Katydids
Shangri-la (Reprise 26626)

When the day rolls around for the thousand-year reich of classic pop, Shangri-la will be right up there with Crowded House's Woodface, The Posies' Dear 23, and Squeeze's Play as part of the essential early 90s canon of hidden gems. Not as titanic a record as Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic by the Sundays, Shangri-la is actually better for its un-titanicness – it knows what it is, and that's good fuckin' pop. Seventh chord accents, minor-chord transitions, swooshy "ah" background vocals, and a big shopping cart full of melody.

The band's first record (called simply Katydids) was a solid but somewhat unassured debut, but Shangri-la comes right out of the gate screaming "Are you ready to pop??!" Er, so maybe it won't cock-rock you like the Hives, but who says that's all you need, anyway? Song-for-song, this record easily bests the output of almost any trendy indie band you can name. Don't get me wrong, I catch some thrills off a White Stripes record like anyone else, but I am so nostalgic for albums where the songs are so good, you almost can't pick a favorite.

Not a bad cut on here. Swirly, jangly guitars, layered vocals courtesy Susie Hug, who on this record sings with much more commitment and beauty than on the band's slick-ish debut – and in spots, she lets some real attitude out. It is one of the music industry's most criminal failures that Susie & Co. didn't get the support they deserved … the fact that someone like Jewel still gets to put out albums, while a unique voice like Susie Hug toils in the minor leagues … well, just don't get me started on that.

Best songs are "The Boy Who's Never Found," "Almost and Nearly," the perfect "Faith to Change," and the EXCELLENT "Don't Think Twice" (sort of a "You Can't Do That" for 1991). Even the "album track"-caliber songs are completely satisfying, even thrilling, such as the better-than-Primitives "Seesaw."

There was much more to the early 90s than you are probably letting yourself remember. My Bloody Valentine is all well and great, but sometimes you need to plug your heart in and hear some pure melody and pretty harmonies. The beautiful Shangri-la is a bargain bin record that deserves to be rescued.

Wait a minute, what did I mean with that "thousand-year reich" remark? That was a little weird.

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Review by La Fée