Wedding Present - Going, Going...
by Dixie Ernill
published: 17 / 10 / 2016

Label:
Scopitones
Format: CD Box
intro
Brilliant return-to-form on ninth album from enduring indie stalwarts, the Wedding Present
There are certain ingredients that make a good Wedding Present album and ‘Going, Going…’ certainly seems to tick the right boxes Firstly there’s David Gedge’s wonderful vignettes of life’s make ups and more importantly break ups. Second a soundscape of crunching guitars, fast melodies and hummable tunes and third a ready wit in both lyric and, in the case of 'Fordland', song title – surely cheeky nod to 'Granadaland' from ‘1989’s ‘Bizarro’ album. Not content, however, with collecting some fine songs together that fit the above blueprint, Gedge and his musical cohorts have also branched out into the cinematic instrumental arena with no fewer than five of these tracks (notably the opening four) included on the album. Whilst this is a departure and may test the patience of some fans, there are still another fifteen tracks that mean the listener gets real value for money. There is also a DVD of short films to accompany each track and thus make this album stand apart from previous ones, although in truth they don’t really bring a huge amount to the party, being somewhat uneventful in their content. In respect of the songs there’s a real mixed bag with the like of 'Two Bridges', 'Birdsnest' and 'Broken Bow' (including the album’s standout lyric – "The pain of failure is so much greater than the pleasure of success" – true words indeed Mr Gedge) being catchy Wedding Present standards, while 'Emporia' is a softer keyboard driven number and 'Bear' embraces a fine three way harmony. Elsewhere, 'Secretary' is reminiscent of the break-neck thrash of 'Felicity' from thirty years ago and 'Rachel' is a near perfect pop song about yet another girl that has entered Gedge’s world. It almost seems like he’s had more hook-ups than Charlie Sheen’s character in 'Two and a Half Men', but if it fuels songs this good who cares? At twenty tracks, ‘Going, Going…’ is probably slightly ambitious, but with a little editing it could be the Wedding Present’s best album since ‘George Best’ and certainly a step up from 2012’s 'Valentina'. The wedding season might be drawing to a close, but The Wedding Present are as vital as ever.
Track Listing:-
Band Links:-
https://scopitones.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingPresentOfficial
https://twitter.com/weddingpresen
Label Links:-
http://www.scopitones.co.uk/https://www.facebook.com/TheWeddingPresentOfficial
https://twitter.com/weddingpresent
Have a Listen:-
interviews |
Interview (2021) |
![]() |
Wedding Present frontman David Gedge speaks to Andrew Twambley about ‘Locked Down and Stripped Back’, his band’s new album of home recordings and reworked material from its back catalogue. |
Interview with David Gedge (2012) |
Interview (2008) |
profiles |
Profile (2014) |
![]() |
Mark Rowland reflects on the first decade of the Wedding Present's career, who are about to have their first six albums, from 1987's 'George Best' to 1996's 'Saturnalia', reissued in deluxe three CD and DVD boxsets |
live reviews |
Lowry, Salford, 11//9/2016 |
![]() |
Dixie Ernill watches the Wedding Present play a rare all-seater gig at the Lowry Theatre in Salford in which they performed all of their new album 'Going, Going...' in its entirety accompanied by a backdrop of specially made films |
King George's Hall, Blackburn, 8/11/2014 |
O2 Academy, Leicester, 30/10/2013 |
Picturehouse, Holmfirth, 26/8/2012 |
Picturehouse, Holmfirth, 29/8/2011 |
Picture Dome, Holmfirth, 26/8/2010 |
Double Door, Chicago, 16/4/2010 |
Tower Lounge,Blackpool, 27/7/2008 |
Picturedrome, Holmfirth, 31/3/2007 |
Fibbers, York, 9/7/2006 |
Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 25/3/2005 |
Manchester Academy 3, Manchester, 21/2/2005 |
digital downloads
reviews |
Interstate 5 (2004) |
![]() |
Excellent first single in seven years for the much acclaimed the Wedding Present |
most viewed articles
current edition
Simon Love - InterviewRoy Moller - Interview
Stranglers - Rock City, Nottingham, 23/3/2022
Rob Pursey - Interview
Heist/Idiot Son - (With The Volunteered and Simon Bromide), The Water Rats, London, 10/9/2022
Miles Kane - Roadmender, Northampton, 16/5/2022
Rupert Wates - Interview
John van der Kiste - 1970: A Year In Rock. The Year Rock Became Mainstream
Freya Beer - Interview
Beth Arzy - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Gabi Garbutt and the Illuminations - CockerelDave Stewart - Ebony McQueen
John Mayall - The Sun is Shining Down
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Changeup
Father John Misty - Chloe And The Next 20th Century
Simon Love - Love, Sex and Death Etc
Paul Iwan - Present
Sam Brace - Fever and Bones
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me: 20th Anniversary Edition
Various - Un-Scene! Post-Punk Birmingham 1978-1982
related articles |
Cinerama/Wedding Present: Interview (2002 |
![]() |
Cinerama are back with a new album 'Torino'. In an extensive interview Tommy Gunnarsson takes the opportunity to catch up with frontman David Gedge to talk about it, Ukranian folk music, and his years with the legendary the Wedding Present |
Cinerama: Interview (2002) |
Cinerama: Live Review (2002) |
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Adrian P
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Carl Bookstein
Chris O'Toole
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dixie Ernill
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank