Fading Yellow

 

FADING YELLOW- Timeless Pop-Sike & Other delights:1965-69
(Flower Machine Records FMRCD 1001)

 

KATE - Strange Girl JUAN & JUNIOR - Andurina
DEAN FORD & THE GAYLORDS - That Lonely Feeling HAMLET - She Won't See The Light
EDDIE HOWELL - Easy Street PAUL & BARRY RYAN - Madrigal
MIKE BATT - Fading Yellow PHIL CORDELL - Red Lady
STEFF SULKE - Oh, What A Lovely Day RONNIE BIRD - Sad Soul
JOHN WILLIAMS - Flowers In Your Hair RONNIE BIRD - Raining In The City
THE ZEPHYRS - I Just Can't Take It ELLIOT'S SUNSHINE - 'Cos I'm Lonely
JON - Is it Love? PETER JANES - Do You Believe (Love Is Built On a Dream)
THE ORANGE BICYCLE - Competition THE BLISS - Lifetime
THE GREMLINS - The Only Thing On My Mind THE JACKPOTS - King Of The World
QUINTIN E KLOPJAEGER & THE GONKS - The Long Way Home MEMBERS OF TIME - Dreamin'
SUNDRAGON - Far Away Mountain AEROVONS - World Of You

Review

This is a fine example of not only compilers, but also the buyers increasing appreciation of the more pop-sided aspect of music that arose after the Beatles caught  "A Ticket To Ride". Running the gamut from jolly mid-60s beat-pop through to heavily orchestrated affairs from '69, "Fading Yellow's" overall concept of 'pop-sike' and more so 'other delights' is fully realised. Some may argue that by the end of the year a certain type of collector will be becoming hot under the collar on hearing mention of a rare '67 Ken Dodd acetate that features lush orchestration and sustained fuzz guitars! Diddy Men in the sky with diamonds, indeed! Cynicism aside, the psych/pop compilation is clearly becoming far poppier with the passing of time, and such a fine example as "Fading Yellow" sits perfectly on the cusp of the "Rubble" series most commercial selections and the more recent and uneven "Ripples" compilations (albeit a lot more interesting).
It's practically a gem after gem ride too. Mike 'Remember You're A Womble' Batt's mournful, sweeping ballad "Fading Yellow" is the perfect summation of what's on offer and is certainly worthy of having an entire compilation named after it. The strings, warm guitar parts and soft vocalising are sumptuous, and a good indication of what's in store. It really is a solid set, and possibly the greatest pop-psych comp to come out in years. Rather than focus on fifth-division acetate pressings of 'four Lancashire lads trying to be Syd Barret' everything included here is well performed pop saturated in that certain late '60s over-the-top production that so regularly gets classified as psychedelia. And there are plenty of obscure choice cuts to satisfy even the most hardened psych-head. Irish four-piece Jon's "Is It Love" has a great rising chorus, some oriental sounding instrumentation and a middle-eight that has a vague feel of the Troggs psych-pop phase. Juan & Junior (of Los Brincos fame) sound uncannily like Magna Carta on their whimsical folk-pop cut 'Andurina'. 'Woe, Is Love Dead My Dear?' the b-side of the Koobas rare Danish only 'Sweet Music' 45 sees the 'pudlians getting introspective on their beautifully performed rendition of this Bert Jansch piece (which he also recorded). And amongst the many other strong cuts from the likes of Eddy Howell, Ronnie Bird, Paul & Barry Ryan is American teen trio The Aerovons incredible "World Of You", which was recorded in Abbey Road in 1969. This not only rates as one of the best cuts on this album, but is also among the finest late '60s EMI discs (and yes, we're talking Pretty Things and Pink Floyd here too). (Rumour has it that their unreleased 1969 album will soon be available on Flower Machine).
Not only timeless, but in every aspect wonderful too. If only more compilations were as good as this.

Jon 'Mojo' Mills

FADING YELLOW 4 - "Light, Smack, Dab" Timeless UK Pop-sike and other delights... 1967-1969

(Flower Machine Records FMRCD 1004)

 

THOUGHTS AND WORDS - Morning Sky ROBBIE CURTICE - The Soul of Man
THE PICCADILLY LINE - At the Third Stroke THE ALAN BOWN - All I Can
THE MAJORITY - Charlotte Rose JASON PAUL - Shine a Little Light Into my Room
THE PLAYGROUND - The Girl Behind the Smile THE CALIFORNIANS - Can´t Get You Out of my Mind
FRABJOY & RUNCIBLE SPOON - Animal Song WAYNE FONTANA - The Impossible Years
PIPES OF PAN - Monday Morning Rain WAYNE FONTANA - In my World
THE TOYSHOP - Send My Love to Lucy JOHN BROMLEY - If You Are There With Me
THE CANDLELIGHT - That´s What I Want THE GIBSONS - You Know I Need Your Loving
THE EPICS - Henry Long DAVE BERRY - And I Have Learned to Dream
FINDERS KEEPERS - Light THE MAJORITY - Wait By the Fire
MARTIN MARTIN - Imagine DAVID McNEIL - Linda
THE YOUNG BROTHERS - Mirror, Mirror ROBBIE CURTICE with TOM PAYNE - Gospel Lane

