Top 40 '90s albums, #38: Heavenly — Le Jardin de Heavenly (1992)

There came a point in high school when one of my friends and I obsessed over twee pop. The straightforward sound, the jangly guitars, the bright, cheerful vocals — it was all part of the

Honestly, sometimes I think Le Jardin de Heavenly sounds like a shoegaze album with significantly less distortion and brighter vocal melodies. There’s the signature twinkling guitar, and that would fit right in, wouldn’t it? The album’s opener, “Starshy,” is the perfect example. I love Heavenly as-is, but just imagine. I’m a little surprised (read: not surprised at all) that more bands aren’t out there covering Heavenly in a shoegaze style, though. Hmm.

I’ve listened to their most recent album, and I don’t know — there’s something a little unnerving about a band returning after 30 years. Members of the band have performed as Tender Trap and Marine Research, and Heavenly was a follow-up from another great twee band, Talulah Gosh. If you’re ever bored, dive down a Wikipedia rabbit hole and read about the bands’ members. They’re all fascinating.

I don’t know why exactly this album holds up for me. It’s very much a sequel to the C86 sound. I don’t even know if the hits on this one are as good as on Heavenly vs. Satan, which came out a year earlier. “Cool Guitar Boy” and “Shallow” still pop into my head at unexpected moments. (Music’s funny, isn’t it?) But there’s a cohesion about this one, and as far as albums go, it’s just, I think, a slightly better one. Not massively. I think their debut probably ranks in my top 50, though.

More than anything, though, Le Jardin de Heavenly tells the story of indie pop at the time. Heavenly is comprised of foundational indie pop folks, and their impact extended beyond the four albums they released before their tenure came to a close.

https://embed.music.apple.com/us/album/le-jardin-de-heavenly/202528334

Next in the rotation: Indie rock meets jazz

Last time: #39: Mogwai — Come On Die Young, #40: Silver Jews — American Water