SINGLES

ART-What’s That Sound/ Rome Take Away Three (Island)
ART NOUVEAUX-Extra Terrestrial Visitations/ The Way To Play It (Fontana)
THE BEATLES-All You Need Is Love/ Baby You’re A Rich Man (Parlophone) #1
JEFF BECK-Tallyman/ Rock My Plimsoul (Columbia) #30
BEE GEES-To Love Somebody/ Close Another Door (Polydor) #41
BEVERLEY/ DENNY CORDELL ENSEMBLE-Museum/ A Quick One For Sanity (Deram)
DAVID BOWIE-Love You Till Tuesday/ Did You Ever Have A Dream? (Deram)
CREATION-If I Stay Too Long/ Nightmares (Polydor)
DAVE DAVIES-Death Of A Clown/ Love Me Till The Sun Shines (Pye) #3
SPENCER DAVIS GROUP-Time Seller/ Don’t Want You No More (Fontana) #30
GALLAGHER-LYLE-Trees/ In The Crowd (Polydor)
HERMAN’S HERMITS-Museum/ Moonshine Man (Columbia)
HUMAN BEANS-Morning Dew/ It’s A Wonder (Columbia)
JOHN’S CHILDREN-Come And Play With Me In The Garden/ Sara Crazy Child (Track)
THE MAJORITY-Running Away With My Baby/ Let The Joybells Ring (Decca)
NIRVANA-Tiny Goddess/ I Believe In Magic (Island)
ROBERT PLANT-Long Time Coming/ I’ve Got A Secret (CBS)
THE QUIK-King Of The World/ My Girl (Deram)
EDWICK RUMBOLD-Shades Of Grey/ Boggle Woggle (Parlophone)
RUPERT’S PEOPLE-Reflections Of Charles Brown/ Hold On (Columbia)
CAT STEVENS-Bad Night/ Laughing Apple (Deram) #20
STUDIO SIX-Times Were When/ I Can’t Sleep (Polydor)
SHARON TANDY-Stay With Me/ Hold On (Atlantic)
TROGGS-Hi Hi Hazel/ As I Ride By (Page One) #42
THE UNIVERSALS-I Can’t Find You/ Hey Joe (Page One)
KEITH WEST-Excerpt From "A Teenage Opera" Parts 1&2 (Parlophone) #2
THE WHEELS OF TIME-1984/ So Long (Spin)
WINSTON’S FUMBS-Real Crazy Apartment/ Snow White (RCA)

ALBUMS

BEE GEES-First (Polydor) #8
INCREDIBLE STRING BAND- 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion (Elektra) #26

HAPPENING!

WATCHING!

 

REVIEWS

Art

What's That Sound? (For What It's Worth) : A new group, including some members of the recently split-up VIP's, have produced a most valid cover of the beautiful Buffalo Springfield number. Originally a fresh but biting West Coast sound, Art have given the number a big powerful boost and singer Mike Harrison's big voice booms out from the bending, churning and bluesy backing. Personally the Springfield's version holds more in its creeping, all embracing gentleness, but Art's forceful and more aggressive approach may get their sound off the ground. Primarily though, the sentiment is the nicest thing about the record, and we hope it's a hit because of that.

Jeff Beck

Tallyman : There's a tingling reverberating guitar sound that permeates this Graham Gouldman number, and Jeff sings spiritedly--occasionally flying off into falsetto. The tune is quite strong, but the lyric's somewhat innocuous, not that it matters really, as it's almost impossible to comprehend. And that's the main drawback of the disc.

DotThe Bee Gees

First LP : A set of 14 tunes put over with great intensity and appeal by the all-teenage Bee Gees, who must be destined for very big things in Britain before long. They sing so well together, as in "I Can't See Nobody" and "Close Another Door". They also take solo vocals with such confidence and ease that they all rank as first-rate entertainers, and as songwriters they have few equals.

DotThe Creation

If I Stay Too Long : A disc with a difference-and a good one. Slow paced, highlighting some startling reverberating guitar. Mainly soloed, with tremendous harmonies and organ in the steady build-up.

DotJohn's Children

Come And Play With Me In The Garden / Sara Crazy Child : Drummy precussive opening, then group vocal for the flower-power group who are getting enough publicity to make it quite big this time. Chorus is catchy and the directness of the arrangements is effective. Odd little falsetto touches. What you'd call a "full" sound. FLIP : A Marc Bolan song original, but just a shade monotonous.

Come And Play With Me In The Garden/ Sara Crazy Child : It's flower power again, folks! The loving lyric follows the current trend of beauty and goodwill, though I must say that, with al the deep echo and reverberating twangs, I found the words a bit difficult to comprehend. John's Children introduce some colourful falsettos and counter-harmonies, and there's a vigorous beat and a pulsating overall sound. But the boys seem to be striving to create something out of nothing because there's absolutely no tune! FLIP : The words are more distinct here, and well worth hearing. All about a seductive and sensual young lady. Crashing cymbals and startling electronic noises.

Come And Play With Me In The Garden : John's Children waste no time in issuing another loud, forceful but again original sound. The group has an urgent sound propelling all the time and attacking nicely. This is a commercial record right in the flower-power groove and it roars with power. A very strong, climactic happening sound and I can't see how it can really fail especially judging on the reaction to "Desdemona". We'll all be playing in the garden soon, flower!

DotRuperts People

Reflections Of Charles Brown : A four minute-plus track with a reflective lyric and Procol-type organ, and is a disc that you really ought to hear because it's good. 

Spencer Davis Group

Time Seller : It's little short of sensational! The poetic lyrics are movingly handled by Spence and Phil (sic) Hardin, who are framed in an adventurous scoring of rasping double basses and violas. Incredibly, this semi-classical influence of the backing blends with the blues-soul quality of the vocal, and the whole effect is quite startling. Very progressive, and a year ago it wouldn't have stood a chance, but the fans are now enlightened enough to make this the hit it deserves to be.

Cat Stevens

A Bad Night : It's almost impossible to describe this disc. There's everything in it but the kitchen sink, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's there, too! Opens quietly as an orthodox medium-pacer, with just guitar accompaniment but the backing builds rapidly until it's completely shattering. Just when you think you've heard it all, there's a tempo break and it shoots off at a totally different tangent in a sort of "It's Not Unusual" rhythm. There's xylophone, bells, strings, brass...the lot, plus Cat mainly in dual-track. Not much tune I'm afraid, but who notices, when there's so much going on? And dig the crazy fade-out.

DotKeith West

Excerpt From a Teenage Opera : Here's a worthwhile disc. The whole teenage saga compressed into four and a half minutes, complete with a potted survey of its musical tastes. Absorbing!

Winston's Fumbs

Real Crazy Apartment : Formerly with The Small Faces, Jimmy Winston leads the group in a real wildie, with shuddering twangs, bluesy organ and weird electronic devices. Makes you sit up!

 

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