Roy Wood “Mustard” Remastered & Expanded Edition
Roy Wood is the definition of an eccentric cult rock and roll artist. After earning success as a performer and songwriter with The Move, The Electric Light Orchestra, and Wizzard, he released his second solo album in December 1975. My impression of him is if Brian Wilson and Frank Zappa had a baby, and then Phil Spector and Alice Cooper raised it to adulthood. To call Wood’s style eclectic is an understatement; he often combined heavy rock, pop, jazz, and doo-wop (sometimes in the same song)!
While Mustard was a commercial failure at the time of release it deserves a serious look as it’s considered the high point of his career. The idiosyncratic Wood was uncompromising in his vision and sometimes it just works. “Any Old Time Will Do” is a perfect slice of pop-rock full of creative sonic details and a killer hook. The sounds of The Move continue with the heavy drama of “The Rain Came Down On Everything” and “Get On Down Home.” Roy’s love of Beach Boys styled harmonies are all over “Why Does Such A Pretty Girl Sing Those Sad Songs” and pure weirdness on the Andrews Sisters meets the Stones song “You Sure Got It Now.” Unavailable on CD for many years, this has been newly re-mastered and includes seven bonus tracks drawn from singles released between May 1975 and August 1976. Highly Recommended.
FYI: Pugwash covers this song acoustically.
The Real Impossibles “It’s About Time” Remastered
The Real Impossibles, a band based in Los Angeles is a buried treasure for those who enjoy power pop of the early 1980s era. Marc Platt, the main songwriter and lead vocalist of The Real Impossibles, got local mentions and airplay for a 5-song EP released in late 1983 at the height of the new wave music boom. The opening singles “Burned” and “Cherry Cherry” really exemplify the raw and energetic live sound the band was known for. Platt mentions that “Turn My World” was his “ode to The Plimsouls and The Flamin’ Groovies.”
This compilation was remastered exclusively for Rum Bar Records, and you really hear the evolution of the band’s style from their 2 EPs ‘Get the Big Picture‘ on Atomic Giraffe Records in 1984 and ‘4X4‘ on FKAD Records in 1987. While I liked most of the songs, the band doesn’t really stand out against the bigger power pop acts at the time (i.e. The Knack). My favorites included “With A Girl,” “Guess You Feel It Too” and “Won’t Let You Down.” Check this one out!
