SIMON DUPREE & THE BIG SOUND/ WITHOUT RESERVATIONS PMC 7029 (-67) UK MONO

 

Portsmouth outfit founded mid sixties by brothers Ray, Phil and Derek Shulman. Early on as The Howling Volves and the Roadrunners playing r&b and soul, covering songs by US stars like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. 1966 they changed their name to Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and got signed by Parlophone under producer Dave Paramor. However their frist couple of singles - "I See The Light", "Day Time, Night Time" and "Reservation" (which all was included on this album) - didn't chart, so instead the label tried to push them into a more psychedelic direction. The result of that can be heard here, where you get a mild yet very strange blend of psych and blue-eyed soul which still today sounds unique. Favorite tracks - "Get Off My Bach", "Who Cares" and "Amen". As it seems the band wasn't happy with the new direction and broke up 1969. (For more on the their last years check this compilation  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2014/08/simon-dupree-big-soundamen-cm-109-82-uk.html ). After disbanding the Shulman brothers went on to form Gentle Giant. The mono here sounds great. Have no stereo to compare with at the moment, but I'm positive it's legit. Also issued 1968 in US (Tower T/ST 5097) and Canada (Capitol ST 6266). EU 2019 mono reissue on vinyl with five bonus tracks (Magic Records MR5088LP). French 2002 CD on Magic Records (3930982) had nine bouns tracks.  Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover. (YMÖ*)  (PÖX*)