Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

Not to be confused with The three Rs.

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic is the debut studio album by English alternative rock band the Sundays. It was released in 1990 on Rough Trade Records in the United Kingdom, and on DGC Records in the United States. The album's title is a reference to the band's hometown, Reading, Berkshire.^[1]

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
Studio album by the Sundays
Released	15 January 1990
Recorded	1989–1990
Genre	Dream pop indie pop
Length	38:34
Label	Rough Trade, DGC
Producer	The Sundays, Ray Shulman
The Sundays chronology
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (1990) Blind (1992)
Singles from Reading, Writing and Arithmetic
"Can't Be Sure" / "I Kicked a Boy" Released: February 1989 "I Won" Released: November 1989 "Here's Where the Story Ends" Released: January 1990

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Chicago Sun-Times	[3]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[4]
NME	8/10[5]
Q	[6]
Record Mirror	4+1⁄2/5[7]
Rolling Stone	[8]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	8/10[9]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music	[10]

The Toronto Star compared lead vocalist Harriet Wheeler to Edie Brickell, noting that "the two bring the same trippy sense of coquettish, off-the-cuff muse to a foundation of quirky, guitar-based arrangements."^[11] The Los Angeles Times determined that the album "carries just enough mystery and grace to recall the early promise of 10,000 Maniacs".^[12]

The album has appeared on many best album lists, Pitchfork ranked Reading, Writing and Arithmetic at number 15 on its list of "The 30 Best Dream Pop Albums".^[13] The website also listed the record as one of "The 25 Best Indie Pop Albums of the '90s", commenting, "Even if the Sundays hadn't named their debut Reading, Writing and Arithmetic, its bookish nature would've been apparent. Harriet Wheeler sings like she's trying to get the librarian's attention without disturbing others, and guitarist David Gavurin strums with a studied focus."^[14] Ira Robbins of Rolling Stone called it "a collection of uncommonly good songs graced by Harriet Wheeler's wondrous singing", finding that "Wheeler brings an exceptionally expressive voice to bear on the rich melodies and homely lyrics that offer offbeat thoughts about life, love and the English climate."^[8] In 2024, Uncut ranked Reading, Writing and Arithmetic at No. 134 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of the 1990s".^[15]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Skin & Bones"	4:16
2.	"Here's Where the Story Ends"	3:54
3.	"Can't Be Sure"	3:22
4.	"I Won"	4:23
5.	"Hideous Towns"	3:46
6.	"You're Not the Only One I Know"	3:50
7.	"A Certain Someone"	4:25
8.	"I Kicked a Boy"	2:16
9.	"My Finest Hour"	3:59
10.	"Joy"	4:10
Total length:		38:23

All tracks are written by David Gavurin and Harriet Wheeler.

Personnel

• Harriet Wheeler – vocals
• David Gavurin – guitar
• Paul Brindley – bass
• Patrick Hannan – drums
• Lindsay Jamieson – tambourine

Charts

Chart performance for Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[16]	40
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[17]	56
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[18]	37
UK Albums (OCC)[19]	4
US Billboard 200[20]	39