Th' Faith Healers

Peel Sessions

[5/5] Th’ Faith Healers came up through the British underground of the early ’90s alongside acts like Stereolab, PJ Harvey and other folks assembled on the Too Pure label. They had a steady rhythm section, a wiseguy guitarist in Tom Cullinan and a confusing frontwoman in Roxanne Stephen, who could be cosmopolitan-sharp or a frumpy indie nerd, depending on what kind of riff Cullinan was plying at the time. Of course, anything this amazing is always met with dumb looks and indifference, and the band imploded after three great albums. Peel Sessions compiles the bulk of the Healers’ recordings for BBC Radio, offering backpack-and-barrettes sensibilities (“See Saw,” “Serge”), some ridiculous choices for covers (ABBA? Badfinger?) and blink-and-miss-’em rave-ups (“Bulkhead”). Remember: If you haven’t heard it, it’s new to you. (BA DA BING!) Jason Pettigrew