REVIEW: Eddie Piller presents British Mod Sounds of the 1960s Volume 2Gigslutz

Music labelled as Mod music has captured the general publics imagination since popular bands such as The Who, The Small Faces, The Action and The Move all adorned themselves in the early 60’s in their best 2 button Carnaby Street zoot suits, a peacock strut in their walk and their hair neatly cut each week. Come the late 60’s shirts were worn outside the belt line, beards became the accessory to wear with an ever lengthening hair line whilst the drain pipe width of trousers formed into a flared flourish.

With these changing physical looks came the word psychedelia. No doubt as a consequence of mind blowing drugs being introduced to every man and his dog, the fast pace of uppers such as speed was replaced with sonic reverberations of LSD, groundbreaking stereo sounds going from the left speaker to the right and back again. Head honcho at Acid Jazz Records Eddie Piller has lifted the lid on these latter 60’s mod sounds in his second installment of British Mod Sounds Of The 1960’s released via Demon Music Group.

There are familiar sounds such as The Yardbirds guitar blaze Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, Scots Of St James acute timely shuffle Tic Toc, Apostolic Intervention cover of Small Faces second album belter Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me), The Action George Martin produced glorious would be single In My Dream, The Who tragically ignored I Can See For Miles, Billy Nicholls spritely Kinks-esque London Social Degree, Small Faces blues explosion of Me, You and Us Too, these selections alone have the listener applauding Piller’s knowledge of the period, but the secret swirling around the release is some of the lesser known tracks that deserve as much if not more praise for their appearance in the set.

Loose Ends take on The Beatles Revolver opener Taxman would’ve no doubt been a dancefloor filler, The Move Disturbance is mind blowing, David Bowie The Gospel According To Tony Day has the thin white duke leading his congregation following his every word, Traffic Coloured Rain taken from their unmistakable Psycheldelic classic debut album Dear Mr Fantasy has Steve Winwood singing in his best blues voice, Family See Through Windows wipes away any condensation for remarkable results, The Fire Father’s Name Is Dad takes Matthew and Sons to all more rhythm and blues inspired workout, Peter Wyngarde Neville Thumbcatch simply needs to be listened to whilst reclining on a Chaise Longue, similar sophistication can be given to the closing number Graham Dee Car Chase, which is one of a number of selections in the set that only feature on the expanded CD set.

Another fascinating selection by Piller of a wide range of artists who all deserve their inclusion, included in the package are superbly crafted new liner notes by Richard Norris, archive pictures, stand out record sleeves all designed in an appealing mod style. A must purchase for any Boy/Girl about town.

Eddie Piller presents British Mod Sounds of the 1960s Volume 2: The Freakbeat & Psych Years can be purchased here