NICK GARRIE 
The Nightmare Of J B Stanislas (Acid Ray, CD)
     Yet another lost artefact is exhumed for the drooling masses. A true obscurity, Nightmare has probably eluded re-issue for this long because it's a little too left field for the harmony pop crowd and a little too light for the psych heads, neither fish nor foul. And possibly because no one could actually find a copy. Now, in this wonderful post-modern age where 'quiet is the new loud' and Kaleidoscope, Honeybus, Nirvana and Duncan Browne are revered by most self-respecting pop-psych nuts, Garrie's lone 1969 UK album returns like a long lost uncle clutching armfuls of oranges and lemons.
     Indeed it's those well-respected gentlemen (with a pinch of formative Cohen and Nilsson) who inform these twelve cuts. 'Wheel of Fortune' (comped on Circus Days Volume One), 'Can I Stay With You', 'Bungle's Tours' and the titular opening track are obvious highlights in a set with only one true bummer (and it's a big one). 
     Garrie's voice is equal parts Al Stewart and Peter Sarstedt, his compositions gently melodic but slightly off-kilter and the production ornate but crunchy.
     A languid, orchestral post-psychedelic treat.
Andy Morten

THE MINDBENDERS
The Mindbenders / With Women In Mind (Beat Goes On, CD)
     As with most of BGOs output, this is a value added twofer. For beat and pop fans this will make a nice enough addition to the CD shelf, but if you have discovered The Mindbenders via recent compilations of their later pop-psych material (on Dig The Fuzz's We're Not What We Appear To Be, Victoria Fantasia and Papermen Fly In The Sky vinyl comps for instance) you will not find much on here to attract you (with the exceptions of Graham Gouldman's 'Schoolgirl' or 'The Morning After' both on With Women In Mind). 1966's The Mindbenders finds the group in standard beat form with the wondrous 'Groovy Kind Of Love' being the only indication of directional change. Eric Stuart originals rub shoulders with standard R&B covers ('Just A Little Bit', 'Seventh Son', 'Tricky Dicky' etc). The following year's With Woman In Mind tries a similar combination of originals and covers but in a slightly less stilted sounding style. However, pointless filler covers of 'Cool Jerk', 'Mystery Train', 'Homework' etc. do not enhance the group's pop-pysch collectable cult status (though 'Airport People' works well). As a whole, the general impression is of a workmanlike beat group demonstrating flashes of inspiration but ultimately failing to follow through until the public had lost interest completely when their finest moments (see DTF comps mentioned above) came about. The production or remastering is somewhat antiseptic for the most part as well. Nonetheless not an unpleasant listen, The Mindbenders were never less than competent.
Paul Martin

THE SANDY COAST
Subjects Of Our Thoughts (Kux, 10" LP)
     This was apparently originally intended as a 12" LP, but due to a mix up at the pressing plant, became a 16 track 10" instead. This set covers both sides of the Sandy Coast's first eight 45s for Relax between 1965 and 1967. A number of these have turned up on other Nederbeat comps ('Subject Of My Thoughts' and 'I'm A Fool' on Distortion's The Dutch Beat Explosion CD for instance) but to have these 16 cuts on one slab o' vinyl is pretty cool. The first side is dominated by their early jingle-jangle folk rock melodies such as the two above and their woefully ignored by reissuers debut 45 'Being In Love' / 'I Want You For My Own'. 'That Girl Was Mine' and 'I Lost A Dream' are sublime pop and they do 'We'll Meet Again' a la the Byrds in admirable style. 'Comin' Home' is a freakbeater and features the only appearance of a fuzz guitar on this set. Side two treads water in parts with competent but generic cover versions of 'Sorry She's Mine' and 'Working My Way Back ToYou' but is rescued by sprightly and tuneful originals such as 'Goodbye Don't Cry' and 'I See Your Face Again'. Sandy Coast were a long lived band (and are still to some extent active today) and their later sides also had their moments (see my Nederbeat B Sides review elsewhere this month). But if you don't have much Sandy Coast in your collection but like the more melodic side of Nederbeat, this will certainly appeal.
