Choke (thing)

1990 sophomore effort from The Beautiful South. This is playtime for everybody's favorite northern scum, and runs the gamut from ska to lovestruck ballads to disconnected artsy meanderings. It is currently very difficult to get ahold of in the United States, despite its realtively good sales in the United Kingdom.

The cover depicts six skeletal statues against a stormy sky which, according to the band's website, seemed to mock the six chubby figures on stage.

Rating: 4 out of 5. This album's obscurity is undeserved, and is well worth the hunt in the Americas. This is The Beauties at their most playful, before the pop would go completely to their heads, before the tensions would drive singer Brianna Corrigan from the group, before they would descend into a permanent mid-life crisis.

track list:

1. Tonight I Fancy Myself
2. My Book
3. Let Love Speak Up Itself
4. Should've Kept My Eyes Shut
5. I've Come For My Award
6. Lips
7. I Think The Answer's Yes
8. A Little Time
9. Mother's Pride
10. I Hate You (But You're Interesting)
11. The Rising of Grafton Street

All songs written by Paul Heaton and David Rotheray

Highest UK chart position: 2