Product Description

History has shown that there will always be a market for McCartneyesque popsters, such as Squeeze and Crowded House. However, it has also shown that said market does not chartbusters make. And so it went, when San Francisco's Jellyfish landed on the beach in 1990 with BELLYBUTTON, eliciting raves from pop-starved critics and enjoying an MTV hit with "The King Is Half-Undressed", but failing to reach the grunge-cakedupper reaches of the US charts. Although writers compared them with 60s artists such as the Beatles and the Beach Boys,their hearts were in the 70s, as evidenced by their overt Queen references and their choice of Albhy Galuten, who had worked with the disco-era Bee Gees, as their producer.

Track Listing

1. Man I Used To Be
2. That Is Why
3. King Is Half Undressed
4. I Wanna Stay Home
5. She Still Loves Him
6. All I Want Is Everything
7. Now She Knows She's Wrong
8. Bed Spring Kiss
9. Baby's Coming Back
10. Calling Sarah

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57272 in Music
• Released on: 1992-02-03
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

JELLYFISH - PRISTINE POWERPOP FROM THE U S OF A
Songwriters Roger Manning Jr and Jason Falkner formed Jellyfish in the late 80's and, after just 2 critically lauded albums, split the American band and dissapeared. Whilst both still continue to record and release solo albums it's Bellybutton, and it's follow up Spilt Milk, with which the two built their reputation as cult powerpop gods.
Bellybutton is the sound of Wings, Beatles, Queen, Squeeze and Badfinger reworked and revamped for the early 90's. The influence of these bands runs through every track on the record and, propelled along by lashings of vocal harmonies, smart lyrics and gorgeous melodies, there really isn't a bad song on it.
'The King Is Half Undressed' and the bouncy 'Baby's Coming Back' were both minor UK hits but deserved much better,'Bedspring Kiss' is the kind of beautifully constructed ballad that Macca would kill for and 'Now She Knows She's Wrong' is a great uptempo rocker. The real pleasure is in the detail - the Penny Lane references on 'I Wanna Stay Home' and the lyrics - 'She dots her i's with a smiley face/a work of art/in all but taste' - Chris Difford would approve.
Bellybutton received the kind of rave reviews from the music press that should have ensured massive sales and sent their collective star into orbit. However it would take another 3 years before Britpop would kick in and Jellyfish's Beatley retro sound would become fashionable once more. By that time of course the band were gone.
Bellybutton is corker of a record and if you like Crowded House, The Feeling and the aforementioned Fabs then this will be the best investment you'll make all year. Classic stuff.

The album by which all powerpop bands are measured
Just stunning. This album is a masterpiece. Witty lyrics, fantastic songs, beautiful melodies & harmonies, great instrumentation & arranging, superb playing and an overall amazing production. Its like the best bits of the beatles, queen, elo, the beach boys and supertramp all rolled into one. Whilst Noel Gallagher was trying to be a beatle, he'd have killed for songs this good. It is the album by which all other powerpop bands should be measured by and one of the most criminally overlooked albums ever. No duds, no duffers, just 45 minutes or so of pure genius. It will make you feel good about life, and to be frank, if you dont own this album then I honestly feel sorry for you. Buy it now.....and you want stop talking about it........

Criminally overlooked
First noticed this band playing the king is half undressed on the 'word' They were a breath of fresh air from the usual rubbish on there.
The album is a gem, and should be up there with Nevermind as one of the 90's great albums.