Ned's Atomic Dustbin

Call them the Happy Tuesdays. Ned's Atomic Dustbin was one of those quirky, silly-named bands to arrive post-Madchester on the British pop scene. Their 1991 debut was a surprise success, featuring a pair of hit singles ("Kill Your Television" and "Happy") that adroitly balanced groove and grind. That unusual tension you hear is Ned's dual bassists, one working with the drummer on low-end rhythms, the other playing melody in the upper register -- weird and counterintuitive, but it works. More than most music of that halcyon era, God Fodder still sounds exciting and fresh today.