Various - Round And Round – Progressive Sounds Of 1974 (4CD)

 

Cherry Red and Esoteric are really good at this sort of compilation. In the wrong hands, they can depend on what rights a label has, be led by some storming familiar songs and a load of filler or be pay to a compiler's personal tastes. The label now has a hearty catalogue and Round And Round is proof of that.

There may also be those who look for a hiding place when they see the word Progressive and imagine hours and hours of noodling and time signature changing. Prog was a much wider gathering than that and in 1974, when the singles world was still dominated by Glam and Pop Rock, it has to be remembered that albums were more about these sort of bands and LPs were far more important to the non teens.

As with any compilation, there will be artists or songs here that you may think are not Prog, but it should also be remembered that the genre was a broad church and contained the Heavy, Folk and Melodic. I for instance have never thought of my beloved Be Bop Deluxe as such. maybe more Pop Rock, but Bill Nelson's Guitar playing could certainly flirt in that direction.

In my previous Blog life, music was not primarily about the new and there was a real love of Bands such as Man and Budgie, but I always considered them as more on the heavier side, but I can see why others would link them in. There are plenty here of who there is no doubt that they are indelibly Prog. Amongst them such as Gong, Jethro Tull, Hatfield And The North, Renaissance and Camel.

The Canterbury Scene is well represented and led by Kevin Ayers. It is also nice to see the European scene represented by Kayak and PFM and by German association, Nektar. The Melodic angle is covered by the likes of Barclay James Harvest, Traffic, Strawbs and of course Todd Rundgren.. It is also great to see compilation stalwarts, Procol Harum.

I also note my hometown band, Gravy Train are here, their albums were always immensely collectible, even if those long players flattered to deceive. Four Discs may seem a lot, but this selection is so wide and varied that it is a cracking listening journey. The package is well presented with authoritative notes and the sound is great. I'm off back to the new, but this set brought back a lot of fond memories.

You can buy the set here and at all good music retailers.

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Various - Teenage Glampage : Can The Glam 2 (4CD) (Pause Rewind Play)

 

Following on from Cherry Red imprint 7Ts original set which was both critically lauded and commercially successful original set comes a second volume. Again beautifully presented, the cover description covers what is here succinctly. 

There are lots of Glam Rock compilations that have been released that cover the hits, but this is far more interesting. There are some real surprises, but as stated, there are some shockers and some that could in no way be described as Glam.

There are some stonewall classics, Mott The Hoople's wonderful Roll Away The Stone, my favourite Sweet single, Teenage Rampage, Wizzard's 7 Inch debut, Ball Park Incident and The Glitter Band's Tell Him are forever Top Notch.

Then there are songs from artists that you will know but be unfamiliar with this particular song. All are enjoyable and feature Mungo Jerry, John Paul Young, Kenny, Hello, Suzi Quatro etc. There are also bands that are not and never will be Glam such as Geordie and Angel.

It is nice to be reminded of such as Hector, Buster and in particular, Bilbo Baggins. There are bands that you wonder how the hell they ever sold anything. I mean Child's mediocre tosh was released at the height of Punk and New Wave. I would also be delighted if I never heard anything again from The Barron Knights and especially the dreadful ITV band, Flintlock.

But it is the more obscure and surprises that are most intriguing. I had no idea that The Sorrows Ex Lead Singer, Don Fardon, had released a 1974 cover of Geordie's Don't Do That or Spark's Trevor White's solo single, Crazy Kids. A similar surprise to me was The Easybeat's Stevie Wright singing the Vanda and Young written Hard Road. 

There's also Tiswas's Sally James and Max Bygraves son, Anthony present. This isn't a compilation for the casual listener who wants to sing along to See My Baby Jive. It is for the true music fan who wants to discover songs from the era that they would never have come across and be delighted that they did.

Over the 4 discs, there is a surprising lack of filler and masses of pleasant surprises. Cherry Red have become really good at this type of compilation and in a ;ot of ways they are a musical education. Too many compilations are about licensing deals, Can The Glam 2 has obviously put the work in and the results are ace.

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I Don't Hear A Single Best Of 2022 : Top 5s Compilations And Reissues

 

So the end of 2022 is reached. Two Top 5s. I Don't Hear A Single doesn't cover many of both these categories, primarily because it is a place that is about the new. Phew! I'm glad this is done. It is a major piece of work, but is incredibly popular. Onwards into 2023.

