VARIOUS ARTISTS Smash Boom Bang! The Songs And Productions Of Feldman-Goldstein- Gottehrer Ace CD
NeverSayNederAgain
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! At least that’s what songwriters/ producers Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer told a decent proportion of the artists on this fun compilation. Joyful handclaps abound on these catchy as hell ditties that explore every avenue of teen life. There are the famous numbers, such as
‘My Boyfriend’s Back’ by The Angels and ‘Hang On Sloopy’ by The McCoys but, as usual, it’s the underheard tracks that provide the real joy. The lusty ‘Lookin’ For Boys’ by The Pin-Ups is a delicious forthright girl group gem; ‘Don’t Monkey With Tarzan’ by made-up group The Pygmies is one of those weird ‘Jungle Rock’ type tunes that never fails to raise a smile.
Make sure to read the sleeve notes for
how and why F-G-G decided to pose as Miles, Niles and Giles, three Australian brothers, in their guise as The Strangeloves. It really was a different world back then… Jeanette Leech
VARIOUS ARTISTS Smell Of The Cramps: More Songs From The Vault Of Lux And Ivy Righteous CD
The legend of The Cramps grows larger with each passing year, helped no end by the likes of like this the third album length raid
on Lux & Ivy’s personal vinyl stash to surface on Righteous. As with the Born Bad series that preceded them by some years, these ‘Roots Of The Cramps’ styled collections leave no stone unturned in their quest to explore the remotest outposts of the wild, out there and half- forgotten vinyl madness so beloved of Lux & Ivy.
In terms of familiarity The Wailers (‘Dirty
Robber’), Kip Tyler (‘She’s My Witch’), Bo Diddley (‘Pills’) and Nervous Norvus (‘Ape Call’) will be the most recognisable names among the 29 selections. But, as ever, it’s arguably the most obscure delights that cut deepest, whether it’s Joe Hall & The Corvettes’ ‘Bongo Beatin’ Beatnik’, Ray Brown’s ‘Butcher Pete Part 2’, Gary ‘Spider’ Webb’s ‘The Cave’, The Rio Rockers’ ‘Mexicali Baby’ or Little Sylvia’s ‘Drive Daddy Drive’. Grahame Bent
77
VARIOUS ARTISTS A Bag Full Of Flames BRAINBOX Brainbox HET Ik Heb Geen Zin Om Op Te Staan Q65 Afghanistan We’re Gonna Make It All All Pseudonym LPs TEE-SET She Likes Weeds: Collected Pseudonym 2-CD/book
grace of early Purple. ‘Down Man’ exhibits a psych-etched haze, while the indulgent, overlong ‘Sea Of Delights’ is Akkerman and drummer van der Linden’s showpiece. Het is loud! Het is cool! Het is
mod-beat! Het is op-pop! Het is mooie! Het is wild! Het is blam! Het is clang! Het is eyes-wide-open! Het is dynamic! Het is kapow! Het is ’66-67-68! Het is real! Het is now! Het is... Het! After their initial beat-up blues
New releases from premier Dutch reissue label Pseudonym include the Flame label compilation, A Bag Full Of Flames (misnamed in our last issue as A Bag Full Of Dreams), highlights of which include heavy psycho-delics The Bag. Brainbox featured the pre-Focus
Jan Akkerman and Pierre van der Linden in a melting pot of blues, folk-rock and jazz influences. Their ‘Dark Rose’ rocks early Zep, and the subtlety and flair displayed on ‘Scarborough Fair’ and ‘Summertime’ recalls the fiery
Q65: slight return
and psych-style years the mighty Q65 return for serious business. A tiny “injection” gives way to ‘Baby Don’t Worry’ kicking Afghanistan off in fine style. Wim Bieler, in superb vocal form, is flanked by the spitting, grinding guitar gears of Frank Nuyens and Joop Roelofs. Also present is bassist Peter Vink. The only missing piece of the Kjoe jigsaw is the errant Jay Baar, gifted original drummer and poet. Beer Klasse (ex- Groep 1850) is his very able successor. Great full-bodied sound and diligent, sympathetic ensemble playing makes jazz-blues staple ‘Nobody Loves You When You’re Down And Out’, and gritty originals ‘Please Come Back To Me’, ‘We Are Happy’ and the spooky/ soothing tones of ‘Night’ intensely compelling propositions. A mammoth rock ’n’ roll covers medley takes over most of side two. The magical silver/orange gatefold opens to reveal dazzling orange vinyl. The three above-mentioned
titles are repeated on We’re Gonna
Make It, the production less atmospheric; the performance nonetheless formidable. ‘There Was A Day’ and ‘Crumblin’’ act as flying buttresses that hold up the group’s grungy ’66-69 ascent and early ’70s psych/rock/folk comedown. There’s real desperation in Bieler’s vocals too – especially on ‘I Just Can’t Wait’ – that gives these sessions a punk-style edge.
Stars of this
info-stacked box culled mainly from ’60s and ’70s, with odd ’80s recordings sneaked in, Tee-Set began in ’66, favouring soulful R&B
with Hammond and Winwood- esque vocals. Early hit ‘Don’t You Leave’ is an insistent groover but gains little from the remix. Becoming Tee-Set and After Tea, they played on each other’s records, before Tee-Set hit internationally with sentimental dross like ‘Ma Belle Amie’. The title track – good irreverent pop- rock in original 45 form – is also rendered anodyne by gutless remixing. Overall, Tee-Set suffered from an over-abundance of weak material, overblown arrangements and over-earnest vocalising. Lenny Helsing
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100