THE ARROWS & FRIENDS
Tawny Tracks (Geltoob Records; CD)
     If the synth-laden final sessions these ex-TV pop stars recorded in 1977 are a mixed bag that range from the dire ('Goodbyes') to the almost good ('Always Another Train') and the simple rock and roll classic 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll', the three tracks they recorded as a collaboration with members of The Faces in 1976 will excite collectors, and are of modest interest. The finest moment however comes last, and all good things come to those who wait (or know how to use the CD remote). 'Feel So Good' has elements of Free and Badfinger and is excellent. It was recorded in 1971 as a Pre-Arrows session consisting of Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker and Frampton drummer, John Siomos and unfortunately pointed at better things than were to come. 
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

BLACK WIDOW
Come To The Sabbat: The Anthology (2-CD; Castle)
     Black Widow claim to have been the first 'Black Magic' band, and collectors and buyers alike have laughed at them for years. I'd never heard them before, and liked early incarnation Pesky Gee's 'Where Is My Mind' so was interested to hear this grouping of their first three albums. If for nothing other than a laugh! The controversial debut album is nothing more than an extension of first band, and is more a shade of light grey than BLACK satanic music! Black Sabbath it is not! To hear them do a solid version of 'Wish You Would' ala Yardbirds from their second album was a real surprise, and it's actually pretty good! The album in general is better, but still a little lack lustre. Most tracks being acoustic with quasi-pagan lyrics, but the Wicker Man score is a much more advised purchase. Album three continues in a similar manner fusing acoustic numbers, with flute and horn led prog-pop. 'Lonely Man' is more up-tempo and sounds far more like a product of the '60s. In fact the overall vibe is that of a less talented Traffic!
     All in all there's nothing to really laugh at, but on the other hand little will ignite the listener either. For the most part it's relatively easily digestible early '70s prog, and in hindsight the press gained from the Satanist tag was nothing more than a huge publicity stunt!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills 

BULLDOG BREED
Made In England (Acme Deluxe Series; LP)
     This is a product of the very, very end of the psychedelic scene. Recorded in '69 and released on Decca Made In England maintains the psych-pop sensibilities of '67 with 'Paper Man', 'Eileen's Haberdashery Store' and 'Dougal', and regresses to an almost 'Come See Me' garage-punk vibe on 'Silver'. 'Top O' The Pops Cock?!?' is a similarly punky blues. Darker effort 'Reborn' uses SF Sorrow harmonies, 'I Can See For Miles' guitar progressions and a nasty Deviants proto-punk edge. I guess the acid era Pretties and Deviants influenced these guys greatly, yet they have a decidedly wacky mark of their own. 'Revenge' sees them playing jazz remarkably well, and the mournful 'Friday Hill' sounds like Caravan on Prozac. This was one of the last landmark albums when bands seemed to have a devil- may-care distinction of playing exactly what they wanted instead of opting for either the under-or-over ground.
     Quintessential English eccentricity! And you even get a bonus 45 featuring the fab 'Halo In My Hair' and 'Portcullis Gate'. Another essential purchase from Mr Ramon and crew!
     (www.acmerecords.co.uk)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

CANNIBAL & THE HEADHUNTERS
Land of 1000 Dances (LP, Bacchus Archives)
     "Coming from low-income families living in East Los Angeles Mexican community these lads had childhoods filled with hardship. It is not difficult to see why they never thought that one day they would be the idols of teenagers and adults around the world".
     No, not Ritchie Valence, though the story could just as easily be his, but Tony Valdez's original liners for Cannibal & The Headhunters 1965 LP. Bacchus Archives have reproduced an exact facsimile of the album which we would like to think (but it surely didn't) speak of more innocent times. Superficially, par for the course, it is loaded with the usual cover versions of hits of the day and being Chicano, beloved oldies; 'The Boy From New York City', 'My Girl', 'Searchin'', 'Out Of Sight' and 'Shotgun'. It is on the less obvious numbers however where the real 'east side sound' comes through most strongly 'Don't Let her Go', 'Devil In Disguise', 'Strange World', 'Get Your Baby', 'The Fat Man' (not the Fat's Domino tune). They even make the title track land of '1000 Dances' into something of a Chicano owned song by giving it their own treatment. Cannibal (Frankie Garcia) and co were but one bunch of kids from LA's east side who comprised a thriving and (in the southern US at least) legendary community of teen musical talent which owed allegiance to soul and doo-wop oldies, and increasingly around this time, a blend of both to forge their own style of the big beat. I can see this reissue LP, coming as it does from LA's Bacchus empire, being sold with a strong sense of nostalgia to the local markets. However, for the rest of the world it is but one platform from which to take a view of a vibrant and exciting mid '60s musical scene, from which even it's leading contenders (e.g. The Atlantics, Blendells, Thee Midnighters, Mark & The Escorts, The Premiers, many of whom had interchangeable personnel) failed to really break nationally. If you're interested or want to know more about the east side sound check out the following book: Land Of A Thousand Dances: Chicano Rock 'n' Roll from Southern California (David Reyes & Tom Waldman; 1998, University of New Mexico Press) and the 30 track Bacchus Archives CD The East Side Sound. It's all a part of the bigger whole and deserves a more international audience.
     (www.dionysusrecords.com)
Paul Martin 

