After a short break I've returned to the Garage for the second series of this blog, focusing this time on British groups and beyond (a bit like Nuggets 2 if you wanna know where I got the idea...) To kick off this new batch we have Coventry's own 'The Sorrows' and their 1965 LP 'Take A Heart' (named for their only UK charting single), probably one of the closest-to U.S Garage sounding collections from ANY mid sixties U.K group. As usual, I'll start with the personnel; Lead Guitarist Pip Witcher, Bassist Phillip Packham (born in Bidford-On-Avon a few miles from where I am writing AT THIS MOMENT), Scot Drummer Bruce Finley, Rhythm Guitarist Wez Price and Singer Don Maughan (really he of 'Indian Reservation' fame Don Fardon). These guys really go to town on this album, mixing the proto-punk riffing of The Kinks, the agro-power of The Pretty Things and the tightly-chaotic sound of The Who within a 30 minute slice of Brit Invasion gold.
Jumping onto Side One with 'Baby', the guys start and stop with a sharp combo riff, exploding into an energetic double time solo near the end, Maughan cooly hollering away between verses. This is one PUNKY number an awesome opening track. And next... wow, what a track this is. 'No No No No' is pure garage, rocking away with slicing Who power chords, wailing vocals and a souped-up rhythm section (as a side note, dig that 'Donald Duck' cameo in the solo, freaky man...) 'Take A Heart' comes next, the band's only big hit (in this country at least, more on that alter). This track was featured on Nuggets' second instalment and its easy to see why; this song is a dark, proto-psych stomping masterpiece, sounding more like Krautrock than Merseybeat. A pounding bass line paired with beefy tom tom riffs elevate this one to the top tier of 60's rock, sheer brilliance that rivals many of the great hard-rockin' singles of the time. 'She's Got The Action' rocks in with more jagged rhythms and mega-reverb guitar, unhinged and heavy in the best possible way. Nice change of pace now with 'How Love Used To Be', a 'Ballad' if its possible to name it as such, what with all the crunching guitars and moody playing/singing, pretty similar to the 'Pretty Things' sound on their second LP 'Get The Picture'. Capping off Side One is the groups' kick-ass take on Jerry Lee's 'Teenage Letter', heavy rock n' roll with an amphetamine ferocity, so cool. Crank this one to the MAX, its a blast.
Side Two opens with the Kinksy 'Don't Wanna Be Free', a garage punkfest of high octane R&B. Very few U.K groups sounded like this to my ears, combining the most mod-ish sounds of the day in a blast of energetic sound (much like the U.S groups already covered on this blog). 'Don't Sing No Sad Songs For Me' is next with a groovy Dylan-inspired folk-rock sound (a bit like early Love), harmonicas and jangly 12 string filling the tune out. Again, this could easily feature on a Shadows of Knight or Standells album from the same period, sounding far more Californian Cool than Anglo Beat. 'Car-Lin' is positively SEETHING with proto-punk energy, closest in sound to the hardest stuff from the Small Faces debut LP (with a bit of Who styled drumming thrown in for good measure), I can easily imagine The Stooges or MC5 covering this boss tune. The guys try their hand at the weirdo-ballad again with 'We Should Get Along Fine', a kind of twisted early Beatles number with atonal key changes and a strained Maughn vocal mashing up against a pretty baroque style middle eighth and boy-band harmonies. 'Come With Me' jaunts along in a quick waltz time groove, assisted by maraca shacking and tight guitar/bass interplay. Ending this barnstorming LP is 'Let Me In', a mod-rocker that blows away most U.K groups of the time in terms of sheer rawness, the guitars pumped up into the red and the band playing at their tightest, amazing stuff. This is one hell of an LP and - as an vid fan of this era - I can safely say this is some of the best garage R&B from ANY sixties group (to be fair, it helps that they're from me family's home city but regardless... they rock). Keep it peeled for more reviews soon and give this cracker a listen in the meantime, adios.
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