Paul Martin

Q65
Singles A's & B's (Hunter / Universal, 2xCD)
     This is another in the ongoing series annotated (in English) by the Dutch National Pop Institute (Cuby & The Blizzards, The Shoes and The Outsiders have all received the A&B sides double disc treatment by them). The interest for me lays in the later recordings which I was less familiar with. Q65's rightly revered early singles have been comped and re-comped over the years on countless Nederbeat albums and all these are here too. I do find the one disc of A sides and one of B sides approach a little irritating though. It would be nice to have them sequenced as A and B sides on one then the other disc such as RPM adopted with the recent Outsiders CD, (see last month's reviews) which is why I preferred that to the Dutch double CD edition. Having said that, this is a pretty strong set throughout. The only real puke inducer is (both sides) of a ghastly '80s reunion single ('Let's Roll' / 'Are You Home') which you are advised to skip at all costs! Later '60s singles such as 'Sexy Legs' (better than it sounds!), 'Love Is Such A Good Thing', 'I Just Can't Wait', 'Fighting Is Easy', 'Hoonana (Kjoe)' and indeed their B sides are all pretty cool within the context of the times; shades of Led Zeppelin here and mid paced moody rock ballads there. They certainly had some cool riffs and rhythms in their later period. The set dates from 1965-71 in the main with a few later tracks and certainly recommended.
Paul Martin

THE TREMELOES
What A State I'm In: The Psych-pop Sessions (Sanctuary CD)
     Trapped between a rock (the charts) and a hard place (not being taken seriously), The Tremeloes, post Brian Poole, tried to find a balance between what was wanted of them and what they wanted themselves. In their wider corpus of music across the sixties as a whole, their best work has tended to be diluted or hidden by the plethora of chaff that they are most commonly associated with. Here at last What A State I'm In pulls together the under valued jewels from their 1966-70 period largely omitting ('Good Day Sunshine' excepted) said chaff and presents (or reveals) The Tremeloes as an exceptionally fine pop/psych/freakbeat group. The set is topped and tailed by two cuts from the May Morning soundtrack album (also available, on CD). The opener 'Hard Time' is an out and out heavy psych instro fest and The Tremeloes is the last band it sounds like! The end piece 'Anything', comes on deceptively like mid 70s pop-rock balladeers Smokey, then suddenly lurches into a freak-out 'Silver Machine'-like Hawkwind solo and comes back in as Immediate era Steve Marriot!! Now that's what I call a finale! In-between there is some very fine moments indeed. The first seven tracks ('Hard Times', 'What A State I'm In', 'Suddenly Winter', 'Willow Tree', 'Let Your Hang Down', '(Call Me) Number One', 'Instant Whip') are pretty near faultless, freakbeat, psychedelic and pop confections. Add 'Boola Boola', 'On Love' and 'Anything' and you already have more than enough justification for owning this disc. However, there are also some excellent soulful pop-beat numbers such as 'Running Out', and 'Too Many Fish In The Sea' and even toy town pop-psych whimsy in 'Norman Stanley James St Clair'. Jon 'Mojo' Mills' crackerjack, cut to the chase liner notes finely juxtapose and contextualise the Jeckyl & Hyde nature of The Trems at this time, wanting to both have their cake and eat it; tied into the teeny-bob chart set because that's where the hits were and that's where the money was, but also (and like so many other pop groups of the time) using B sides and album tracks to be more experimental and try to appeal to hipper scenesters. In doing so they were ultimately rejected by their chart fans and laughed at by the underground. This should soberly remind us, if nothing else, of how aesthetically sectarian the music scene was in the 'fab' (late) '60s and '70s and how recently it is that the liberalising (and liberating) practice of music archaeology, the mix and match approach towards, and renaissance of interest in the musical past has afforded us a greater wisdom. In short if you like the (all to few) later recordings of The Mindbenders or the 'I See The Rain' era Marmalade, you will feel right at home with this. What A State I'm In is quite probably the definitive document of The Tremeloes as a 'serious' 60s band, you should need no other.
