Tuesday 5 May 2020

Boffins


Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs - often referred to as 'the boffins from Saint Etienne' - have, in their time, curated and presided over some of the finest conceptual compilation albums you're ever likely to come across; drawing heavily on material from the very foothills of the 1970s is their stock in trade, and none the worse for that.

English Weather, from 2017, is no exception: when all things psychedelic gradually gave way to the prog movement at the arse end of the 60s a new sound was evoked, creating a rich seam that Stanley and Wiggs have mined for much of this collection. Stretched over four sides of vinyl it's very Autumnal, and, yes, very English. And I particularly like the accompanying artwork. Go on, treat yourself. 


Alan Parker & Alan Hawkshaw - Evening Shade (1971)

2 comments:

  1. This is just so good. Bob and Pete have something tapped into something very special. I'd heard various tracks before from this album but then forgot about it - so yes, perhaps time for a treat.

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    1. Bob and Pete (sounds like a couple of old boys on the allotment) have pressed all the right buttons as far as I'm concerned. Interestingly, I'm currently writing a piece about another couple of chaps who have lent their name to a series of compilation albums. Watch this space and all that.

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