Experience has made that we distrust those artists who after a few years decide to come back to the record world. That is the case of those who got great success which is explained in a simple way, in most cases money causes a return that usually results to be a failure. In the case of those genius of Indie Pop, who in the 80’s or 90’s had their little quote of recognition thanks to a glimmer of youthful genius, It’s more difficult to explain this fact. The cause is not their dark purposes but the ridiculous tenderness, because there is not other cause which explains most returns, a return to a unrepeatable phase in their lives, but, don’t kid ourselves, fifteen years have past, and all of them and ourselves have changed, that’s why a large number of returns ends up being a failure.

We could think that The Hit Parade or Julian Henry are that kind of artists who see with anguish how youth moves away from them. And, I think that in this case, the “no” as response couldn’t be more convincing. Certainly, nearly eight years have past since their last Lp, however, the group has never really left, either because of their presence in this wonderful invent called Internet, or because there was never a real dissolution or formal pause which caused a point of inflection in their career. Contrary to this fact, despite the shortage of Lp’s which have been published little by little, some 7” make us cherish the best hopes for the future.

It’s not the moment to write about the impeccable career of our hero, Julian Henry, I’ll do it in the near future. But, It’s necessary to remind of a prolific past, with songs with great sentimental scope, without losing simplicity, instrumental architecture. Becouse, eighteen years have past since the publication of their brilliant first 7”, Forever, with their own label, Joshua Records (JSH). During the following years, they will repeat the formula in a large number of singles compiled in their Lp With Love From The Hit Parade, published at first in vinyl by JSH and later in Cd by Vinyl Japan, this label would be the new home of The Hit Parade, and they published More Pop Songs, other Cd with high level. Then, the group will work with the mythologized Sarah Records, where they published a pair of singles, In Gunnersbury Park, the first of them, represents the top moment in the career of the group, together with their fourth Lp The Sound of The Hit Parade. The group will grow a lot of fans in Japan, and this fact will make that they publish their third Lp in Polystar, Light Music, in 1995, then, with the disappearance of Sarah Records, It’s the moment for silent….

This year, after eight years waiting, we can buy The Return of The Hit Parade, the new album of the group. After listening the record, It seems that they have never left. It’s no worth making review or a comment about the stylistic novelties of The Hit Parade, the real virtue we can find in this work is that they have known how to unite the best of the classic sound of “London’s Nº 1 Pop Group” (It’s said in the web of the group). After several listening, I conclude that The Hit Parade have decided to move away from their last work, The Sound of The Hit Parade, a work which was characterized by taking loving care in the production, so they reached the most elegant compositions. In their new album, It seems that Julian Henry an the other members of the group have tried to capture the freshness and immediacy of their first albums, The Queen Of Mousehole or Sugar could be reminded as some of the best themes (The choirs in Sugar are memorable) of the first years of the group.

The most loud note in this new record of The Hit Parade is the freshness that most songs release together with the use of guitars Rikenbaker. At first, I didn’t hope to find three themes so vigorous as You are Bloody Rubbish (atypical title for this group), Ode To a Footballer’s Wife or My Stupid Band.

In the other songs we can find different things, the single Born in St. Ives, with sixties atmosphere, perhaps a favourite pieze, or typical themes which could fit in any of their last works, as The New Woman or Westbourne Terrace W2, and little surprises as the jazzy Lonely Girl or the absurd note in this record, the instrumental Intermission, without any value or sense.

To sum up, The Hit Parade have come back with a new record that reminds of the last ones but It’s not indebted to them. Julian Henry feels younger than eight years before ( according to what it’s said). With records like this, I hope that years continue passing, because I sincerely think that It’s one of the best work that we will be able to find this year.