I remember the Close Lobsters, they appeared on the now legendary C86 album and became associated with that scene, although along with the likes of the Wedding Present, Mighty Lemon Drops and A Witness probably represented the natural link between the end of post-punk and the start of indie music. A few years earlier and I’ve no doubt that they’d have been on Postcard Records, their jangling guitars seemed to owe a certain debt to Orange Juice and Josef K, but then they were from Glasgow! They soon signed to Fire Records achieving critical acclaim but limited commercial success.
After petering out in the 90s, two years ago the original line-up decided to reform playing selected shows in Europe and now we have a new 7” released on heavy-weight oxblood vinyl by Shelflife Records in Portland, Oregon. On the lead track ‘Now Time’ the guitars aren’t nearly as jangly as on the 80s recordings and the DIY production has been replaced by something more professional, but it’s a cracking indie pop song that will please the original fans. The B-side ‘New York City In Space’ sounds more retro and could easily have been recorded prior to their split.
A fine record and a worthy addition to their legacy. 8.5/10
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