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RATINGS:
Overall ****, Presentation *****, Audio **** to *****
"...Sunshine Help Me..."
I only had to look at the title "Feelin' Alright? Mod Rock, Funky Prog & Heavy Jazz 1967-1972" and its scope of 64-tracks that featured some of my fave-raves as an old fart – and I was there like a Gull to a Trawler Wake. There is much to unpack in this wee Boogie and Environs Beasty from Cherry Red's label imprint Strawberry Records – so let's have at it…
UK released Friday, 20 June 2025 - "Feelin' Alright? Mod Rock, Funky Prog & Heavy Jazz 1967-1972" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Cherry Red/Strawberry CR3JAMBX44 (Barcode 5013929434431) is a 64-Track 3CD Compilation with a 40-Page Booklet and Themed Mini LP Sleeve CDs that plays out as follows:
CD1 (79:06 minutes) - 23-Tracks from January 1967 to October 1968
Deep Purple feature on the cover
1. Hush (Mono Mix) - DEEP PURPLE (June 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Parlophone R, 5708, A-side - Rod Evans on Lead Vocals)
2. Hold On - SHARON TANDY (August 1967 UK 7" 45-Single on Atlantic 584124, B-side to "Stay With Me" - Lead Electric Guitar by Bryn Haworth of Fleur De Lys)
1. Hush (Mono Mix) - DEEP PURPLE (June 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Parlophone R, 5708, A-side - Rod Evans on Lead Vocals)
2. Hold On - SHARON TANDY (August 1967 UK 7" 45-Single on Atlantic 584124, B-side to "Stay With Me" - Lead Electric Guitar by Bryn Haworth of Fleur De Lys)
3. I'm A Man (Mono Mix) - THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (January 1967 UK 7" 45-single on Fontana TF 785, A-side - Lead Vocalist Steve Winwood)
4. So Sorry - THE LOVE AFFAIR (from the December 1968 UK LP "The Everlasting Love Affair" on CBS Records S 63416 in Stereo - with Steve Ellis on Lead Vocals)
5. Sunshine Help Me - SPOOKY TOOTH (January 1968 UK 7" 45-single on Island WIP 6022, A-side, and on the Debut LP "It's All About" on Island ILPS 9080 in Stereo - featured Lead Vocalists Mike Harrison and Gary Wright)
6. Tinker, Tailor - TERRY REID (from his December 1968 US Debut LP "Bang, Bang, You're Terry Reid" on Epic Records BN 26427 in Stereo - Produced by Mickie Most - for his 1969 UK Debut LP "Terry Reid" on Columbia Records see also Track 20 on CD2)
7. Midway Down (Mono Mix) - THE CREATION (April 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on Polydor 56246, A-side)
8. Think Of Love - LOVE SCULPTURE (November 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on Parlophone R 5744, B-side to "Sabre Dance" - featuring Dave Edmunds on Lead Guitar)
9. Speak Your Mind - THE LION TAMERS (September 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on Polydor 56283, A-side)
10. Suspicions (Part One) - JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS (October 1967 UK 7" 45-Single on Decca F 12684, A-side Non-LP Track - featuring Mick Taylor on Guitar, Paul Williams on Bass, Keef Hartley on Drums with Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Mercer on Saxophones)
11. Feelin' Alright? - TRAFFIC (September 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on Island WIP 6041, A-side, also on the LP "Traffic" from September 1968 on Island Records ILPS 9081 in Stereo - featuring Steve Winwood, Dave Mason (song written by him), Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood)
12. Shake Your Moneymaker - (Peter Green's) FLEETWOOD MAC (from their February 1968 UK Debut LP "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac" on Blue Horizon Records S7-63200 in Stereo)
13. San-Ho-Zay - CHICKEN SHACK (from the June 1968 UK Debut LP "Forty Blue Fingers Freshly Packed And Ready To Serve" on Blue Horizon Records S 7-63203 in Stereo - featuring Stan Webb on Guitar, Mike Vernon Production)
14. Song Of A Baker (Mono Mix) - SMALL FACES (from the May 1968 UK LP "Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake" on Immediate Records IMLP 012 in Mono - featuring Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones)
15. Feel Like Flying - THE ATTACK (recorded in March 1968 as a planned fifth Uk 45-single, finally released in 1990 on the LP "Magic In The Air" on Reflection MM08)
