I Am a Wallet / Banking Violence and Inner City Life Today

A discographical oddity of its era, this compilation of work by the band McCarthy features its first and third albums, leaving out the second, The Enraged Shall Inherit The Earth, entirely. It’s a good complement to the That’s All Very Well But… overview of the group’s work, while there’s a real retrospective importance to hearing Banking in full due to it being the full-length recorded debut of Lætitia Sadier on backing vocals. Malcolm Eden’s own sunny singing and the band’s engaging late 80s indie rock music easily serve up cutting, sharp sociopolitical lyrics without apology.