Sneaky Feelings were the third notable Flying Nun band who got their start via the Dunedin Double EP (along with the Chills and the Verlaines). Sneaky Feelings were more deeply rooted than those other bands, taking their name from an Elvis Costello song, and sounding like a misplaced Northern soul band in the Southernmost city on Earth. That sound was ill-suited to Flying Nun's lo-fi aesthetic, which may have prevented them from breaking out of NZ, which was a pity because they may have been the most talented band on the label.
I'd never heard of Sneaky Feelings until the early 2000s when Flying Nun put out a compilation of their material to accompany Matthew Bannister's book Positively George Street. I picked up the album because people (mainly just one person) had recommended Sneaky Feelings to me, and was astounded at how good they were -- classic pop with hooks and chops. Their biggest NZ hit was "Husband House", which isn't one of my Sneaky faves, but it's the only video they have on youtube.
Sneaky Feelings played a one-off reunion a few years ago for the Dunedin Heritage Festival and one fan flew all the way from California to see them. Definitely further than I've ever traveled to see a band.
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Ah, The Sneaky Feelings -- one of the finest bands of all time. When I worked at Amoeba I had them order copies of the compilation and then basically forced dozens of people to buy them. Every one of those people has lived happily ever after. The end.
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