Mixing sumptuous orchestral arrangements with bitingly sarcastic lyrics, The Beautiful South offered a dark and witty alternative to the lager-fuelled rock that ruled the indie scene in the early '90s. The band was formed in 1988 by Paul Heaton and Dave Hemingway, both former members of the acclaimed jangle-pop band The Housemartins. The band's acerbic songs about love and politics were driven by deceptively sweet harmonies and gorgeous tunes dressed up in lush strings and brass. They released 10 darkly funny and deeply affecting albums before finally splitting in 2007.