Paul Martin 

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Hearts Of Stone Vol. Three: Brazilian '60s Beat & Garage ( Magica, LP)
     I find myself liking this series more and more with each volume. Vol.One was the weakest with an over abundance of generic cover versions, Vol.2 improved a lot and now Vol.3 is the best of all. It features a much higher quotient of group originals and more biting fuzz guitar than before. Some of the same bands crop up here as on other volumes: Brazilian Bittles, Jungle Cats (whose 'Vai' here is a real pleaser) etc. There are also characters as mysterious as Paulo Hilario, Le Group 'F' and The Maskers, the last of whom feature on the front sleeve in black hoods with cut-out eyes. A novelty to be sure, but this being Brazil and in hindsight knowing what their political system was soon to become, also very creepy! Full of lively and bouncy beat and garage tunes, if you fancy a dabble in the Brazilian beat scene, this is a good enough place to start.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Hide 'N' Seek Returns Vol. Three (Dr Mod, LP)
     And a welcome return it is too! Divided into a UK side and a continental side full of largely uncomped nuggets of a beat and pop nature. John Smith & The New Sound's 'Don't Back The Loser' is a sure to please beater followed by girl pop nugget 'Can't Stop The Want' by Sandy Sarjeant. Although listed on the sleeve as A side 'There's A Pretty Girl', The Juniors contribution turns out to be the B side of said 45, 'Pocket Size' and none the lesser for it. 60s pop hit writer Kenny Lynch's 'Harlem Library' has a lot of mod appeal and The Muleskinners tuff enough cover of 'Back Door Man' also rides well.. On the continental side, The Toppers' 'Sugar Baby' features a full throttle white blues vocal that will leave you reaching for your throat pastilles whilst The Dutch Teilman Brothers 'Love So True' will bring a big smile to your face, even if it has recently appeared elsewhere, as indeed has The Belgian Snapshots 'Hip-Hip Hooray' (on a Big Freeze LP). All in all a fun record with a good quotient of new and catchy finds which deserves a place on any self-respecting beat fan's shelf.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
A History Of Garage & Frat Bands In Memphis 1960-75 Vol.2 (Shangri-La Projects CD)
     Volume Two of this enjoyable series duplicates the format of the first volume in taking a broad sweep across the Memphis garage scene of the '60s. Pebbles favourite The Breakers' ' Don't Send me No Flowers (I Ain't Dead Yet)' kicks off this volume (and the band grace the sleeve and the label). The earlier 45s are fun though not essential (Ole Miss Downbeats' 'Geraldine', The Shades' 'Shady Lady', Percussions' 'Your Love', Tommy Burke & The Counts' 'Stormy Weather' for instance). The Scepters' 'Little Girls Were Made To Love' picks up the gauntlet laid down by The Breakers on the opening track and takes it squarely into garageland. Ricky & The Rainbows' 'Going Out Of My Mind', Lawson & Four More's 'Back For More' continue the trend. Girl vocal trio The Goodees' one-hit 'Condition Red' is a 'Leader Of The Pack' type death disc which adds to the brew. Towards the end some very nice later '60s grooves kick in, Village Sounds' 'Sally's Got A Good Thing' (a la Lovin' Spoonful), Honey Jug's 'Warm City Baby' and killer bonus track Los Angeles Smog Division's 'Blue Green' are worth buying this disc for on their own. So there we have it, an eclectic surf across the often overlooked Memphis (dominated by rockabilly, blues and soul as Memphis was) garage scene of the 60s. Informative liners too.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Instro Hipster A Go-Go Vol. Three (Past & Present CD)
