|
Pete Brown And His Battered Ornaments
|
|
A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark (1969)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Label: |
|
| Date: |
1969 |
| Length: |
1:02:52 |
| Genre: |
rock |
|
|
|
1. |
Dark Lady
5:24 |
2. |
The Old Man
5:29 |
3. |
Station Song
3:25 |
4. |
The Politican
12:17 |
5. |
Rainy Taxi Girl
4:49 |
6. |
Morning Call
2:52 |
7. |
Sandcastle
9:25 |
8. |
Travelling Blues Or The New Used Jew's Dues Blues
12:09 |
9. |
High Sorrow
3:27 |
10. |
Raining Pins And Needles
3:35 |
|
|
|
Pete Brown & The Piblokto - A Meal You Can Shake... (1969)
Pete Brown was Jack Bruce's chief lyricist in the late 60's and early 70's. This was his first album, recorded in 1969 with a group of session musicians (the 'Battered Ornaments'). It was also the third album I ever bought, after Cream's 'Goodbye' and Taste's first album. 30 years later I still play it and though I tend to skip the more 'inventive' (=strange) tracks such as 'Sandcastle', there are three real gems which make the purchase of this album worthwhile. Firstly, the original 'The Politician' which Brown co-wrote with Jack Bruce and was recorded by Cream on 'Wheels of Fire' and 'Goodbye'. Apart from the lyrics this is nothing like Cream's version - you have been warned! The drunken/doped spoken intro is a scream. Secondly, 'Rainy Taxi Girl' is a beautifully melodic piece of Brown's poetry and could have been a minor hit if it had been released as a single. It was after hearing this track on Kid Jensen's radio show (UK radio) that I bought the album. Thirdly, 'Travelling Blues' (or 'New Used Jew's Dues Blues') which is a lazy 12-bar blues featuring Chris Spedding on lead guitar. It must be one of the most original 12-bar blues ever! Lyrically and melodically the album is inventive and always interesting, if a little bit wild in places. If you are interested in the development of 60's rock it deserves a place in your collection.
The last 2 tracks on the CD version of the album were later additions to the original vinyl and I must admit that I've never heard them.
Brown went on to make a couple more very good albums in the early 70's with his next group 'Pipblokto!'. These were 'Things May Come And Things May Go...' (no longer available) and 'Thousands on a Raft'. Both albums feature fine guitar work by a young Jim Mullen who went on to find minor fame in the 'Average White Band', 'Kokomo' and as a solo jazz guitarist.
1. Dark Lady
2. Old Man
3. Station Song
4. Politican
5. Rainy Taxi Girl
6. Morning Call
7. Sandcastle
8. Travelling Blues
9. High Sorrow [#][*][Outtake]
10. Raining Pins and Needles [#][*][Outtake
|
|
|
|
|
|
