Various Artists
Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond
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NATN Recommended
Various Artists
Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts From The British Empire And Beyond
Rhino, 2001
RiYL: Who, The Zombies, The Kinks, The Rolling Stones |
But there are others, and not all British or American, that still have a foot or two in obscurity after all these years. Nuggets II brings the fruits of many obsessed collectors of sides from this era to a broader scope of the listening public, condensed and annotated for all to hear and enjoy.
Where the original Nuggets box set was a four-disc collection of mostly American garage-pop from a similarly archivable era, Nuggets II concentrates on the rest of the world and provides outstanding gems from bands hailing from places like New Zealand (the La De Das), Spain (Los Bravos), Holland (Q'65, the Outsiders), Australia (the Easybeats, the Atlantics), Sweden (the Tages), Uruguay (Los Shakers) and Peru (We All Together), as well as dozens of U.K. bands.
Four discs worth, 109 songs, and very few duds in the bunch. If you weren't living in England in the mid-sixties, you probably haven't heard more than 5 or 6 of the songs in this set. Even if you were, there will be a lot of unfamiliar material here. But after repeated listens, the amount of quality songs is astounding. It's almost like climbing up to your grandfather's attic and finding an immense box of hidden family heirlooms just as precious as those you've appreciated for years.
Those in the know may toss out claims like "The Pretty Things were better (read: more raunchy) than the early Rolling Stones." This comes with a bit of a caveat: you aren't going to find any careers like the Beatles' or the Who's in this set. But you will find amazing, timeless singles like the Creation's "Making Time," which does early Who as well as the Who did, or the Marmalade's "I See The Rain," Jimi Hendrix's favorite single of '67, and one that echoes his Are You Experienced-era guitar tones. Or Rupert's People's "Reflections Of Charles Brown," as satisfying a psychedelic single as any that flew up the charts in the genre's heyday. Or "I Read You Like An Open Book," by the Tages, which mixes maximum R&B with heady pop choruses, addictive fills, and leaping rhythms to incredible effect. After getting to know them, it's hard to imagine life without a couple tracks by the Action or the Smoke.
The box set is basically the ultimate "British Invasion" radio show special -- every song a semi-rarity, yet a potential hit single. No commercials, just pop-rock in its most pure form, performed with the energy and boundless ambition of the early psychedelic era. Those who feel a rush of excitement listening to rock and roll will view Nuggets II as a mini-mecca. As the quip goes, a collector could have spent 20 years and over $20,000 seeking out and acquiring the original recordings of all the tracks present here. Some apparently did, and we get the fruits. Who could ask for anything more?
TROY CARPENTER | Troy Carpenter founded NATN from a Chicago apartment during the ambitious winter of 1998 with co-conspirators Ben French and Jonathan Cohen. After a five-year stint in New York, he and wife Lourdes have recently relocated to Indianapolis, where he spends days listening to music and nights in the kitchen at Elements restaurant. Musical heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Super Furry Animals. What else makes life worth living: Sushi, Phucty, runs in the park, and the Atlanta Braves.