Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera (CBS Direction 1968) 24-bit/96kHz Vinyl Rip

This is another (almost) lost sixties treasure. What is most resonant is the amount of variety on the album, and yet it still works as a complete whole. You get the opening Hendrix influenced 'Intro/ Mother Writes', the catchy pop psyche of 'Mary Jane', jazz-blues with a humourous cover of 'I was Cool', a superb instrumental in 'Walter Sly', hippy rock with 'Air' and mod with the motown sounding 'Looking For A Happy Life'.

Next up is the album’s highlight 'Flames', which has to be one of the decade’s best singles. Featuring an incredible bubbling bass line, crunchy guitars and excellent lead (and harmony) vocals, this track is worth the price of admission alone. Things cool down with the next track, the Beatles influenced and mellotron drenched ' What's The Point of Leaving'. There's more mellotron and lovely minor chords on 'Long Nights Of Summer' before the three psychedelic tracks that close the album. Featuring many of the era's sonic tricks (phased instrumentation, backwards tapes, distorted vocals, tempo changes) the album ends just as strongly as it started.

Track listing:

A1. Intro

A2. Mother Writes

A3. Mary Jane

A4. I Was Cool

A5. Walter Sly Meets Bill Bailey

A6. Air

A7. Lookin' For A Happy Life

B1. Flames

B2. What's The Point Of Leaving

B3. Long Nights Of Summer

B4. Dream Starts

B5. Reactions Of A Young Man

B6. Now She's Gone

Dave Terry ("Elmer Gantry") – vocals, guitar, harmonica
Colin Forster - lead guitar
Jimmy Horrocks (Horovitz) – organ, flute
John Ford – vocals, bass guitar
Richard Hudson – vocals, drums, sitar
Produced by Barry Kingston