Kevin Bryan’s record reviews
“Favourite Scottish Songs” (Greentrax CDGMP8016) The latest offering in Greentrax’s “Celtic Collections” series was originally intended to provide a useful tool which Scotland’s music teachers could use to introduce their pupils to the rich delights of the country’s folk song heritage.
It was soon realised that “Favourite Scottish Songs” would have a much wider appeal than that however, so the CD is now available on general release to discerning record buyers everywhere, boasting excellent contributions from folk luminaries such as Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart and the late lamented Davy Steele to name but a few.
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Hide AdGong,”I See You” (Madfish Music) Gong frontman Daevid Allen continues to display a commendable disregard for the fickle demands of fad and fashion as he pursues his unique musical vision with “I See You.” This splendid throwback to the group’s golden era in the mid seventies captures the venerable Aussie eccentric in surprisingly sprightly form when you bear in mind the serious health issues which have dogged him recently, and newcomers to Gong’s alternative music universe would be well advised to lend an ear to standout tracks such as “You See Me,” “The Eternal Wheel Spins” or “Thank You.”
American Music Library The Hits of 1962” (Fantastic Voyage FVQD 209) The latest CD retrospective in this excellent series takes inquisitive listeners on a voyage of discovery around the American singles charts of just over half a century ago. Many of the participants made very little impact on the recordbuying public on this side of the Atlantic but this tasty melange of pop, country and vibrant r&b is well worth investigating nonetheless, with Ben E.King’s “Don’t Play That Song,” Clyde McPhatter’s “Lover Please”and the highly influential Booker T. instrumental “Green Onions” emerging as the best of an eclectic bunch.
Devo, “Miracle Witness Hour” (Futurismo) This appealingly rough and ready live album captures Devo’s typically challenging performance at an obscure biker bar in Cleveland,Ohio, in 1977.
These hitherto unreleased recordings find the avantgarde rockers confounding the handful of presumably bemused punters at this rather less than salubrious establishment with embryonic versions of quirky band staples such as “Jocko Homo” and “Mongoloid,” pursuing their passion for musical risk taking with the frantic energy of men possessed.