EMF – Schubert Dip

'Believe' it or not but EMF weren't "Blink 182" of their time... In fact, they were suitably deranged a pop group misleading the teenagers of the year 1991. Appearing as everyone's darling boy-band, all hell broke lose when it was rumoured EMF meant 'Ecstasy Mother Fuckers' (or "Epson Mad Funkers" for censorship-lovers)...

"Unbelievable" - which turned them into (unbearable) one-hit wonders, continues to haunt EMF to the present day when in fact 'Schubert Dip' offers more than a collection of fillers surrounding that one trick pony hit of a song. Accused by many as a B.A.D. / Jesus Jones rip-off jumping on a Madchester (groovy) train, EMF still showed a daring side, especially running riot in a live context (the album's amazing hidden closer, "EMF"). While on the sample front mostly cartoonish (a character from "Sesame Street" opening an otherwise good "Girl Of An Age"), there is an air of subversiveness that surrounds the group's musical creation. The song 'Lies', especially - originally opening with a tape intro documenting John Lennon's killer reciting a poem. Yoko Ono, of course, complained at some point, forcing this sample out of all future editions of "Schubert Dip".

Of the album's two principal hits, "I Believe" is a bigger personal favourite, plus the three energetic tracks blending one into another, demonstrating the group's musical skills; the brutal "Children" (with Claudia Fontaine opening the song respectively) and "Long Summer Days" with the album's most typical Madchester leaner "When You're Mine". The remaining segment is a pleasant list of hit contenders. Sadly, EMF sank after this album, but not because the music on the follower "Stigma" was by any means bad - the group fell victim to the hype, when under the surface they were a rock solid alternative pop group.

Revisiting it back in the year 2019, "Schubert Dip" remains a pleasant reminder of youth that tended to be bigger than life and if nothing, used the best possible moment making their own part of 90s pop history.