16. Baby I Need You - CURIOSITY SHOPPE (November 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on Deram DM 220, A-side)
17. Jumping Jack Flash (Mono Mix) - WYNDER K. FROG (August 1968 UK 7" 45-Single on island WIP 6044, A-side - a Cover of The Rolling Stones classic - Wynder K. Frog is Mick Weaver and the song features heavy Hammond organ grooves)
18. Trouble On Double Time - FREE (from their October 1969 UK 2nd studio LP "Free" on Island Records ILPS 9104 in Stereo - featuring Paul Rodgers, Paul Kossoff, Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke)
19. Let Me Love You - JEFF BECK (from the November 1968 UK LP "Truth" on Columbia Records SCX 6293 in Stereo - features Rod Stewart on Lead Vocals)
20. Friends In St. Louis - THE ALAN BOWN! (from the February 1970 UK LP "The Alan Bown!" on Deram SML 1049 in Stereo)
21. Walking In The Park - COLOSSEUM (from the May 1969 UK Debut Album "Those About To Die Salute You" on Fontana Records STL 5510 in Stereo)
22. Sing Me A Song That I Know - BLODWYN PIG (from the July 1969 UK Debut LP "Ahead Rings Out" on Island Records ILPS 9101 in Stereo - features Guitarist Mick Abrahams (ex-Jethro Tull) and Saxophonist Jack Lancaster)
23. Serenade To A Cuckoo - JETHRO TULL (from the October 1968 UK Debut LP "This Was" on Island Records ILPS 9085 in Stereo - features Ian Anderson on Vocals and Flute with original guitarist Mick Abrahams)
CD2: (79:20 minutes) 22-Tracks from March 1967 to Oct 1970
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity feature on the cover
1. I'm Alive - DON FARDON (August 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Youngblood YB 1003, A-side - Fardon was with The Sorrows, a Tommy James And The Shondells cover version, Mod song later featured in a '5-Alive' Juice Drink advert in the UK)
2. Somebody Stole My Thunder - GEORGIE FAME (May 1970 UK 7" 45-Single on CBS Records S 5035, A-side - Produced by his former Animals band mate Alan Price, was also on the December 1969 UK LP "Seventh Son")
3. The Eagle Flies On Friday - THE EXCEPTIONS (March 1967 UK 7" 45-Single on CBS Records 202632 - Written and Sung by Drummer Alan Eastwood, the Bassist was Dave Pegg later of Fairport Convention and Robert Plant (then pre Led Zeppelin) plays Tambourine)
4. One Way Glass - MANFRED MANN CHAPTER THREE (from the November 1969 UK LP "Manfred Mann Chapter Three" on Vertigo VO 3 / 847 902 VTY - Vocals by Mike Hugg, band featured Peter Thomas and of course keyboardist Manfred Mann)
5. Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In) - JULIE DRISCOLL, BRIAN AUGER & THE TRINITY (from the May 1969 UK LP "Streetnoise" on Marmalade 608005/6 in Stereo - Driscoll on Vocals, Auger on Hammond Organ - song originally featured in the musical "Hair")
6. Emmaretta - DEEP PURPLE (February 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Parlophone R 5762, A-side, Non-LP Track - Rod Evans on Lead Vocals)
7. Skillet - GALLIARD (from the January 1970 UK Debut LP "Strange Pleasure" on Deram SDN 4 in Stereo)
8. Waiting In The Bamboo Grove - SAVOY BROWN (from the November 1969 UK LP "A Step Further" on Decca SKL 5013 in Stereo - band featured Guitarist Kim Simmonds, Keyboardist Bob Hall, Chris Youlder on Vocals with Lonesome Dave and Roger Earl on Bass and Drums who would later form Foghat)
9. You Really Got Me - MOTT THE HOOPLE (from the November 1969 UK Debut LP "Mott The Hoople" on Island ILPS 9108 in Stereo - band featured Ian Hunter)
10. Magic Potion - THE OPEN MIND (August 1969 UK 7" 45-single on Philips BF 1805, A-side)
11. Egyptian Tomb - MIGHTY BABY (from the November 1969 UK LP "Mighty Baby" on Head Records HDLS 6002 in Stereo - band featured former members of The Action)
12. Conversationally Making The Grade - BLONDE ON BLONDE (from the June 1969 UK Debut LP "Contrasts" on Pye Records NSPL 18288 in Stereo)
13. Blue Mink - BLUE MINK (1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Morgan Blue Town BTS 3, A-side - Instrumental featuring Alan Parker on Guitars and Herbie Flowers on Bass)
14. Don't Be Afraid - KEEF HARTLEY BAND (from the January 1970 UK 2nd LP "The Battle Of North West Six" on Deram SML 1054 in Stereo - band featured Mick Weaver [aka Wynder K. Frog], Spit James on Lead Guitar with Miller Anderson on Vocals)
