Blameless

Formed in Sheffield, England, the indie band Blameless sidestep conventional reference points when discussing their sound. Rather than Pixies or the Velvet Underground, they name Hall And Oates and Don McLean as touchstones, insisting in one interview, “We haven’t got a chirpy cockney accent or bouncy numbers, we have good songs and genuine music.” The trio—Jared Daley on vocals, Jason on bass and Jon on drums—still projects an urgency that sets their recordings apart from those of heroes such as the Police. UK journalists first took notice when the band issued “Signs” through the Rough Trade Records singles club. China Records A&R executive Paul Weighell later recalled their opening night at the Falcon as feeling “like an A&R convention,” an impression created largely by the wide circulation of potent demo tapes. Blameless made their China debut with “Town Clowns,” followed in February 1995 by “Don’t Say You’re Sorry.” Both singles and the ensuing album were tracked in Boston under American producer Paul Q. Kolderie, whose résumé already included work with Dinosaur Jr., Hole and Radiohead. Daley later admitted, “When China said we were going to Boston, we thought they meant Boston, Lincolnshire.” Upon release the music drew comparisons ranging from Pearl Jam to the Wonder Stuff, traversing territory that stretched from brisk indie rock to slower, more introspective balladeering.