The Vinyl Say 012: The Superimposers

In every collection there are records that get played all the time, many of them for years, decades even. Then there are those that, while no less treasured, somehow fall by the wayside to lie in wait, ripe for rediscovery. This occasional series chronicles some of those nuggets as they resurface from my own back pages. So, put the needle on the record, put the needle on the record, put the needle on the record and it sounds like this…

The Superimposers – The Love Came A’Tricklin’ Down / Christmas Again (Little League, 2004)

The Beach Boys play a country and western tinsel tune reimagined by Phil Spector and Charles Stepney, complete with plenty of yo-ho-ho, a smattering of sleigh bells, the omnipresent omnichord and festive tongues planted firmly in cheeks. It sounds wholesome enough to burst an elf, there’s even a kazoo solo f’Crissakes, which, of course, is exactly what the song is for.

On the flip side Christmas Again! channels the festive spirit of John Lennon in a charming yuletide ditty of warmth and good cheer invoking a land where nothing can go wrong ever again. It’s a beauty.

The songs reappeared in 2009 on the Wonderfulsound label with Shawn Lee adding some beef to the title track of the Christmas Again EP, which also included new song Xmas In Hawaii, Chasing Christmas and Would It Be Christmas, a seasonally-adjusted reworking of their gorgeous-core lo-fi anthem Would It Be Impossible played on a vintage toy glockenspiel. With its classy hand printed CD sleeve the EP came out again every year until 2013, but which time I think it’s fair to say The Superimposers had fizzled out.

Shame really, as the oozy woozy swinging clink of S’posers duo Dan Solo and Miles Copeland was spread generously across four albums and a clutch of beautifully presented 7s in the first decade of the 21st century. It was all laced with an innocent charm and enough nous to charm the likes of Ashley Beedle, Marco Nelson and the aforementioned Mr Lee, among others.

Cult status though, is assured.

• For information on The Superimposers’ back catalogue and to find out about a host of other very lovely, super groovy recording artistes take a look at the little cred roster at Wonderfulsound.

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