Chrysanthemums

The very definition of "cult favorites," the Chrysanthemums (known since the mid-'90s as Chrys&themums) are the sort of group who inspire loyalty among a small band of admirers while remaining entirely below the radar of the public at large. Their music, a mixture of British Invasion-inspired pop, experimental eccentricity, and psychedelic flourishes, is just slightly too odd for wide mainstream acceptance, but few bands walk the knife's edge between accessibility and impenetrability so well. The Chrysanthemums started in 1986, when the British fanzine Outlet printed articles on guitarist/songwriter Alan Jenkins' lo-fi psychedelic pop band the Deep Freeze Mice and classically-trained keyboardist/indie label owner Terry Burrows in the same issue. Jenkins and Burrows swapped records and quickly found themselves in the studio together. Over two weekends, the duo recorded enough material for a single, "Another Sacred Day," and a debut album, Is That a Fish on Your Shoulder or Are You Just Happy to See Me? Although Jenkins and Burrows recorded all the instruments themselves, the pair made up three other members for the credits. (Burrows also adopted the name Yukio Yung around this time; like the band name, the pseudonym came from Burrows' fondness for Japanese culture.) Released on their own Eggplant label, both the single and the album did well enough for the Chrysanthemums to become a full-time venture. Adding Burrows' friend Martin Howells (who adopted the identity of one of the first album's imaginary musicians, Vladimir Zajkowiecz) on bass, the Chrysanthemums quickly recorded an EP, 1988's The **** Sessions, which was housed in a sleeve parodying the never-ending series of BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel's live sessions. Following this, the trio recorded 1988's Little...