THE DOWNLINERS SECT
Sectuality (Charly; 2-CD)
     With the modern music rag mind obsessed with bands so-called garage, a '70s-punk-in-a-suit-brigade and wrongly referenced (e.g. White Stripes to the ear in less fervoured support are certainly Marshall Amps more Led Zep than Sonics), the humble ur-punk garage fan is less rather confused and feeling hypocritical at himself for grouching that rock 'n' roll has wanted and got the airwaves. Surely this is what we've raised drunken pints in homage to Bacchus for? But no, surely some mistake...I'm hearing more 'metal' on the airways than when I was a headbanger and a devotee of the 'Friday Rock Show'. With this quandary; "Surely all beat noise is good" and it's answering refrain, "Bollocks..." it's time someone reminded us who was in a snit in a suave suit afore grunge got re-tagged garage and sent out in moron hordes.
     The nice chaps at Charly are doing this right now with a timely if little flawed double CD compilation by Twickenham's should be legendary Downliners Sect.
     Spanning just 2 years of recording (1965-1966) here you get a whopping 53 tracks of irreverent Bo-Diddley-kicks-Chuck-Berry's-arse with an English tongues out twist. The Sect were mighty and magnificent and it isn't just a typewriter punching Sect-Maniac writing nearly 40 years after who thinks so; Steve Marriott, Rod Stewart and Van Morrison all at one stage wanted to join as harp players, but too late, the Sonny Terry worshipping Ray Sone had just got the job and proceeded to musically flay these stars of the future with some of the best bluesy suck and blow you'll hear on record from the time. Later as a sadly well kept secret they inspired thee man of modern garage Billy Childish to don a deerstalker, get suave, suited and booted and form Thee Headcoats, even recording one EP with Don Craine and 2 LPs of still powerful wild R&B under the tag Thee Headcoats Sect.
     While the whole of the Sect are great players if sometimes a little over frenzied for the recording engineer to catch up with the tiger in the tank, the man with a tumour in sense of humour was the leader Don Craine. He was the man with the punk sensibility that to fail is better than to kow-tow, or in hindsight maybe he just made some bloody awful decisions (turning down sure fire hit 'Hang on Sloopy' before the McCoys got onto every Best of the '60s compilation with it. Recording a country LP at the height of their near success and thus dooming themselves to obscurity. But hell, the Sect invented country-rock, so say Gram Parsons and the Byrds!) Don wanted to be a priest but when he found out celibacy was involved he chucked that dog-collar of an idea over his shoulder and stuck with booze and blues, as it's meant to be, ever after, amen, and probably saved a sight more souls. Snaggle-puss obsessed and a forward thinking mother fucker, Craine assembled the most dapper bunch of chaps going, set his deerstalker (his headcoat) square and instructed the Sect to BE! On the cover of their first LP The Sect these very English droogs look as if The Rolling Stones (proto-Ramones gang look style) were mugging you, the Sect would intervene, knocking Keef about the head and shoulders with a horses head walking stick, offer you a brandy snifter, then casually liberate you of your wallet. After spending your shillings in a local hostelry they ooze Jeeves-like into an opposite recording studio and krank out a superior version of Jimmy Reed's 'Baby Whats' Wrong With You' backed with the first of their self-referential songs 'Be A Sect Maniac' - this harp based Bo-Diddleyer sets out a manifesto of primal rock 'n' roll that dictates a thumping credo for all songs to come "do the crawdad all night long, be a sect maniac" Craine mutters into his shirt collar, sounding like he couldn't give too much monkeys if you did or not..........And thus a pattern is set
     Always open to new ideas they raised their sails and burnt their boats. I think one of the first Lou Reed songs I heard was 'Why Don't You Smile Now', a slow growling fuzz guitar thing mocking retribution that loomed on the 3rd Sect LP, The Rock Sect's In. On The Country Sect they doomed themselves to the haemorrhoid end of the charts with a leap back forward into well played skiffling influences (though it's a great disc and well represented here). The elusive The Sect Sing Sick Songs can hardly endeared them to a mass audience (I'm assuming 'Now She's Dead' and the version that makes Jimmy Cross' version of 'I Want My Baby Back' into a real humdinger of a song as well as a rigor-mortised bottle of black humour are from that EP). And their strange 'Sect as a Sect' self references about killing girls by accident with bass guitars probably left folk plain bemused, tho' these songs are some of their most fun and best. Even one of their most catchy tunes, a nice pop-fuzzer 'Glendora' is about a man falling in love with a showroom dummy. Yes, a rarely heard sense of humour finds its way onto many favourite Sect tune, 'He Was A Square' not the least of these.
     Devoted r&b fans (songs by Jimmy Reed, Charlie & Inez Foxx, Chuck Berry and of course Bo-Diddley) frequently surface, along with again, let's get rich (oh, well, they were very popular in Sweden, but only got paid £150 for playing to an ice-hockey stadium of 70,000) fun, a we'll do whatever-ever-the-hell-we-want attitude, and a gun with which to shoot themselves in the foot with, The Downliners Sect could do anything brilliantly. Sadly, that included failing. Well, failing commercially. They are still about playing damn good and snotty and wild rock 'n' roll, and I suspect Mr Craine if not the rich man he hoped to be is at least aware of his posterity earned garage priesthood. He's got a strange attractor...
     (www.snappermusic.com)
Rock Wagram

MARK ERIC
A Midsummer's Day Dream (Revola; CD)
     The release of this CD proves once and for all that we're living in the eBay age. As recently as two years ago this album languished in almost complete obscurity, known to only a handful of hardy collectors. Soon CD-R copies of the LP were exchanging hands, and word quickly got around that A Midsummer's Daydream was a lost classic, being a sort of bastard child of Pet Sounds. A few copies showed up on eBay, and that combined with the advance hype drove prices into the three-digit range. To be sure, the LP is exceedingly rare, with only a few copies leaking out upon its release on the UNI subsidiary Revue Records, but its eBay fortified $125 price tag and the resulting hoopla are in almost full measure responsible for this reissue.
     The album is assuredly not Pet Sounds, but it is an excellent soft pop album basking in the California ethos. Mark Eric (Malmborg), with his Santa Monica upbringing and blond locks, seemed every bit the California surfer boy, and like Brian Wilson he was greatly influenced by pastoral harmonies of The Four Freshmen. The album is marked (no pun intended) by a very unique, muted lead vocal styling, and soft harmonies and serene aural images abound on tracks like 'California Home,' 'Where Do The Girls Of The Summer Go,' the maudlin 'Sad Is The Way That I Feel' and, perhaps the track closest to Pet Sounds in spirit and execution, 'Take Me With You'. Eric shows he's got some cohones (albeit small ones) on 'Move With The Dawn' and 'Night Of The Lions,' and 'Laura Is Changing' beat Gilbert O'Sullivan by three years in the 'is he or isn't he a paedophile' conundrum (he isn't). Eric saved the best for last with 'Lynn's Baby,' a heart-tugging true story about a lost love. 
This Revola reissue appends several bonus cuts, including mono 45 mixes of several of the album's tracks, along with songs Eric recorded after A Midsummer's Dream but had heretofore remained unreleased. A few, like 'Place For The Summer' and 'Build Your Own Dreams,' are every bit as good as anything on the proper album. Liner notes by Steve Stanley tell the tale of Mr. Eric, which is happily not over as Eric recently did a live performance of his tunes, many of which he hadn't played for more than 30 years.
     (www.revola.co.uk)
David Bash

