HERMAN'S HERMITS/BLAZE SCXC 35 (-67) UK EXPORT STEREO

If someone had asked me 1966 which major act was least likely to do a psych album Herman's Hermits would certainly have come to mind. Then the epitome of simple catchy pop, all positively performed with a crooked smile and big selling as such. But apparently they did and here it is. Albeit the foundation still is pop, there are enough twists and turns in production, arrangements and some of the guitar work for it to be tagged psych. I've always liked listening to music where the catchy and embracing are spiced with more or less unusual whims, keeping me relaxed and alert at the same time. And most tracks here are blessed with that combination. For exemple the odd string arrangemets in "Don't Go Out Into The Rain" and "One Little Packet Of Cigarettes, the dissonant guitar backing "Moonshine Man" and the warped Bo Diddley feel in "Ace, King, Queen". Outcome probably a result of producer Mickie Most smoothing the band into a more contemporary 1967 style to maintain healthy sales. Apparently that didn't work cause it didn't sell a lot and became their last original recording for MGM. The audio on this pressing is superb - collected yet clear. The only downer for me is the very short play time - clocking in at about twentyfive minutes, leaving lots of dead vinyl on both sides. But it is what it is and what I get is good. Premiere US on MGM (E/SE 4478). Japan 2014 CD (Parlophone WPCR 15496) came with seventeen bonus tracks - by the band or Pete Noone solo. Not released domstically in UK, this was for export only. It had label as shown here and laminated flip-back cover with EMI-ad inner. (HÄHX*) (ÖXÄP*)