15. Mona Lose - BOBAK, JONS, MALONE (from the late 1969 UK LP "Motherlight" on Morgan Blue Town BT 5003 in Stereo - band was Mike Bobak (Guitar), Andy Johns (Engineer) and Wilson Malone (formerly Orange Bicycle) on Vocals, Keyboards and Drums)
16. My Babe - THE SHADOWS (from the October 1970 UK LP "Shades Of Rock" on Columbia SCX 6420 in Stereo - band featured Guitarist Hank Williams and Drummer Brian Bennett - song is a Willie Dixon-penned Chess Records classic made famous by Blues Harmonica legend Little Walter)
17. If I Could Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You - CARAVAN (October 1970 UK 7" 45-Single on Decca F 13063, B-side of "Hello Hello" - track also on the LP of the same name from September 1970 on Decca SKL 5052 in Stereo)
18. My Mind Can Ride Easy - KILLING FLOOR (from the June 1969 UK LP "Killing Floor" on Spark Records SRLP 102 in Stereo - band member and pianist Lou Martin would go on to have a long career and be a part of Rory Gallagher's studio and touring band in the early Seventies on Polydor Records)
19. Born In The City - ROCK WORKSHOP (June 1970 UK 7" 45-Single on CBS Records S 5046, Non-LP B-side to "You To Lose" - Band featured Scottish Rock legend Alex Harvey on Lead Vocals alongside Horn Players Harry Beckett, Bob Downes, Tony Roberts and Derek Wadsworth)
20. Marking Time - TERRY REID (from his October 1969 UK debut LP "Terry Reid" on Columbia Records SCX 6370 in Stereo - his US debut LP "Bang, Bang, You're Terry Reid" had been issued in 1968 by Epic Records - it was not given a UK issue and the "Terry Reid" album is different)
21. G.E.A.B. - PUSSY (from the March 1969 UK Debut LP "Pussy Plays" on Morgan Blue Town BT 5002 in Stereo - instrumental)
22. For Your Love - ACE KEFFORD STAND (March 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Atlantic 584 260, A-side - Kefford is ex-Move and the song is a cover of the Graham Gouldman-penned hit by The Yardbirds - the Ace Kefford Stand also featured drummer Cozy Powell with Dave Ball on Guitar)
CD3 (79:48 minutes) - 19 Tracks from May 1969 to February 1972
Faces on the cover
1. Fill Your Head With Laughter - BRIAN AUGER'S OBLIVION EXPRESS (from the 1971 UK LP "A Better Land" on Polydor 2383 062)
2. Call You Liar, Liar - SATISFACTION (from the January 1971 UK Debut LP "Satisfaction" on Decca SKL 5075)
3. I Am And So Are You - AFFINITY (from the June 1970 UK Debut LP "Affinity" on Vertigo 6360 004 - band featured Lead Vocalist Linda Hoyle)
4. Cold Sweat - CLOUDS (from the July 1971 UK LP "Watercolour Days" on Chrysalis Records ILPS 9151)
5. Extract From Tomorrow's People - The Children Of Today - MacDONALD AND GILES (first issued on the May 1971 UK 2LP label Sampler "El Pea" on Island IDLP 1 - original full version appeared on the November 1970 UK LP "MacDonald And Giles" on Island ILPS 9126 - both ex-King Crimson)
6. Pineapple & The Monkey - FACES (Instrumental from the March 1970 UK Debut LP "The First Step" on Warner Brothers WS 3000 - band featured Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Ronnie Lane, Kenny Jones and Ian McLagan)
7. Tomorrow, Today - HARDIN-YORK (May 1969 UK 7" 45-Single on Bell Records BELL 1064, A-side - Eddie Hardin (Singer/Organist) and Pete York (Drummer) were ex Spencer Davis Group)
8. Nadine - JUICY LUCY (from the November 1969 UK Debut LP "Juicy Lucy" on Vertigo VO 2 / 847 901 VTY - band featured Glenn Ross Campbell on Lead Guitar (ex-Misunderstood), Chris Mercer on Saxophone, Guitarist Neil Hubbard (ex-Bluesology), Vocalist Ray Owen and Bassist Keith Ellis (ex-Koobas) - the song is a Chuck Berry cover version)
9. More Than I Am - FUZZY DUCK (from the September 1971 UK Debut (and only) LP on MAM Records MAM-AS 1005 - featured Mick Hawksworth of Five-Day Week Straw People and Andromeda)
10. Solar Level - JOHNNY ALMOND MUSIC MACHINE (from the July 1969 UK LP "Patent Pending" on Deram SML 1043 in Stereo - Produced by Mike Vernon of Blue Horizon Records fame - Multi-Instrumentalist, Session Player and Keyboardist Johnny Almond would go on to form the band Mark-Almond with Guitarist Jon Mark)