FAIRPORT CONVENTION
Fairport Convention
What We Did On Our Holidays
Unhalfbricking (all Island CD re-masters with bonus tracks)
     All three of the first two incarnations of the Fairports' albums are essential, but it's the self-titled debut from '68 that packs the most punches and will surprise the hell out of anyone who solely associates them with the 'hey nonny nonny' Aran sweater brigade. The guys and gal (Sandy Denny's precursor Judy Dyble sang lead vocals on the first album) dressed in hipsters, foppish shirts and cuban heeled boots looking every bit the proto-US hippies to a tee, essentially playing the role of the UFO's and Middle Earth's Jefferson Airplane. But a plain parody they weren't. The vibe of the UK psych scene, which they sprang from, permeates with the sound of the West Coast (USA, not Dorset) and in covering such gems as Emitt Rhodes crisis-piece 'Time Will Show The Wiser', Joni Mitchell's 'Chelsea Morning' and Dylan's 'Jack O'Diamonds' they paid their dues to the US folk-rock sound that inspired them. ('Time Will Show The Wiser' outdoes the original, with Dyble's female harmony adding another dimension, and Richard Thompson proving himself to be one of the most deserving of the psych era's guitarists - the mid-song rave-up is just out of this world!) Even if band originals did owe greatly to their heroes, 'Sun Shade' is a truly mellowing piece of Airplane styled balladry, with Thompson's jazzy guitar tones rivalling the best of their influence's repertoire, and 'The Lobster' is a dark, layered piece that gets pretty intense, and bares nothing in common with what the band would later morph into. Yet on Jim & Jean's 'One Sure Thing', if not having the power of her successor, Dyble has a wonderfully delicate method of phrasing, and her folky English inflected vocals pattern the template that Denny would follow. Fairport Convention is without doubt one of the finest folk-rock/psych albums of 1968, and yes, we're talking Notorious Byrds Brothers territory here!
     After moving on from The Strawbs to replace Judy Dyble, Sandy Denny became the main focus in the Fairports, and with her arrival the band began to embrace a more folk based stance, although still maintaining an electric edge, most notable on Richard Thompson's rousing anthem 'Meet On The Ledge' (a highlight on the Island sampler You Can All Join In). Denny, even on debuting with the band, had already proved herself as a writer on the righteous 'Fotheringay' (a song that would go down as her finest, and a changing point for British folk-rock.) Dylan's 'I'll Keep It With Mine' is given a typically energetic Fairport's rendition, with Denny's powerful vocals becoming the perfect foil for Thompson's subtle guitar phrasing. Favourite Joni Mitchell is also tackled again on the band's psychedelicised take of her 'Eastern Rain' resplendent with sped-up guitar, autoharp and that West Coast feel of old, which is also replicated on Thompson's superb 'Tale In A Hard Time'. 'Nottamun Town' and 'She Moves Through The Fair' perhaps echo strongest the approach band would take post-Leige And Leif. The Brits had finally redefined their roots-music that Roger McGuinn had readily pilfered for The Byrds finest moments! A progression had been made since the first album, and if less rock based and openly psychedelic it was a leap forward.
     With the last album of the tragically short second line-up the Thompson/Denny partnership come across as a match made in heaven. Three Dylan songs are given the usually impressive band treatment, whilst Thompson provides three originals and Denny two. The eleven-minute 'A Sailor's Life' echoes the epic downer feel that only writers from cold, damp climes can achieve... Californian this ain't, but it is one of the finest examples of mid-period UK acid-folk that such followers as The Trees could only dream of achieving! If the barroom rocker 'Cajun Woman' lets the side down it's more than made up for with Denny's first and finest reading of 'Who Know's Where The Time Goes', the defining moment in the Denny/Thompson musical relationship.
     As I got these as promo CD-Rs I can't comment on packaging and liners, but if loaded with decent photos and intelligent critiques of each album these three CDs are must haves. Even if not, they're more than essential. F-airport-abulous!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE FIRE
The Magic Shoemaker (Castle; CD) 
     I received a ticking off many years ago for slagging-off post-'My Father's Name Is Dad' / 'Treacle Toffee World' Fire by a prominent UK psych specialist label owner, and I still have pretty much the same feelings now. As teen Who-wannabes The Fire conjured up some fabulously innocent bubblegum-punk/pop-psych (comped on Underground And Overground: The Alternate Fire on Tenth Planet) but as The Who got louder, and music became heavier and more progressive on the British music scene Dave Lambert changed the direction of his band. On their 1970 Pye debut album there clearly are still some inspiring moments, such as 'Reason For Everything' (which sounds very much like Ronnie Lane's influences on the closing era Small Faces), the punkish 'Flies Like A Bird' and 'I Can See The Sky', and the incredibly dated (but excellent) toytown psych of 'Magic Shoes', which was probably penned on the same afternoon as 'Treacle Toffee World' -- but why in the hell did Lambert have to try and sing like the bastard offspring of Roger Chapman and Joe Cocker on the majority of the album? And the 'everybody did it, so shall we' token blooze-rock number stands out like a sore thumb amongst the more deserving numbers.
     Okay, it's far from terrible, but as the closing chapter of the band that gave us 'My Father's Name Is Dad', it's very disappointing!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE FORUM
The River Is Wide (Rev-ola; CD)
     Most harmony-pop we listen to even though hiding behind long hair and granny glasses is in itself manufactured pop, and big sales were the product goal. If The Sunshine Company wore hippy clothes and made watered down counter culture music for the mainstream audience (but hey, I do dig 'em) Les Baxter's Balladeers (who adopted the more flower power friendly moniker of The Forum for their Mira album in 1967) were essentially 'square' even though they played pretty hip and happenin' exoctica pop. The trio consisted of a glamorous older woman; a raven-haired teenage beauty and a comical little chap who dressed in conservative dinner club attire. Their sole album combines a Righteous Brothers/ Phil Spector sound with Baxter's exotica and an 'Age of Aquarius' state of the art production that veered towards psychedelia, or at least Wilsonian spacey soft-pop. 'Trip On Me' throws in 'that' word, the harpsichord dominated folk-rocker 'The Time Is Now' could have been recorded by PF Sloan or Barry McGuire, and such clever productions as 'I Like What I See' their version of sunshine staple 'It's Sunday' and 'World Of Illusion' maintain the same moody arrangements and harmonies as the finest soft pop/psych efforts of the era. The rousing 'The River Is Wide' (later taken to the charts by Dunhill hitmakers The Grass Roots) is anthemic with a big rousing filmic quality, and it's stupendous stuff.
     Congratulations to Joe for unearthing this exotica/pop classic.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE FOX
For Fox Sake (RPM; CD)
     The 1970 Fox album is a psych-pop classic and it's been a long enough wait for this legal reissue, which boasts great sound, but naughtily rehashes Shindig! lads Andy's and Jim's interview from Marmalade Skies for the liners. Minor quibble aside though, this is a great release. The Fox may have been a bit at odds with the musical climate of 1970 (the album was recorded a year or so before) but they excelled in song craft, soulful singing and captivating playing. The harmonies, solid bass lines and Hammond indicate how much the mod scene had affected the band, and afterall, they were the by-product of mod band The Alex Lane Group. But as did The Spencer Davis Group, The Alan Bown and Dantallion's Chariot before them, they fused the tight playing, strong vocals and precision of soul music with all manner of psychedelic influences to create a pop sound of their own. For Fox Sake is easily on par with the mentioned bands' finest moments. It's such a good album that no critique need be made. Just buy it if you like British psychedelia. It's brilliant! Nice one Andy and Jim for hunting down Steve Brayne and getting the ball rolling...
     www.rpmrecords.co.uk
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE
The Last Experience (Charly; 3-CD Box) 
     Since 1972 numerous albums have been released of the audio footage from the 'lost film' The Last Experience. This three-CD set features the entire concert in its correct chronological order. And as the title suggests this gig was the last stand for the 'Experience' trio. Consisting of a pulsating set of Jimi's hits (alongside some blues faves) the indulgences may at times be too much to the fore, but when the clattering and rumbling are kept to the minimum it's a brilliant performance!
     As Mick Farren stated in his wonderful memoirs Give The Anarchist A Cigarette Hendrix was a very BIG deal. This set proves why! There will never be another!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

INFINITY
Collected Works 1969-70 (Acme Deluxe Series; LP)
     Sceptics amongst us have considered Please in a similar way to Big Boy Pete regarding the wealth of recordings that have shown up over the ensuing years. Are these for real or have they been run off in a studio claiming to be lost recordings? It is clearly debatable, but 'lost band' Infinity have far more to their backbone, giving evidence that this material is the genuine article. And a great find it is too! Thanks Acme.
     Infinity formed in March '69 and were a by-product of The Flies and Cymbaline, a residency was undertaken in Jersey, of all places (hence their forays into MOR) and in October '69 two auditions were performed for both the BBC and Decca. They failed both. Soldiering on a demo of Jimmy Webb's 'Pattern People' (this version outshines The Bystanders) was recorded in hope of a single deal. Again, to no avail. The end of the year saw the band support The Searchers and Marmalade and enter Essex studios for further demos, and in '70 after a tour of Denmark even more material was recorded for a proposed album, which as you've guessed didn't happen. This excellent collection features what remains. 'Theme' sounds like a rawer version of Camel; there're two brilliantly funkified takes of 'Taxman'; 'Venetian Glass' and 'Space Shanty' are great heavy psych-pop and the unfortunately poor sounding demo 'Same Girl' is a true gem which if released would have been a huge hit! And like tour buddies Marmalde, Infinity could knock out some Motown inspired blue-eyed soul when need be. 'I'm In Love (With A Girl Like You)' sounds like Simon Dupree or The Alan Bown. 'Time Keeper', most likely the latest offering, is a progressive tinged funky rock cut with a strong pop hook. If Atomic Rooster were too blundering, or Colosseum too clever, this has enough of a solid structure (and MEGA funky organ solo) to get psych-pop fans watering at the mouth. It's pretty awe-inspiring stuff!
     All in all a pretty splendid release. Order now.
     (www.acmerecords.co.uk)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

MARMALADE
Kaleidoscope (Castle; CD)
     Everyone who reads Shindig! should know that there's a whole lot more to Marmalade than their atrocious 1969 hit version of the weak Beatles song 'Ob-La-Di'. A few years ago Tenth Planet did a wonderful job of acquitting the band from that criminal act with a very tasty vinyl album called Kaleidoscope. Here their finest forays into pop-sike, orchestrated pop and even full-tilt psychedelia and proto-prog-metal were dropped onto one platter. In the eyes of the UK psych fan The Marmalade had been reborn! David Wells has now expanded the set for CD. And it's sublime too! In fact, Sanctuary's previous Marmalade anthologies are also essential as the band did far less shite than one would think, but for the cream of the technicoloured milk Kaleidoscope on CD does a brilliant job of re-instating the band as a class late '60s act who were adept at pulling off a variety of styles with aplomb
     Let me hear ya say it: 'Marmalade were cool!'
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

