Darling Buds of May

Though some of the Blondie-isms of Pop Said remain, the Darling Buds' sophomore record is a musical progression from the debut and just as strong as its predecessor. Andrea Lewis turns in some saucy lyrics and sultry vocals, and the band throws inflections of glam guitar ("It Makes No Difference"), and state-of-the-art dance pop which rivals the best of St. Etienne ("The End of the Beginning"). As with Pop Said, this is quality fare throughout. It never loses steam, crystallizing with "So Close," a prime lovelorn tune that seems to reference the Buzzcocks' "Why Can't I Touch It." Altogether, Crawdaddy smacks of a band who amount to more than just a good pop group.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of C86, we’re now proud to announce a sequel, in the shape of C87! Imagine if the NME had reconvened a year on from their original compilation? Well, that’s the inspiration for another 70+ tracks, ranging from well-known Indie names to obscurities making their debut on CD.