The Undertones: Positive Touch/The Sin of Pride – Forgotten gems and sublime voice of Feargal Sharkey

It had to happen: the straight-outta-Derry punk pop of Teenage Kicks, True Confessions, Here Comes the Summer, Jimmy Jimmy and My Perfect Cousin were gradually replaced by something more nuanced and layered, as you can discover on The Undertones’ third and fourth albums, which are being reissued on coloured vinyl (white and plum, respectively).

The contrasts between early and late Undertones are stark and thrilling. The songs on Positive Touch, from 1981, including Julie Ocean, Crisis of Mine, You’re Welcome, When Saturday Comes, Sigh and Explode, and It’s Going to Happen!, moved from The Ramones to Dexys Midnight Runners, Love and mid-1960s Rolling Stones, their lyrics sometimes subtly referencing Northern Ireland’s political conflicts.

The Sin of Pride, from 1983, influenced by a growing love of soul music and Tamla Motown, was the band’s swoonsome swansong, and while the tunes are up there with the best of them – check out underappreciated gems such as Valentine’s Treatment, The Love Parade, Untouchable, Save Me, Soul Seven and the title track – what still surprise are the often sublime vocal performances of Feargal Sharkey. A few months after The Sin of Pride was released, the band split up.

Thankfully, The Undertones still play regularly (with Paul McLoone effortlessly filling in as lead singer), so the songs you need to acquaint yourselves with aren’t going to disappear anytime soon.