Customer Reviews

What Goes on

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Call me crazy, but this is actually one of my favorite albums ever! Not to bore you with my life history, but around 90 or 91 I was music director at a top 40 station in Oklahoma. A record company (can't remember which one) sent a few copies of the Sighs "What Goes On." I loved it from the moment I heard it! The company was pushing "Think About Soul" as the lead-off single. But I loved the second track "Make You Cry" and in fact started playing it on the air. Apparently I was the only person in the country playing it as the album was a colossal stiff! But It is awesome! Have you ever played a CD where every single cut sounds like a hit? This is one of those. I have never seen or heard anything from this band again but if you ever see it in the cut out bin or on Amazon for a few bucks, buy it. If you like hooky melodic rock, you will not be disappointed. Honestly, to this day, it is still one of my favs. My wife really likes it too! My best guess as to why this was such a flop would be that it came out right as the grunge scene was beginning to fester. No one was interested in jangly guitars and catchy vocal harmonies apparently. If you like great upbeat powerpop (think of The Gin Blossoms, Better Than Ezra, Del Amitri and maybe a touch of Cheap Trick)you'll enjoy "What Goes On."

I discovered this album in the 90s, and wondered why the group never went on to greater things. There are some great catchy rockers, and even the slower songs are fun to listen to. It's an album I can listen to from beginning to end.

It was the summer of 1992, prior to satellite radio (where you can hear great rock music and awesome new stuff!), once in a while the classic and rock stations would play some new stuff. I heard a song back then with a great "hook", melody laden, and filled with jangly guitars...I loved it on first listen! It was "Make You Cry" by The Sighs. I ran out immediately and bought the CD without hearing another note! I was NOT disappointed...I have been in love with this recording since day 1 and consider it to be one of the greatest power-pop recordings of all time!!! I'm serious...like a previous reviewer said...every song could be and should've been a top forty smash hit! It's that good. I like some grunge stuff...some Nirvana, some Pearl Jam etc. etc...but let's face it...this album is 10 times better than anything the grunge era produced...and it was unfortunate that the Sighs were buried by the grunge movement in the early 90's. Timing is everything...and in the proper era "The Sighs" would've been HUGE! World famous artists....they deserved it bigtime...if you happen to read my little review here...do yourself a favor...purchase this CD. All my best to the members of The Sighs..wherever you are, thank you and God speed.....Dave in Mass.

I saw these guys in a Portland, Me. pub (3$ Dewey's?) in the late 80's. Thought they were just incredible so went up and asked the lead guitar if they had any recordings for sale. He said no but would mail me one. A few weeks later I get a homemade cassette tape with four songs on it from Tommy Pluta. They should've been huge.

I heard "Think About Soul" on Live 105 in San Francisco back in the pre-Nevermind 90s and knew I had to have this record. It got buried by a thousand flannel shirts, and it took me years to find it. When I did, I raved about it to everyone I know.

In a perfect world, the Sighs would be millionaires and Nirvana would still be pulling their Big Black tribute band act in Seattle-area dives.

This is one of those albums that should have gotten more airplay and achieved some sort of lasting popularity. Nearly every song here is worthy. Some of my favorites are Diamonds in Blue, Can't Refuse Your Love, Can't Reach You and No Caroline. The album flows effortlessly, too. As others have said, the style is reminiscent of The Smithereens, Gin Blossoms, Better Than Ezra and others. I suspect timing was everything with this record. Released in 1991, it was simply washed away by the wave of alternative/grunge that came to dominate the early 1990s. The Sighs weren't nearly as edgy as Nirvana or Pearl Jam. That's what sealed the fate of his album, unfortunately.

A sadly overlooked Power Pop gem. It's a shame that Charisma/Virgin never gave the Sighs the huge push they really deserved.

The Sighs recorded some super-catchy songs in 1990 that sound a lot like the Gin Blossoms meeting the revved up guitar power of the Smithereens but with outstanding 3-part vocal harmonies. Ed Stasium, who produced "Smithereens 11" and "Blow Up" produced "What Goes On" and the production is very similar to those albums.

So if you loved those bands and straight-forward Power Pop check this CD out, you cant beat the price..