Pretty Things, The - The Rhythm & Blues Years

Year of Release: 2002
Label: Snapper Music
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 89:44:00

There was not ever anything pretty about this band. I think coming up with the name The Pretty Things was a twist of sarcasm and irony for these down an' dirty British rockers that had a penchant for smiting the status quo. In the words of the immortal Bowie from his Hunky Dory album - ?Oh you pretty things, don?t you know you?re driving your mothers and fathers insane.?

The Rhythm & Blues Years is an impressive history of the group?s recordings before they became the psychedelic progressive rockers they were destined to be. Classic tracks like ?Rosalyn,? ?Roadrunner,? and ?Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut? showed how the group could dig down deep and flaunt their talent for singing and playing some darned good from-the-belly blues based music.

Listening to all of this helped me to realize all the changes and evolution that the band went through in the sixties alone, not to mention the decades afterwards. To go from a basic rhythm and blues band to progressive rock geniuses in a matter of a few short years is a fabulous accomplishment. The fact that they have managed to stay together with minimal changes in their lineup is another feather in their cap, considering that they have been at it for over 40 years.

You could not ask for a more wide-ranging collection of the Pretties early material, in lieu of buying their entire catalog that is, and that would not be a bad idea either.

Tracklisting:
Disc One: Judgement Day (2:48) / The Moon Is Rising (2:33) / I'm Gonna Find Me Substitute (2:58) / . 13 Chester Street (2:21) / Oh Baby Doll (3:02) / Get A Buzz (4:00) / Don't Bring Me Down (2:11) / Sittin' All Alone (2:48) / You'll Never Do It Baby (2:27) / Come See Me (2:40) / Rosalyn (2:21) / She's Fine, She's Mine (4:24) / I Can Never Say (2:37) / Get Yourself Home (2:16) / I Had A Dream / Me (2:59) Needing You (1:58) / It's Been So Long (5:06) Disc Two: Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut (3:04) / Rainin' In My Heart (2:31) / Big Boss Man (2:39) / Unknown Blues (3:48) / We'll Play House (2:33) / Don't Lie To Me (3:53) / I Want Your Love (2:17) / Roadrunner (3:11) / We'll Be Together (2:11) / Honey, I Need (1:59) / Cry To Me (2:52) / Buzz The Jerk (1:55) / Big City (2:02) / London Town (2:26) / Out In The Night (2:41) / Vivian Prince (5:14) / Pretty Things (1:39)

Musicians:
Jack Green, Phil May, Twink , Dick Taylor, Stuart Brooks, Gordon Edwards, John Elstar, Bertram Engel, Kevin Flanagan, Glen Matlock, Brian Pendleton, John Povey, Viv Prince, John Stax, Pete Tolson , Victor Unitt, Wally Allen Waller, Dave Wintour, Skip Alan, Bobbie Webb, Mark St. John, Joe Shaw, Frank Holland, Harry Alexander , John Clark, David Wilki, Steve Browning, Rolf Ter Veld

Discography:
The Pretty Things (1965/1989/1998*)
Get The Picture (1965/1990/1998*)
Emotions(1967/1991/1998*)
SF Sorrow (1968/1975/1987/1998*)
Parachute (1970/1975/1988)
Freeway Madness (1972/2002)
Silk Torpedo (1974)
Greatest Hits ''''64-''''67 (1975)
Savage Eye (1976/2005)
Singles A's & B's (1977)
The Pretty Things Live ''''78 (1978)
Cross Talk (1980/2002)
The Pretty Things 1967-1971 (1982/1986)
Live At Heartbreak Hotel (1984)
Let Me Hear The Choir Sing (1984)
Closed Restaurant Blues (1985)
Cries From The Midnight Circus (1986)
Out Of The Island (1988)
On Air (1992) (15 previously unavailable tracks recorded for the BBC)
Midnight To 6 (1994)
Unrepentent (1995)
Resurrection (SF Sorrow) (1998)
Rage Before Beauty (1999)
Latest Writs Greatest Hits - The Best Of (2000)
Psychedelic Years (1966-1970) (2002)
The Rhythm & Blues Years (2002)

*enhanced, remastered reissue w/bonus tracks

Genre: Rock

Origin UK

Added: January 12th 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.theprettythings.com/
Hits: 2011
Language: english