RANDY MEISNER
Dallas (Revola; CD)
On initial sight of this album, I was pretty enthusiastic: anyone who loves country rock has to admire Randy Meisner - the man was in Poco, the Stone Canyon Band AND the Eagles! How much more country rock can that be? (None more!). But...then I realised it was a live album. From 1982!!! Heyday of Toto, Journey, Foreigner and Asia, not a year renowned for U.S. appreciation of pedal steel and harmony vocals. The edit on the intro sums it up; an MC exhorts the audience to "show everyone what a good time we're havin' in Dallas". Cue dead silence. What then follows exemplifies the worst kind of crossover country: bland, over-arranged, AOR'd to the hilt. You can just imagine Jeff and Steve Pocono (or whatever they're called) adding their soulless 'expertise' to the whole sorry experience. This from the man who co-wrote 'Take It To The Limit'. High points (if they can truly be called that) are that song, 'Try To Love Again' (despite the 'vanilla' arrangement on both) and the opener, 'Lonesome Cowgirl' - hey, that one's actually COUNTRY! Low points are virtually everything else - particularly the cover of Bryan Adams' 'Tonight', the cruddy synth plastered all over 'Jealousy', the hideous attempt at getting a little 'funky' on 'Hearts On Fire', and...oh, it's just rubbish. This is a glaring lapse in taste for a usually faultless label. No doubt the Meisner, Swan & Rich release is much better (Editor: believe me it is, see October reviews) - were they forced to take this one to get that? And there's no excuse for misspelling Linda Ronstadt's name all the way through the sleeve notes either.
Betty Chienne

THE MILENNIUM
Voices Of The Milennium (Revola; CD)
     As the ill-fated record label Together set up shop Boettcher and pals spent hours in the studio recording demos for their various projects, with a number of these tracks appearing on The Blue Marble, Sagittarius' second album. However, where The Blue Marble mix was plastered with new toy, the Moog, the demos featured here are left open and possess a far more organic feel that recall earlier efforts. 
     If not actually The Milennium (these demos feature lead vocals from Curt Boettcher, Sandy Salisbury and Leed Mallory (of said conglomeration), vintage surf legend Chuck Girrard (Hondells/ Castells) and studio guru Gary Usher) they do have the same innocent, yet intelligent quality. Throw in some fine Red Rhodes pedal-steel and top playing by session-men supreme and you have another delectable chapter in soft-pop heaven!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE MUSIC EXPLOSION
Little Bit O'Soul: The Best Of... (Sundazed; CD)
     For anyone who wants to play the kinda garage music that'll impress me this is the band to learn from. This has the archetypal garage sound! The vocals of Jamie Lyons equal G-A-R-A-G-E: he out snarls Jagger with his mean-kid, sexy, snotty inflection, but articulates in a way that is as much pop as it is punk. It's not overdone! And he had soul - in a weird way! The band's grasp at harmonies are minimal, but it works, and the primitive guitar, bass, drums and occasional organ interplay are spot on. There's no dextrous playing, but everything gels perfectly. At times the guitar pushes to compressed fuzz, and occasionally gets marginally psychedelic in a 'Paint It Black' manner. Everything sits comfortably together and the production is sparse, allowing each instrument room in its own corner! 
     The Laurie album from July '67 is included in its entirety. The version of  '96 Tears' treads all over ?'s original and 'I See The Light' takes The Animals' style and makes it somehow, more stripped down, eager and passionate! Fabulous! When it comes to garage-punk, this is the real deal. And Kasentz and co really got the show rolling: 'Everybody' is pure maraca shaking teen-punk-soul energy! It just doesn't get better than this!
     As is Sundazed's way the CD's running time is extended with the inclusion of 12 singles and sundries. All excellent! The Music Explosions attempts at bubblegum were truly impressive, with 'Sunshine Games' notably standing out as a delightfully infectious slice of spiky pop! 'We Gotta Go Home' gives Steve Ellis and The Love Affair a bloody good run for their money too, blending bubblegum and soul. And by 1968 Lyon's voice had matured into a deeper, more soulful huskiness. 'Where Are We Going' and 'Jack In The Box' display him as the perfect rival to Alex Chilton's Box Tops era. Bloody hell, the bubblegum kings even pull a cool psychedelic instro or two out of the bag; 'Hearts & Flowers' is a cross between 'You Keep Me Hanging On' and gloomy psych, and it works amazingly well. It's like the Ultimate Spinach, but much better!!! And 'Road Runner' is full of psych-ploitation opium den weirdness. These instros may have been used as filler, but in a post-modern way they sound fab! They were clearly performed by session men, but what the heck!
24 cuts of goodies that will appeal to anyone who gets the slightest buzz from catchy pop and garage... EXPLOSIVE!
     (www.sundazed.com)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

WILLIAM PENN AND HIS PALS
S/T (Beatrecords; CD)
     Although 'Swami' is essentially a novelty psych disc, it has the sound and vibe of a more serious effort. The quasi-eastern harmonies, rippling fuzz and stoned vocals are wonderful! Even though it's likely that the most psychedelic these kids ever got was spinning around with their eyes shut in their mum's kitchen they managed to cut a really good psych disc. Its b-side however is a crucial dose of snotty garage-punk that contains everything a fan of the genre wants: a Neanderthal riff, angry vocals, and a cool organ and fuzz solo! (This could have been the blue print for my youthful excursions into garage-punk!) Likewise, 'Far And Away' utilises The Yardbirds 'I'm A Man' rave-up with complimentary fuzz guitars and the kind of spooky vibe that The Fuzztones adopted, whilst 'Gotta Get Away' stomps along with a popish edge, but misses out on being squeaky clean! The only 'pop record' they actually made was the Beatles/Byrds/Beau Brummels-tinged 'There I Go I've Said It Again', and they pull it off too. William Penn And His Pals used every garage-punk trick, and most brilliantly too. It's not rocket science, but it rocks! 
     Even if the eight tracks are bit short on running time, this set adds some alternate takes, which are worth hearing. And hey, you can't have what the band didn't record, can ya? Put together by Mike Shapiro of the band this is the final word on one of the Bay Area's finest teen bands of the mid-60s!
     (www.beatrecords.com)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills 

PETER'S FACES
Don't Make Promises: The Peter Nelson Anthology (Castle; CD) 
     Peter Nelson, singer in The Flower Pot Men and later White Plains, started his career recording for Pye in 1964 with beat band Peter's Faces and later as a solo performer before joining up with Carter and Lewis. Of the early sides, 'Try A Little Love My Friend' and 'Wait' are Mersey styled pop whilst 'I Don't Care' has more of a Thames Delta r&b feel. 'Just Like Romeo And Juliet' is tackled in a soulful manner, with Nelson's gritty voice adding substance and the sax led version of 'Susie Q' is a different-from-the-norm take. Solo singles were more in a pop and folk vein and display Nelson developing a softer approach to singing, at times a schmaltzy Tom Jones wannabe, but elsewhere touching on Glen Campbell moodiness. Tim Hardin's 'Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep' is tackled with aplomb and a 'Little Bit Later On The Down Line' is classic Harpsichord/acoustic guitar led country-pop.
     The 15 songs are good in their own right, but are all rather mainstream, meaning those seeking fuzz and psych will find little to interest them.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

