Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: Mighty Baby
Company: Head
Catalog: LPS-025
Year: 1969
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $100.00
Starting with the fact the Head label was distributed domestically by Chess Records (!!!), here's one that totally surprised us.
Bassist Michael Evans, guitarist Alan King, drummer Roger Powell, lead guitarist Martin Stone and singer/keyboardist Ian Whiteman spent the mid-'60s chasing popular success as the London-based The Action (see separate entry). Following that entity's collapse, the five continued their musical collaboration, quickly
metamorphosing into Mighty Baby. Given The Action's mod-oriented sound, 1969's
"Mighty Baby" was a major shock. Produced by Guy Stevens, the album found the band jumping face first into a stew of psych and progressive moves. Uniformly impressive, band-penned material such as "Egyptian Tomb" (sporting some great jazz-influenced overtones), the dreamy "Same Way From the Sun" (with some amazing meltdown guitar interplay from King and Stone) and the heavy rocker "House without Windows" all exhibited strong melodies and some wonderful group harmonies. A magnetic mix of commercial and experimental moves, it's one of our favorite recent discoveries. Geez, even the band's stabs at C&W ("I've Been Down So Long" and "I'm from the Country") were worth hearing. Unfortunately, Chess' inability to domestically market a rock album certainly didn't help sales. On the other hand, don't let the fact the LP vanished without a trace detract from the fact it's a lost classic - well worth the hefty admission price. (Originally released with a gatefold sleeve, we've always loved Martin Sharp's cover illustration.) (1984 saw the LP reissued as "Egyptian Tomb" under the Psycho imprint (catalog number 31). 1994 saw Big Beat reissued the set in CD format (catalog number CDWIKD-120). The Big Beat release track lineup was expanded to include a number of pre-Mighty Baby demos.
"Mighty Baby" track listing:
1.) Egyptian Tomb (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 5:28
2.) A Friend You Know But Never See (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 4:26
3.) I've Been Down So Long (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 5:06
4.) Same Way From the Sun (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 5:44
5.) House without Windows (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 6:12
6.) Trials of a City (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 6:01
7.) I'm from the Country (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 4:51
8.) At a Point Between Late and Destiny (Michael Evans - Alan King - Roger Powell - Martin Stone - Ian Whiteman) - 4:49
- Habibyya (Michael Evans, Roger Powell and Ian Whiteman)
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: A Jug of Love
Company: Blue Horizon
Catalog:
Year: 1971
Grade (cover/record): --
Comments: --
Available: --
Price: $