Built around David Gedge's insistent voice and lovelorn lyrics, the Wedding Present are one of the driving forces of U.K. indie rock. Though the cast revolves around him, Gedge has been devoted to strummed guitars, lively tempos, and sharp hooks since the band's 1985 debut. They started off awkward and energetic, but as their instrumental prowess grew, their sound became more powerful, as on the noisy masterpiece Seamonsters (1991), the happily grungy Watusi (1994), and the light and fizzy Mini EP (1996). After splitting up the group to start Cinerama, Gedge re-formed the Wedding Present and issued the bracing Take Fountain (2005). The following years saw the band alternate between album-anniversary tours and new records like 2016's Going, Going... and 2023's 24 Songs -- which collected a year's worth of singles -- that continued to chart the course of Gedge's romantic travails with undimmed energy and skill.