SKYFARMER
Amazing Grace (Gear Fab; CD)
     After Chicago based Grateful Dead types Mountain Bus split in 1972, the remnants of the group moved out to the country, shared a large house and recorded and played. These recordings date from '73-'75 and take in an array of influences from country-rock, singer-songwriter to pot fuelled boogie... A high level of musicianship is on display and the hippy vibe is ever present... but so much of this material just passes the listener by. 
     (www.gearfab.com)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

URIAH HEEP
You Can't Keep A Good Band Down: 1970-1976
(Six Miniature album replica CD box set) (Castle)
     Six Uriah Heep albums may be more than any Shindigger will want, but if you can get around David Byron's at times operatic vocals, and have an inkling for solid heavy rock and manageable prog Uriah Heep are at the top of the pile. When Uriah Heep got it together in 1970 they were a basic extension of what the guys had been doing under previous guise Spice during their progressive pop days (i.e. what we now call psych/rock). However, the first two albums, although certainly riff-tacular, are far from the band's finest moments. In fact, Byron's vocals are most annoying during this part of their career (although 'Come Away Melinda' has plenty of charm). The lengthy 'Salisbury' from the album of the same name, is totally bombastic, yet pretty great - well great if you like heavily orchestrated pop in the mould of Barclay James Harvest or early Deep Purple. The renowned 1971 album Look At Yourself sees Byron sing in a far more preferable manner and the ballad 'What Should Be Done' will appeal to anyone into brainy late '60s pop. All in all, it's a terrific album which sees the band take on a more rounded character. Demon & Wizards continues in the same less 'hard' rock manner, with the popish 'The Wizard' coming across not unlike late '60s psych. 'Traveller In Time' carried by its wah-wah and Byron's subtle Bee Gees-esque tenor is again, a stunning piece of pop-rock. 'Easy Livin' on the other hand is a fierce rocker whose raging blend of fuzz guitar and swirling organ almost giving it the edge of a 1960s garage rocker, and Hensley's previous band The Gods wouldn't have sounded out of place recording much of the material. The Magician's Birthday continues in a similar direction, although is creeping closer into the standard heavy metal and dextrous prog territory. 'Echoes In The Dark' moves along nicely and makes much use of acoustic and double tracked fuzz leads, not altogether unlike some of Camel's less complex moments, and Byron's melodic vocal impresses. Album closer 'Rain' is a rather decent piano led ballad, which shows off the band, particularly Hensley and Byron as major talents. Still, in hindsight, however good, it's nothing more than the typical token album mellow moment. Not a bad album, but less incessant that its predecessors.
By 1973 Uriah Heep were huge, and the recorded live in Birmingham double-album sees the band going through album staples and singles, well, but rather lacking in energy or dynamics. Even more disappointing is the rock 'n' roll medley. They must have been out of their box! 1976's High & Mighty features a far more polished production, which detracts from the songs. The bloody drums come close to having that horrid '80s compressed sound and the guitars are highly processed. More cod than cock rock. But of course, this was NINETEEN SEVENTY-SIX and punk would soon erase the intricacies of such honed material that took away so much of what had made rock'n'roll vital. Saying that though, some of the harmonies hang nicely on High & Mighty, but it's a major departure from the rockin' days of 'Easy Livin'.
     They made some good albums these guys, and even verged on pop and even garage/psych... so don't think of them as just another 'heavy metal' band.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Around And Around The World (World Beat; LP)
     This is actually Project Blue Vol.6 incognito. So vilified was Project Blue Vol. 5 however for its poor sound quality that Vol.6 has been rebranded lest sales should suffer. There is no worry of that, this is a great beat comp, but first the quibbles: The sleeve is a dull b/w close up of uninspired looking teens at a concert whilst the reverse pictures a semi-clad model in tennis shoes; whilst this brought a glint to my old friend Major Psychosis's jaundiced eye, I cannot see what it has to do with either the title or the content. Secondly, barring the Mexican Los Locos Del Ritmo's contribution 'Triste Dia', (which sounds like a cover I can't quite pin down, but it's a good downbeat one), this is a solely European affair suggesting a more applicable title is needed. Lastly, the musical sore thumb is the Big Beats live (and thin) rendition of the old Chuck Berry staple 'Around and Around', presumably included for the sake of the LP title. Alarmingly, it is credited as 1967, but if it's later than March '64, the Major has pledged to give up drinking port!! Griping apart, this is an ace Euro comp with two crackers from Polish stalwarts Polanie from '67 (that sound not unlike The Big Beats; watch out also for the upcoming Polish '60s Wrenching The Wires comp which promises to be astounding in beat terms!); Two corkers from Spain's Los Hurricanes ('El Calcetin' 1966 is especially good) and contributions from the Czechs, Italians Belgian and Greeks with a sole French contribution being Le 5 Gentlemen's 'Dimmi Dylan' - sung in Italian. The gripes are minor compared to what's in (most of) the grooves, so if you're a Euro-beat or general garage fan, this will nestle nicely on your shelf and in your life.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Cherrystone's Rocks - 15 Rare psych and progressive gems (Lo Recordings; Double LP/CD) 
     It's always interesting to see/hear a different perspective on 'our' music, and this recent compilation is just that: the label (Lo Recordings) deals in left-field electronic music, and album compiler Gareth Goddard is one of those guys who's totally into obscure old music, without being hung-up on it -- his main guise is as DJ/Producer Cherrystones. Just like fellow magpie DJ Shadow, Gareth is clearly obsessed with crusty old fuzz, wailing vocals and the off-the-cuff experimentalism spawned in the late '60s and '70s. As expected, this isn't a standard garage/psych/rock comp, and although containing some truly memorable psych-rock it's apparent that a fair few cuts are clearly aimed at the cut 'n' paste generation. It's amazing how contemporary the melange of beats and minimal bass on Niagara's 'City Walk' sounds, and the 'oh so hepcat, and dreadfully serious' beat poetry of Et Cetera is a mistaken inclusion that loses the album's momentum in a cloud of pretension! 
     But on the plus side, there's enough decent inclusions here to make this worth investigating if left-field stuff tickles your collecting fancy. 'Love, Love, Love' from Pugh's LP Ja, Da A Da is a brilliantly wigged-out introduction to these derailed Swedes, whose psych noise comes across like Os Mutantes on bad acid (coincidentally, Rita Lee is also included later on the set with her space age 'Vamos Tratar Da Suade' from her second solo album). Taiconderoga's 'Speakin' My Mind' gets on a funky rock vibe with some A1 searing fuzz, whilst Detroit rockers Frijid Pink's debut 45 b-side 'Crying Shame' turns up the volume even further for a smouldering fuzz gem with a superlative, soulful bluesy vocal from frontman Kelly Green! Both are nothing short of 'stoned' classics from America's pre-stadium scuzz rock era! Great Bear come from a similar background, and their groovy 1971 heavy take on Berry's 'Almost Grown' adds some rough throated gob, cool electric piano and an almost garage-punk edge to the old chestnut. In a more progressive light are Hungarians Illes, their 'Nakem Sly Mindegy' is a sharp slice of popish bluesy rock, with the native vocals giving it somewhat of an intriguing edge. (I have a number of other Illes cuts and all are interesting, from their Beatle-y tinged '60s efforts to the progressive.) Far less pop are Turks The Mogol whose filmic 'Sunset In The Golden Horn' mixes Keith Emerson-like reedy organ, with a touch of Pink Floyd and the addled vibe of David Axelrod. 
     Not everything is appealing, but this album offers a refreshingly different twist on the cool sounds of old approach. Kinda like Turds On A Bum Ride, but without the garage!
     www.lorecordings.com
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Mike Hurst: Producers Archives Volume One (Angel Air; CD)
     Mike Hurst may not be a name familiar to casual fans of pop music, but the man had a long, storied history in the music world, having produced sides that hit the U.K. singles charts for the likes of The Springfields, Cat Stevens, Spencer Davis, The Move, Showaddywaddy, and many others. Some of these hits, along with others that didn't chart, are presented on Producers Archives Volume 1, a collection that displays Hurst's proclivities for twirling the knobs on all kinds of pop stylings, albeit with varying results. 
Predictably, the best material comes from the '60s, when Hurst was young, eager, and unencumbered by too many bad ideas. He shows that he learned from the best on the Spectorian 'Keep It Out Of Sight' by Paul & Barry Ryan (written by Cat Stevens), which is not nearly as bombastic as Barry Ryan's later work. The mysterious 'My Little One' by Episode Six and the very soulful 'Strange Little Friend' by The Alan Bown (featuring a young, unaffected Robert Palmer on lead vocals) are aces as well. 
     It was in the '70s, however, that Hurst begins to slip. Now, I'm all for wimpy '70s music. I mean, I'll unashamedly admit to loving Bobby Sherman, Hurricane Smith, and even Middle Of The Road for God's sake, but the three tracks Hurst produced by New World, including a very stiff version of 'Rose Garden', are just insipid tripe, sounding like a bad version of The Limeliters (if you can believe that). Also, the rather lame cover of Gary Glitter's 'Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)' is credited to Eddy Grant but in reality Grant merely does backgrounds to a female singer called Aliki. The Four Tops probably shouldn't have tried to disco-fy 'For Your Love', but Levi Stubbs voice can carry even the worst decision to respectability. The best of the '70s stuff herein is 'Never' by Shakin' Stevens, whose Ricky Nelson-lite tunes have often been undeservedly bashed by the press. 
     The items on Producers Archives Volume One that will make collectors salivate are two very rare tunes by Colin Blunstone: a version of 'Never My Love' and a pretty decent tune called 'Don't Try To Explain' (listed on the CD as 'author unknown,' the tune was actually written by none other than Billy Vera). Hurst is not entirely to blame for some of the truly bad cuts on this collection (he admits hating the New World tracks), but there are places where better production values might have helped (such as eliminating the extremely strident background vocals on 'Never My Love'). 
     Producers Archives Volume 1 feature liner notes by Hurst himself, which do a good job recounting some of the scenarios surrounding the creation of these tracks, but are sometimes a bit too forthcoming about information that perhaps should have remained private.
     (www.angelair.com)
David Bash

