Pale Fountains were one of a number of bands who emerged at round about this time who could reasonably be described as 'literate'. Prefab Sprout, The Go Betweens, Aztec Camera, R.E.M. Lloyd Cole & the Commotions,The Triffids and ultimately, and possibly most significantly The Smiths, were others of that number.
Pale Fountains were probably, along with The Go Betweens, the least commercially successful of this troop. They never had a proper hit single, although they put out several excellent and viable ones, culminating in 1984 with their best Unless.
But Thank You, was more than good enough, more Burt Bacharach than Love this time, their two primary influences. Wistful, winding, very skilful and really radio friendly. It didn't sell as well as it should have but you can say the same for all of Pale Fountain's records. Despite a fairly sustained media push by their record company Virgin. This is also true for Shack, the band Michael Head formed when Pale Fountains folded. Shack put out any number of great records, in the Nineties and thereafter. Head remains one of Britain's great, unheralded songwriting talents. But those who know him, appreciate his worth.
This isn't for everybody. There's a certain emotional vulnerability and romanticism with a lower or upper case 'R' that might be described as 'wetness' by the less tolerant. There was a lot of this around in the early Eighties. Orange Juice, Haircut 100, The Lotus Eaters, some Style Council. But with the tenderness comes an incredible ambition, drive and strangely a steeliness that's rather rare these days. It's all more than fine by me. In fact I rather miss it.
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