To close 2017 Fruits de Mer have a quarter of innovative 7″ goodness. Something old, borrowed and lots new.
Strange Brew favourite nick nicely continues to straddle all three of these labels with ‘All Along The Watchtower’ b/w ‘The Doors Of Perception’. The Dylan-Hendrix perennial is ripe for reinvention but should be approached with caution given the difficulty of matching the masters. However nick’s reinvention of ‘Watchtower’ brings his innovative electronica to shine a light to new facets of the song not heard before. The b-side ‘The Doors of Perception’ is another ear provoking nicely composition where nick again challenges both the rock and electronic genres to create something new.
Elfin Bow’s first single with Fruits de Mer, Sandy Denny’s ‘Who Knows The Time Goes’ is another track where an artist should tread carefully. ‘Who knows..’ and its original flip ‘The Wisdom’, another moving number, are recorded with composer Gary Lloyd and the Scottish Session Orchestra. A bold departure for Fruits, and one that succeeds on every level.
Now to something old, and a long-held ambition for the label is fulfilled, a 7″ reissue of a 60s/70s recording. With 10 years build up it had to be good. And so it is with Touch’s ‘We Feel Fine’ and ‘Down At Circe’s Place’, two highlights from the band’s eponymous sole LP. As a listener we get to reconnect again with the ambitious US prog-psych from the sunset of the 60s who, legend has it, inspired much of the progressive sound of the next decade.
This 7″ uniquely adds ‘We Finally Met Today’, recorded for an unreleased 1968 single but never released on vinyl until now. Its piano led shifts in melody and sonic palette were tune with the late psychedelic era so its great to see it getting the release it deserves.
And finally to something new, The Chemistry Set, continue to skillfully wield psych-pop with rock overtures with ‘Firefly’. The band have layered the kitchen sink into this remarkable a-side, and propelled by organ and guitar with stunning phasing to close. B-side ‘Sail Away’ then rebirths Beggars Banquet era Stones with a Indian enthused blues stomp tied to another signature Chemistry Set production. With this 7″ due to add a CD of two remixes of The Chemistry Set’s version of The Moody Blues ‘Legend Of A Mind’ by Astralasia’s Marc Swordfish, this hard to top package just got even better.
As always, go to the Fruits de Mer website to purchase this brilliant quartet of singles.
