Nivens - From A Northumbrian Mining Village Comes The Sound
by Dixie Ernill
published: 18 / 5 / 2006

Label:
Select Label
Format: CD
intro
Fantastic compilation on Berlin's Firestation Records of long lost 80's indiepop group Nivens, which sounds like a cross between vintage Brilliant Corners and Postcard-era Orange Juice
Those workaholics at Berlin’s Firestation Records have come up trumps again in their mission to ensure that every English jingle-jangle pop band from the mid-80's enjoys a second spell in the limelight. This time it’s the North East’s Nivens that are given the opportunity to have their entire recorded output neatly packaged onto one handy CD and in the main they do it justice. Like a cross between the jangle of vintage Brilliant Corners and Postcard-era Orange Juice, but with a distinctive vocal that leaves the listener in no doubt as to the bands roots, Nivens (originally the Nivens) were typical of so many provincial bands formed in the 1980s. Of the 19 tracks included here, it’s the ones that were released at the time that stand out, but only because of the slightly better sound quality than the demos. 'Beautiful', the lead track on the 'Dialect Drug' EP, still sounds ace 17 years on and other gems, such as 'Let Loose Of My Knee' (their debut release), 'Yesterday' and 'Northumberland', have also aged rather well. Of the demos, 'Tidal Waves', 'San Francisco' and 'Judy Garland' are probably the pick and would all have been worthy of single release, which may have been a possibility if the legal threat from another, supposedly more high profile, the Nivens (from Norwich) had not brought a premature end to the band. There are rumours that Nivens will reform for a few ‘memory lane’ gigs. I for one will be keen to see them if it happens. They may not be a national treasure, but Nivens are like finding a fiver rather than a ball of fluff down the back of the sofa and that is a decent result.
Track Listing:-
1 Yesterday2 I Hope You'll Always Be My Friend
3 Tidal Waves
4 Tales From A Dufflebag
5 Christine Norden
6 It's True
7 Summertime
8 San Fransisco
9 Judy Garland
10 Let Loose Of My Knee
11 Sweet Adolescent
12 Room Without A View
13 Beautiful
14 The Necessity For Spastics In 20th Century Culture
15 Northumberland
16 I Love Me
17 Sweet Adolescent (Wah Wah Remix)
18 I Love Me (TV Mix)
19 It's True (Outro)
most viewed articles
current edition
Peter Doherty - Blackheath Halls, Blackheath and Palace Halls, Watford, 18/3/2025 and 21/3/2025Armory Show - Interview with Richard Jobson
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - Interview
Lauren Mayberry - Photoscapes
Max Bianco and the BlueHearts - Troubadour, London, 29/3/2025
Garfunkel and Garfunkel Jr. - Interview
Maarten Schiethart - Vinyl Stories
Clive Langer - Interview
Sukie Smith - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the JumboNigel Stonier - Wolf Notes
Wings - Venus and Mars
Kate Daisy Grant and Nick Pynn - Songs For The Trees
Only Child - Holy Ghosts
Neil Campbell - The Turnaround
Philip Jeays - Victoria
Darkness - Dreams On Toast
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
Charles Ellsworth - Cosmic Cannon Fodder
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart