6. The Good Will Out - Embrace 1998
Often cited as a "poor man's Oasis", Embrace were also led by a pair of brothers, one playing guitar and the other, a singer. Like the Gallagher brothers, Danny and Richard McNamara, were northern lads, but from across the Pennines, in West Yorkshire. In stark contrast to Liam and Noel, these brothers seemed to work together well, never trying to out do each other, never throwing tantrums and preferring to let the music do the talking. For that reason, Embrace never had the larger than life persona, that the Oasis boys managed to construct. No mid-tour walk outs, no famous girlfriends, no bad mouthing in the press, just great, swaggering, British Rock music. This remarkable debut album spawned no less than 7 singles, which is a large number for any record, let alone a band's first. Preceded by the ambitious sounding, 'All You Good Good People', which peaked at number 8 on the U.K. singled chart, 'The Good Will Out', went straight to number 1 on the album chart. The record has sold over half a million in the UK alone. The band were also asked to headline Glastonbury, 1999, at the last minute as the planned headlining act pulled out. With only one album, it is usually unheard of for a band to close such a major music event, but so much were the band taken to the nations collective heart, and the strength of the material on the record, that they stepped up and delivered an incredible performance that sent no one home, disappointed. Much was made of Danny McNamara's voice, with it being a very love/hate affair. Much warmer than his counterpart in Oasis, and less grating, with a very warm timbre. On songs like 'One Big Family', the band can do noisy, then they effortlessly to soft and tender with the lovely 'That's All Changed Forever', and huge hit, 'My Weakness is None of Your Business.' The band make wonderful use of strings and brass, in all the right places, showing more depth than many of their contemporaries at the time. As well as Danny McNamara's endearing vocal quality, and persona, brother, Richard, is both creative and technically, very gifted at his instrument. Embrace had arrived in fine style and this album was a victory for British music, with the band finding success out with the U.K. and have had 3 number 1 albums, from their 6 released, silencing the naysayers, who wrote the band off as having no longevity.