So Feww - Spirits High/ Rainmaker and his Son

Self-released New Wave from the North West

Label: All For One

Year of Release: 1982

The oddly named So Feww - I'm sure there's a reason for the extra 'w' but it's not clear to me what it is - were clearly desperate for everyone's attention in the early eighties but have since evaporated from sight. While they threw a lot of their own personal money into putting out two vanity discs via the Oldham custom recording service Pennine Records in 1981 and 1982 it's bloody difficult to trace who was in the band and what became of them.

All that's left behind are these two cheeky, chirpy, jittery New Wave singles nodding and winking at us through our stereograms, this and the debut "I'm Not Automatic". Both are seemingly taking their cues from the likes of Squeeze and XTC, mixing accomplished pop melodies with edgier New Wave sounds.

On this 45, "Spirits High" takes the prize for its faintly moody jangle, the track seemingly willing itself and the listener out of their despondency. It's entirely in keeping with the North West indie doing the rounds at the time and wouldn't necessarily have been out of place on Zoo Records. If it's guilty of anything, it's probably ending too soon and without having completely tied up the melodic loose ends  - the song is crying out for a more dramatic finish than the sudden abrupt halt we're offered.

Nick Rome is named as the songwriter behind both their singles and it would be safe to assume he was a band member, but the identity of the rest is something of a mystery, and frankly it's not possible to find out what became of him either.

If anyone knows more, please do leave us some information!

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