Search - Pete Brown, Battered Ornaments :: Meal You Can Shake Hands With

A bit weird in places, but with some real gems

Mike Clough(bdwss@openmail4.uedb411 | UK | 04/15/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Pete Brown was Jack Bruce's chief lyricist in the late 60's and early 70's. This was his first album, recorded in 1969 with a group of session musicians (the 'Battered Ornaments'). It was also the third album I ever bought, after Cream's 'Goodbye' and Taste's first album. 30 years later I still play it and though I tend to skip the more 'inventive' (=strange) tracks such as 'Sandcastle', there are three real gems which make the purchase of this album worthwhile. Firstly, the original 'The Politician' which Brown co-wrote with Jack Bruce and was recorded by Cream on 'Wheels of Fire' and 'Goodbye'. Apart from the lyrics this is nothing like Cream's version - you have been warned! The drunken/doped spoken intro is a scream. Secondly, 'Rainy Taxi Girl' is a beautifully melodic piece of Brown's poetry and could have been a minor hit if it had been released as a single. It was after hearing this track on Kid Jensen's radio show (UK radio) that I bought the album. Thirdly, 'Travelling Blues' (or 'New Used Jew's Dues Blues') which is a lazy 12-bar blues featuring Chris Spedding on lead guitar. It must be one of the most original 12-bar blues ever! Lyrically and melodically the album is inventive and always interesting, if a little bit wild in places. If you are interested in the development of 60's rock it deserves a place in your collection. The last 2 tracks on the CD version of the album were later additions to the original vinyl and I must admit that I've never heard them.Brown went on to make a couple more very good albums in the early 70's with his next group 'Pipblokto!'. These were 'Things May Come And Things May Go...' (no longer available) and 'Thousands on a Raft'. Both albums feature fine guitar work by a young Jim Mullen who went on to find minor fame in the 'Average White Band', 'Kokomo' and as a solo jazz guitarist."

Correction to Amazon's listing

Mike Clough(bdwss@openmail4.uedb411 | 04/19/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Incidentally the correct album title is 'A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark' by Pete Brown and His Battered Ornaments. Now you know."