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Bizarro

by The Wedding Present

Released: October 23, 1989

Indie rock, post-punk, pop-punk, noise rock

musicOnOff editorial

Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Genre Shift.

The Album

"Bizarro" is the second studio album by the British rock band The Wedding Present. It was released in 1989, establishing their presence in the indie rock scene. While "George Best," their debut album, had noticeable charm, "Bizarro" saw the band taking a step forward, refining their sound to more powerful effects.

Inside the Recording

"Bizarro" was recorded in just over a week at Jacobs Studios in Farnham, a drastic departure from the band's previous album, which took more time to record.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The album features a mix of harsh indie…

The album features a mix of harsh indie rock and confessional lyrics, which became representative of the band's early style.

It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit…

It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit singles "Kennedy" and "Brassneck", both of which reached the UK Top 40, further cementing their reputation in the music scene.

This was the last album to feature original…

This was the last album to feature original drummer Shaun Charman.

The music press compared its style to the…

The music press compared its style to the works of The Fall and The Smiths.

Since its release, "Bizarro" has been cited as…

Since its release, "Bizarro" has been cited as a classic within the indie rock genre, and The Wedding Present has continued to influence many bands.

Start listening here

Essential Tracks

Brassneck

It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit singles "Kennedy" and "Brassneck", both of which reached the UK Top 40, further cementing their reputation in the music scene.

No

While "George Best," their debut album, had noticeable charm, "Bizarro" saw the band taking a step forward, refining their sound to more powerful effects.

Kennedy

It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit singles "Kennedy" and "Brassneck", both of which reached the UK Top 40, further cementing their reputation in the music scene.

Brassneck

It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit singles "Kennedy" and "Brassneck", both of which reached the UK Top 40, further cementing their reputation in the music scene.

Watch and listen

Explore the Album

The Wedding Present - Bizarro

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Then

Reception

It made number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, marking it as one of the most successful albums by The Wedding Present. It was released by their record label, RCA, and was critically well received.

Now

Legacy

The band's popularity from the album was followed by a series of successful albums and a dedicated cult following.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

The album features a mix of harsh indie rock and confessional lyrics, which became representative of the band's early style. It contains 12 tracks including the band’s hit singles "Kennedy" and "Brassneck", both of which reached the UK Top 40, further cementing their reputation in the music scene. This was the last album to feature original drummer Shaun Charman.

"Bizarro" was recorded in just over a week at Jacobs Studios in Farnham, a drastic departure from the band's previous album, which took more time to record. It was released by their record label, RCA, and was critically well received. The music press compared its style to the works of The Fall and The Smiths. It made number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, marking it as one of the most successful albums by The Wedding Present.

Since its release, "Bizarro" has been cited as a classic within the indie rock genre, and The Wedding Present has continued to influence many bands. The band's popularity from the album was followed by a series of successful albums and a dedicated cult following.