11. Variations On Nainos - BLODWYN PIG (from their second and last studio album "Getting To This", April 1970 on Chrysalis ILPS 9122 - featuring Guitarist Mick Abrahams, originally with Jethro Tull for "This Was" Debut LP, and Saxophonist Jack Lancaster)
12. Lola (Instrumental) - THE KINKS (from the March 1971 UK LP "Percy - Original Soundtrack" on Pye Records NSPL 18365 - featuring Ray and Dave Davies)
13. (April) Spring Summer And Sundays - STATUS QUO (from the August 1970 UK LP "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" on Pye Records NSPL 18344 - featuring Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan)
14. Marcus Junior - EAST OF EDEN (May 1970 UK 7" 45-single on Deram DM 297, B-side of "Jig A Jig" - featuring Dave Arbus on Violin and Ron Caines on Alto Saxophone - "Marcus Junior" also appeared on East Of Eden's second studio LP "Snafu" albeit as the middle section of a longer song called "Leaping Beauties For Rudy")
15. Who Can I Trust? - WALRUS (August 1970 UK 7" 45-Single on Deram DM 308, A-side - written by Steve Hawthorn - also appeared on their debut (one and only) LP "Walrus" in January 1971 on Deram SML 1072)
16. I Really Need A Friend - THE NORMAN HAINES BAND (from the August 1971 UK Debut LP "Den Of Iniquity" on Parlophone PCS 7130 in Stereo - Haines was a Keyboardist in Birmingham band Locomotive)
17. Greyhound Bus - MICK ABRAHAMS (from his May 1971 UK Debut solo LP (ex-Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig) "Mick Abrahams" on Chrysalis ILPS 9147 - Abrahams' band featured ex- Blodwyn Pig Saxophonist Jack Lancaster alongside Keyboardist Bob Sargeant)
18. I Put My Magick On You - GRAHAM BOND WITH MAGICK (from the August 1971 Debut album "We Put Our Magick On You" on Vertigo 6360 042 - features Diane Stewart on Vocals)
19. Brother - CCS [aka C.C.S.] (February 1972 UK 7" 45-single on RAK Records RAK 126, A-side - CCS is Collective Consciousness Society and featured Alexis Korner, John Cameron and Peter Snape with Production by RAK Records owner Mickie Most)
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Compiled by good men and true (well maybe good occasionally and true only as industry bribery demands) JOHN HARRINGTON and JOHN REED – Harrington brings a huge amount of info to each entry – band leading lights – pictures of the 45s from foreign territories – British demos – LP sleeves – trade adverts – promo photos (check out the Atlantic Records shot of Sharon Tandy on Page 5) – and at 40-pages it’s a feast and a typically brilliant job done. JOHN REED knows these kinds of compilations well – a vastly experienced Brit who has been giving punters the CD reissue goods for decades at Sanctuary and Universal. SIMON MURPHY of Another Planet (a very experienced dude) does the Mastering and it all Boogies along very nicely indeed. You will indeed (please forgive the pun) be feeling all right as you listen, each disc offering toppermost playing times too – the equivalent to three double-albums worth and more (Deep Purple, Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity and Faces get the cover art for CDs one, two and three respectively). But it’s the discoveries and the dip-ins that thrill. To the tunes…
CD1: I hold no truck with Deep Purple's "Hush" as an opener - I can understand its grunge guitar inclusion - but I find it second fiddle to what should have opened the Box - the utterly fantastic 1967 freakbeat-groover "Hold On" - chanteuse Sharon Tate ably assisted by grinding wild geetar from Bryn Haworth of Fleur De Lys. The follow-up is just as 'groovy chick' - The Spencer Davis Group smashing it with one the great drivers of the lates Sixties - "I'm A Man" - a Steve Winwood-sung winner that's probably shown up in a 100 movies. Young Mod and About-The-Town Turk Steve Ellis takes lead vocals for The Love Affair's "So Sorry" - a sexy mover dancers love to bits even if the band has admitted that all musicians were professionals and not them (and that certainly applies to the ladies giving it aah-aah-aah). The cool goes on with a very smart choice - Spooky Tooth's "Sunshine Help Me" - the Island Rock Act bolstered up by Vocalists Mike Harrison and Gary Wright as the Harpsichord and Guitar do so-Sixties battle.
