no means has the quality


diminished, in fact you wonder why some of these songs have taken until the fourth album to be released.


The opener ‘Maui’ is beautifully


sung with Curt Boettcher. Other highlights include Sandy’s own version of one of his first songwriting successes, ‘Rag Doll Boy’–which was released as a single on Kapp by Thee Prophets and covered in the UK by The Naked Truth –and ‘Tale Of Timeless Love’, a superb folk tune with wonderful acoustic guitar just crying out for a baroque string arrangement. This is sunshine pop of the highest


order, harmonies abound and the songs have a sparkle and innocence which makes this release highly recommended. Pat Curran


SHADOWS OF KNIGHT Shadows Of Knight Rev-Ola CD www.revola.co.uk


Far too sexy and untamed for the burgeoning bubblegum market, Shadows Of Knight burst onto SuperK in 1968 after the original Dunwich band had dissolved.


Jim Sohns and a newly formed act hit gold with re-launch 45 ‘Shake’, which in our world at least has become something of a classic. That tinny 12-bar fuzz riff, the reedy Farfisa and those breakbeat drums and call-and-response vocals have all of the ingredients of a one in a million dynamic floor filler. A few cool singles followed and then in ’69 the self-titled LP. All – including the bubblegum/soul of ‘Run Run Billy Porter’ (a Crazy Elephant styled number) to the ‘Shake’- friendly groove ‘My Fire Department Needs a Fireman’ – are on this 15 track CD. The LP itself is an uneven gem that


sees Levine trying to popify Sohns on a number of tunes including opener ‘Follow’, which the unbridled singer majestically punks up, and some rather fuzzed-out monsters that were totally inappropriate for the intended audience: the Cream-wannabe ‘Uncle Wiggley’s Airship’, ‘I Wanna Make You Mine’ (think early Shads with Phil May and Reg Presley fighting for the mic), a messy lead guitar laden take of Buffalo Springfield’s ‘Bluebird’ and an inferior remake of ‘Shake’. Unfinished and a tad overwrought,


but it still may be their finest album. Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills


VARIOUS ARTISTS Glitter And Gold: Words And Music by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil Ace CD www.acerecords.com The number of legendary hits that flowed from the pen and piano of Mr Mann and Miss Weil in the mid-60s is matched only by that of Bacharach & David and Goffin & King. Forgoing the uber-obvious (‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’, ‘On Broadway’ et al) in favour


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of lesser-known gems, the pair’s first golden age of hits between ’62 and ’75 still shimmers with diversity. The Turtles’ ‘Glitter And Gold’, Mama


Cass’ ‘It’s Getting Better’ and Nino & April’s ‘The Coldest Night Of The Year’ are big favourites of this writer. Del Shannon’s version of ‘Kicks’ gives the Raiders’ hit reading a run for its money while the Raiders themselves power through the equally delirious ‘Hungry’. Entries by The Chiffons, Arthur Alexander and Bill Medley add a dose of soul and R&B while B J Thomas and The Sweet Inspirations turn up the schmaltz. Andy Morten


VARIOUS ARTISTS Where The Girls Are Volume 7 Ace CD www.acerecords.com


Welcome to the world of songs lasting under three minutes, mini pocket symphonies, kitchen sink dramas, boy meets girl, boy dumps girl etc... From ‘He’s


My Boyfriend’ to ‘Too Bad He’s Bad’ in the space of 10 minutes. Isn’t life like that sometimes? Who needs some fancy intellectual lyrics when sometimes, a “doo- lang-doo-lang”or a “dum-da-de-doo” can say so much more. The songs from this collection come from a golden age of lost innocence. Highlights include the brooding,


echo laden opener ‘Tears Come Tumbling’ by The Teardrops; the Fashionettes irresistible pop soul confectionery of the never before released ‘Earthquake’ and Joani Camp’s heartfelt, impassioned vocals on ‘His Lips Get In The Way’. Elsewhere, Northern Soul never


sounded as bittersweet as it does on The Tandels’ pounding ‘Is It Love Baby’, the thumping, garage stomp of The Azaleas’ ‘Hands Off’ explodes from the speakers with some venom and the sheer beauty of The Shirelles’ ‘What Is Love’ will floor girl group fans. I could go on and on but let’s just


say this series is essential listening for anyone with a love of Brill Building/Wall Of Sound inspired perfect pop. Sadly, they don’t make ’em like this no more. Paul Ritchie


WE FIVE There Stands The Door: The Best Of We Five Big Beat CD www.acerecords.com


We Five had their origins in 1962 when Mike Stewart formed The Ridge Runners in the style of The Kingston Trio, of which his brother John was a member. Three


years later We Five emerged, spunky vocalist


Bev Bivens to the fore, with the archetypal folk-rock single, ‘You Were On My Mind’. Their follow-up, an innovative rearrangement of Dino Valenti’s anthem ‘Let’s Get Together’ suffered from poor promotion, barely nicking the Top Forty and by May ’67 it was all over. This 22 tracker collects the best of


theirA&Mrecordings including an abundance of unissued material. Memorable moments comprise harmonically colorful covers of five John Stewart songs, a soulfully tortured version of the classic ‘High Flying Bird’ and the Byrds-like, raga romp title tune. Alec Palao’s exhaustive, band interview based, liners tell the whole tale alongside dozens of rare photos. Gary von Tersch


BOSSA RIO Bossa Rio Rev-Ola www.cherryred.co.uk


This first-time UK reissue of Bossa Rio’s debut originally released – where else – on bossa-friendly A&M in 1969 introduces a sextet who magically dust


everything they touch with a generous coating of easy going vibes and effortless musical sophistication. Produced by Sergio Mendes and recorded in LA, Bossa Rio featured vocalist Gracinha Leporace (AKA Mrs Sergio Mendes) and organist and arranger Manfredo Fest among their ranks. Their talents are showcased across the album’s eleven tracks which smoothly blend Brasil ’66-style bossa reworkings of recent US pop hits including ‘Do You Know The Way To San Jose’ and ‘Up, Up and Away’ with rootsy yet groove-laden versions of a selection of standards from such Brazilian songwriting royalty as Jorge Ben, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Mario Telles, Edu Lobo and Milton Nascimento. All that remains is for someone to reissue the band’s long unavailable second album Alegria! originally released on Blue Thumb in ’70 and the magic will be complete. Grahame Bent


SERGE GAINSBOURG Histoire de Melody Nelson Light In The Attic CD www.lightintheattic.net


Singer/songwriter Gainsbourg was France’s pop-rock bad boy since the late ’50s, really picking up steam (in every sense of the word) after his involvement with


actresses Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin in the late ’60s and the release of the 1969 classic ‘Je Taime… Moi Non Plus’, featuring Birkin’s scandalously erotic heavy breathing.


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