Next week, Grapefruit Records are releasing a three CD box set of archive recordings from the British baroque pop movement.
Covering stuff recorded between 1967-73, a lot of it is on the fringes of prog and psych, so it's a huge surprise that nobody's mentioned it here yet.
For those interested, here are various thoughts. It's a superb release: http://www.realgonerocks.com/2018/11...sound-1967-73/
come join my orchestra box set.jpg
I'd love to give this set to my son (19 yrs old) as a Christmas gift, but he doesn't own a CD player, and it pretty wedded to Spotify, etc. But he's a big fan of The Zombies, Love, Donovan, etc. so there's lots he'd like here. Dang, that's a problem. Hard to give a gift that isn't physical!
But come to think of it, he could listen to it on his PS4! He's been getting into the Criterion Blu-Rays, so he might listen to this on his PS4.
Thanks for pointing this release out, it seems pretty cool - I wasn't really even aware of this as a genre, but I guess it just takes grouping certain songs together.
Well I was brought up in England during this period but I've never heard the term Baroque pop before, but from some of the examples mentioned I can see where the name is coming from. I'm just surprised that there is enough of it to fill a 3CD set. I think the market for it is going to be pretty tiny though.Originally Posted by mandrake root
Found this in the Wikipedia entry on Baroque Pop:
"The genre is traced to the United States and the United Kingdom.[1] By early 1966, various groups began using baroque and classical instrumentation, described as a "baroque rock" movement by Gendron.[19] The Zombies' single "She's Not There" (1964) marked a starting point for British baroque pop. Stanley explains that the song "didn't feature any oboes but stuck out rather dramatically in 1964, the year of 'You Really Got Me' and 'Little Red Rooster'".[8] "She's Not There" would inspire New York musician Michael Brown to form the Left Banke, whose song "Walk Away Renée" (1966) is considered by Stanley to be the first recognizable baroque pop single.[8] "Baroque rock" was the label devised by the band's publicists and the music press. According to Richie Unterberger, "the sobriquet may have been ham-fisted, but certainly there were many Baroque elements in the Left Banke's pop—the stately arrangements, the brilliant use of keyboards and harpsichords, the soaring violins, and the beautiful group harmonies."
That's the only pre-2000 reference to the term I find in the Wikipedia entry.
Jed, you should be aware that PS4 won't play CDs (hate to cost this worthy box set a sale, but I also wouldn't want you to buy your son a gift he can't use).
Really, it can play Blu-Rays but not CDs? That's weird! EDIT: I just read up on the reasons for this (SONY wanting you to pay for their music service). Well, that blows! But I was probably unlikely to go the CD route anyway. But thanks for the info!
Reminder: This collection of brilliant oddments is released today!
This looks like a very nice release. I think many of these tracks have been previously compiled but for those not familiar with the era/genre it should be an excellent collection and includes one of my all-time favorites, "Saturday" by the immortal Fickle Pickle!
Must declare an interest in that I was in the Regime whose "Dear Amanda" is featured on this compilation. However, this is a great collection and has lots of stuff I didn't know existed. As usual with the Grapefruit releases the booklet with the cds is fantastic and packed with information about the tracks. I had hoped the Regime would be the most obscure band on the compilation but I'm not sure that Mellow Yellow don't come out ahead. But they should lose obscurity points for recording in a professional studio - "Dear Amanda" was recorded in my parents living room on a domestic reel to reel tape recorder!
I just listened to the song on the Regime YouTube page - it's very good! Man, you guys were young then. Nice to see those photos. I'm not sure what makes this song at all Baroque, but it is still a nice, evocative song.
Thanks for your comment. I would never have considered "Dear Amanda" (or indeed anything by the Regime) to be baroque but as David Wells defines it for this collection I guess I can just about see his point. I wasn't going to argue the issue since he was offering to release the song for the first time. Yes we were young! I was 13 when the Regime were formed in 1966 and 17 when I wrote and recorded "Dear Amanda". That recording turned out to be the last time the band played together although we just failed to get together again rather than broke up.
IS there a track list somewhere?
"Always ready with the ray of sunshine"
You will find the track list here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/come-join-my-orchestra-the-british-baroque-pop-sound-1967-73-various-artists-3cd-clamshell-boxset/
I think it is also on the Amazon.com listing of the compilation.
So...did anyone pick one of these up? Anybody discover any new (old) favourites?
My copy is sitting on my desk in front of me and I'm planning on dipping in and out of it again this week.
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