FANTASTIC 140 GRAM CLEAR VINYL

This superb live broadcast, transmitted from ‘Petrillo Music Shell’ – the famous amphitheatre in Chicago’s Grant Park – catches The Lemonheads as they appeared at 1994’s ‘Taste of Chicago’ festival, an annual event sponsored by local radio station, WXRT. Sharing the bill with New England’s finest that year were a cross-section of rock luminaries including Carlos Santana, Squeeze, The Band and ex-Byrd Roger McGuinn.

Originally formed in 1986 in Boston by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz, the Lemonheads line-up was an ever-evolving mutation as a parade of musicians passed through the ranks during their heyday, with Dando remaining the only constant. The band signed to local independent label Taang! in 1986 and soon established themselves as favourites on the ‘College rock’ circuit.

In 1989, on the back of the early grunge wave, then making headway in the US, they were snapped up by Atlantic Records and, with the help of increased exposure, started to move into the mainstream. ‘Lovey’ was the first album for the new label, but it was 1992’s ‘It’s A Shame About Ray’ that gave them their real breakthrough. Featuring catchy hook-laden songs like the title track, Confetti and Rockin’ Stroll alongside bittersweet ballads like Hannah and Gabi and My Drug Buddy, the songs were tight and poppy and rarely stretched beyond the three-minute mark, but had little in common with the likes of Nirvana and Mudhoney, acts with whom they’d originally been compared.

The band’s outstanding 1993 album, ‘Come on Feel the Lemonheads’ is heavily represented in this set. The excellent Into Your Arms reached number one on Billboard’s ‘Modern Rock Tracks’ chart in 1993, staying there for nine weeks. Other highlights include the powerful Great Big No and irresistibly upbeat Rest Assured.

The Lemonheads’ career may have been something of a roller-coaster ride – due in-part to the unstable line-ups and Evan Dando’s well-documented drug problems, but this live broadcast certainly sees them at one of their highest points and determines Dando as one of contemporary America’s finest songwriters.

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