Rating: ***
(3 stars)
Title: Kings
of Oblivion
Company: Polydor
Catalog: PD
5537
Year: 1973
Grade
(cover/record): VG/VG+
Comments: cut
top right corner
Available: 1
Price: $25.00
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With Polydor acquiring domestic distribution rights, the band final cracked the American market with the release of 1973's
"Kings of Oblivion". Produced by David Hitchcock, the LP found Rudolph replaced by former Blodwyn Pig/UFO singer/guitarist Larry Wallis. In addition to penning virtually all of the material, Wallis was credited with lead vocals and lead guitar. Like earlier efforts, the collection remained eclectic, bouncing across the musical horizon, including stabs at mainstream metal ("City Kids"), psychedelic ("When's the Fun Begin") and the plain odd (" When's the Fun Begin?"). That said, Wallis' influence was apparent in the band's gradual shift to a tougher, rock orientation. While you couldn't exactly mistake these guys for a top-40 band, tracks such as "I Wish I Was a Girl" and "Raceway" found them begining to abandon some of their trademarked schizophrenia. In spite of the drift towards conventional structures (we use the term loosely), the results were still too quirky for most American audiences. Sales proved miniscule and the album quickly vanished into cutout bins. The lack of sales, coupled with business and financial problems sapped the band's energies and by the end of the year they'd called it quits. (We've always wondered whether Roger Waters and Pink Floyd copped the pig balloon idea from these guys ...)
"Kings of Oblivion" track listing:
1.) City Kids (Duncan Sanderson - Larry Wallis) -
2.) I Wish I was a Girl (Larry Wallis) -
3.) When's the Fun Begin? (Larry Wallis - Mick Farren) -
4.) Chromium Plating (Larry Wallis) -
5.) Raceway (Larry Wallis) -
6.) Chambermaid (Russell Hunter - Duncan Sanderson - Larry Wallis) -
7.) Street Urchin (Larry Wallis) -
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