VARIOUS ARTISTS 
Mind Expanders Vol. Two (No label; LP)
     Like Volume One, this new compilation of instrumental obscurities ranges from the cheesy to the right-on, from gormless to garage and beyond. It is, also like Vol. One, a great picture disc featuring two more go-go girls against a psychedelic backdrop, nice for the wall if you don't like it on your turntable (though if you're the kind of Dumb & Dumber nerd, who likes watching the pretty colours go round and round at 33.1/3, you won't ever want to go back to gawking at the tumble dryer at the local serv-o-matic again!) Now, back to what's in the grooves as opposed to what's on them. Firstly, this has got to be the only place you are ever likely to hear 'Mr Acker Bilk' (or anyone for that matter) doing a woodwind interpretation of Shocking Blue's 'Acka Raga'. The platter opens with The Stradivarius, who's 'Walking In The Bachs World' turns out to be the groovy-wooviest version of Bach's Stacatta and Fuge ever laid to wax (and it's weird too!). The Flying Guitars' 'Electronics' is a similar groove with echoey guitar and some BBC Radiophonics Workshop type keyboard effect providing the lead (there's a number of this type of tune on here). There are also what sounds like 'B' movie spy / thriller film themes even if they're not, the coolest of which is Timezone's 'Space Walker'. There are also the expected sitar grooves such as The Soulful Strings take on 'With You Without You' and The Scottmen's 'Sitar Sitter'. On the guitar front, Side two opens with Didier Vincent's 'Jerk Avec Nous', a basic two chord beater with depth. Heavy fuzz guitar follows on The Renagades 'Mad Dog', whilst Robert Gretch's 'Galaxie Guitar' takes us backwards into Les Paul territory with speeded up lead guitar experimentations. Overall this is a comp for instro hipsters with a good sense of fun. It's visually appealing and will probably make your party guests laugh uncontrollably!
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Pop Works Two: Rarities by The Matchmakers, Miki and more 1968-1970 (CD-R)
     And 'Goody Goody' 'Wooly Wooly Watsgong' to you all! Perhaps an apt subtitle to this set would have been 'Bubblegum and Beyond' for that is what is on offer in Mark Frumento's second instalment of Mark Wirtz rarities. Centred on Wirtz's band The Matchmakers and associates, we are ushered, dancing ball across the song lyric-like, into a candy caned world of expertly executed sweet factory pop facsimiles!! This second volume is much more consistent than Volume One and keeps its variety within a much stricter perimeter, varying from Archies-esque novelties such as 'Droopy Loopy', the aforementioned 'Wooly...', 'Goody Goody' and the cod ska rhythm of 'Fickle Lizzie Ann', to the frankly assured delights of full-on belters like The Guards take on 'Let Me Go Home', Krimson Kake's funky-rock instro workout 'Waiter', Kris Ife's 'I'm Coming Round (To Her Way Of Thinking)' and The Matchmakers 'Two-Timing Man', not to mention the harmony pop winner of 'Cellophane Mary Jane'. One or two duds lurk towards the end (Thomas Fritsch, Wirtz as 'Sweetshop' and Richard) but of the 25 cuts herein, the overwhelming majority collectively present a kaleidoscope of sugary sixties ear candy that will have you dancing on the dining room table in no time. Wirtz's nasally vocal style can be a little too much at times, but there is really very little to complain about in this set. This is indeed a CD for those with a post-ironic bent in which the self-consciously concocted tweeness of many of these songs can be enjoyed on their own terms quite openly! Mark Frumento has done a bang up job on packaging, presentation and production and the modesty of the cost belies the sincerity with which this labour of love was compiled. Another praisworthy example of 'by fans for fans' (maybe we should institute an award for this??). This is a very limited edition so get in quick if you haven't already. 
     Contact: mafru2@comcast.net for further details. 
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Psychedelic States: Alabama In The '60s Vol. 2 (Gear Fab; CD)
     Not one of the strongest volumes in the series by a long way, mainly due to a large proportion of the disc being taken-up by whiney mid-'60s teen-bands with little or no edge. The savers of grace however, come in the form The Chimes' ''38', which is a corking tremelo-laced , harp-led kooky number with a local DJ rappin' off his quasi-freak rant; The Tiki's powerful Standells-esque 'Somebody's Son'; top moody ballads from String & The Beans' Roy Orbison tinged with exemplary fuzz-solo, 'Come Back To Me'; The Hackers' 'Keep On Running' and The Lost Chords' 'I Want To Be Her Man'; The Preacher's Dylan rip, 'Inspiration', along with album winner, 'You're Playing With Fire' by Muscle Shoals band The Male, who have a fuzzy Headquarters edge.
     It's worth adding to the collection, but won't demand repeated plays.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Savage Sounds From South Africa: 
Rare Sixties Beat-Garage Growlers From Beyond The Cape Of Good Hope 
(Sprinbok Beat Racords, LP [500 hand-numbered on brown vinyl])
     The Acads and John Kongos apart, it has to be said that not an awful lot is known about the South African beat scene of the 60s. The country crops up in rock literature or lore more in terms of people like Mickie Most pursuing their early singing careers there or, like Kongas, leaving the place for pastures new. More pertinently (and often) the black township street groups whose wonderful music has for years now been recognised as part of the incongruously named 'world music' heritage, have been the main focus of interest there. What actually constituted an (apartheid white only?) beat scene has been somewhat obscure because of the cultural exchange boycott against South Africa and which, like the eastern bloc countries, was hermetically sealed from the outside world. Surprisingly perhaps (or not) this set really packs a punch, with a fair whack of speaker shredding moments. It's a good, full 18 tracks and most of 'em feature a healthy dose of fuzz guitar. Whilst strangled screams a la Back From The Grave are absent, the punch packed is not lessened as a result. Three cuts by Them (no, not 'Them', this is another) are all hard-hitting beaters ('One Time Too Many', 'I Want To Be Rich Again' and 'It's A Day'). The Zeroes present a cool version of 'Work All Day (Sleep All Night)' and The Gonks are kickin' with perhaps the swingingest cover of 'Woman Yeah' yet heard. The Upsetters insistent bluesy rendition of Otis Redding's 'Pain In My Heart' works a treat whilst John E Sharpe & The Squires make dance floor mayhem with 'Monkey Shine' and 'I'll Explain'. The Difference's 'I Wonder Why' has a meaty hook line as does Birds Of A Feather's 'Come On Up'. However, (adopts Dennis Norden pose and voice) "if, like me, you're one of those people who..." (in this case) find the way in which the big beat was interpreted in different countries and cultures, fascinating, The Shanganns are your men. Two tracks 'Yeah Girl' (previously comped on a Diggin' For Gold volume) and 'Liwa Wechi' are great in themselves, but even more intriguing in terms of their cultural production.
     The Shanganns, the liners tell us, were a rare group in managing to slip through the cultural boycott net and recorded both 45s and even an album in London. They are unusual (to my ears) in that they have taken indigenous ethnic instruments (principally drums) and welded the sound on to the electric beat music. 'Liwa Wechi' (pronounced Lee-Wa Weck-ee, the liners point out) ... is the missing link between African tribe music and the Western world! It sounds like The Yardbirds 'For Your Love' [well, no it doesn't really!] but with a Shaka Zula being the lead singer! Well, it seems to have been sung in Swaheli (?) or some such anyway. The back sleeve pictures some of the groups (The Shanganns as the other bands are all white) and labels many of which are familiar majors or subsidiaries there of (PYE, Fontana, Parlaphone etc) as well as cool looking indies (?) like Rave. We are told most of these records were printed up in small quantities and distributed principally in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Capetown and Kaapstad. If you are a garage fan, then you will want this comp, simply on that basis, it swings and rocks and is generally what you would want, hope and expect from such a collection. If you have a wider interest in cultural or '60s musical history, this is a fascinating record of another kind as well. For like the now emergent sixties beat of the former eastern bloc (e.g. the at time astounding Polish material on Wrenchin' The Wires Vol. One LP, check it out in
a previous month's review section) these are sounds hitherto enjoyed by only those who made them or frequented the local hops and clubs. It is to be hoped therefore that this is a tip of an iceberg rather than all there was, I rather suspect (and hope for) it was the latter and that there will be more of this coming - watch this space.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Soft Sounds For Gentle People: 
Far-Out and Beautiful Tracks From Califonia and Beyond, 1966-1971 (Pet Records; CD)
     This one's for all us snow-bound Brits, something to warm our chapped extremities in the face of the vicious wind chill of this hostile time of year. Those who swooned at volumes two & three of Fading Yellow or have a strong preference for all things Usher & Boettcher and any or everything on the (increasingly) cult Rev-Ola label, will want to possess this little beauty as soon as they can. The CD's title pretty much encapsulates the contents. This is predominantly west coast Americana of the late 60s with all the expected references (laid back American folk roots, delightful harmony singing, pretty arrangements and light orchestrations etc.) Additionally and importantly however, all the hallmarks of quality are here: very few of these sides (mainly 45s) have been reissued (only Lewis & Clark's 'Blue Revelation' was previously known to me); hidden gems on b sides are plentiful, liner notes which give the information you want occupy the whole of the insert and there is a thematic integrity and attention to detail which screams 'for fans by fans'. There are 23 lovingly curated pieces in this display and I do not count a duffer anywhere amongst them. Each one is worthwhile, but those which stand out to my ears include Jim & Dale's 'Past The State of Mind', The Deep Six's 'C'mon Baby (Blow Your Mind)', The Serendipity Singers' 'Love Is a State Of Mind' (especially for all you Eternity's Children fans), Stone Country's 'Mantra' (someone for the love of God reissue their 1968 self titled LP from which this track is taken RIGHT NOW!!!) The Fun & Games' 'It Must Have Been The Wind', Harper & Rowe's 'Here Comes Yesterday Again' and Fargo's 'Cross With No Name'. If you want to start '03 with a big smile on your face, grab this baby now, it'll do a whole lot more than a cup of Ovaltine to keep you warm! 
     (petrecords@hotmail.com)
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Sounds Of Underground London 
(Eight CD series in conjunction with the ITV Show) (Castle; CDs)
     No one should need to be told that London invented 'Youth Culture'. If you do, Eddie Pillar's TV show (which starts on February 21) will explain all. Each 30 minute show and accompanying CD traces post-war youth from the '50s Teddy Boy onto '60s Mods and Skinheads, the Northern Soul and Soul Boy scenes of the '70s, the '79 Mod Revival through to Rare Groove and Pillar's own creation, Acid Jazz. Each CD features key songs associated with each movement and in depth liner notes from Pillar himself. Not exactly Cultural Studies, but nevertheless this is a nice introduction to London working class culture and the music that spurned it. The music is self-explanatory and well associated with each cult, but the idea behind the series makes sense. If punk and metal are left out, think about it... the effect of black music (and in essence the reinvention of mod aesthetics) and its effect on working class youth is what's being investigated here. Get it?
      As a reference to 50 years of London's dance culture this is a decent introduction.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Healin' Rhythm (Beech Records; LP)
     Heaven praise the bootleggers! This 14-track vinyl brings together a rare selection of 45s, which range from Northern Soul rarities 'Acting Like Lovers' (The Spellbinders) and the fabulous 'Just Say When' (Jo Ann Garrett) to the cool jazz grooves of Montgomery Express's 'Party Fever', and an exemplary amount of top sides, such as The Airedales' boogaloo corker, 'I'll Never Turn My Back On You'.
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

