Editing Heavenly (British band) (section)

==History==
Heavenly debuted with the 7" single "I Fell in Love Last Night", followed by another 7", "Our Love Is Heavenly", both released in 1990 on [[Sarah Records]].<ref name="Larkinindie"/>  ''[[Heavenly vs. Satan]]'', the group's debut album, came out in 1991.<ref name="Larkinindie"/> At this stage in their career, the instrumentation remained very much the same jangly guitar style used by Talulah Gosh.<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|last=Henderson|first=Dave|date=5 March 1991|title=Heavenly vs Satan review|journal=Q|volume=55|pages=71}}</ref>

Before releasing the critically acclaimed ''[[Le Jardin de Heavenly]]'', [[Cathy Rogers]] (keyboard, back-up vocals) joined the band.<ref name="Larkinindie"/> Her harmony vocals and keyboards became an integral part of the group's sound. The group's second album also features the track "C is the Heavenly Option," featuring the guest vocals of [[K Records]] founder [[Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson]], who released Heavenly's records in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/article/6176-twee-as-fuck/?page=2|page=2|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|title=Twee as Fuck - The Story of Indie Pop|first=Nitsuh|last=Abebe|date=23 October 2005|accessdate=9 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wJumg6TLv8EC&dq=%22c+is+the+heavenly+option%22+%22k+records%22&pg=PT112|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=Oct 1992|first=Gail|last=O'Hara|title=Spins - Heavenly - Le Jardin de Heavenly - K Records}}</ref>

Before their next long-player, Heavenly released two non-album 7" singles, "P.U.N.K. Girl" and "Atta Girl." These signalled a growing complexity in Fletcher's songwriting, particularly "Atta Girl," in which Fletcher and Rogers sung in rapid-fire trade-off vocals. A broadening (and darkening) of lyrical subject matter was shown in the [[B-side]], "Hearts and Crosses," which told the story of a [[date rape]], with an upbeat [[Farfisa|keyboard]] riff providing an ironic counterpoint.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/article/6176-twee-as-fuck/?page=3|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|page=3|title=Twee as Fuck - The Story of Indie Pop|first=Nitsuh|last=Abebe|date=23 October 2005|accessdate=9 October 2024}}</ref><ref name="A Bout Pitchfork">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/heavenly-a-bout-de-heavenly-the-singles/|title=A Bout De Heavenly: The Singles|first=Quinn|last=Moreland|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=	 9 January 2021|accessdate=9 October 2024}}</ref>

The band's third LP was ''[[The Decline and Fall of Heavenly]]'' (1994).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-decline-fall-of-heavenly-mw0000118618 |title=Heavenly - The Decline & Fall of Heavenly |last=Abebe |first=Nitsuh |website=[[AllMusic]] |language=en-us |access-date=9 October 2024}}</ref> In 1995, the band contributed the song "Snail Trail" to the AIDS benefit album [[Red Hot + Bothered]] produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&dq=Red+Hot+%2B+Bothered+compilation+heavenly&pg=PA921|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|year=2004|page=921|isbn=9780743201698|publisher=Simon & Schuster|first1=Christian David|last1=Hoard|first2=Nathan|last2=Brackett}}</ref>

The group's last album was ''[[Operation Heavenly]]'' (1996). Arriving in the middle of the [[Britpop]] boom, the album contained a cover of the [[Serge Gainsbourg]]-penned and [[France Gall]]-performed "Nous ne sommes pas des anges," sung entirely in French by Fletcher.<ref name="Option">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WrY4AQAAIAAJ&q=%22Nous+ne+sommes+pas+des+anges%22+heavenly|magazine=[[Option (music magazine)|Option]]|volume=72–76|year=1997|title=Heavenly - Operation Heavenly}}</ref> Due to the closing of Sarah Records it was released on [[Wiiija]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3PpFDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22operation+heavenly%22+wiija&pg=RA3-PT198|title=Britannica - Dalla scena di Manchester al Britpop|first1=Alessio|last1=Cacciatore|first2=Giorgio|last2=Di Berardino|year=2018|isbn=9788897637943|publisher=Volilibero}}</ref> It included a second [[Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson]] guest spot on the track "Pet Monkey."<ref name="Option"/>

However, shortly before the release of ''Operation Heavenly'', Mathew Fletcher took his own life.<ref name="A Bout Pitchfork"/> The remaining members announced that the band name Heavenly was to be retired, but that they would continue, using the name [[Marine Research]], a moniker under which they released a single album, 1999's ''Sounds from the Gulf Stream'', on K Records (it was not released separately in Britain). Afterwards, Marine Research dissolved.<ref name="amgentry">{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r424554|pure_url=yes}} | accessdate = 9 October 2024 | title = Sounds from the Gulf Stream (Overview) | website= [[AllMusic]] |first=Nitsuh|last=Abebe}}</ref>

The band's core members reformed in 2002 as [[Tender Trap]], releasing four albums before calling it a day in 2013. As of 2024, Fletcher and Pursey are both in The Catenary Wires and [[Swansea Sound (band)|Swansea Sound]], while Momtchiloff plays in [[Would-Be-Goods|Would-be-goods]] and Tufthunter.

Heavenly reunited for a concert at [[Bush Hall]] in London in May 2023, with [[Ian Button]] replacing Mathew Fletcher on drums. In 2024, the band played further dates in Spain, France and the US.<ref name="reunion">{{cite web |last1=Rettig |first1=James |title=Heavenly Announce First Show in 28 Years |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2199824/heavenly-reunion-show/news/ |website=[[Stereogum]] |access-date=18 September 2022 |language=en |date=18 September 2022}}</ref> The band also premiered new songs on those tour dates as well.