Search - Liverpool Echo :: Liverpool Echo (Reis)

Lost pop gem from '73

Rick | NC | 04/04/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Up until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of this band until hearing one of their songs ("Girl On The Train") on an online radio station, which immediately caught my ear with it's vintage early Beatles/Merseybeat sound. This band only released this one album (as far as I know) and it went absolutely nowhere upon it's release in 1973 due to the record label's lack of promotion, but probably a lot more due the fact that this style of music was completely out of step with that time period when young music listeners & radio stations were into Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd (what is now called "Classic Rock") and the like. The very best songs here ("Girl On the Train", "Don't You Know I've Been Lying", "No Not Again", "You Know It Feels Right") have such a vintage mid-to-late 60's production authenticity borrowing from The Beatles, The Hollies, Dave Clark Five, and a vocal sound somewhat like that of The Fortunes (to my ears anyway) that they simply didn't fit with the musical trends of 1973. But if you're a power pop fan who enjoys retro melodic pop along similar lines as the Spongetones, you'd probably really enjoy this CD. It's a bit of an oddity that it didn't get some notice or airplay but the basic problem was it was released about 7 years too late."

Great Lost Pop LP

Bill S. Larsen | Seattle, WA | 11/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this as an LP many, many years ago in a used record store. It caught my eye so I had the girl behind the counter put it on. I knew the owner and I also knew that had he listened to this record it never would have made it to the floor.



If you've heard of Martin Briley, that's who this band is, along with songwriting partner Brian Engel. Its been an undiscovered gem for all these years and I'm elated it's finally out. It probably, in my opinion is more rooted in the Searchers or Hollies vein than the Beatles but it is the definitive sound of England 1965. If will grab you from the first note and not let go. I agree with the previous reviewer about the comparison to the Spongetones and also maybe The Rooks. If you're a Merseybeat affecianado or powerpopper this CD is a must."

A Rare Success in Duplicating Merseybeat Energy

Waxwing Slayne | 08/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Attention Spongetones and Raspberries fans: This is a pretty good one. Liverpool Echo has more than a few excellent songs, beginning with "Girl on a Train". I played the album all summer long (2006), driving down the road with the windows open and the CD-player blasting... and I hadn't bought a new CD that made me want to do that for years and years. You can skip the slow songs, because (unlike the Raspberries and Spongetones), these guys just can't get it together to write a good ballad. A few of the fast songs are throw aways, also. But there's a high percentage of good, early sixties-style energy here you'll want to cop."