ALBUMS: Feargall Sharkey(1985); Wish (1988)
MVC Ratings: Feargall 4.0/$$$$; Wish 3.0/$$$
Feargall Sharkey in the 1970s was lead singer of the northern Irish punk band The Undertones. I believe I still have my CD anthology of this influential group best known for its song ‘Teenage Kicks.’
The band eventually split over differences in musical direction, according to Wikipedia’s bio. It’s easy to figure out the differences upon listening to Sharkey’s solo albums. His music was glossy and very poppy. Feargall was going for the big commercial score.
His bandmates updated their punk-pop sound of the Undertones by launching the hard-edged band That Petrol Emotion. I will review that album later (if I can find it.)
Sharkey’s albums are overproduced and inoffensive shmears of big band, balladeer and dance. I know what your thinking. If they are bad, why do you have two. OK, the first album got me with its two inexplicably catchy singles: ‘A Good Heart,’ and ‘You Little Thief,’ songs that had a little oomph to them. So, I bought the second album on the basis of those two songs on the first album. (Maybe there would be four or five good songs this time? But, eh, no.)
‘You Little Thief’ does have a great line in a break-up song: ‘There’s no hard feelings, there’s no feelings at all.’
‘A Good Heart’ was written by Lone Justice singer Maria McKee.