 

FADING YELLOW 5 - "Gone are the Days" -Timeless UK Pop-sike and other delights... 1970-1973
(Flower Machine Records FMRCD 1001)

 

HIGH SOCIETY - Tell Me Now MAJORITY ONE - I See Her Everywhere
GARRY BENSON - Holly ALMOND MARZIPAN - Summer Love
ANGEL PAVEMENT - When Will I See June Again BILLY NICHOLLS - This Song is Green
MIKE BATT - Wendy ABEL FLETCHER - You Won´t See Me Go
TUESDAY - Sewing Machine CATS EYES - Come away Melinda
TOAST - Summer of Miranda MARVIN, WELSH & FARRAR - Tiny Robin
SUNCHARIOT - You´re Lovely THE PLAYGROUND - The Rain, The Wind and Other Things
VIGRASS & OSBORNE-Forever Autumn MAXWELL & NICHOLSON - Trees and Things
ROCK CANDY - Magic Horse MICKY JONES & TOMMY BROWN - Alice
GRACIOUS - Once On a Windy Day RICHARD BARNES - High Flyin´ Electric Bird
DESIGN - The Minstrel´s Theme ABEL FLETCHER - Esmeralda

 

FADING YELLOW 8 - "Hymns For Today" (Flower Machine Records) (2007)

 

HARVEY ANDREWS- England My England STORYTELLER- Alice Brown
JAN & LORRAINE- Bird Of Passage ANDY ROBERTS- I've Seen The Movie
RAW- What To Do NADIA CATTOUSE- All Around My Grandmother's Floor
MICHAEL BLOUNT- Acorn Street JAN & LORRAINE- Snow Roses
DANNY KIRWAN- Lovely Days EVENSONG- The Smallest Man In The World
FUCHSIA- Me And My Kite TREVOR BILLMUSS- Sunday Afternoon In Belgrave Square
P C KENT- After Dark JOHN PANTRY- Long White Trail
VIGRASS & OSBOURNE- Ballerina MICHAEL BLOUNT- Ceaicles Miscellaneous
GOTHIC HORIZON- Thoughts ALAN JAMES EASTWOOD- Hymns For Today
MARC BRIERLEY- Today I Feel Like Leaving You WIZZ JONES- One Grain Of Sand

 

FADING YELLOW 9 "The Other Side Of Life" (Flower Machine Records) (2007)

 

POP WORKSHOP- Fairyland TAPESTRY- Like The Sun
THE MARIANNE- As For Marionettes ANDY FORRAY- Mary Jane
SUSIE KLEE- Punch And Judy Girl RODNEY BEWES- Dear Mother Love Albert
BRENDAN PHILLIPS- Is It Worth a Try? GARY HAMILTON- Let The Music Play
PUSSYFOOT- Hasty Words MIKE LESLIE- Office Girl
HOGARTH- Suzie's Getting Married MICKY JONES & TOMMY BROWN- If I Could Be Sure
TONY RITCHIE- Rain On My Window JON- Polly Sunday
JUMBO- Promises TIMON- And Now She Says She's Young
JOHN PANTRY- Wash Myself Away WISHFUL THINKING- Clear White Light
PAUL VIGRASS- Stop! BRENDAN PHILLIPS- When She's Kissing Me
DAVE CHRISTIE- Penelope Breedlove BILL FAY- Unreleased Acetate
CHRISTIAN- Other Side Of Life PAUL LAYTON- Sing Sadman Sing
CHRISTIAN- She  

 

ALSO AVAILABLE

FMRCD1002 Fading Yellow vol 2 - 21 Course Smorgasbord of US pop-sike and other delights 1965-69 cd, incl DISRAELI/JULY FOUR/THE ORACLE/HOLY MACKEREL/CHRIS AND CRAIG etc etc A MUST!
Here you´ll find magical US (and a few Can. tossed in) late 60´s pop-sike etc
 

FMRCD1003 Fading Yellow vol 3 - 22 Shiny Jewels of US pop-sike and other delights 1965-69 cd, incl EDDIE HODGES(orig vers of "Shadows and Reflexions", made famous by UK gr. The Action)/WIGGS OF 1666/RIVER DEEP/SATURDAY´S PHOTOGRAPH/GIANT JELLYBEAN COPOUT etc etc A MUST! Here you´ll find magical US (and a few Can. tossed in) late 60´s pop-sike etc

For further details, contact: tracksonwax@swipnet.se

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