British prog/psych/symphonic rock band exisiting 1967-78. After releasing a non-selling 45 - "King Of Siam"/"Ballad Of Harvey Kaye" - on Atlantic and participating in the soon abandoned Tony Richardson movie "Laughter In The Dark", they got a contract with Deram for which they released two albums that today are considered classics by lovers and collectors of British psych - "Mercator Projected" and "Snafu". Though with healthy sales the albums never got them a real breakthrough on home soil and their highest charter became the 1971 non-LP "Jig-a-Jig" 45, reaching #7 on the UK list. This compilation, presumably released to cash in on the singel's success, also contains four tracks from "Snafu" and two from "Mercator Projected". Those six cuts are good to my ears - inventive and complicated, yet somewhat melodic and even inviting if your mind works with. The only one breaking the pattern is "Jig-a-Jig". It's an instrumental piece combining three traditional folk tunes, played as folk rock with prominent violin. The most easy going and by far the catchiest on the album, but to my taste not as interesting as the rest. Nevertheless, if you're like me having a hard time to find the UK original LP:s at a fitting price this is a much much cheaper way to get in to the band's music and highly recommended. It's a good selection of songs and the audio is great. Also issued in a couple of European countries and South Aftrica, but to my knowledge not in US and never on CD. There are two early UK pressings - one regular on the ordinary Decca "World Of..." label and this on Deram main. Not sure how they relate, but the one here has thick vinyl and early matrixes in a laminated cover...so maybe they are contemporary and this some kind of export. (WÖF*) (DÄRR*)
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