Blighty's Terry Reid shows up and immediate displays why Zeppelin and everyone else wanted his fantastic geezer rasp on the microphone - the "Tinker Tailor" tune is good but his voice is fabulous. Bearded ladies turn up in the Bass-Ballsy "Midway Down" - a so-cool groove from Mod darlings The Creation first issued in April 1968 (few quid to acquire that one). Great pounding piano and guitar audio for Love Sculpture's "Think Of Love" - future Swan Song label Rock 'n' Roller Dave Edmunds twinning his singing with blistering guitar. By comparison The Lion Tamers sound like Popsters with their "Speak Your Mind" - a girl who give an answer to her pining sutor. October 1967 sees John Mayall's Bluesbreakers going crazy - dodgy things hanging around their doors in "Suspicions (Part One)" - a great brassy groover by this tight band of professional R&B rockers (clever choice by the compilers). At last we get a song that could be featured on here three times - Traffic's gem and Box Set title piece "Feelin' Alright" - a Dave Mason winner that Joe Cocker would only make better on A&M Records in 1969. If I had my way, I would have included Cocker's stunner as well - check out its use in the Denzel Washington drunk-pilot movie "Flight".
Just in time to save us from too much thinking, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac comes roaring in with their tale of 'a gal who lives up on the hill' - a lady of amplitude they are urging to "Shake Your Moneymaker". This is cleverly followed by the second Blue Horizon Records chart act - Chicken Shack giving it some "San-Ho-Zay" - Stan Webb's big guitar amped up to the nines by Producer Mike Vernon for this Freddie King instrumental cover version (wow audio). Back to grunge and grind and Blighty types singing about non-Blighty things - the Small Faces going all Sufism with their fantastic "Song Of A Baker" packing a kick-in-the-spiritual nuts (Mono mix or not). Time to go deep and speaker-grungy with the greasy but brill "Feel Like Flying" - it's a March 1968 that was apparently scheduled to be their fifth 45-single but got shelved only to see light of day on a 1990 compilation. What a discovery! Not surprisingly, it's time to get Psych and Acid weird with Curiosity Shoppe trying their best to emulate the Small Faces circa Autumn Stone - turning down the night with heavy organ and driving drums. Mick Weaver in his Wynder K. Frog alter-ego gets seriously and brilliantly groovy with his Organ-Driven instrumental cover version of The Rolling Stones "Jumping Jack Flash" - killing it in stunning Hammond solos for four-minutes - the kind of Mono-Clean Aural Explosion that is bound to put a smile on the most jaundiced of expressions.
We start to hit the home stretch for a stunning CD1 - a great piece of programming placement giving us Free's forgotten groover "Trouble On Double Time" from their second Island Records LP from 1969 - "Free". It is hard to believe the sound they made - mind-blowingly accomplished - Rodgers slaying it as one of the truly great Rock voices of the century - and of course - Koss - Paul Kossoff only a lad and already gifted in his delivery (the Remaster is astounding). Determined to impress you, we now get that other god-given set of pipes - Rod Stewart fronting a heavy-heavy Jeff Beck Band line-up. "Let Me Love you" is a wild Rawk adaptation of a 1961 Buddy Guy Blues called 'Let Me Love you Baby' and my God is it grooving heavy. Time to calm a little into the almost Pop feel of "Friends in St. Louis" - The Alan Bown! blessed with the pipes of Jess Roden for the excellent Brass and Funk goer (this will be a genuine surprise to those who don't know its fab 2:30 minutes). Keeping up the frantic horny horns, Colosseum come on all Blood, Sweat & Tears on an R&B Boogie tip with their driving "Walking In The Park" - Vocalist and Guitarist James Litherland smashing it alongside Keyboardist Dave Greenslade and Bassist Tony Reeves (both later with Greenslade). Cannot get enough of Blodwyn Pig's "Ahead Rings Out" 1969 debut album (that Pig's head and Headphones shot slays me every time) - so Abrahams' "Sing Me A Song That I Know" is a very smart inclusion - Funky Prog with some Bluesy vibes. And Disc One jaunts home with the big daddies Jethro Tull - Ian Anderson sauntering to a chilled finish with "Serenade To A Cuckoo" - the only cover on their 1968 Debut LP "This Was" (a Roland Kirk song). Cool...
