Genre: pop
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Lavender Hill Mob
Company: United Artists
Catalog: UA-LA818-G
Year: 1978
Country/State: Montreal, Canada
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG
Comments: cut corner top right
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4721
Price: $6.00
Cost: $66.00
I don't know why, but more and more stuff I listen to these days strikes me as being unremarkable. That also happens to be the perfect adjective for this 1978 release. Unfortunately there's next to nothing to be found about this outfit on the web so the few facts I can come up with are pulled from the liner notes on their debut. Apparently Canadian (the album was recorded in Quebec), the line up consisted of keyborad player Chuck Chandler, drummer Vito Fiory, sax player Gerald Hardy, guitarist Ronny Jones and singer/bassist Nicky Prigeno.
Produced by Rob
Stevens, 1978's "Lavender Hill Mob"
(guessing their named after the late 1950s English comedy), was actually
their second release (never heard the debut). Musically much of it
sounds like something out of the mid-1970s Chinn-Chapman catalog.
Quite commercial, material such as the title track 'The Ballad of Molly
McGuire' and 'Please Tell Me Why' is quite commercial and catchy in a
Prelude/Badfinger style. Unfortunately there isn't anything original
to be found on the album. Simply because it's a little different from
the rest of the album, the standout track is the Merseybeat sounding 'Make
Up Your Mind'. Okay, okay. I'll admit it. 'It's not the
Spotlight' is irritatingly catchy and should have been a massive top-40 hit.
"Lavender Hill Mob" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Dream Away
2.) The Ballad of Molly McGuire
3,) She's So Good, She's So Fine
4.) Make Up Your Mind
5.) Please Tell Me Why
(side
2)
1.) Good Lovin'
2.) It's not the Spotlight
3.) Roll 'n Ride
'4.) Rock 'n Roll Holiday