Biography

One of the early-'90s most promising groups, Ireland's Glee Club only ever made one full album, but that was enough to win it deserved attention. The band itself grew out of a three-piece outfit called the Swinging Swine, which toured its home country quite a bit, gaining a grassroots following as they went. Vocalist/lyricist Joanne Loughman and guitarist/violinist Hugh O'Carroll, however, found themselves constrained by the overt classic rock/folk fixation of the group's music, finding their own equally important loves of groups such as My Bloody Valentine and Cocteau Twins compromised. After the Swinging Swine split, the two began a musical partnership in earnest, occasionally helped by guitarist Kevin Boyle, who would later contribute in studio to other recordings. The highly regarded Irish label Setanta came across an early-Glee Club demo tape and offered them a deal, resulting in a self-titled EP surfacing in 1993. For live performances the two then added a fine rhythm section consisting of bassist Magnus Box and drummer Adrian Meehan. Loughman and O'Carroll then decided to re-record and expand on the original EP with this new lineup, resulting in its fantastic 1994 effort Mine, which gained further attention in America when it was licensed by the noted 4AD label. The mix of influences, from Irish folk to arty post-punk alternative and more, won the band considerable underground interest, which two North American tours helped to increase. Unfortunately the band split up shortly after the second tour, with O'Carroll settling in San Francisco while Loughman returned to Ireland. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi