The Television Personalities have been making music for a long time, and they sound remarkably like they did when they started in the late-’70s. The constants in the history of the group are Dan Treacy’s quirky sense of melody and humor, his voice, which has only a passing acquaintance with pitch but a great deal of charm, and a lo-fi mod punk sound. This 20-song compilation covers 1993 to 1997, the years the TVPs released records on Germany’s Little Teddy label. The first thing one notices about the record is the amazing sound. All the tracks were produced by Liam Watson at his legendary Toe Rag studio in London and have a grandeur and immediacy that don’t reflect the small recording budget. Standout songs include a cover of Lee Hazlewood’s “I’ve Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me”; a girl group-style cover of Daniel Johnston’s heartbreaking “Honey I Sure Miss You”; the chiming “I Remember Bridget Riley”; the lovelorn and yearning “I Wish You Could Love Me for What I Am”; and the swampy “In a Luxury Dockland Home,” which overflows with emotion and low-rent drama. This disc is a very worthy addition to a Television Personalities collection. The music they were making during this time is as good as any they ever made; it is hilarious, heartbreaking, and makes you want to dance. What more do you want from a record anyway? – Tim Sendra
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