Various Artists – What A Concept! A Salute To Teenage Fanclub

The names aren’t big ones: Redd Kross (with their sterling stab at “Everything Flows”) and Gigolo Aunts (with an acoustic “Alcoholiday”) stick out of the pile. But all 24 acts bring out the infectiously bittersweet Big Star nuances of songs both early (“Flows”) and late (“Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From”). Some of the covers are bolder re-framings than others: Splitsville’s electro-pop “Tears Are Cool” and Chewy Marble’s jaunty, Lovin’ Spoonful-ish “Metal Baby”, for example. Pride of place, though, goes to the General Store’s dreamily Smile-esque take on “120 Minutes”. It’s inspired.