Trouble Understanding

About the album

The Northern Lights formed in Perth, Western Australia in the late 80s around Gretta Little (bass, vocals) and Tim Underwood (guitar, vocals), who had both been members of Perth jangle-pop icons Charlotte's Web for their first single Big Letdown in 1986.

When Gretta and Tim splintered away from Charlotte's Web in 1987 they added John Bannister (trumpet, vocals) and Lucy Brookes-Kenworthy (backing vocals) to form gentle, elegant pop outfit The Northern Lights. The band only existed for less than a year and had broken up by the end of 1987.

They released one six-song demo tape Trouble Understanding in very small quantities in early 1988, reforming briefly to support its release. Fellow Charlotte's Web alumnus Chad Hedley contributed percussion on the cassette. 

They also contributed one further track Waves to local community radio station 6UVS FM's compilation Hometown Farewell Kiss in 1989. Waves could be a lost Tracey Thorn classic, and at just 73 seconds long rivals Primal Scream's Velocity Girl as the perfect example of fleeting pop bliss.

Tim and Gretta went on to greater Perth renown in the 1990s with their well-loved band The Rosemary Beads (who contributed a version of 100% to Chapter's Sonic Youth tribute cassette Kill Yr. Idols in 1993). Gretta currently plays in the band Little Things. Sadly Tim Underwood passed away in 2020.