Live Vault: The Wannadies at Popstadt 2002

Northern Sweden's The Wannadies come from what I call the 'Boo Radleys School of Indie Bands'. What does that mean? They could write amazing songs for the next hundred years, and the public would always remember them just for one insanely catchy, poppy single from years and years ago. Altogether now: "Yoooooou!!! And meeee!!! Al-waaaaayyys!! AND FOREVER!" etc.

Ahem.

Like the Boos, though, the Wannadies have loads of much better songs than the 'You and Me Song', many of which are captured here. The set features songs from their great album 'Yeah!', a few older ones, plus a couple from their not-very-good 2002 record 'Before and After'. I saw the band at the LA2 in London sometime around the turn of the century, and they were dangerously fun and rocked the shit out of that now-renamed venue. Check out how beefy songs like 'I Love Myself' and 'Hit' and 'Shorty' are. It takes three listens before you sing along about motorbikes on 'Friends'. 'You and Me Song' remains irresistible and album track 'String Song' is their finest moment, as Par wails "What have you done?" over and over again.

[01 I Love Myself]
[02 Friends]
[03 No Holiday]
[04 Piss On You]
[05 What You Want]
[06 String Song]
[07 Big Fan]
[08 Little by Little]
[09 You and Me Song]
[10 Shorty]
[11 Hit]


[buy their records, you jerks]