VELVETT FOGG
Velvett Fogg (Castle; CD)
     Hmmmmm.... this album has never really grabbed me much at all. 'Yellow Cave Woman' relentlessly pounds away, the vocals are monotonous, but the cool guitar and Hammond save it. It's not a bad opener.... B-U-T... Early on it's already apparent that the constant problem with these Brummy guys is that they just didn't have the chops or tunes. 'New York Mining Disaster' takes the Bee Gees pop-psych gem beefing it up a bit ala Iron Butterfly, and it works well as a piece of pre-prog psych, although 'Wizard Of Gobsolod' is totally stupid, but strangely likeable. 'Once Among The Trees', if laboured, is a step in the right direction. Yet it's still frustratingly plodding and the chorus just doesn't work! 'Lady Caroline' is actually a great, medieval styled folk-ballad -- the band must've been listening to Fairport Convention -- and Tim Rose's 'Come Away Melinda' is also decent with its reedy-church organ battling it out with a rolling bass line; somewhat like The Nice. 'Within The Night' is another piece of your typically average psych hocus-pocus which works around an Eastern signature. However it somewhat peculiarly morphs into The Doors' 'Light My Fire'. Thankfully album closer 'Plastic Man' provides the bollocks that the band need! Snotty, shouted vocals, fuzz and plenty of organ fuel this episode of psych-rock... I just wonder that if Tony Iommi had stayed in the band if this is how they would have sounded?
     The less said about 'Telstar '69' the better, so I'll say nothing... if not particularly good, Velvett Fogg shows just how confused and willing to jump on the bandwagon ex-Midland beat bands had become by 1969!!
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

