Pretty Things, The - Emotions

Year of Release: 1998
Label: Snapper Records
Catalog Number: SDPCD 111
Format: CD
Total Time: 50:51:00

No sooner do I have a thought and want to convey it that I find that very thought or feeling in the liner notes of a CD I am ready to write about. It must mean that I am really "getting" the music. It goes to show you just how important it is to read the liners, folks. There is a lot of thought and feeling behind the music, and with a remastered series such as this, it becomes evident that they are an intrinsic link to formulating the entire picture of a recording project.

Emotions is one album The Pretty Things remain pissed off about to this day. Their label Fontana took their songs and added fluffy strings and such to make a possible rock classic into a Brit pop affair. No need to fear my friends, Snapper Music has released the album once again, but with added bonus tracks to give you the songs in the form they were intended to be, minus the strings, etc. The difference is astounding. I had never heard this album before and knew instantly there was something amiss in the Pretties sound. Phil May still sounded like the beat poet with rhythm, it just took a bit of getting used to the other added elements that affected their garage-blues-rock gruffness. Dick Taylor was still exceptionally versatile on the guitar, even though it was the acoustic. Labels can be so idiotic sometimes, and in this instance they really blew any further opportunities to work with such a great band. There is always something good around the corner after adversity and frustration are endured. SF Sorrow was already on the group's mind before finishing this album, and ridding themselves of a major barrier to success, a label without a clue. Starting another glorious road in rock and roll history was closer than they knew.

This one is a real keeper, and a CD that is important part of the group's history. It served as a turning point for the group, and it compares and contrasts both versions of the tracks beautifully. The boys finally get some justice and all their fans can hear the real deal and realize that back in 1967 this was an anomaly for them and not any of their doing. Thanks again Snapper for helping us to see the truth about the music and what was behind it all.

Tracklisting:
Death Of A Socialite (2:44) / Children (3:05) / The Sun (3:06) / There Will Never Be Another Day (2:22) / House Of Ten (2:54) / Out In The Night (2:44) / One Long Glance (2:54) / Growing in My Mind (2:21) / Photographer (2:07) / Bright Lights Of The City (3:02) / Tripping (3:26) / My Time (3:09) / A House in the Country [*] (3:00) / Progress [*] (2:42) / Photographer [*] (2:14) / There Will Never Be Another Day [*] (2:25) / My Time [*] (3:10) / The Sun [*] (3:09) / Progress [*] (2:57)
* Bonus tracks

Musicians:
Phil May - bass, guitar, vocals
Dick Taylor - bass, guitar, vocals
John Povey - percussion, vocals
Wally Allen Waller - bass, vocals
Skip Alan - drums, vocals

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: Progressive Rock

Origin UK

Added: April 6th 2002
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.theprettythings.com
Hits: 1890
Language: english