than one occasion here by his use of technicolour backing vocals (most notably on Chris Gallbert’s excellent ‘Sing Sing’), which are cinematic and unworldly in unequal measure. Whatever it is that separates


genius from madness, from library to lounge, garage to that back room no one ever goes in, he painted European music indescribable and above all else, fantastical Richard S Jones


VARIOUS ARTISTS Sound Of Wonder: The First Wave Of Plugged-In Pop At The Pakistani Picture House Finders Keepers www.finderskeepersrecords.com


This latest release by Finders Keepers finds them decamping to Pakistan in search of the finest in forgotten Lollywood (Bollywood’s


domestic relative) treats and instantly apparent, aside from the glorious vocal work of leading Lollywood singers such as Nahid Akhtar are the beats and breaks on offer. An impressive draw and, like FK’s Yamasuki LP, are entirely made up not by machines but by the indigenous talent of some of the finest musicians you’re ever likely to hear. That these songs were originally used to accompany and ultimately cash-in on a wide variety of low-budget films, collected together, we have a surprisingly eclectic set with everything from Shadows fashioned rock ’n’ roll to exceptional Europop songs (‘Good News For You’). And a label whose ethos and reputation just keeps on getting more and more intriguing with every new discovery. Richard S Jones


the wonderful Barry Booth (who had Monty Python’s Michael Palin and Terry Jones doing for him what James did for Atkin) there was no doubting the singer’s origin. Beware Of The Beautiful Stranger


(1970) and Driving Through Mythical America (’71) musically traversed acoustic folk-tinged accompaniments, baroque orchestration, music hall, and on the second, a cool rock backing (performed by members of Blue Mink and a whole host of top players including Chris Spedding). ‘Sunlight Grate’ (from Driving Through Mystical America) has that same carnivalesque tone as Tim Buckley’s early work or the immense narrative landscape of the Gibb brothers’ most haunting pieces. For an artist who considered himself unfashionable these tunes have a suitably timeless cool about them. This brilliant partnership’s


remaining LPs from ’73-75 are also available on Edsel. Each CD is packed with informative track-by-track notes by the protagonists themselves, press quotes and pics. Jon ‘Mojo’Mills


CHRIS DARROW Chris Darrow/Under My Own Disguise Everloving CD www.everloving.com


Throughout the vibrant history of Southern California country-rock, folk, psychedelic, surf and world music, journeyman multi- instrumentalist Darrow has cast an


invigorating presence since the mid-60s. In addition to co-founding the Los Angeles- based Kaleidoscope group and stints in The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and The Corvettes (Linda Ronstadt’s back-up coterie), Darrow has also recorded and toured with the diverse likes of James Taylor, John Fahey, Sonny & Cher and Gene Vincent. This 22 track objet d’art CD/LP


PETE ATKIN Beware Of The Beautiful Stranger Driving Through Mythical America Both Edsel CDs www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk Pete Atkin had been a member of Cambridge Footlights with the now infamous Clive James. DJ Kenny Everett was a huge fan and tried to push the geeky


singer towards the big time but music so thoughtful and enigmatic was just too far from the hit parade, prog rock or even singer songwiters to catch on with anyone other than the critics who adored his singular approach. Although Australian, James’ broad


range of subjects topped off by his incisive lyrical wit was the perfect adage to Atkin’s quintessentially English voice. Just like Kevin Ayers, Syd Barret, David Bowie and


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project reprises Darrow’s trail-blazing, delightfully eclectic pair of early ’70s United Artist solo albums. As a songwriter he has a crafty way with a phrase (try ‘Albuquerque Rainbow’, ‘We Don’t Talk Of Loving Anymore’and the chamber music-framed ‘That’s What It’s Like To Be Alone’ for starters) but his covers are well chosen as well as they veer from The Ink Spots’ ‘Java Jive’ to Hoagy Carmichael’s atmospheric ‘Hong Kong Blues’. Heady stuff. Gary von Tersch


DR. STRANGELY STRANGE Kip Of The Serenes Hux CD www.huxrecords.com


The Dublin based Strangelys made two albums – this one in 1969 for Island and a second, Heavy Petting, for Vertigo in ’70. Signed to Joe Boyd’s


production company Witchseason, it would be easy to write them off as also-rans in the


less than crowded field of hippy folk minstrels. However assuming you like psychedelic, quirky and cryptic whimsy, served up on a bed of earnest abandon, then this hits all the right bongos. Your preference for either of their albums hinges entirely upon which album you hear first but both have a great deal to deal to offer. The debut, remastered for the first


time at the correct speed, with four bonus tracks and a huge 32 page booklet, is closer to the sound of the early Incredibles acoustic period, occasionally veering off at a tangent into realms even their peers would fail to fully explore. Richard Allen


DUST Dust Hard Attack Both Repertoire CDs www.repertoirerecords.com


Marky Ramone (previously Marc Bell) drummed for this early ’70s power trio that released two very fine LPs on Kama Sutra – clearly these routes into


the industry were kept-under-lock-and-key in 1976. Although a far cry from stripped- down attack of The Ramones, Dust did possess much of the high-energy rock ’n’ roll that drove proto-punks like The MC5 (check out ‘Love Me Hard’ on the debut). If Dust (’71) clearly owed a few too


many debts to Sabbath, Zep and their UK ilk the follow-up Hard Attack (’72) is a far more original and varied record. ‘Pull Away/So Many Times’ has an almost Quicksilver Messenger Service circa ‘Pride Of Man’ feel about it. While in general the heavier stakes are pushed further on this record, ‘Thusly Spoken’ sees the interjection of strings, harmony vocals and epic piano whilst ‘I Been Thinkin’’ and ‘How Many Horses’ show they could do country-rock as well as any of the LA crowd. Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills


GARY FARR Take Something With You Sunbeam 2-CD www.sunbeamrecords.com


If you haven’t had the chance to actually hear it yet, I’m pretty sure you’ve been seeing this album being mentioned numerous times alongside either


The Action or the Marmalade label. Produced by Reg King, and with the musical backing mostly provided by his former bandmates- just-about-to-morph-into-Mighty-Baby, Take Something With You is a result of Gary Farr’s progression from a rhythm’n’ blues combo frontman to a singer-songwriter, ready to take a more adventurous musical trip. The album is most usually being described as an eclectic set of acid folk ballads, which it really is (‘Green’ being a stand out), in spite of the almost too conventional opening pair of


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