The Wedding Present
Bizarro
Camden Records, 1989

I actually bought this album on cassette when it first came out, having heard the band on (I think) a John Peel show. Many years have passed, but still the CD is in my car and the album downloaded onto my iPod for my many business trips abroad.

I can't really put my finger on what it is about this album that makes me want to keep playing it but many, many albums have come and gone since I originally bought this one, some of which I thought I would never tire of, and yet Bizarro is still top of the pile.

From the opening intro' of "Brassneck", through the haunting lyrics of "What Have I Said Now?" to the near seven-minute guitar-led instrumental of "Take Me", every track seems to be so strong and nothing carries that over-produced sound so common nowadays. In saying that my favourite track is "Unfaithful", one of the extras on this version of the album, which carries some of Dave Gedges trademark cutting lyrics so common throughout Wedding Present tunes.

Ok, so Martin Stephenson and the Daintee's "Boat to Bolivia" comes close, but for me Bizarro is THE album I want to grow old with and as I happily enter middle-age it is still hitting the spot. My kids love it, I love it and my wife even likes a couple of tracks - proof positive if it is ever needed.

I tell you, I'll be dancing around the residential home to this in twenty-odd years time! 

Tracklisting:
1	Brassneck	(4:52)
2	Crushed	(2:44)
3	No	(4:12)
4	Thanks	(2:23)
5	Kennedy	(4:21)
6	What Have I Said Now	(5:20)
7	Granadaland	(4:49)
8	Bewitched	(6:44)
9	Take Me!	(9:20)
10	Be Honest	(2:42)

2001 UK Remastered and Expanded

Brassneck [original version] – 4:52
Crushed – 2:32
No – 4:11
Thanks – 2:22
Kennedy – 4:20
What Have I Said Now? – 5:18
Granadaland – 4:50
Bewitched – 6:42
Take Me! – 9:15
Be Honest – 2:37
Unfaithful – 3:21
One Day All This Will Be Yours – 2:02
It's Not Unusual (Les Reed and Gordon Mills) – 2:09
Brassneck (Steve Albini version) – 4:22
Don't Talk Just Kiss – 3:20
Gone – 2:42
Box Elder (written by Stephen Malkmus of Pavement) – 2:14