Overlooked #3

pinky blue
I am still trying to totally justify the "overlooked" classification of the Scottish quartet, Altered Images. But I think it fits, and if nothing else, the group is definitely worth the time required to listen to their music.
Formed in 1979, the band comprised of a few teenagers. Clare Grogan on vocals became the most well-known of the bunch as she acted in the UK hit movie, Gregory's Girl (1980), and this, combined with a brief tour circuit with Siouxsie and the Banshees, helped them become pretty popular for a short period of time.
The band began their career cutting a demo for the Banshees. Steve Severin, guitarist for the Banshees, took Altered Images under his wing and helped in the production of their first album, Happy Birthday. Their lead single for that record, "Happy Birthday," was a damn good pop song because it combined post-punk atmospheric production with poppy instrumentation and energy. But it was after listening to their follow-up LP, Pinky Blue, that I started to absolutely love Altered Images. The second record featured "I Could Be Happy," also produced by Severin, and it is an absolutely fantastic tune. Awesome, crisp, clear post-punk-inspired guitar work, detached, precise post-punk drumming, and that enchanting voice of Grogan.
I don't know why more band haven't followed a similar path. The Rasberries are the closest that I can think of. But no other group has truly combined a post-punk aesthetic with power-pop technique.