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)
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.
ReplyDeleteBob 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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