Compilations

01 : We All Shine On : Celebrating The Music Of 1970     IDHAS Review

02 : Indian Summer     IDHAS Review 

03 :  Popboomerang - Marching Out Of Time     IDHAS Review

04 : Climb Aboard My Roundabout! The British Toytown Sound 1967-1974     IDHAS Review

05 : Miles Out To Sea: The Roots Of British Power Pop 1969-1975    IDHAS Review 

Reissues

01 : Bill Nelson's Red Noise - Art Empire Industry     IDHAS Review

02 : The Supernaturals - It Doesn't Matter Anymore Expanded Edition     IDHAS Review

03 : Sparks - Lil' Beethoven 2022 Remaster     IDHAS Review

04 : The Bordellos - Ronco Revival Sound    IDHAS Review 

05 : Ex Norwegian - Standby (13th Anniversary Edition)     IDHAS Review

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Various - Indian Summer (Free Download)

 

Time for another compilation and this one is especially dear to my heart. I talk to quite a few around the scene and there are many admirable people. But the two that are most akin to me personality and outlook wise are Wayne from Ice Cream Man Power Pop And More and Darrin from Janglepophub.

We share the same sense of humour, the same cynicism at times, but above all else, we are about the artists. Very defensive of musicians, without whom etc etc and on the front foot concerning the new and the underappreciated musicians.

Wayne's strength is his weekly Radio Show which is syndicated far and wide and a great listen. But his annual compilations are especially ace because they bring these artists to an even wider audience and have become something to really look forward to. The shows are extremely popular.

Wayne does a proper job, this isn't something that is thrown out, it sounds great from start to finish. Every individual track gives a link to the artist. Although there are many artists who I know here, there are plenty that are not, so even the oldest man in the village can learn something.

There are 40 songs here and all are free. You can download individual tracks or the whole thing as a whole. I suggest the latter and if 40 songs are a bit much in one go, then listen to them in two halves or batches. Everything on here merits conclusion.

As ever with a compilation, it is impossible to mention everyone. Around half have been featured on IDHAS in one way or another, so I will concentrate on some who haven't. But please don't ignore the likes of Emperor Penguin, Star Collector and Kid Gulliver, to name just three.

Mansfield are a Danish band who are new to me and they open proceedings with a Brit Pop flurry. The Walk Offs offer up something that sounds somewhere in between Glam and Canvey Island. Monty Vega And The Sittin' Shivas provide a New Wave version of The Ramones.

I placed Strange Neighbours on the latest IDHAS 10 Song Mix on the strength of hearing it here. Phil Hendricks excels with a song that compares to Def Leppard doing The Only Ones. Perilous made me reach for my Flares with a cracking slice of Glam Rock. The Flares must have shrunk in the wash.

I've gone for two songs by great artists that I know and two that are new to me for embeds. However I urge people to listen to everything here. You'll find everything from Psych Pop to Garage Rock. A special round of applause for Wayne. Here's hoping he keeps on keeping on.

You can listen to and download the compilation here.

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Various - We All Shine On : Celebrating The Music Of 1970

 


I think many know my feelings about compilations. I'm not sure what they add to the lives of potential listeners and there are so many of them, most mediocre at best. However this month I am reviewing three, so in a big upping of myself, you can be sure they are good. All three are great and all for very different reasons, but this is the best. I was 7 in 1970 and so most of these songs won't have been on my radar unless I saw them on Top Of The Pops or heard them on the Radio on the odd time I was allowed to have it on. Only Indiana Wants Me and Love Grows fit that bill.

But as I got older, I looked back more and I can now say that I know virtually all of them. The strength of this compilation are primarily the songs, backed up by a great roster and John Borack who knows what he is talking about and John, I too would have loved to see Band Of Gold.Two other things spring to mind. A real sadness at the recent loss of Bobby Sutliff who Jangles up Indiana Wants Me wonderfully and what a coup it is getting Mitch Easter, a man who saved the 80s musically for me. 

As with any compilation, there isn't space to mention all 22 songs, so I apologise to those not included in this verbiage. Suffice to say, every artist and every song merits inclusion. In the words of Young Mr Grace, "You've All Done Very Well"People forget how great Lannie Flowers is when he ventures towards Country and what a twang his version of Walk A Mile In My Shoes is. Share The Land was a surprise and welcome cover and Popdudes always have the knack of doing a song justice.

The Brothers Steve do a wonderful version of Cracklin' Rosie. Fine harmonies and Jeff Whalen's vocal makes it sound as though he is in the room. Thankfully Sweet Caroline was the year before as that is a great song that has become completely done to death in the UK by TV adverts and crowds.It seems ages since I've heard from The Legal Matters and they do a splendid faithful version of What Is Life. My favourite version here is Starbelly's Reflections Of My Life, a fantastic song that the band seem to impossibly add to.

Diamond Hands tackle Lola in fine style with an ace Guitar fest and turn it into Psych Pop. Bill Lloyd's choice of Mama Told Me Not To Come is inspired and he too slips into Psych Pop joy too. I also still think that The Armoires' version of Yellow River suits them perfectly.Love Grows is still one of my favourite songs ever and The Test Pressings handle it in style. It is a song that suits Robbie Rist's vocals naturally. Finally there was a massive surprise at the end. I'd heard a lot about how good The Used Electrics were Live and in particular how Loud.

