For Fanatics Only
Life as a Television Personalities fan is not an easy one. You have to battle through with a line up that should come equipped with its own revolving doors, so frequent are the changes made and on top of this you have to unflinchingly stand by lead man Dan Treacy, a guy who jokingly laughs off jibes about him being the original Docherty but claiming he's more in line with football legend Tommy Docherty than Ms. Moss' on/off boyfriend. Treacy has had his problems ranging from heroin addiction to alcoholism to imprisonment and yet throughout thick and thin his fans still offer support. Indeed so strong is their love for this man that the tenth studio offering from Television Personalities was financed by a benefit gig held in New York following Treacy's 2005 release from prison. As such the £1000 backing for 'Are We Nearly There Yet?' may pale in significance compared to the wads of cash thrown at other bands but you can't help feel a sense of pride and achievement that true music fans are still so devoted. Sure, £1000 don't buy you much these days and 'Are We Nearly There Yet?' boasts a lo-fi vibe wrapped round scratchy back to basics sound but it's almost like a firm finger gesture to all the record companies that despite a band's problems, if they have the fans then quite simply they are unstoppable.
'Are We Nearly There Yet?' wastes no time in recapturing Treacy's satire and witty put downs as he adopts the role of the irritating child on a road trip, continually screeching about needing this and that and of course whining about how much further they have to travel with the album's title track. It may sound ridiculous but when adapted by Treacy this simplistic formula surprisingly works. Other highlights include covers of The Killers hit 'Mr. Brightside' laden with a wry sense of humour and a cover curtsey of The Boss. However, with the ups comes the downs and Are We Nearly There Yet? holds less of the old sparkle the band used to capture. The usual inclusion of a track harmlessly poking fun at an established artist sadly seems more of a plea for help this time round as Treacy turns the tables on Peter Gabriel in 'The Peter Gabriel Song' but instead it's as if he would actually welcome help from the former Genesis front man. Added to this is 'The Eminem Song', a track that should have you doubled in pain through laughter rather than cringing at the attempts at rapping.
The satire may still be there, the wit and fun may still be lurking beneath the surface but the shine has faded. For those fans who parted with their cash to fund this album there will be a sense of achievement, and rightly so, but for those who have merely dipped into the work of the Television Personalities over the years it's perhaps best to save this one for the completists and fanatics to cherish.