     And so on to the instros round of P&Ps triumvirate of concurrently running CD (and no doubt at some point in keeping with Vols One & Two, double LPs versions) comps. Volume Three has a somewhat looser and jazzier feel than its predecessors with little of note for fuzz toned, wah wah funky guitar fans, but plenty for the connoisseur of big brash brassy orchestration (think Ken Woodman) and the Hammond led instro. The high on this set is Nite People's almost seven minute long 'Crème Tea' in which the Hammond player might be envisaged emulating a knife wielding Keith Emerson intent on murdering his instrument. dating from '69 on the Page One label, it's an absolute cracker as the Hammond madness builds! The low is the almost excruciatingly played-by-numbers medley of 'Mogul' / 'I Spy' / 'The Avengers' by Harry Stoneham. Described in the brief liner notes as "An organ led big band medly from an otherwise forgettable album", it summons forth the image of Griff Rhys Jones and Mel Smith parodying the working mens club cabaret duo on Bon tempi organ and limp guitar they sometimes ended their Alas Smith & Jones TV show with (or even Raw Sex from French & Saunders)!. Other than this, there is a nice selection which varies between the scenester type instros from Zoot Money's Big Roll Band ('The Mound Moves'), Keith Meehan's 'Hooker Street', and Spooky Tooth's 'Luger's Groove' to Joe Loss & His Band ('Go Home Bill Ludendorf'), The Clem Cattini Ork (drums to the fore) 'Impact' and The Midas Touch's 'Harvey'. Otherwise it is notable for the inclusion of Shocking Blue's 'Acka Ragh' from their At Home With album, a beautiful tune and indeed album no-one should be without, (God bless you Robbie Van Leeuwen) a definite plus, and Janice Nichols' 'The Wednesbury Madison' (B side of novelty hit 'I'll Give It Five') which is definite minus! So in general, a mixed bunch, but an enjoyable one. Brass and Hammond fans will want it, those who prefer the wacked-up stabbing guitar type instros won't.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Nederbeat Singles The B Sides 1963-69 Vols. One & Two (Hunter / Universal, CDs)
     If you bought the Nederbeat singles five CD box set last year and enjoyed it, then these are the perfect partners. Each of the two volumes is a double CD of 25 tracks per disc, mirroring discs 1-4 of the box set (B sides of the fifth CD of 'rarities' do not seem to feature) and unlike the box set, have the liners in both Dutch AND English this time. If your Dutch collection veers towards the large side you probably won't find all that much here in terms of killer tunes that you aren't already familiar with. The usual (classy) suspects are here as they were on the box set itself, Q65, Outsiders, Golden Earrings, Cuby & The Blizzards et al. However, these apart across the four discs, there are some great finds which make these well worth having; After Tea's 'Lemon Coloured Honey Tree' is, as you would expect from such a title, a great pop (psych edged) number, as is their 'The Time Is High'; one of the Sandy Coast's later numbers, 'My Friend Abdullah' is a mid paced floating psych ballad (if such a genre exists!), anything by Zen is just fine by me, and their rendition of 'Aquarius' is the most pucker version I have ever heard; The Hunters 'When I See Babette' is a fab floaty balladic number but skip their 'It Ain't Me Babe' which despite the R&B implications of the title sounds like a cowboy song! Hu & The Hilltops put in a few great appearances and The Dukes 'The Day That Changed My Life' and Bojoura's 'Faceless Sorrow' are two of the nuggets that make me glad I own the discs. Overall, if you want a goodie bag of Dutch '60s sounds these sets largely give you that; pop, R&B and beat that bring a smile to the face and a lively tap to the toe, a bit of chaff here and there (hey they are B sides!) but in general as long as you are not a sectarian garage or psych head, these will please.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Oddities Volume Two (LP, no label)
