Sleeper

Sleeper formed in London in 1992 around Louise Wener, whose sharp, witty songwriting gave the band a distinctive voice in the crowded Britpop landscape. Wener was one of the few female frontpersons at the centre of the movement, and her lyrics — observational, funny, occasionally cutting — set Sleeper apart from the more laddish end of the scene.

'Smart' (1995) was a strong debut — 'Inbetweener' and 'Delicious' were among the best singles of that year. 'The It Girl' (1996) was even better: 'Sale of the Century', 'Nice Guy Eddie', 'What Do I Do Now?' — a run of singles that demonstrated Wener's ability to write songs that were simultaneously catchy and intelligent. The album reached number five in the UK charts.

The third album 'Pleased to Meet You' (1997) arrived as Britpop was collapsing and received less attention than it deserved. Sleeper split in 1998. Wener went on to write several well-received novels. The reunion in 2017 produced 'The Modern Age' (2019), a genuinely good comeback album that reminded everyone what they had been missing.