Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: Velvett Fogg
Company: Pye
Catalog: NSPL 18272
Year: 1968
Grade (cover/record): VG / VG
Comments: Canadian pressing
Available: 1
Price: $150.00
So what do we have here? While 1968's "Velvett Fogg" doesn't have any performance credits, we know the band were from Birmingham, England with a line up consisting of singer/guitarist Paul Eastment, drummer Keith Law, bassist Mullett, lead guitarist Pollard and keyboard player Frank Wilson. Largely original material contributed by four of the five members, the album starts out with a bang. Clocking in at almost seven minutes, "Yellow Cave Woman" offers up a nice blend of roaring organ, fuzz guitar and Eastment's slurred vocals. Elsewhere, kind of difficult to accurate describe, tracks such as "Wizard of Gobsolod", "Lady Caroline" and "Once Among the Trees" offer up a weird, but likeable mix of psych, folk and Tolkenesque lyrics. Sure, this won't drastically change your life, but with the exception of the dull instrumental "Owed To the Dip" and a needless cover of The Bee Gees' "New York Mining Disaster 1941", it's seldom less than entertaining.
"Velvett Fogg" track listing:
1.) Yellow Cave Woman (Keith Law) - 6:57
2.) New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Barry Gibb - Robin Gibb - Maurice Gibb) - 2:58
3.) Wizard of Gobsolod (Paul Eastment) - 2:57
4.) Once Among the Trees (Keith Law) - 5:40
5.) Lady Caroline (Paul Eastment) - 2:25
6.) Come Away Melinda (Hellerman - Minkoff) - 5:54
7.) Owed To the Dip (instrumental) (Paul Eastment - Mullett - Pollard - Frank Wilson) - 6:10
8.) Within the Night (Keith Law) - 4:47
9.) Plastic Man (Mullett - Frank Wilson) - 4:46
Given the revealing cover (finger paint simply doesn't do a good job covering up cold nipples), it shouldn't come as a surprise the LP didn't see an American release.
Eastment reappeared as a member of The Ghost, while Wilson formed Warhorse.