have since upgraded to cd. I usually find frenetic guitar bands to be hollow and tuneless but this one stands out. Melody appears in all the tunes and it certianly is powerful. As with most of his work, Gedge writes about love lost. His lyrics are jealous and maudlin. He doesnt really paint a picture lyrically, hes no poet, but its honesty grabs you. The music is mostly full on natural guitar butchering, doesnt appear to be put through too many effects (how many strings must these guys have gone through), but the songs really keep the tune. And what with his angry little writings the power really shines through. You cant help but feel his emotions. Comparisons to the Smiths dont ring true for me. The Smiths never made anything this hard and rough, and lyrically this is playground material to Morrisey. I highly recommend 'what have I said now?', 'bewitched', 'take me' and 'granadaland'. Other reviewers have noted about 'kennedy', which for me is the weakest track, but it has been played to death as an indie anthem over here. That really is the only track i skip. For me, this is the best wedding present player. All in all a very pleasing collection and one that you will come back to, i promise.

Bizarro was released early in The Wedding Present's career. Yet, this 1989 album still plays fresh to its British Indie Pop roots. With their energetic guitar playing, three-chord structures and unique vocals of David Gedge, The Wedding Present is a pleasure to listen to. Certainly, the highlight of the album is 'Kennedy'. But even the less well known songs like the apologetic 'What Have I Said Now?' speak to the foibles in all of us.25 years on, Bizarro retains the ability to entertain you, and maintain its status among timeless albums.

I bought this album months ago on cassette in amoeba records on a whim one weekday afternoon and I was blown away. the trouble with a lot of recordings from the eighties is that otherwise fantastic albums can be bogged down with cheesy, dated production quality. however, this album (production included) sounds just as fresh and vibrant today as it did when it first came out almost twenty years ago. the songs are excellent. two chords never sounded this good. some of the songs go on forever using the same basic chord structure. yet, somehow, it never gets dull. i have the feeling that if this band were to come out today instead of twenty years ago, they would be instatly popular with today's music scene. this is very original, timeless music.the wedding present were definitely one of the best bands to come outta england in the late eighties.

If you're already a Wedding Present fan, then you don't need me to tell you that David Gedge & co. write some of the catchiest and most powerful guitar-driven Brit-pop of any band in the past 20 years. It's hard to choose a favorite, but I can't kid myself--it has to be Bizarro. I can't say enough about this cd. The two best words to describe it: FAST and FURIOUS. The fantastic song, "Brassneck", is quite possibly the best opening track on any cd I own, and it sets you up for the relentless onslaught that follows. Every song rocks--including the epic, "Kennedy", which is seriously one of the best songs ever written. Like most of the other songs on here, it just keeps building and building, the guitars picking up speed and power until you have to stop and say to yourself, "This is one of the best songs ever written!" And there's the equally-powerful "What Have I Said Now?, "Granadaland", the Pavement cover, "Box Elder, MO", and the list keeps going. To recap: in two words, FAST and FURIOUS. In one word, EPIC. Buy it.

This CD blew me away 20 plus years ago. This vinyl even more so. At my age I better be careful how often and at what volume I play this, but it is too tempting to resist playing it once a week and at maximum volume. You only die once, right? Thanks for releasing this vinyl version.

I have bought this album many times! From replacing the casette with CD then replacing the CD with another, then MP3 download! Its not my favourite TWP album but it is probably my most nostalgic. Saying that if you want to listen to a slab of jangly, thrashing, growly story telling that has been replicated one way or another throughout TWP journey through sound buy this album. For me the stand out track remains "Kennedy" after all these years, layers of noise reaching crescendo over some anthemic vocals. Even if you don't know the band you might recognise "Brassneck" if you ever listened to John Peel, The other tracks have their merits the driving drum/bass leading to the jangly guitars of "Granadaland", Gedges vocal and soft intro of "Bewitched" is another fave of mine, leading into a heavier, feedback-laden middle section (reminds me of a "Dalliance" proto-type)If you are a fan of the newer Wedding Present stuff, like some guitar based indie, appreciate good song writing, are nostalgic for their (sonic) youth then I recommend giving this a go. The copy I now have has bonus tracks as well! Result..

An absolute gem of a record, if it had been released a year or so earlier it would have been huge; but the success of the Happy Mondays and Stone Roses left this album below the radar of too many music fans and radio stations.I think the best way to describe the sound of this album is a collision of the music of Husker Du and the lyrical poetry of heartbreak of Morrissey. Go get it, then buy all their other records too!

So pleased to have received this cd from one of my fave bands.

Unreal album, I had this item very quickly, ordered another album from same seller, great service.

Fabulous indie rock album from the Weddoes as they are affectionately known. If you like them then you will love and probably already have this so not sure why i am writing this....