REVIEW: Small Faces Ogdens Nut Gone Flake 50th anniversary

There are some things that never age, the appeal of The Small Faces style and music is one bonafide timeless healthy obsession. The 4 diminutive individuals Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones injected their fans with a slap of musical perfection its hard to not return for repeated dosages.

50 years after its initial release, Ogdens Nut Gone Flake has been stunningly remastered from unearthed original tapes including tapes from the Kenney Jones archive, the results are certainly a Wham Bam Thank You Mam moment, there’s an expanded 3CD set, plus a half-speed remastered LP which comes in a facsimile of the original award-winning round sleeve originally issued with early copies of the album back in 1968, don’t be fooled by any previous inferior reissues, Jones along with his Nice Records label have achieved what was thought unthinkable. Ever since the Small Faces back catalog was sold off to the highest bidder other labels have fought to try and make a fast buck, but thankfully The Small Faces are now getting their just desserts thanks to Jones.

The album is a classic, firmly stuck in the same ilk as The White Album, The Who Sell Out and Odyssey and Oracle, there was certainly something in the air in 1968 with masterpiece after masterpiece being released. The Small Faces after facing years of screaming fans decided it was their turn to bunker down in a recording studio to record their magnum opus and no one left short changed. The track listing; Ogdens` Nut Gone Flake, Afterglow, Long Agos And Worlds Apart, Rene, Song Of A Baker, Lazy Sunday, Happiness Stan, Rollin` Over, The Hungry Intruder, The Journey, Mad John, Happydaystoytown are 12 compositions of absolute perfection. With the added narrative of Stanley Unwin telling the tale of the missing half of the moon this cockney cream of the crop was light years ahead of Parklife.

There are some splendiferous alternate takes, early sessions and backing tracks included on an additional disc, the pick of these might be the dreamy Long Agos And Worlds Apart, Mad John take 7 with some delightful instrument interjections and Every Little Bit Hurts with Marriott giving a lung bursting best vocal output. With additional rarely seen photos and Jones giving his latest attribute to this masterfully crafted set, this is quite simply a delight from the Darlings Of Wapping Wharf Launderette.

Order your copy here