Singles Collection 1994 – 2004 (2006) – LITTLE LOST CLASSICS

If you cross the words Aberdeen and rock in an internet search engine, you will come across a Boston band called Aberdeen City, with another band – this one from Rio Grande do Sul – named Aberdeen or invariably end up in Kurt Cobain’s homeland. But if you go deep into that research, you’ll realize that none of that matters.

Because there was a Californian group that emerged in the 90s, the first to bear the same name as the city of Washington where the lead singer of Nirvana born, and if you listen to them all other search results will be summarily erased from your brain. Interest.

The then young couple Beth Arzy and John Girgus plus their friend Jenni Fields – and a drum machine – formed Aberdeen a little over 30 years ago, and even at the beginning of their short road they fell in the graces of the mythical Sarah Records, which in 1994 put in the world the band’s first single, “Byron”. Critics loved it, people loved it, there was a lot of love for the three tracks on the album, delicate twee pop as only hearts in love can conceive, but the following year after releasing another EP by that promising trio, Sarah broke. Beth and John split up. Love is over. It was the end of Aberdeen. Or not, as Caetano would say.

Because several years later, with so many other roads covered, the former couple-still-friends called David Newton (Might Lemon Drops) and thus was born, in 2002, the first and only full album by Aberdeen, Homesick and happy to be here. From there until 2005, they delivered three more singles, until (at least until now, you’ll know hahaha) they put an end to the band (not least because Arzy must have been a bit busy (en)singing in the sensational Jetstream Pony and Louxembourg Signal, which earlier or later run around here).

Anyway (I always close the texts with ‘finally’, you can see), all this tour was to say that in 2006 the seminal LTM Recordings – which already released tuxedomoon, 23 Skidoo, A Certain Ratioamong many others – presented us with the collection What Do I Wish For Now: Singles Collection 1994 – 2004, which, as the title explains, brings together everything Aberdeen did while they were active. And when listening to these 16 songs, don’t be surprised if everything around you loses its importance, let alone if you think something like ‘wow, that reminds me of Belle and Sebastian. Or The Beths (go to “Sink or float” and disagree. I doubt it!). Or Snail Mail. Or…’ (the list is long, believe me). With that said, press play and dive deep into Beth Arzy’s sweet voice. And John’s towards the end of the record, why not?

Too handsome! ❤