UK release date: October 3rd 1988
UK album chart peak: #4
US album chart peak: #115
Buy Pop Art here (Amazon UK)
For a few short, glorious, grab-em-by-the-balls-&-shake-em-up years in the late 80s, Wendy James of amazing pop group Transvision Vamp was the Lady Gaga of her day (but without all the annoying self knowing & little monsters malarky). Wendy and her vampy boys took their punky influences, drenched them in pop sensibilities and doused them with a healthy dose of personality & attitude, ensuring that they never lost their ever so cool edge. And from 1987-1989 they could do no wrong. Their two albums (Pop Art & Velveteen) & the accompanying singles were brash blasts of fresh air in a top 40 engulfed in teen princesses and PWL poppets. While Wendy was definitely the visual & vocal driving force steering the group forward - there would certainly be no TVV without her, but writer, guitarist & founder Nick Christian Sayer certainly knew how to steal the show with his deliriously catchy, punk chewed, bubblegum rock songs that were the perfect match for Wendy's blistering vocals. Their debut album, Pop Art, remains an exhilarating piece of work all these years after it was originally released. It has also been re-released with some bonus tracks on that offer long term fans something new to get their teeth into...
While Pop Art didn't become a hit until the sizzling I Want You Love hit the charts (and peaked top 5) in July 1988, it was packed with singles that showcased the band's strengths perfectly. From the fuzzy guitar licks of Nick, keeping pace with the energetic percussion & ably guided by the exuberant vocals of Wendy, this saw a more sensuous and rocking TVV than the later Velveteen. Trash City was an early example of mixing electro sounds with assertive rock song influences - indeed as the song details the futuristic 21st century, it manages to convey a Mad Max anarchistic world that seems just that little bit wild, dangerous and exciting. All words that adequately describe Transvision Vamp. I lamented long and hard that this was never a single with a suitably brilliant accompanying video. Elsewhere, the aforementioned I Want You Love, anthemic Revolution Baby (a song so nice they released it twice, eventually peaking at 30) & perfect cover choice Tell That Girl To Shut Up all represented innovative, ingenius, expertly formed hard-edged pop songs with choruses that stuck in your head for decades & inspired many acts in the years that followed (Garbage, Hole, Lady Gaga, et al). There was a softer side to the group too as displayed on the languid, elegiac ballad Sister Moon with it's soaring chorus & message of "Groove on Sister Moon" paired with breathily spoken verses - just a lovely, well crafted piece of music. And that's what Pop Art was about - mixing their take on traditional genres and injecting them with their own unique take on the world.
As was the norm in the 80s, Transvision Vamp (and presumably their record label) took full advantage of the 7" and 12" formats to pack the singles with new mixes, alternate takes and unreleased tracks. Many of these are available on the deluxe version of the album which was re-released in early 2013, just in time for the 25th anniversary. There were a whopping seven b-side tracks that weren't available on the original album - all are a little more stripped back demonstrating a band who knew how to continuously hone their craft and try new things. It also gave the lyrics and melodies a chance to shine - moreso than some of the original album songs. And while there are some extended and remixed version of the songs, the highlight of the deluxe version of Pop Art is the capturing of the Andy Kershaw BBC radio sessions. The band weren't always taken seriously as they embraced the spotlight and became darlings of the teen music magazine scene. These sessions not only gave the band credibility but proved they were a live act who knew how to deliver. They choose to perform stripped back versions of album tracks (rather than the well known singles) which I always thought was a really smart move. They are definitely worthy of your time - and I'll take a live version of Trash City any day. Pop Art was and is a fine example of a pop debut - capturing the essence of the band and distilling it for the masses. Splendid.
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