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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
...although you should really have all these tracks..., 12 Dec 2006
Now I'm not sure what they mean by 'Essential'? The essential Dawn recordings are both the studio sets, "Made In England" and "Nice n' Greasy", both of which have already been remastered and reissued, replete with extra tracks. And it can't be essential when it omits one of the finest of all Rooster tracks, "Stand By Me". But if, for some reason known only to you and your therapist, you own neither of those albums, is there any value in this budget price compilation.
Well, yes, I suppose. Atomic Rooster had released some excellent, some worthy and some stodgy prog rock prior to the reinvention of the band for these albums. Everyone bar the keyboard genius that was Vincent Crane had abandoned ship, and with the opportunity to take a leap into uncharted waters presenting itself, these recordings were the result. And, for me, they are some of the most exciting and invigorating tracks of the seventies. These are the songs that assure Crane of a place in my pantheon of greats. "In Hearing Of" had been a step in the right direction but the bold and outre white funk conjured up here was out of time and out of place then, and even more so now. You will now appreciate the bad pun in the last sentence when you realise that sixties blues shouter and ex Colosseum singer Chris Farlowe was brought on board for these albums. He seems to have no empathy for the music he is recording which makes his bull escaping from an abattoir style all the more appropriate and, oddly enhancing.
Back on planet Earth the assorted musicians Crane had assembled for this particular mission turn in sterling performances. Steve Bolton brings a bluesy sensibility to the "Made In England" tracks while his successor Johnny Mandala throws in the jazzy licks he would later bring to prominence with Brand X, under his real name of John Goodsall. The arrangements on some of the material is otherwordly - take a listen to "Time Take My Life" if you don't believe me - and the work of Vincent Crane has to be heard to be believed.
Of course, no-one really understood or appreciated what was going on here, and bar an unfulfilling reunion in 1980, that was pretty much that for Atomic Rooster. Although you should really track down the 1983 "Headline News" album, a Crane solo album in all but name, augmented by David 'Dave' Gilmour and Bernie Torme. There's nothing new or rare here, despite claims for single B-side "Moods", a track that actually appeared on the US issue of "Nice n Greasy", which was retitled there as "Atomic Rooster IV".
As a hardline Rooster man I have quibbles over the song selection and running order, but as you can pick it up for a fiver online I'm not going to moan. However, be warned, the featured ' 8 page foldout booklet with comprehensive sleeve notes' turns out to include 2 panels of adverts for other bands and 3 panels of photos, which doesn't leave much room for anything, never mind comprehensive notes.
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