     There has to be a saga in this platter somewhere! Coming as it does with a bonus 45 of a hitherto unheard (in complete form) of a facsimile September 1964 Rolling Stones one-sided seven inch acetate, 'We Were Falling In Love', in period picture sleeve. This collection has been freely available in shops only outside of Europe and USA(?) - mine came from a shop in Japan! The Stones acetate is a curio which reminds us that they wrote pop tunes as well as R&B even that long ago, but it is hardly essential. According to the sleeve blurb the song was offered to the manager of one-time teen balladeer Mark Wynter, although Wynter never recorded it. "38 years later a Dutch record dealer purchased a large selection of records from a garage that was once owned by Mark Wynter. Amongst the piles of acetates, this one-sided lacquer of 'We Were Falling In Love' was found. Virtually unplayed, mildew however was covering over half the playing surface. After careful cleaning it was digitally re-mastered onto DAT tape and then cut onto what you are holding now." The Stones apart, there are some old friends on this platter but also some new found ones. Old friends include Eddie Cave & The Fyx's 'It's Almost Good' and The Peenuts' 'Trouble'. The Epics' 'Henry Long' also features, (seemingly every UK pop-psych reissuer's new find at the moment), Heinz's 'Moving In' replete with Ritchie Blackmore freakbeat solo, Rob & Dean Douglas's 'Phone Me' (previously featured on one of the Decca Mod Scene discs) are also familiar. Of the newer finds Group Therapy's 'Remember What You Said' stands out considerably above the rest, fast, furious but wonderfully pop! Rifkin's 'Continental Hesitation' and Brendan Phillip's 'Something's Happening Outside' are both fab pop groovers as is Andy Ellison's 'Arthur Green (listed on the sleeve as 'Brown'). The Glorious Revolution's ponderous version of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' and The Candydates' 'Don't Let Me Down' are both on the Oak label (one an acetate from '68, the other a vinyl EP release from '66) and are interesting rather than essential. Overall Vol.2 tries to follow the agenda laid out in Vol.1and pretty much fulfills it, although a little less duplication of tracks just because their previous reissue was on CD not vinyl would be appreciated.
      Anyone who has any of the three Dig The Fuzz label Amphetamine Generation LPs will find both volumes of Oddities fit right in along side them and I look forward to Volume Three.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Spinning Wheel Volume One: Soft Sike And Perfect Pop 1965-70 (Sheroo, CD)
     Come on, let's face it. You're just a big bunch of softies! The success of the Fading Yellow series is proof. Fey harmonies, woodwind breaks and odes to rainy days have never been so big! Hey, some of you even bought all the Ripples comps! Me, I'm all for it. 
     So let's not be surprised when we find ourselves swamped by pretty looking CDs promising 'lost baroque pop psych classics' which, roughly translated, turn out to be virtually anything recorded between 1965 and 1970 that wasn't a hit and features strings and a reference to flowers.
     OK, rant over.
     Spinning Wheel Volume One can clearly be likened to Fading Yellow Volume One, not only in it's stylistic remit but also in it's exceptional choice of largely unknown material which has the ability to get under your skin and become a cherished old friend after only a few listens. Two weeks ago I'd never heard of The Four Kinsmen's 'It Looks Like A Daybreak', now I have to play it every night.
     As well as breezy harmony pop and minor key melancholy, the psych end of the spectrum is well represented too. The opening 'Do You Dream' by Circus is coated with metallic phasing and seagull overdubs, The Ones' 'Lady Greengrass' could be the little sister of Tintern Abbey's 'Beeside' with it's subdued fuzz guitar and compressed drums while The Illusion's epic 'Electric Garden' begins with deliciously demonic slurping cellos and ends, over five minutes later, as a cockney knees-up.
     There are also some big names on offer to balance the usual selection of no-hit wonders. Herman's Hermits continue to amaze with their grandiose take on Nirvana's 'Wings Of Love', our Cilla gets her chops round Skip Bifferty's 'Follow The Path Of The Stars', Peter Sarstedt proves that his Franco-centric chart topper was the worst track he ever cut with 'Once Upon An Every Day' and 'Blagged' and Neil Macarthur (aka Colin Blunstone) delights with his truly gorgeous and criminally ignored B-side '12:29'.
     An intelligently compiled and well-packaged addition to anyone's compilations shelf.
