The Grass Roots - where were you when i needed you (Rev-Ola)

The Grass Roots were a US folk-rock band from the mid 60s to 70s and this was their first album. Their music was folk and country flavoured 60s pop, in a way previewing where some of the psychedelic era bands after the LSD wore off went musically especially Stateside.

This first album has some especially great tunes such as the folky title track which rollicks into an amazing chorus. "I've got no more to say" has a deliciously slinky early-psych melody and some gorgeous pop harmonies. The reflective "Only when you're lonely" has another gorgeous melody, and a chorus to match the best mid-60s pop.

MV : "Keeping the avenues open" by Moscow Olympics

Best Of Top Of The Pops 1974 (Hallmark)

The pick of the Top Of The Poppers cover versions from 1974, well in theory. Actually i do have one of the original 1974 LPs that would have fed into this compilation and a couple of songs off that i think are better than those included here but anyway...

Truthfully this has some decent music on it and a good deal of quality cheese, "Love me for a reason" and "You won't find another fool like me" are excellent (both ironically and in their own right), as are the covers of "Sugar baby love" and "Seasons in the sun". In their own right they are good pop tracks. "Tiger feet" isn't bad either, its not an artistic triumph by any means but good fun and thats what pop is all about yeah?

It isn't all good though, i thought the cover of "Kung fu fighting" was a bit average, lacking the magic of the original, more a blue belt than a 10th dan so to speak. The "Waterloo" cover doesn't sound very ABBAesque, of course it doesn't have to sound like the original to be good, unfortunately it doesn't sound like anything much at all. Criticisms aside if you wanted a good compilation of the pop hit sounds of 1974 then really this serves very well indeed.

MV : "You're Moving out today" by Carole Bayer Sager

Top Of The Pops (19/05/1977)

Kid Jensen invites us to bop and rock.

Suzi Quatro - roxy roller
Suzi! The best way to start this show, or maybe any show for that matter. Suzi is fairly low-key here, singing sweetly in a tasteful yet a bit boring light blue cardigan. Though this seems to match the song which itself is nice but a bit bland. Kid thinks its exciting. Or Suzi is exciting. We can agree there.

Heatwave - too hot to handle
Time for a music video, imaginatively we get flames. We also get a lot of high pitched singing. Dogs whined across Britain during May 1977.

Linda Lewis - the moon and I
Surrounded by early video effects Linda struggles with this song from The Mikado like a reluctant karaoke singer who keyed the wrong number in and was too shy to admit it. Its one of those songs that never seems to end, in fact for some people listening to this entire geological eras have come and gone.

Bay City Rollers - its a game
The kids will prefer this (marginally). Pleasant little song.

Carol Bayer Sager - you're moving out today
Oh this is nice and kooky. Its a bit show tune maybe but sung well and the lyrics are cute. Carol looks like she just come off a day's house decoration which kind of adds to the appeal.

Joe Tex - ain't gonna bump no more
We get the film from Soul Train again with Joe's charming song about a larger lady.

The Trammps - disco inferno
Legs & Co are here dressed like extras from a really bad sci-fi film (golden bikinis with gold plate accessories). Red lights flash over the dancing adding to the futurist feel. You just feel like someone is about to start shooting a laser gun.

The Jacksons - show you the way to go
Why its Michael Jackson! Just as he was starting to show what kind of artist he would one day become... The boys are all in different coloured outfits, like a mix of sci-fi, retro and glitz. Which all seems rather apt.

The Jam - in the city
Punk is here! Or mod or new wave or whatever anyway. Obviously this blows every thing else off the stage et cetera, though to be honest i prefer Carol and Suzi for purely superficial reasons. Ah but this is good, the energy for a start is a refreshing change from the usual.

Rod Stewart - the first cut is the deepest
The number 1, Rod is on good form. After the punk blast that precedes him it does all seem rather ancient though, but maybe Rod knows that and he does a funky thing with his guitar to inject a bit of energy into it. And he wears very tight trousers. Very nice squire but if you drop the plectrum you'll be in trouble.