In the wake of
The Smiths bringing a new style of guitar rock to the indie world, many bands tried to copy
Johnny Marr's signature guitar sound and
Morrissey's deep lyrics. While many band's tried and failed as copies, one band took the motifs set by The Smiths and crafted their own sound and identity, that band was
The Housemartins. While they were massive around the UK, New Zealand and Australia, The Housemartins which featured a very young
Norman Cook aka
Fatboy Slim, never really broke America the way that should have, which is unfortunate because in their short career, The Housemartins recorded two of the 80's best albums. One of those records, their debut,
London 0 Hull 4, which is a reference to a soccer score and signifies the town the band hails from - Kingston Upon Hull, is our Underrated Classic for this month.
London 0 Hull 4 is a combination of jangley guitars, fast drums and the perfect post-punk / new wave / indie hybrid. Combining lyrics about Marxism and Christianity, singer
Paul Heaton vocally displayed his interests and the duality of both beliefs. With smart writing, brave story telling and slick production,
London 0 Hull 4 is an incredible record and one that any indie rock fan should hear.