Well they rip into The Stooges' Loose. It is Wallpaper Stripping and just the right song for closing this special compilation. Well done Borack! Well done Spyderpop! This is one album that you'll listen to again and again and again,

You can buy and listen to the album here and here.

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Various - Climb Aboard My Roundabout! The British Toytown Sound 1967-1974 (3CD)

 

I first got into Toytown via the A Trip To Toytown compilation that Mick Capewell co-authored and it opened a whole new world to me, It also introduced a lot of great fans into my life such as Mark Kirk and the wondrous world of Marmalade Skies.

I'm still in touch with Mick who continues to fly the flag wonderfully for all things of this era. His radio shows are outstanding. It is noted that Cherry Red label this as the first legitimate compilation as those who know, know, about those aforementioned times.

I haven't listened to much of what was around for a long time, largely with IDHAS being about the new. But I am a big champion of Psych Pop by the newer artists and constantly reference Toytown comparisons in such reviews leading to many questions about what is Toytown.

Toytown is a mixture of all things around Great Pop, mixing Baroque with weird hypnotic arrangements and inventing villages with oddball characters. Fairy Tales and Whimsy abounded in incredibly melodic, hypnotic even, songs. 

You have to listen to catch the drift properly, but if one song is an indication of what the genre is about, it is The Idle Race's The Skeleton And The Roundabout, a line from the song is the title of this compilation and it is hard to imagine Jeff Lynne being as inventive as this. Last Train To London it is not.

But I am sure that many ELO fans went back to see what The Idle Race were about, as well as The Move and those people should love this. Ditto XTC;s The Dukes Of Stratosphear's adventures which mirror a lot of what was happening in Toytown.

It is obvious that Mark Wirtz is present here on three occasions as well as the likes of The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Syn, Alan Bown and Keith West. Bigger names such as The Kinks and David Bowie also appear.

But the real joy of Toytown is the smaller unknown one off bands. That is were the true discoveries are made. I don't profess to have a detailed knowledge of the scene, others are around who can direct you down wonderful holes.

Lots of this will have been heard by keen followers, but it is nice to maybe have better sources and original masters. I'm not a compilation sort of person, as I've mentioned before, largely due to time. But Cherry Red do a wonderful job in bringing delights to a new audience via the 3 disc sets.

This set isn't released until 28 October, but you can pre-order it now. I would suggest that you get in early because these releases do go out of print really quickly and they are an education. You will be surprised at how enchanted it makes you feel and how hooked you get. 

You can pre-order the album here.

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Popboomerang - Marching Out Of Time (2CD)

 

With so much to listen to, I tend to avoid compilations. I am so lovingly bombarded by new music that I just can't fit them in and usually find that I don't learn much that I wasn't aware of. However, I will make an exception for the magnificence that is Popboomerang.

I was one of those who contacted Scott, one of the most passionate and dedicated music people around and offered my thoughts when he called time on the label. Whilst fully understanding his frustration with all the lockdown cancellations, I wouldn't ever want it to end at a dead stop. Surely there was an opportunity for a last hurrah.

Here is that Hurrah, although it isn't quite the last as there is one more release to come that I know Scott has yearned to unleash and that will be the fitting end. A second problem with a double CD compilation is how do you review the album without offending those that you don't mention.

So I urge everyone to go to the Bandcamp site and listen to the whole affair. These 40 songs are like a who's who of the Australian Indie scene and they showcase what a varied range of artists have fallen into Scott's gaze.

Whenever I think of the label, I think of Danny McDonald and he offers up Northern Gaze a real Jangling Power Pop joy. Then Nick Batterham, a real fave of mine provides a very different psychy cover of Teenage Fanclub's Everything Flows.

Bryan Estepa joins Hazey Jane for I'm Going in a big 60's Pop Extravaganza with a splendid twang. Then there is the magical Go-Go Sapien with the melancholic Baroque Pop of Metaphysical Resistance. The scope is shown by the mix of Brilliant Fanzine's One In 10,000 on which I was transported back to early 90's Club Nights.

The Wellingtons are an essential addition with the demo of Soda (You're Gone), New Wave Power Pop at its very best. Living Daisies provide some great Americana with the dual vocal and Georgia Fields offers up great Indie Pop with Snakes And Ladders. 

I've embedded just four songs, 10% of what is on show. This is a compilation that is far more than the sum of its parts, there really is something for everyone. Most importantly, it is a celebration of the whirlwind that is Scott Thurling, the nicest man in Guitar Pop.

You can listen to and buy the album here. The download is Name Your Price, but please show your support to future Scott musical endeavours by paying what you can afford.

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