WAKEFIELD
The Lost Warthog Tapes (Gear Fab; CD)
     An early '70s band from Colorado naming themselves after a grey, rainy northern Britain town is somewhat strange, but there we go. These young long-hairs cooked up a few good songs, with hippy anthem 'Bring It On' being one of the best. When they're good they're very good, but when they're lacking and predictable they can be very boring. Still, like many small bands, not everything can be expected to be brilliant. And there are five or so very good songs here that recall many contemporaries that range from CSNY to SRC and Santana.
     (www.gearfab.com)
Jon 'Mojo' Mills

THE WILDWEEDS
No Good To Cry: The Best Of The Wildweeds (Confidential; CD)
     The Wildweeds burst onto the Hartford, Connecticut music scene in 1967 with 'No Good To Cry', a Northern Soul pounder on Cadet Records that quickly went to #1 on several charts around the New England area. Although the band recorded several more sides, they faded into total obscurity until the early '90s, when legendary DJ Dick Bartley resurrected 'No Good To Cry' for the One Hit Wonders collection he compiled for Rhino Records. The song whet the appetite of fans, leaving them wanting more. Fortunately, more is what you get on No Good To Cry: The Best Of The Wildweeds, a magnificent collection featuring 18 tunes that will satisfy the cravings of all sorts of fans of '60s rock 'n' roll.
     The band featured Al Anderson on lead vocals and guitar, Bob Dudek on bass, Ray Zeiner on various keyboards, and Andy Lepak on drums, among other players, and each element coalesced into a sound that was greater than the sum of its parts. Anderson's lead vocals are particularly striking in their combination of power and fragility. Northern Soul fans will absolutely salivate over 'No Good To Cry,' 'Never Mind', 'Someday Morning', (featuring a cool nod to Beethoven), 'Where Is Our Love', and the more mellow lines of 'Can't You See That I'm Lonely', but the band is more than just a one trick pony. To cite a few examples: 'I'm Dreaming,' dips its toes into psychedelic waters, 'Happiness Is Just An Illusion' borrows a lyrical phrase from The Four Tops and a musical phrase from jazz, 'I Want You Here' is an emotive, yearning ballad, and 'And Then There Is Love' would do The Association proud with its captivating harmonies. This collection also features a previously unreleased, stereo version of 'No Good To Cry'. Definitely essential.
     (www.confidentialrecordings.com)
David Bash

THE YARDBIRDS
Little Games (EMI; CD)
     I should state up front, that until this newly re-mastered edition, I had never heard the Little Games album (Editor: Really? Well, I suppose all we have here at SD HQ is a horrid '80s vinyl edition, so this is a much-needed re-package job, just in time for Will Shade's Shindig! and Ugly Things coverage). I could never be tempted to stump up the £30 asking price for the Little Games And More double CD (which is still that price even after ten years on catalogue - why?) and I have never come across it in any other format (probably never looked I suppose). Therefore, as Yardies watchers of old will already be more than familiar with much of the discs contents, this is a review for Little Games novices (if there are any other than me??) One thing I had always heard about Little Games is that it had a very thin production thanks to Micky Most's attempt to recast the Yardbirds as a once more chart friendly pop group rather than allow them to stretch out as a rock band. Well, I don't know to what extent the re-mastering has been improved, but I can't honestly say I hear any thinness at all, it sounds pretty okay to me. Also, the pop songs (e.g. 'Goodnight Sweet Josephine', all three versions of it, phased, unphased and BBC session, 'Puzzles' or 'Ha Ha Said The Clown') are actually damned good. The original ten-track album is obviously here and sonically overhauled presumably and it is a much better album than I was expecting. Having only heard 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor' as an out take on Cumular Limit with Relf's voice overly to the fore, the album version gives a much better perspective. 'No Excess Baggage', 'Smile On Me' and 'Little Soldier Boy' are class acts and 'Glimpses' is a Relf composed broody piece in a post-'Still I'm Sad' mode. The album version of 'White Summer' is also a delight to hear (bongos sprightly and crisp sounding too). Of the bonus material which all dates from 1967-8, the only dog is 'I Remember The Night'. Whilst The Yardbirds take on the Memphis Jug Band's 'Stealing, Stealing' on the album works surprisingly well as a novelty song, 'I Remember The Night' fails miserably and should be erased from the master tape! A pastiche of Maurice Chevalier which descends into a 'Lazy Sunday Afternoon' mockney knees-up, it would well suit an Innes, Stanshall, Bonzos treatment, but in the context of this disc it sucks big time! The only other cloud on the horizon is the off-air sound quality of the two previously unreleased versions of 'White Summer' and 'Dazed and Confused' from a Top Gear show (especially 'Dazed...'). Having said that I have to agree with the diplomatic small print spin on the back of the jewel case: 'The lesser standard of the tapes is counterbalanced by the quality of the performance'. Yes indeed it is actually, especially on White Summer: 'He's used that machine before, my intuition tells me' quips John Peel at the end of said number and he's not wrong! 'Ten Little Indians' has never sounded so menacing or manic as it builds with Page's lurking and brooding guitar effects. 'Think About It' (both studio and BBC session takes) is a blinder, a real live winner I would imagine. Overall, this is an excellent 76 minutes worth of prime Page era Yardbirds and at less than a tenner it's much better value than the Little Games And More double CD, although as Greg Russo makes clear in his informative and clear liner notes, this does contain material and alternative takes not on the EMI disc, so if you're that taken with this collection, you might want to reconsider stumping up the wonga for the double CD as well. Me, I've just secured an original copy of Stone Country's 1968 LP for about the same price (see the Soft Sounds For Gentle People review). This then, is more than simply the Yardie's last hoorah. It is an intelligently (bar one track) compiled set which allows the Page era Yardbirds to be heard, not as seems to be so often written, bereft of ideas or inspiration (though I accept that they were, even by their own admission), but as the craftsmen they were. This is especially so on the BBC sessions where the band were all playing together. Most would not allow McCarty or Dreja to play on some studio sessions and 'Ha Ha Said The Clown' features only Relf from the line up, the band being the American group The Cyrkle. Therefore in finality, as a body of work, with the one glaring exception alluded to already, there is nothing on this disc anyone should feel ashamed of, rather like Muddy Water's Electric Mud, it is time for these sessions to cast off the malign shibboleth they have so often been shackled with.
Paul Martin 

ZEN
Hair (Rotation; CD)
     Dutch group Zen, are one of those psych popster acts who have never seemed to garner the same recognition as many of their contemporaries. They have though, often featured on Nederbeat compilations, most recently on the Bluff Beat & Branie five CD box and its accompanying b sides sets (see last months reviews). If you have come across them in this context and like what you heard, you will want this CD for sure. There just seems to be something about late '60s / early '70s Dutch rock and pop that so often has an artistry peculiar to itself. What you get here is the whole of Zen's 1969 Hair LP plus eleven bonus cuts, and believe me this is all wheat and no chaff! Don't be put off by the title; true, both 'Hair' and 'Aquariu's from the musical are included, but a) they are the best versions you will ever hear of these songs, reworked to fit Zen's own style as they are and b) they fit right alongside all the other self-penned songs on the disc like a dream. The most familiar tracks (from comps) are here; 'I've Been Drowned', 'You Better Start Running Away From Me', 'I'm Tired Again', 'Bye Bye Heart' and 'Wayfaring Stranger'. Others such as the not too encouragingly titled 'Tiny Little Bee' have a sting you wouldn't expect. 'I Love Your Sigh' is a beauty and the almost a capella 'Dark Days of December' (an ode to the slush and mush of melting Amsterdam snow in dark alleyways - sound familiar??) are sublime both in their construction and their delivery. This is a CD that would appeal to pop / pop-psych and Dutch '60s fans alike. And at the incredible budget price of £6-7, who's the loser??? Get it now!
Paul Martin