Record Reviews

ARTHUR BROWN ~ LEGBOOT GONZO 418 (Barcode: 5060230868752) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2002 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of a live acoustic album by the British vocalist / songwriter Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist, recorded during his performances as a supporting act for Robert PlantFind albums by this artist in 2002. He is accompanied by guitarist Chris BryantFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist (violin, dulcimer, guitar, bass pedals) Nick PynnFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, mostly his original songs and some covers. The album was released originally to be sold during gigs and has several very limited editions, some actually including hand-made covers. All of those were of course sold out and are now collectors’ items. This edition is simply an attempt to keep this unique document alive, and thank God for this. The album’s title is of course a pun on the “official bootleg” phenomenon, i.e. “Legal Bootleg”. Brown (aged 82 at the time of writing) is to me one of the greatest unsung heroes of the British Rock scene, and despite his minor period of modest success, he remains relatively little known and seldom heralded, despite his absolutely supernatural talents as a singer of incredible vocal range and technique and sublime songwriter. His collected recorded legacy stands out as one of the mightiest since the late 1960s and his uncompromising genius is sadly often too much to swallow for music listeners and critics alike. His most recent recordings were made just a couple of years ago, when he was 80 years old, which is absolutely astounding, and I hope to hear more from him yet, God willing. Overall, this absolutely stunning and almost completely undiscovered album, is an absolute jewel, perfectly recorded and documenting rare acoustic performances by Brown, which are unparalleled. Not easy to find, but a must to every Brown fan and obviously wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 02/07/2024Posted: 02/07/2024

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ARTHUR BROWN ~ THE VOICE OF LOVE COTE BASQUE 07002 (Barcode: 823566433125) ~ UK ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is a criminally overlooked album by the great British Rock singer / songwriter / bandleader Arthur BrownFind albums by this artist, the unsung hero of the British scene. The album was recorded with multi-instrumentalist Nick PynnFind albums by this artist, who also arranged most of the songs, guitarist Rik PattenFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark St. JohnFind albums by this artist, who arranged two of the songs. A couple of additional musicians also participate. The album presents eleven songs, eight of which are originals by Brown and three are arrangements of songs written by others, including a stunning version of the legendary “Kites”, which was a hit for Simon Dupree and the Big SoundFind albums by this artist (i.e. early Gentle GiantFind albums by this artist) in 1967. The music, which is almost completely acoustic and offers a somewhat Folkish sound, is mostly ballad oriented and quite atypical of Brown’s extrovert / extravagant image. It presents a unique opportunity to hear Brown as a lyrical vocalist, but obviously his idiosyncratic vocal characteristics are all firmly present, including the falsetto / vibrato parts, which show his operatic-like abilities. But all in all the album is a beautiful collection of “love songs”, with the Brownish twist of course. Overall, this is a brilliant and sadly obscure album by one of the most talented and multifaceted heroes of the British Rock scene, which exposes the gentler side of his musical personality. Loaded with great melodies and excellent instrumental work, this is a gem from start to finish, and since it can still be found (with some difficulty), I wholeheartedly advice to grab a copy while still available.

Updated: 29/01/2023Posted: 29/01/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend