Aussie Nic Dalton was famously one of Evan Dando’s Lemonheads, but back in the late 80s he was evidently very busy meticulously writing and recording an enormous body of work, much of it at home on a Tascam four-track. ‘Last Seen Near Trafalgar 87-89’ is a recently-released collection of this work, and follows on from ‘Romelo 86-88’.
Perhaps the most startling thing about this record is that it sounds so fresh. I still find it hard to believe it’s 20 years old. The second most startling thing about it is that it was recorded at Nic’s home in Sydney on basic equipment; it’s a full-sounding album which could have been made in any studio. The third most startling thing is that it sounds like a full band playing, not a solo record. The fourth most startling thing is that it plays coherently like an album, not like just a collection of old songs.
With a voice like a sweeter-sounding Joey Ramone, Nic didn’t treat the songs as merely demos and went to the effort of laying down proper drum tracks (which he plays).
Stand-out tracks include the Ramones-esque ‘See I See You As Mine’, the Byrd’s-like twang of ‘Numbered Days’ and the irresistible ‘Yo Yo Time Again’ – which closes with a yo-yo mimicking bass slide.
Clearly, Nic’s back-catalogue deserves to explored and appreciated long after it was recorded. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and a hugely talented and prolific songwriter. This album is an absolute must for fans of Nic’s work in the Lemonheads, Godstar and The Plunderers. But then it’s a must even if you’re unfamiliar with all that.