‘Telegram For Miss Marigold’, the cheeky Carnaby-swing of ‘Regency Sue’ and their final UK disc from ’68, ‘The Works Of Bartholomew’. Psych-heads will find its flip ‘When The Wind Arises’ utterly compelling. An unissued, English-sung version of the title track, recorded as ‘Passing Through Grey’, is also a welcome inclusion. If the impeccable harmonies of The Hollies, Pretties and Zombies do it for you, then investigate further. Lenny Helsing
PAUL AND BARRYRYAN Two Of AKind Rev-Ola CD
www.revola.co.uk
The Ryan brothers recorded two albums of which this is the first (the second for MGM will also be reissued by Rev- Ola). Released in 1967 on Decca,
this album kicks the ass of all but the best two or three Ryan brothers 45s. This is as pocket sized an
encapsulation of Swinging London at it’s possible to get; like an Austin Powers establishment scene, only in real time! None of the songs are Ryan originals but all are massively powerful and with the likes of Les Reed and Mike Leander writing, arranging and producing, you know it has to be good. ‘Silent Street’, ‘Progress’ (also
cut by The Pretty Things), ‘Hey Mr Wiseman’ and The Yardbirds’ ‘I Can’t Make Your Way’ are but a selection of hip and happening tunes you’ll find here. How has this album escaped reissue until now? Just buy it! Paul Martin
SUNFOREST Sound Of Sunforest Lion Productions CD
www.lionproductions.org
The grooviest track on this 1969 curio ‘Magician In The Mountain’ has become something of a choice sample and deejay spin over the past few years.
The rest of the LP however, is somewhat different. Essentially the work of three female friends, who supplied and sang the songs, Vic (Coppersmith) Smith who majestically controlled the proceedings from his mixing desk, and top instrumentation from a whole host of session giants (including Herbie Flowers and Jim Sullivan), the album flits between swinging ’60s psychedelic-pop, folk and classical influences with some rather jarring comic pieces. UK residents will know the highly annoying ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ from the current Marks & Spencers TV advert with Twiggy. (The movie director supremo Stanley Kubrick was also a fan, so much so that he got the
group to re-record both ‘Lighthouse Keeper’ and the classical sounding ‘Overture To The Sun’ for the soundtrack to A Clockwork Orange). ‘Peppermint Store’ also reminds this liberally minded, fun loving critic of something from The Muppets or Fraggle Rock. Well, I did say this is a curio didn’t I? Although, often too silly for its
own good, this album still has its fair share of quality pieces and combines groovy pop, folk, psych and grooves in a unique manner. Maybe not worthy of it’s “cult acclaim” but kooky and enjoyable all the same. Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills
VARIOUS ARTISTS She’s AHeartbreaker: UK Floor Fillers Volume 4 Psychic Circle CD
More obscure UK blue-eyed soul strutters boogaloo down Ealing Broadway for our aural edification. Amongst them are a clutch of covers which although
ubiquitous by title, are somewhat different; Dave Hunter’s take on the Gene Pitney title track, Kris Ife’s ‘Hush’, James’ Royal’s ‘I Can’t Stand It’, Kenny Bernard’s ‘Ain’t No Soul’ and Una Valli’s ‘Satisfaction’. Chief amongst them is the
intriguing take on ‘Nowhere To Run’ by Tina Harvey which elongates the femme backing vox as a sound bed over which Ms Harvey recites half the song lyrics before the tune kicks in. A very original treatment. Amongst the wealth of “new to
me” tracks, Current Kraze’s ‘Lady Pearl’ is a beautiful orch-soul number a la Huff & Gamble, Kevin ‘King’ Lear’s ‘Pretty Woman’ (no, not that one) comes replete with bendy psych guitar throughout and The Slam Creepers (Swedish were they not?) please with a throaty ‘Hold It Baby’. A solid club soul comp throughout. Paul Martin
VARIOUS ARTISTS Sunday Sunshine: The World Of SNB Records RPM Retrodisc CD
www.rpmrecords.co.uk
Mention the name Simon Napier-Bell to ’60s music aficionados and they will remember him as manager and producer of The
Yardbirds and/or John’s Children. ’70s/80s buffs might think of his stints managing Japan and Wham! But not many will remember that Napier-Bell actually ran his own label, SNB Records, for a period of roughly 18 months between ’68-69. A venture shared by hipster/actor David Hemmings and mostly a ploy to escape an old EMI contract Napier-Bell was saddled with, SNB nonetheless
THE PRETTY THINGS Philippe DeBarge UT CD/LP
www.ugly-things.com
The Pretty Things’ 1969 project Philippe DeBarge is a curious beast which has set a fair few pulses racing over the years without ever attaining
“legendary unreleased album” status. Following the creative and
artistic flurry that gave us the Pretties’ acknowledged ’68 classic S F Sorrow, the group lost lead guitarist/founder Dick Taylor and drummer/nutter Twink. The remaining members – singer/mainstay Phil May and multi-instrumentalists Wally Waller and Jon Povey – continued eking out a living as The Electric Banana, cutting a wealth of material for the DeWolfe music library before recruiting Victor Unitt and earlier Pretties drummer Skip Alan to record Parachute. In between, the band were
approached by rich, French super fan Philippe DeBarge who told them he wanted to record an album with them. Our heroes obliged and duly decamped to his parents’ place in St Tropez where they sampled a week of fine wines and fast cars, opting to drive around in a 1908 Rolls Royce whilst getting loaded. All expenses paid and all whims catered for. Not bad work if you can get it! DeBarge then proceeded to learn 11 original compositions parrot-fashion before the whole entourage returned to Nova Studios in London to record the results. Acetates were made and given to band members and DeBarge’s friends. End of story. Well, not quite. Such is the interest in this
particular period of the Pretties’ career, that the album found itself being bootlegged and becoming widely available many years later, albeit with negligible sound quality.
While hardly in the league of its
better-known bookends, Phillipe DeBarge is a fascinating missing link in the Pretties’ story and features a number of strong songs and performances. It also betrays influences not found in their other contemporary material (witness the Tijuana flourishes on ‘You Might Even’ – pure Love) and favours acoustic guitars over electrics whilst sticking to the bash it out in a day ethos of the Electric Banana recordings. Dick Taylor’s liquid lead guitar lines are noticeable by their absence on the remakes of ‘Alexander’ and ‘Eagle’s Son’ while the lack of a full-time drummer gives some of the material a demo-ish feel. DeBarge’s voice is surprisingly potent throughout and those enchanting May/Waller/Povey harmonies pop up at regular intervals. This first ever sanctioned release
adds a track recorded especially by the S F Sorrow line-up this year entitled ‘Monsieur Rock (Ballad Of Philippe)’ and features excellent new packaging and liner notes. Andy Morten
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