1987 [CD]

This album is, effectively, a re-issue of the long-deleted "The First Sixty-Four Minutes", which combines tracks from the "Blow UP" single, the "Mission Impossible" E.P. and the album "The Money Spyder", as well as including JTQ's version of "Be My Lady" (or "Be My Girl", as its called here). It's hard to believe that this is the same band that could produce sophisticated jazz-funk like "A Taste of Cherry" but, of course, it's not the same band, only Mr. Taylor himself staying the course from 1997 to 2007. These tunes are an entirely different proposition, being firmly based in the worlds of filmscores and 'Sixties nostalgia.

"Be My Lady" aside, every track on the album is either from a genuine filmscore or is part of "The Money Spyder", which was conceived as the score to an imaginary film. The opener, a version of Herbie Hancock's theme from the film "Blow Up" (incorporating "Bring Down the Birds" with its Dee-lite sampled bassline), sets the scene for the rest of the album. Its combination of snappy drums, trill organ and twangy guitar puts us firmly in 'Sixties territory - musical bedfellows with Jimi Hendrix, The Spencer Davis Group and The Small Faces. Close your eyes to this tune (or any other on the album) and you could be David Hemmings wandering and wondering through London at a time when it was the centre of cool and everyone was beautiful.

Occasionally the organ is swapped for atmospheric piano and the guitar moves between rock-y and surf-y with just a burst of flamenco (on "Los Cuevos Pablo"), whilst the overall feel is "cool" with just an occasional hint of cheese. The music is highly enjoyable and pretty well played, if a little rough around the edges (these were, after all, very young men at the time this was made).

If you do not already have these tracks in another format (much of the material on the album has been released on other compilations at various times) it is well worth buying, either for the sheer pleasure of owning something so groovy or for an overview of the early career of this fine band. If you wanted a general introduction to the band, however, I'm not sure I'd start here: "Hammondology" is probably the most comprehensive compilation available.

These are the classic debut recordings of the ubiquitous & utterly groovy JTQ. Don't be misled by the above. There are in fact 23 tracks on this release. Yes, ALL 23 together at last. It's taken literally 20 years for someone to get it right & finally compile them as they should be. Previous CD versions got some of the tracks mixed up & seperated from their original discs. This is a very fine compilation of the original 7 track "Mission Impossible" E.P. + 2 bonus cuts & the follow up, "The Money Spyder"; The whole 14 track pseudo-soundtrack album together on the same CD for the first time. As for the mix, I don't know whether these are the original vinyl release or later CD re-issue mixes but they sound sparkling enough anyway. Now let's get all of The JTQs other albums reissued for a whole new generation of young groovers to discover & for the rest of us to soak up once again.

I was overjoyed when i realised that finally my 2 favorite jtq albums were available as god intended, imagine my disapointment when i recieved the cd and it seemed to have the track "in the park" omitted yet again, which also knocks the titles of the 2nd side out. After a bit of research i realised the track "untitled 2" is "In The Park" confused you should be. Heres the correct titles (in brackets)

15. Untitled # 1 (2:57) (In The Park) should be b4 untitled # 2
16. Real Mean Time (1:05) (untitled # 1)
17. The Onion Club (2:55) (real mean time)
side 2
18. The Stroll (3:11) (The Onion Club)
19. "Los Cuevos Pablo" (2:46) (The Stroll)
20. Midnight Stomp (The NEW Rhumba) 3:44 ("Los Cuevos Pablo")
21. Buzy Bee (3:42) (Midnight Stomp)
22. In The Park (3:38) (Buzy Bee)
23. Untitled # 2 (0:36)

This cd sounds great, and if you dont own it WHY NOT?