I only recently discovered Fruits de Mer Records, but they are rapidly becoming one of my very favorite records labels as they seem incapable of putting out a bad release. This triple vinyl album came out in October, but the pressing has already sold out, and having been playing this it is not difficult to see why. What we have here are 27 songs that were originally recorded between 1966 and 1968, which have now been given a new lease of life, providing more than two hours of incredible music. One thing to note is that two of the songs are new live versions by the original bands, namely The Yardbirds and The Pretty Things, while The Electric Prunes also make an appearance with their take on “7 And 7 Is”.

But, for me the highlight is The Luck Of Eden Hall and their crazed version of Alice Cooper’s “Reflected” which appeared on their debut album ‘Pretties For You’. Alice themselves revisited the song and turned it into “Elected”, but the guitar on this version as it goes through distortion and a wah-wah pedal, along with Keith Moon-style drumming is just wonderful. Kris Gietkowski’s keyboards sound as he is in Procol Harum, and no-one could ever imagine that this is a new recording, so vintage does it seem. I also had to smile when I heard a great version of “Beck’s Bolero”. I undertook my degree in Wolverhampton a million years ago, and the Wolverhampton song at the time was Jeff Beck’s “Hi Ho Silver Lining”, so needless to say we all had copies of the single, and this was the B-side so is a song I know really well, although I hadn’t played it for years, and Icarus Peel do it proudly.

This really is a wonderful album, so get onto eBay and see if you can track down a copy, and get on the FdM mailing list so you don’t miss out next time! 10/10

side 1
1. The Past Tense – Magic In The Air (originally by The Attack : recorded in 1967)
2. LoveyDove – Bedazzled (originally by Drimble Wedge and the Vegetations : 1967)
3. Campbell Stokes Sunshine Recorder – Amelia Jane (originally by Made In Sheffield : 1967)
4. Jack Ellister – Aquarius (originally by The Zodiac:Cosmic Sounds : 1967)
5. Rob Gould – Granny Takes A Trip (originally by The Purple Gang : 1967)

side 2
1. Mark McDowell and Friends – Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (originally by The Small Faces : 1966)
2. Anton Barbeau – Sunshine Superman (originally by Donovan : 1965)
3. The Electric Prunes – 7 and 7 is (originally by Love : 1966)
4. Moonweevil – Child Of The Sky (originally by The Deviants : 1967)
5. Kris Gietkowski – A-Minor Explosion (originally by Don Shinn : 1966)
6. The Yardbirds – Think About It (live in 2016) (originally by The Yardbirds : 1968)

side 3
1. The Locker Room Cowboys – We Love You (originally by The Rolling Stones : 1967)
2. King Penguin – White Bird (written : 1967, released by It’s A Beautiful Day : 1969)
3. Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin – Solitary Man (originally by Neil Diamond : 1966)
4. The Luck Of Eden Hall – Reflected (originally by Alice Cooper : 1968)

side 4
1. The Honey Pot – Kites (written by Hackaday/Pockriss; recorded by The Rooftop Singers / Simon Dupree and the Big Sound : 1967)
2. Cary Grace – 1983 (A Merman I Should Be…) (originally by the Jimi Hendrix Experience : 1968)

side 5
1. Sidewalk Society – A Saying For Today (originally by The Action : 1968)
2. Jay Tausig – Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (trad. recorded by Anne Briggs : 1963 / Pentangle : 1968)
3. Magic Bus – Tribal Gathering (originally by The Byrds : 1967)
4. Proud Peasant – Down At Circe’s Place (originally by Touch : 1968)
5. Icarus Peel – Beck’s Bolero (originally by Jeff Beck Group : 1966)

side 6
1. The Green Ray – Dusty (originally by John Martyn : 1968)
2. Ex-Norwegian – Winter (originally by Family : 1968)
3. Consterdine – Fly (originally by J.K. & Co : 1968)
4. The Gold Needles – The Smell of Incense (originally by West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band : 1967)
5. The Pretty Things – Loneliest Person (live at the Half Moon, 2010) (originally by The Pretty Things : 1968)

By Kev Rowland