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Home , Alan Vega, Pretty Things, Soft Machine, Steve Hillage

spanned an often balladic broad ★ musical palette – the main Vinyl continuity being the queues to Collector record cover versions.

by Paul Rigby This 25-track compilation of career highlights is packed with classics, starting with The Troggs (who also covered Anyway That You Want Me – here by Tina Mason) and ending with Taylor’s later forays into country music. In between there are timeless gems such as Out Of Focus debut, Wake Up, which owed more outspoken and Lorraine Ellison’s Try (Just A Wake Up a debt to early UK prog targeted, highlighting religion Little Bit Harder) (later huge for ★★★ outfits, weaving improvised as a particular cause célèbre. Janis Joplin), Merillee Rush’s Sandy Denny Missing Vinyl MV 004 passages through Its follow-up, Four Letter Angel Of The Morning and She Moves Through The Out Of Focus conventional song structure. Monday Afternoon, released Picture Me Gone – originally a Fair ★★★★ The weakest of the three, the same year, presented a hit for Taylor’s protégé Evie ★★★ Missing Vinyl MV 006 Wake Up is, however, still a full-on -like - Sands (present with I Can’t Let Stamford Audio STAMPLP 1003 Four Letter Monday recommended listen, thanks rock fusion, with avant-garde Go) and covered sublimely here Conventional for the Afternoon to its funk-based grooves touches and more extended by the often-overlooked hardcore fan ★★★★ and a lyrical depth that experiments. Madeline Bell. Recorded by Denny when she Missing Vinyl MV 005 (2-LP) reflected social and political Across the double Out Other names include Aretha was just 19 years old, this Lens your ears to this ideas without hitting you over Of Focus, the group were able Franklin, Peggy Lee, Billy Vera, limited, 500-only EP consists prog barrage the head with its tenets. to push their own boundaries Walter Jackson, Reparata & The of just five tracks spanning 16 These three were the The following year’s Out with Huchen 55, a single Delrons and The Hollies, while minutes or so playing time in first LPs the German outfit Of Focus retained the rock, piece that sprawls over both Ace’s customarily thorough total, and was last seen on the released on the collectable and folk elements, sides of the second LP, sleevenotes give the full story Boxful Of Treasures CD set. Kuckuk label. A tight, largely while swerving into jazz via combining freeform ideas with behind each song, Recorded at her home instrumental group, they extended saxophone and flute captivating instrumental complimenting a truly luscious in 1967 (around the time of weren’t afraid to improvise solos. Matching the musical sequences. The sound of a package. Kris Needs Deny’s first Saga session) the when necessary, cooking up progression, the lyrics band evolving, this trio of EP comprises self-penned, a sound on their 1971 become more confident, albums make an ideal set. borrowed and traditional songs. Denny’s performance is pure of tone and full of restrained LPs, plus a free 10” for mix attractive harmonic vocals Britain and Ireland (and, on passion, though the sound members of the label’s with free-flowing musicianship one occasion, Galicia in quality is variable. exclusive club. A brilliant and psychedelic froth. A worthy Spain) to source a selection Rating this release is a collection of angular synth addition to the canon. of traditional songs that little difficult, mainly because it noises, nightmarish vocals, almost seems a luddite’s will set you back £19.90 for industrial noise and out of Wipers reaction to the recent what’s just an EP of released control feedback. Over The Edge plethora of acts coming out material. Some will see it as a ★★★★★ under the alt.folk, nu-folk etc rip-off, other hardcore fans will Jackpot JPR 82803 banners. In fact, Yorkston just be happy to see this Hotter than a squeegee on himself admits that most of ZE30 material on vinyl, while fire this LP is derived from the ★★★★ audiophiles will appreciate the Lauded by Kurt Cobain, and 60s folk revival and his Anne Strut STRUT 47 CD well mastered and pressed one of those rare bands who Briggs influence. Tackled Cult NY label revisited 12”, as opposed to a limited sought to pursue true punk with sensitivity and a The 31st anniversary of New 7” of inferior sound quality. ideals without actually calling laidback attitude, Yorkston York’s Ze label is commemorated See it for what it is – a limited themselves a punk band, applies a light, even delicate in style here. It’s something of a edition collector’s item – and Wipers wanted to be free of all touch to these old works. danceable set of tracks, too; any you won’t go far wrong. corporate music strictures. The album that starts with a six-and- creative goals they set, Vinyl Round-up a-half minute 12” mix of a Was The however, inevitably failed to All releases are out now, (Not Was) track – Tell Me That Philippe DeBarge materialise. Despite that, this unless otherwise stated I’m Dreaming – is setting out its ★★★★ brilliant 1983 album mixes pop Eric Clapton Slowhand (Back stall from the outset. Casino UT UT-2207 and punk in a manner that lifts To Black) Music’s take on The Beat Goes DeBarge-ing out of the vaults both genres without diluting Free Fire & Water (Back To On is excellent, while James During 1969, with SF Sorrow either. With a strong, edgy Black) White & The Blacks are jerky and out on the shelves and presentation, Over The Edge Lisa Hannigan Sea Saw dotty on Contort Yourself and guitarist , out of releases the pressures of life (ATO) the ever-jaunty Kid Creole & The the band, the creative Pretty directly into your head, while Grace Jones Nightclubbing Coconuts are given a none- pair of Phil May and Wally providing an originality all too (Back To Black) more-80s remix by Larry Levan Waller met Frenchman often missing from their peers. Moby Wait For Me (Little on Something Wrong In Paradise Philippe DeBarge – an eager Idiot) – which sounds exactly as it M Squared young fan with cash to burn James Yorkston & Jack Peñate Everything Is should. Both Alan Vega and Pardon Me For Barging and a rock dream glinting in The Big Eyes Family New (XL) Suicide also crop up, the former In Like This… Rare his eyes. Sung by DeBarge Players The Specials The Specials with the poppy Jukebox Babe Recordings 1979-1983 but written and backed by The Folk Songs (EMI) and the latter contrasting with ★★★★★ Pretty Things, this album ★★★★ Tom Tom Club Tom Tom an extended version of Dream Vinyl On Demand VOD 62 (5-LP) includes a number of Domino WIGLP 236 Club (Back To Black) Baby Dream. Making round pegs fit in intriguing tracks, such as the Trad songs from Scotland UFO The Visitor (SPV) The label’s break between square holed live staple, Alexander, which Though born in Fife, Yorkston Vetiver Tight Knit (Sub Pop 1986 and 2003 was merely a Out of Sydney, , the never saw a studio recording has scoured the length of Import) gasp for air, as new tracks Hillage DeeplyVale LP AW 12/6/09 13:52 Page 1