CD2: Fuzz Guitar, Drum Whacks and Big Brass open the Don Fardon August 1969 single "I'm Alive" - an interpretation of a Tommy James & The Shondells tune that kicks booty. The Minister of Suave weighs in with his Mod-Popular anthem "Somebody Stole My Thunder" - Georgie Fame produced by his fellow Animals cohort Alan Price (what a cool groover). Vibes open the lesser-heard Exceptions groove of "The Eagle Flies On Friday" - a can't take no more groove that sets collectors alight. In August 2017 RPM Records named an entire 3CD compilation box set after the next Manfred Mann Chapter Three track - "One Way Glass: Dancefloor Prog, Brit Jazz & Funky Folk 1968-1975" - suitably groovy. Far better is the short-of-breath "Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In)" - an organ groover from the "Hair" musical done by the sexy Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity (you can so hear why their albums go for money - Marmalade and Jam). Rockers Deep Purple get entry number two - "Emmaretta" not much better in my books than "Hush" - Rod Evans still on lead vocals. Next up is a Deram Records whig-out in the shape of "Skillet" by Galliard - guitars and brass gettin' funky by the ovens. On to a more untypical Blues-Funk groove from boogie merchants Savoy Brown in the shape of "Waiting In The Bamboo Grove". Guitarist Kim Simmonds has a soloing field day, but I can't say I like the track.
It's decidedly weird to hear Mott The Hoople get heavy on The Kinks punkish "You Really Got Me" (never worked for me) - better is the driving guitars of The Open Mind on the more convincing "Magic Potion". Speaking of better, up pops the darlings of underground Mighty Baby with their "Egyptian Tomb" - a shockingly melodic outing about a silly subject. Blonde On Blonde are one of those second-tier bands that didn't make much of an impression and their anti-USA "Conversationally Making The Grade" shows why - it's good rather than great - and even feels derivative of something if you could only remember what it is. Unlikely addition but a clever choice is Popsters Blue Mink and their Funky-Weird instrumental A-side of the same name "Blue Mink" - Guitarist Alan Parker letting rip as an Organ anchors the backbeat. Ever so slightly Allman Brothers is how you might describe "Don't Be Afraid" by Keef Hartley's Band - a funky be-there-with-you groove that chugs along very nicely indeed. The obscure seemingly handmade "Motherlight" LP by Bobak, Jons, Malone on the collectable Morgan Blue Town label was the kind of LP we initially couldn't sell at Reckless Rarities back in the Nineties - then it exploded on the Psych scene and is now a hugely expensive ticket-item. Those old farts The Shadows put in a stellar and clever cover of Little Walter's Chess Records classic "My Babe" by pairing up guitar in the left speaker with organ in the right while the soloing goes onto the center soundstage.
Three goodies follow after that slightly lacklustre run - Killing Floor and Terry Reid put two infectious move-baby-move winners up in the shape of "My Mind Can Rise Easy" (rocking guitar and brass boogie) while "Morning Time" has Reed's fantastic rasp accompanied by Organs and Guitars going at it in the background. Rock Workshop benefitted from Scottish legend Alex Harvey at the vocal helm for the B-side "Born In The City". A slightly less-convincing CD2 (than CD1) comes to an end with two obscures - the provocatively monikered Pussy giving us the bucket-recorded "G.E.A.B." - an impressive instrumental that pushes along with guitars and organs. Finally - a Yardbirds cover - "For Your Love" given a restructured whack by Ace Kefford Stand - but the poor production kind of does for what is a damn good stab at the Graham Gouldman song.