     For more information and ordering details please contact sheroo@blueyonder.co.uk
Andy Morten

VARIOUS ARTISTS
That Driving Beat Vol. Three (Past & Present CD)
     This third volume in the ongoing 60s beat series from Past & Present picks up where Vol. Two left off. That needs saying as Vol.1 was pretty much the definite article with art pop, not-yet-famous guitar virtuosos pushing the envelope etc. Vol.2 although more standard R&B and beat fair for the most part had a great selection of obscurities and Vol.3 is an extension of this. Standouts come in the shape of The Knack's 'Time, Time, Time'. The hopelessly obscure Chancis number, 'Tell Me'; The Mark Four's take on 'Work All Day, Sleep All Night' (their last 45 before becoming The Creation), Tony Knight's Chessmen's 'Surfer Street' and The Regent's 'Words' and (first time on CD??) King Size Taylor's solo 45 cover of 'Somebody's Always Trying'. There are a few fillers such as The Roadhogs rendition of 'My Generation' (interesting though for their guitarist's attempt at the Townsend windmill power chords at the end which don't quite pass muster but which do show how that sound and style were being studied by the lower ranks) and The Quakers cover of 'Down The Road Apiece'. Some familiar friends drop in here again, Rockin' Vickers 'I Don't Need Your Kind' and The Trekkas' 'Please Go' (from Best of Planet Records CD) and The Shots' 'She's A Liar'. However, hopelessly obscure Brit beat wannabes and neverweres abound. The Bad Boys for instance give us 'That's What I'll Do', the flip of the much maligned 'The Owl & The Pussycat', and is a pretty decent beater. These P&P series CDs, although dubbed from vinyl, are chock full, long-play, mid-price, very enjoyable collections. The vinyl dubbing in fact, on this set at last, almost adds to the rawness and energy of some of these tilted R&B numbers. If you have and dug Vol.2 of this series, this one will serve you well also.
Paul Martin

VARIOUS ARTISTS
We Can Fly Vol. Three (Past & Present CD)
     If the vinyl dubbing extenuates the earthiness of the That Driving Beat set, here in a different setting it rather grates in places when every 's' from a singer's mouth sounds as though it were delivered by Hissing Sid the hypnotic eyed snake from The Jungle Book! There is another more fundamental gripe I have about this volume, which is that, (and of course it does depend on what you already have in your collection to some extent), so many of the inclusions here are from recently issued and still available comps. Made In Sheffield's 'Amelia Jane' appears here only shortly after its inclusion on the Sweet Floral Albion comp - also on Past & Present what gives??; Excelsior Spring's 'It' appears on the Immediate subsidiary Instant CD collection; three further cuts also appear on the recent Papermen Fly In The Sky LP; Pesky Gee's (wonderful) 'Where Is My Mind' appears on Misty Lane's Bring Flowers To The World LP (as well as numerous Castle comps - Ed), Murray Head's contribution on the Immediate Singles box set, Mick Softly on Mojo Mags Acid Drops box set, New Generation's 'Digger' from Electric Lemonade Acid Test Vol.3 and tracks by The Fox and Bulldog Breed whose albums these come from are also newly reissued. 
     As much as I agree with the recent opening editorial in Sweet Floral Albion #14 (check it out) I would have thought it to be also in the labels own interests to probe more thoroughly what is already available before compiling, it's not like it's a huge market. That said, some of these have been reissued on vinyl only so if you prefer CD (or want it on both formats) then it becomes a bonus rather than a negative. On to the upside of this comp. There are some fine new (to me anyway) finds as well. The Magicians' 'Painting On Wood' is a great little swinger once it gets going, but you have to endure the period piece story telling at either end of it, but nonetheless, an interesting find. O'Hara's Playboys 'Ballad Of The Soon Departed' is also a great mover and I Corvi's Italian intepretation of The Electric Prunes' 'I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night' also works well. One of special note for Fading Yellow fans (such as me) is Jackie Lomax's 'Genuine Imitation Life', a sublime piece of alt.pop balladry dipping into Scott Walker territory at times. Sweden's The Mecki Mark Men's 'Free' comes across like one of those Randy Holden projects (The Deep etc) an amorphous elision of psych sensations and very enjoyable as such. Los Brincos never fail to impress with their bristlling fuzzy edged pop number's, as in this case with 'Passport'. Callan & John's 'House of Delight' is exactly that, delightful and faux rock band Brut (studio musos) do a good job with 'My Kind Of Feeling'. If you don't already own that much elsewhere that appears here, it is a very worthwhile purchase for late 60s pop and pop/psych fans alike, an enjoyable 73 minutes worth.
Paul Martin