Search - The Small Faces :: The Autumn Stone

BRILLIANT STEVE MARRIOTT AND RONNIE LANE

Andy Hula | Plattsmouth, NE | 07/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released as a sort of greatest hits package with some previously unreleased rarities after the band had broken up (actually just guitarist/singer Steve Marriott had left; the other three teamed up with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood to form the also brilliant band the Faces), this album is excellent. The songwriting duo of Marriott/Lane is in full display here, featuring such hits as "Lazy Sunday", "Tin Soldier" and of course "Itchycoo Park", plus many other great tracks. Some of my favorites are the gentle title track, "Red Balloon", "Call It Something Nice" and, well, just about all of the others! Anyway, a great purchase if you are a fan or if you'd like to become one. Four stars only because of the muddy sound quality of the 4 live tracks."

A Mixed - but Essential Bag

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 02/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Steve Marriott in late 1968 decided to leave the Small Faces and the group subsequently disbanded, they had already begun recordings for the successor to their legendary masterpiece "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake".



"The Autumn Stone" became to some extent this successor, and the album which was originally a double album, contains some of these "post-ONGF" recordings. The album that was first released in 1969 by Immediate and never approved by the group members was a mixture of old and new - demos and live recordings.



Immediate had obtained a license to include the group's big hits for Decca such as "All or Nothing", "My Mind's Eye" and "Whatcha Gonna Do About it." The later Immediate hits were naturally also obvious choices for such a release, but most interesting were, of course, the previously unreleased songs, some of which presumably would have been found on what would have been the group's third studio album for Immediate. These include for an exciting interpretation of Tim Hardin's "Red Balloon" and Steve Marriott's own "The Autumn Stone" - both tracks show the group on their way in new directions - more subdued and complex melodies.



"Call it Something Nice" is a classic Small Faces at its best. Instrumental tracks "Collibosher" and "Wide Eyed Girl on the Wall" are fine numbers, for which vocals may have been intended. The singles "The Universal" and "Wham Bam Thank You Mam" also have been the logical inclusions on the album. On this CD re-release also has the late B-side "Donkey Rides a Penny a Glass".



It seems that there are still unreleased recodings with the group, including a cover of "Be My Baby" and a version of "Groovy" with Stve Marriott lead-vocals. This is a song group also recorded with PP Arnold for her debut album.



Finally, on the CD contains 5 live tracks from a concert in 1968 - two of them are also new additions. All in all a fine and essential part of the Small Faces catalogue."