Often overlooked, I first bought this (on vinyl) in the late 70s/early 80s and, I'll admit, I wasn't too sure at first. But it grew on me and now I rate it as one of the most enjoyable albums they recorded. I certainly prefer it to the better known and more commercially successful albums they produced in the 80s.
The sleeve notes are interesting; track by track analysis and quite an in-depth overview that puts the album and the circumstances of its recording into perspective. The bass players are all named and there's even an attempt to indicate which tracks they play on. What I hadn't realised was that the album had enjoyed a kind of belated 'discovery' in the mid 90s and became quite highly regarded by devotees of a musical sub-genre known as 'loungecore'. This was news to me, but it's great to think that a Shads album has taken on a life of its own with those who are other than just Shads fans. The front cover looks slightly better than it did on the EMI release (certainly the one I have), as the contrast is better and more detail comes across. I was unsure about the inclusion of Scotch on the Socks as a bonus track, but it does actually work in this context, as it's a good example of the Shads stepping outside of their usual boundaries and experimenting with a style and sound that, for them, is unusual. Some good pictures in the booklet, including what looks like an Australian release with Bruce on the cover! All in all, I think it's well worth £7.99 of anyone's money.
And with that, I shall switch on the lava lamp, pour myself a large Cinzano Bianco and recline on my beige, corduroy sofa and chill out. Lounge-tastic.
Cheers everyone!
