Cable knit sweaters and sun kissed hair courtesy of Loreal always added a "but..." to any respect given to Haircut 100, and lead singer Nick Heyward was just too cute for words which only made it worse. After ditching his band he released "North Of A Miracle" which contained one of the prettiest examples of sophistipop, "Whistle Down The Wind", and then his career took the dive. His second album, "Postcards From Home" was left unread, and the next one, "I Love You Avenue", full of glossy and shockingly standard-issue late 80's pop was an unrequited dead end.
In 1993, "From Monday To Sunday" yielded a surprising US hit with the high flying "Kite" and many thought that Nick was finally going to be a star. The record company, however, wasn't so sure and failed to release the follow-up album, "Tangled", in the US even after it's lead off single "Rollerblade" became his first UK hit in twelve years.
"Tangled" toughened up Nick's sound for maximum brit-pop potential, roughing his edges and darkening his hue, but being Nick Heyward, even when standing in shadows, he couldn't hide the sun and one would have to be deaf not to hear the pet sounds of Brian Wilson's sandbox all over the album. It's most apparent in "Believe In Me" where his delivery of "I almost catch my breath" - and the drum fill that follows - are so Wilsonian that I always have to play it again to believe it.
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