Take a seat at the 'Captains Table'

Over the last few days, I have been listening to one of my favourite albums. An album that very few people have heard of.

'HMS Fable' was released in 1999 (the year before I was born) by Liverpool band Shack. The album was not exactly released in the best circumstances. Shacks previous album 'Waterpistol' had been delayed by 5 years after a fire in the studio had destroyed the master tapes. 'HMS Fable' therefore was released at a very weird time for music, the Britpop Bubble had well and truly burst and rock music especially had become to be dominated by bands from America.

Anyway, the first paragraph seems to talk about anything but the album! So lets right that wrong. Shack delivered a collection of 12 well crafted, melancholic, anthemic, beautiful stories on 'HMS Fable'. Written by two brothers, the two less famous brothers of the 90s, from Liverpool, Michael and John Head. The songwriting on this record rivals anything else released from the beautiful city of Liverpool.

The NME (New Musical Express) famously ran a cover story. With Michael Head on the cover, calling him 'Our Greatest Ever Song Writer.

 'Pull Together' has all the anthemic qualities we have come to expect from Britpop bands, such as 'Oasis' or 'Blur' its singalong chorus, is as good as anything those two bands did.' Streets of Kenny' is one of the most beautiful yet raw pieces of music. The song talks about heroin, for those who know anything about Michael Head you will know substance abuse, was prevalent. The drug use did not hinder the making of this album, but it also didn't cause the band to become extra creative in the way LSD helped bands like 'The Beatles' the drug use does help the songs though 'Streets of Kenny' and 'Lend Some Dough' are truthful documents about the trials and tribulations faced by members of the band, the listener believes what they are saying because a lot of it is true. It does not for one second romanticise drug use, it simply paints a picture of what its really like.

The songs on this album are special pieces of music, but it also isn't shy at nodding to other bands and the past. You can hear sea shanties 'Captains Table', The Beatles, of course you can hear The Beatles, 'Comedy' sounds like a long lost 'Simon & Garfunkel' effort, and of course 'Love' and 'Arthur Lee' especially in 'Daniella'. Its a brilliant nod to the bands heroes, and the songs stand up in their own right. I'm going to say it! 'HMS Fable' is a masterpiece'

Michael Head, John Head, Ian Templeton & Ren Parry, gave us a record, that not only was one of the best records of that year but also an album that has and will continue to stand the test of time.