Whimsical Sundays

Alright, as you may have guessed, I am a big fan of '90s alternative music. It's kind of out of favor now, but it's the music I had my formative years with. It's my "things were better back then" back then times.

One of the most underrated bands of the '90s was The Sundays. They were kind of like The Cranberries or the 10,000 Maniacs, but more reclusive and less interested in fame. They put out three albums (of which I own two) over a period of about 8 or 9 years, so they weren't particularly productive. They did not do a lot of press and never really promoted their music publicly. Now that their time has passed, the oft-imitated lead singer and the main songwriter have shunned the limelight, leaving fans wanting more, which as they say is what showbiz wants to do.

Though they were indie-rock darlings, their music is really accessible. A lot of their songs sounds like something that might be played on Sesame Street. One apt description I read by a random commenter on a YouTube video sums it up nicely. "The SUNDAYS' music had many moments that were literally achingly beautiful and mesmerizing - moments when you caught yourself not breathing. Harriet's voice haunts the soul." I guess they just didn't kiss the right butt to get more radio play.

Here's their cover of the Rolling Stones "Wild Horses", which they definitely make their own:



See if you can think of other singers who've tried to sound like Harriet Wheeler. She has a stunning voice that stays with you. What's more, though she is capable to belting a song, she knows when it's best to sing it quietly, and that's when she's most effective.

The song itself has been used in many television shows and movies, most famously in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was not a fan of Buffy, but I understand that fans of the show consider the use of this song during a love scene to be one of the most pivotal and memorable moments of the series and still react emotionally when hearing the song because of it.

Anyway, here's another Sundays song, "Summertime":



It was a minor hit back in the day and gives a different aspect of their sound.