Heavenly | |
|---|---|
 Heavenly performing at the Emerald Centre | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | England |
| Genres | Twee pop,indie pop,indie rock |
| Years active | 1989–1996, 2023–present |
| Labels | Sarah Records,K Records,Wiiija, Skep Wax Records |
| Spinoffs | |
| Spinoff of | Talulah Gosh |
| Members | Amelia Fletcher Ian Button Peter Momtchiloff Robert Pursey Cathy Rogers |
| Past members | Mathew Fletcher |
Heavenly are atwee pop band, originally forming inOxford, England in 1989.Amelia Fletcher (vocals/guitar), Mathew Fletcher (drums; Amelia's brother),Peter Momtchiloff (guitar) and Robert Pursey (bass) were all previously members ofTalulah Gosh,[1] a key member of theC86 scene.
Heavenly debuted with the 7" single "I Fell in Love Last Night", followed by another 7", "Our Love Is Heavenly", both released in 1990 onSarah Records.[1]Heavenly vs. Satan, the group's debut album, came out in 1991.[1] At this stage in their career, the instrumentation remained very much the same jangly guitar style used by Talulah Gosh.[2]
Before releasing the critically acclaimedLe Jardin de Heavenly,Cathy Rogers (keyboard, back-up vocals) joined the band.[1] Her harmony vocals and keyboards became an integral part of the group's sound. The group's second album also features the track "C is the Heavenly Option," featuring the guest vocals ofK Records founderCalvin Johnson, who released Heavenly's records in the US.[3][4]
Before their next long-player, Heavenly released two non-album 7" singles, "P.U.N.K. Girl" and "Atta Girl." These signalled a growing complexity in Fletcher's songwriting, particularly "Atta Girl," in which Fletcher and Rogers sung in rapid-fire trade-off vocals. A broadening (and darkening) of lyrical subject matter was shown in theB-side, "Hearts and Crosses," which told the story of adate rape, with an upbeatkeyboard riff providing an ironic counterpoint.[5][6]
The band's third LP wasThe Decline and Fall of Heavenly (1994).[7] In 1995, the band contributed the song "Snail Trail" to the AIDS benefit albumRed Hot + Bothered produced by theRed Hot Organization.[8]
The group's last album wasOperation Heavenly (1996). Arriving in the middle of theBritpop boom, the album contained a cover of theSerge Gainsbourg-penned andFrance Gall-performed "Nous ne sommes pas des anges," sung entirely in French by Fletcher.[9] Due to the closing of Sarah Records it was released onWiiija.[10] It included a secondCalvin Johnson guest spot on the track "Pet Monkey."[9]
However, shortly before the release ofOperation Heavenly, Mathew Fletcher took his own life.[6] The remaining members announced that the band name Heavenly was to be retired, but that they would continue, using the nameMarine Research, a moniker under which they released a single album, 1999'sSounds from the Gulf Stream, on K Records (it was not released separately in Britain). Afterwards, Marine Research dissolved.[11]
The band's core members reformed in 2002 asTender Trap, releasing four albums before going on indefinite hiatus in 2014. As of 2024, Fletcher and Pursey are both in The Catenary Wires andSwansea Sound, while Momtchiloff plays inWould-be-goods and Tufthunter.
Heavenly reunited for a concert atBush Hall in London in May 2023, withIan Button replacing Mathew Fletcher on drums. In 2024, the band played further dates in Spain, France and the US.[12] The band premiered new songs while playing these reunion shows.
In 2025, Heavenly released a single "Portland Town" on Skep Wax Records, their first new release since 1996.[13]
In January 2026, Heavenly announced a new album,Highway to Heavenly, their first in 30 years, would be released on 27th February.[14]
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