Sweet Floral Albion 23 Pop & Psych Gems (British Psychedelia '65-'70 -(better than average) )

**Psychelatte says: This is the great Psych-pop comp from which I discovered The Rokes and Gun, whose albums/collections are posted elsewhere on my pages.**

"23 pop & psych gems picked by Dave Thubron the editor of e-line magazine 'Sweet Floral Albion' - the bible for everything UK Psych.

Most of this stuff has been uncomped (on cd) or is darn near impossible to track down. Okay theres a few duffers (or fillers) but greatness pervades and theres always something to surprise you. A few mentions then.

In '67 Sir Henry & His Butlers, ostensibly a beat group from Denmark, found a sitar and in `Pretty Style' created a track so mad that even Pebbles had to comp it.

Australia's premier beat band The Easy Beats cover `Peculiar Hole In The Sky' - originally by fellow countrymen The Valentines, it is considered a choice moment in Australian Psych.

The Uglys' 'Mary Cilento' is a fab, slab of pop with a hook they seem to have pinched from the Kinks' "David Watts". Still a great song all the same. (NOTE from Psychelatte: The complete Ugly's Anthology is included on this blog, check it out, I think they're great.)

Nirvana's `Oh! What A Performance' is is simply put great pop. The genuine surprise award goes to (the unintentionally hillarious) Brothers Gibb and their whacked out helium, sitar driven (demo) 'Deeply, Deeply, Deeply Me' which Mr. Thubron so aptly describes as 'Peter Sellers on mescalin'.
The whimsical 'Tea & Toast Mr Watson' (Dennis Couldry & Smile) shows more than a passing nod to early Pink Floyd. `It's Lonely Out There' by The (pre-glam) Sweet distinguishes itself with some brief stinging guitar.

Pasha's 'Pussy Willow Dragon' puts me in mind of Fifth Dimension's `Up, Up & Away.' Noel Redding's `Fat Mattress' do a spot of whistling while `Walking Through A Garden' - highly recommended for an afternoon spent down at the allotment.

Fruit Machine's 'Cuddly Toy' which to some ears will be gorgeous swelling pop and to others' (mine included) ugly, sinking pap. The Rokes (from London & superstars in Italy) produce this comps' highlight `When The Wind Arises' - for the anorak whose life is in the detail, the track was originally titled `Il Vento' and sung by Lucio Battisti and imho is just as great The Rokes' cover.

The final track, weighing in at an impressive 11 minutes, will appease noise fans who'll no doubt appreciate Ilford's The Gun.

They literally 'Take Off' anything not securely fastened by cement as they cruise mercilessly torwards the outlands known as 'Prog.' All in all a choice buy for those who appreciate the ethos behind `Past & Present' & `Psychic Circle' "(by DLJ Man).

Trackliksting:
01.The Universals - Green Veined Orchid ('67)
02.Made In Sheffield - Amelia Jane ('67)
03.Sir Henry & His Butlers - Pretty Style ('67)
04.Zoot - Little Roland Lost ('69)
05.The Easybeats - Peculiar Hole In The Sky ('69)
06.Nirvana (UK) - Oh! What A Performance ('69)
07.The Uglys - Mary Cilento ('69)
08.Normie Rowe - Sunshine Secret ('67)
09.Simpe Image - Spinning, Spinning, Spinning ('68)
10.Kevin Ayers - The Clarietta Rag ('69)
11.Pentad - Don't Throw It All Away ('65)
12.The Eyes Of Blue - Never Care ('69)
13.The Bee Gees - Deeply, Deeply, Deeply Me (Demo) ('67)
14.Denis Couldry & Smile - Tea And Toast, Mr. Watson ('68)
15.The Sweet - Mr. McGallagher ('68)
16.The Sweet - It's Lonely Out There ('70)
17.Pasha - Pussy Willow Dragon ('69)
18.The Dave Clark Five - Lost In His Dreams ('68)
19.Fat Mattress - Walking Through A Garden ('69)
20.The Fruit Machine - Cuddly Toy ('68)
21.The Rokes - Hold My Hand ('67)
22.The Rokes - When The Wind Arises ('68)
23.Gun - Take Off ('69)

Bands:
The Universals, Made In Sheffield, Sir Henry & His Butlers, Zoot, The Easybeats, Nirvana (UK), The Uglys, Normie Rowe, Simpe Image, Kevin Ayers, Pentad, The Eyes Of Blue, The Bee Gees, Denis Couldry & Smile, The Sweet, Pasha, The Dave Clark Five, Fat Mattress, The Fruit Machine, The Rokes, Gun.

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