Search - Second Hand :: Death May Be Your Santa Claus

Baby Is This Anudder Monster?

Roger Houdaille | Miami Beach, FL USA | 11/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great album of weirdness! I'm not a huge fan of organ driven progressive rock but this one got to me. The original album, however, wouldn't have got me to rate this album so highly, beacuse side two consists largely of instrumental pieces which aren't too special, but the bonus tracks Dig It Out Of The Bog Fred & Baby Are You Another Monster are worth the price of the CD alone! The latter featuring a fun 5/4 rhythm while the other features Lol Coxhill on a wild sax break after a killer verse that sounds like 1920's music. Another highlight besides the title track (21st Century Schizoid Man-ish vocals) is the second track, Hangin On An Eyelid which maybe the best progressive meets easy listening tune! That leads into Lucifer And The Egg which spoils a bit during the middle but comes back to life towards the end, complete with the words recorded backwards, backwards to sound forwards when played forward! Somethin You Got is another good rhythmic track with congas and more crazy but excellent vocals. Follows are some instrumental pieces which are okay, nothing too special there. And the album closes with Funeral which has a great melody and orchestra but suffers from some sloppy drum playing. Also the only song to really feature guitar at all. Overall, the album is definatly worth buying for at least half the tracks which are some of the most bizarre, yet innovative and intelligent tracks from the young (and more exciting) progressive rock era."

Second Hand-'Death May Be Your Santa Claus'(See For Miles)

Mike Reed | USA | 05/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released in 1971,this was the band's second of just two lp's.Never been able to locate a copy of their first album,'Reality'.Best described as obscure progressive psych.Some of the tracks that I thought were good include the seven-minute "Lucifer And the Egg","Cyclops" and the chanting "Revelations Ch.16,Vs.9-12".A couple of bonus cuts were tagged on,but in the middle of the original lp track listing,instead of at the tail end like most reissues do.Line-up:Ken Elliott-keyboards&vocals,Bob Gibbons-guitar,Nick South-bass,Kieram O'Connor-drums and Chris Williams-cello,sax&flute.A couple of members later went on to form the band Seventh Wave.Might appeal to some fans of Jonsey,Genesis,Chillum,ELO and Focus."

Exceptional album of unique, frightening music

Mr. Thomas Thatcher | Salisbury, UK | 08/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First released in the early seventies, this extraordinary work can now be seen at last for what it is - a ground-breaking masterpiece. At times funereal, at times intricately classical and at times almost hard rock, the whole explosion of keyboard-driven music is fuelled by Kenny Elliott's dextrous and versatile mellotron, Wurlitzer organ, piano and other keys. The background powerhouse rhythmn section is supplied by George Hart on bass and Kieran O'Connor on drums. Songs and instrumentals have a Hieronymous Bosch feel to them with a mixture of surrealism and tongue-in-cheek black humour. Tracks such as "Cyclops" are based on a Bach motif while "Something you've got" is almost a straight-ahead rocker. The final instrumental of the album is probably the high point among many - the main riff kicks in so hard that it makes you jump out of your seat and ends with a triumphant classical wall of chords against some quite extraordinary phased drums from Kieran, who must have had at least four hands to have played them and indicates a very jazz-influenced background and training. Really, there is not a dull moment on this album, even though one is bound to have favourites.

It has been compared to Pink Floyd elsewhere but this is misleading - even though both bands looked at the edge of reality and human experience, the sheer musical ability of Secondhand allowed them to explore much deeper.



This is a "must" for all those truly interested in the development of progressive and classical rock, although it is neither of these. In truth, it is really like nothing else you will hear again and is thoroughly recommended.



As a point of interest, the bass was all actaully played by the wonderful George Hart, pictured on the back, who went on to record another album with this line-up entitled "Chillum." George went on to join Salisbury rock-blues band Grandma Moses before emigrating to Ireland, where he still lives, after they featured on the album "Influx One" on Zygo Records and the EP Grandma Moses.

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