90s Whatever… Space

 English rock band Space were one of the many Britpop bands to hit it big in the 90s.

Thirty years later, while everyone remembers Oasis and Blur (and Suede and Pulp), you may not think much of Space these days any more than you do of Gene, Supergrass, Ash, or Ocean Colour Scene.

Space's moment in the sun was better than some. They showed up in the Austin Powers end credits with "Female of the Species". "Species" is an instant classic, and the band put out two other songs that rival that - "Ballad of Tom Jones (with Cerys Matthews) and "Neighborhood". All three are just fantastic tunes.

Space had much the same touchpoints as everyone else, but had a bit of an electronic, hip hop/synthpop vibe which made them stand out. Clever lyrics put them on the map with their singles. That said, as one hit wonders tend to go, Space's album Spiders is a surprisingly good listen. Much more of an achievement than you will find from many of their rivals.

If you didn't know, Space's drummer (Andy Parle)died in 2009. They had put the band to bed by then, but a couple of years after Parle's used that as incentive to get the band back together.

They released a new album Attack of the 50 Ft Kebab in 2014, and have since released two more new albums, a "lost" album (which would have been their third album in the year 2000 when they worked with Edwyn Collins), and a box set 'best of' compilation. 

I don't think the new material captures that 'lightning in the bottle' but how could it?. Always a party band, they seem to be intent on playing up the ska edge of the band along with the usual pop and punk influences they already had, with a bit of garage rock, spy and surf thrown in (in the American sense of garage, not the British). Not a bad thing, it seems to capture a natural progression for the band. In that, the new albums actually remind me a bit of the US punk band the Dickies in the juvenile, playful aspect, and though hardly essential, is still a fun listen.