Mighty independent enterprise Fruits de Mer have a three releases timed to coincide with the Christmas period – and if we were to unwrap these vinyl beauties on Noel morn we would be mighty pleased.
First we have the Fruits de Mer/Regal Crabophone 2012 Annual comprising two 7 inch singles – one of classic covers and an evil original twin. As usual it’s an eclectic mix of goodies including the garage band stomp “Destruction” by Langor – and The Bordello’s breathless take on Yardbirds nugget “I’m a Man”. Strange Brew listeners will be familiar with Beau’s peerless “In The Court of Conscience” which deservedly gets a vinyl release. Special credit goes to Jay Tausig with a great interpretation of “Thick As A Brick” – more please! The Fruits team’s decision to branch into new material is reaffirmed by the three excellent tracks: the epic “25 German Boy Scouts” by Permanent Clear Light, German psych heroes Vibravoid with “All Stars Are Asleep” (play LOUD!) and the short sharp Stooges shock of “Volcano” by Red Elektra ’69. This trio of originals again embody the spirit and excitement of the late sixties but with a modern twist.
TV themes anyone? Well Do Not Adjust Your Set dusts off six timeless themes to exhilarating effect. Worth the admission alone is “White Horses” by Saturn’s Ambush which shares a spirit with the Damned’s Eloise . Other highlights include Owlsey and Pusscat sploshing electronica over Andy Bown’s “Ace of Wands and The Ohm’s ace version of “Captain Scarlet”.
Rounding off this unholy trinity is Keep Off The Grass – a mind bending 85 minutes of majestic psych covers. Strange Brew favourites include The Seventh Ring of Saturn’s Tomorrow meets Hendrix take of “Ten Thousand Words in a Cardboard Box”, the sitar headswirling of Extra on “Utterly Simple” and Hills Have Riffs on “Down By The River”. Also shining are Permanent Clear Light’s brilliant Floyd cover “Cymbaline” and Zombies of the Stratosphere’s excellent reinterpretation of “Sunshine River”. Sides 3 or 4 have gems a plenty with Sky Picnic tackling Tomorrow’s “Revolution”, The Daedalus Spirit Orchestra stripping “White Rabbit” bare, The Luck of Eden Hall embodying Speedy Keen to produce an acid drenched “Something in The Air” plus Langor echoing the syncopated flanging of Lennon’s lysergic “Rain”. Another mouth watering purchase.
More information can be found at http://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/
I was indeed lucky enough to receive these three records as a gift and what a gift it was! I’d recommend everyone go out and grab a copy, but if you haven’t got one yet I am guessing you are going to be disappointed for the foreseeable future, at least until they start materialising on everyone’s favourite auction site anyway. A veritable broadside of vinyl, and one wonders what is following on behind.