M Squared label was most released, and Send You With Deeply Vale Festival 1978 Sound System for Steve Hillage such as the distinctly odd- LP One LP Two performance put together by Chris Hewitt Productions - Side One Side Three Tractor Music Pro Audio - mixing desk brought in specially Saucer Surfing Palm Trees from Cargo Recording Studios,Rochdale. active during the late 70s and Loving, which was recorded Searching for the Spark Light in the Sky industrial-snooker piano of Octave Doctors Hurdy Gurdy Man Lunar Musick Suite Side Two Salmon Song Side Four "A must-have for any and all fans of Hillage, early 80s, producing works by for a BBC session in 1969 but Crystal City Activation Meditation Gong, , Avant Garde and just Michael Dracula’s What Can I Radio Glorious Om Riff Getting Better good British psych in general." **** Steve Hillage talks about the 70's and Deeply Vale the likes of SPK and never appeared on record. U.F.B Mike Reed Banzai Magazine Do For You (from their Review from Goldmine Magazine USA Talk to any connoisseur of 70s-era double live albums, and many will agree that Steve Hillage’s "", recorded and released in 1977-78, rates among the finest jewels that the genre has to offer. So it’s astonishing to discover that someone Systematics. This collection is After it was recorded, has spent the last 25 years sitting on tapes that knock that set into the dust, both in terms of on-stage excitement and aural forthcoming Ze debut) enjoyment. "Live At Deeply Vale Festival 1978" (Ozit, UK) transports the listener back to one of the last truly great festivals staged in the UK that decade, a weekend’s worth of music that fearlessly ranged across both the traditional rock range and the upcoming punk movement, before climaxing with a Hillage set that the guitarist himself reflects, “…(sounds) as exciting a treasure trove of rare and DeBarge, who died 10 years now as Live Herald was back then.” indicates. The CD and vinyl unreleased tracks from the ago, took the masters home Hillage Steve Deeply Vale Ozit Dandelion LP 8007 packs feature a full history of likes of A Cloakroom to , where the album the label, sleevenotes by RC’s Assembly, East End Butchers, remained buried. Distinctly Kris Needs, interviews with

Patrick Gibson and Shane West Coast in sound, with Steve Hillage - guitar, vocals, keyboards. Miquette Giraudy - synthesiser, vocals. founder Michel Esteban and a Christian Boule (sadly missed) – glissando guitar. John Mackenzie - bass, vocals. - drums. Front of house mix - John Newsham. Monitors and backline - David Westrop, David Stewart. Overall show production - Chris Hewitt. Mix for this album Tøm Hewitt. Fahey. In beautifully pizza box- only flashes of their primeval Copyright © 1978 & 2009. Chris Hewitt - Ozit-Morpheus Records. host of original artists, plus This is number of a limited run of albums. Manufactured in superb 180g vinyl. style packaging you get five punk ethic, The Pretty Things 2 lp set in 180 gram heavy vinyl - includes tracks not released on the cd version of the album previously unpublished photos. Joe Shooman

Record Collector 99

Albums.indd 99 17/07/2009 11:09:18