No sooner do I have a thought and want to convey it…then I find that
very thought or feeling in the liner notes of a CD I am ready to write
about. It must mean that I am really "getting" the music. It goes
to show you just how important it is to read the liners folks. There
is a lot of thought and feeling behind the music, and with remastered
series such as this it becomes evident that they are an intrinsic
link to formulating the entire picture of a recording project.
"Emotions" is one album "The Pretty Things" remain pissed off about
to this day. Their label Fontana took their songs and added fluffy
strings and such to make a possible rock classic into a Brit pop affair.
No need to fear my friends, Snapper Music has released the album once
again, but with added bonus tracks to give you the songs in the form
they were intended to be, minus the strings etc. The difference is
astounding. I had never heard this album before and knew instantly
there was something amiss in the Pretties sound. Phil May still sounded
like the beat poet with rhythm, it just took a bit of getting used
to the other added elements that affected their garage-blues-rock
gruffness. Dick Taylor was still exceptionally versatile on the guitar,
even though it was the acoustic. Labels can be so idiotic sometimes,
and in this instance they really blew any further opportunities to
work with such a great band. There is always something good around
the corner after adversity and frustration are endured. "SF Sorrow"
was already on the group's mind before finishing this album, and ridding
themselves of a major barrier to success, a label without a clue.
Starting another glorious road in rock and roll history was closer than they knew.
This one is a real keeper, and a CD that is important part of the
group's history. It served as a turning point for the group, and it
compares and contrasts both versions of the tracks beautifully. The
boys finally get some justice and all their fans can hear the real
deal and realize that back in 1967 this was an anomaly for them and
not any of their doing. Thanks again Snapper for helping us to see
the truth about the music and what was behind it all.
1. Death of a Socialite (May/Stirling/Taylor) - 2:44
2. Children (May/Taylor/Waller) - 3:05
3. The Sun (May/Taylor) - 3:06
4. There Will Never Be Another Day (May/Taylor/Waller) - 2:22
5. House of Ten (May/Taylor/Waller) - 2:54
6. Out in the Night (Stirling/Taylor) - 2:44
7. One Long Glance (May/Taylor/Waller) - 2:54
8. Growing in My Mind (May/Taylor) - 2:21
9. Photographer (May/Striling/Taylor) - 2:07
10. Bright Lights of the City (May/Waller) - 3:02
11. Tripping (May/Taylor) - 3:26
12. My Time (May/Taylor/Waller) - 3:09
Bonus Tracks
13. A House in the Country [*] (Davies) - 3:00
14. Progress [*] (Halley) - 2:42
15. Photographer [*] (May/Stirling/Taylor) - 2:14
16. There Will Never Be Another Day [*] (May/Taylor/Waller) - 2:25
17. My Time [*] (May/Taylor/Waller) - 3:10
18. The Sun [*] (May/Waller) - 3:09
19. Progress [*] (Halley/Spencer) - 2:57
Credits:
Phil May - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
Dick Taylor - Bass, Guitar, Vocals
John Povey - Percussion, Vocals
Wally Allen Waller - Bass, Vocals
Skip Alan - Drums, Vocals
Nick Watson - Engineer
Mark St. John - Remastering
