The Darling Buds – Crawdaddy (1990)

Though some of the Blondie-isms of Pop Said remain, the Darling Buds' sophomore record is a musical progression from the debut and just as strong as its predecessor. Andrea Lewis turns in some saucy lyrics and sultry vocals, and the band throws inflections of glam guitar ("It Makes No Difference"), and state-of-the-art dance pop which rivals the best of St. Etienne ("The End of the Beginning"). As with Pop Said, this is quality fare throughout. It never loses steam, crystallizing with "So Close," a prime lovelorn tune that seems to reference the Buzzcocks' "Why Can't I Touch It." Altogether, Crawdaddy smacks of a band who amount to more than just a good pop group.