CD3: Clever choice to open the lead into the early Seventies with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - the purveyor of so many Rock-Funk-Fusion albums on RCA Records. "Fill Your Head With Laughter" is a cool groover while Decca Records act Satisfaction makes a good follow-on with their Brass-Funker "Call You Liar, Liar" even if the lyrics are a little too cliched for comfort. Fuzzy Guitar ahoy as Linda hoyle of Affinity tells us she's a singer of songs and a bringer of joy in the Brass-Prog holy-roller of "I Am And So Are You". Island Records' Clouds tell us about shivering up a "Cold Sweat" as a manic organ works the background rhythms. Ian MacDonald And Michael Giles [ex-King Crimson] echo the vocals of "Extracts From Tomorrow's People..." - an edit that was exclusive to the Island's fourth sampler outing - the 2LP set "El Pea" in May 1971. I will admit it's not quite my cuppa Darjeeling but I know there are those who love its trippy Flute and Bongos 3:57 minutes. Better for me by a Country Mile is a band I adore - Rodders and The Two Ronnies and Co - the Small Faces just become Faces. Very clever compilation choice in "Pineapple & The Monkey" - a throwaway Keyboard-driven instrumental from their debut as Faces in 1970 (on Warner Brothers) that in place bears slight resemblances to the Small Faces "Collibosher" from The Autumn Stone period.
Up next is Singer and Organist Eddie Hardin and Drummer Pete York advising us that yesterday may have been sour but today is sugary sweet - "Tomorrow, Today" benefitting from the ladies going all 'Hair' choir as the piano-and-organ churches its way onwards. Clever switch to the fabulous Slide Gee-tar of Glenn Ross Campbell in Juicy Lucy for their snotty cover of Chuck Berry's "Nadine" - campaign shouting like a Southern Diplomat. Ross Campbell would amaze again with his blistering slide axe-work on "Who Do You Love" in February 1970 (also on Vertigo) - a cover of the Bo Diddley R&B classic. MAM Records was the home of teen-aimed Popsters Gilbert O'Sullivan and Lindsey De Paul - so finding the decidedly Fuzzed-Up Fuzzy Duck on that label with their grungy groover "More Than I Am" was a surprise - a chugger about doing all I can. Back to CCS-type Brass jabbing accompanied by Piano punctures for "Solar Level" - a very cool neck-swaying instrumental from Keyboard sessionman Johnny Almond (he buffed up Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack albums on Blue Horizon Records too). Love that fab Blodwyn Pig groove Mick Abrahams and Co. got for the second LP highlight "Variations On Nainos" - the band sounding like the love child of Jethro Tull and some hippie minstrel just in from Europe. Many might laugh at the decidedly less cool 'instrumental' version of "Lola" by The Kinks coming like a Top Of the Pops copy - but with its organ-led sound and good guitar-groove - I can see why someone thought it a good idea to include it here (it's not the brilliance of the original with those lyrics, but as an Organ-led groover it works).
Quo were starting their 12-Bar Boogie assault on their August 1970 Pye Records album "Ma Kelly's Greasy Spoon" – the riffage and organ of "(April) Spring Summer And Wednesdays" making for a smart feel-change but still in keeping with the sets themes. Absolute gem comes in the shape of the East Of Eden "Jig A Jig" 45 B-side - "Marcus Junior" – an instrumental where both Dave Arbus and Ron Caines play blinders (Violinist Arbus of course later making such an impact on The Who Side 1 opener "Baba O'Reilly" on their 1971 masterpiece "Who's Next"). Time to get heavy with Walrus and their "Who Can You Trust?" - a bit of a plodder with the requisite chugging guitars and brass jabs to include it on CD3. Very big bucks indeed to acquire the Norman Haines LP "Den Of Iniquity" on original vinyl - the organ, bongos and high voices of "I Really Need A Friend" vey much of 1970. "Greyhound Bus" is probably the best song and groove on Mick Abrahams' debut solo LP in May 1971 (Track 1 on Side 1) - while both Graham Bond and the mighty Blues Brother Alexis Korner and his big-brassy vehicle C.C.S. bring proceedings to a fabulous bopping "Brother" ending (don't give me no jive talk brother, stay loose).
For sure CD2 and some of CD3 dip a bit - hence the four stars - but there is no doubt that what this wee besty offers is a fantastic array of goodies that would cost you an arm-and-a-leg to acquire on individual digital sets let alone original vinyl.
"Feelin' Alright? Mod Rock, Funky Prog & Heavy Jazz 1967-1972" is a 3CD 64-Track toe-tapping discovery winner and well done to Harrington and Reed and all at Strawberry Records for delivering once again...
