When Kevin Ayers, a man described as `a supreme musical raconteur' went and got himself a proper band it probably wasn't ambition that led him to call it `The Whole World'
It included both Lol Coxhill and Mike Oldfield anyway, the latter at a time perhaps when `Tubular Bells' and everything that it went on to become was merely the stuff of Oldfield's fancy. He plays guitar and bass like a dream anyway. His playing of the latter on `May I?' is a total joy set against Ayers's rhythm guitar part and Coxhill's inimitable soprano sax takes things to another even more joyous level.
Critics of the day -1970 as it happens- were a bit dismissive of the album, which only goes to show how little attention they deserve. SATM is admittedly a bit self-indulgent but when set against some of the musical toss that was being put out at the time it's a model of rectitude the like of which ensures that `Lunatics Lament' is right in keeping with the deal even while it includes a suitably demented guitar solo.
Any road up, some forty years after this event it feels like Kevin Ayers enjoys an ever growing cult following, which is something in times like these, especially if the more recent converts can get to grips with this album.