index page for Delicado Album Details
Golden Hour of  - Birds and Brass (Compilation) - 1969-1976
Label: Pye/Golden Hour GH615 (UK)
Format: LP
From: UK
My rating: 5/10

Entered: 01/26/2002
Last updated: 00/00/0000

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There is some confusion over 'Birds and Brass', so I will try and clear it up, to the best of my knowledge. As in the 'Exotic Guitars' conundrum, which I will cover another time, there were actually two 'Birds and Brass'. Well, actually, one was called 'Birds and Brass', and the other was called 'Birds'n'Brass'. The one represented on this record is probably the inferior one, and the person behind it is Stan Butcher. The reason why there is interest in the Birds and Brass is probably a handful of tracks featured on the 1996 and 1997 'Inflight Entertainment' compilation CDs, which are excellently-selected collections of mostly UK-issue easy listening gems from the late 60s and early 70s. This sound is exemplified by 'Sorta Soul', a superbly funky instrumental with catchy female scat vocals, which was featured on 'Further Inflight Entertainment'. However, the 'Birds'n'Brass' behind this record were a different group, masterminded by Keith Roberts, and recording on Charles Berman's hibrow UK budget label 'Rediffusion'. To my knowledge, they released just one LP, 1970's 'SOUNDSATIONAL'. I don't own this, but apparently it has many more tracks with that great beaty UK easy sound, including a cool version of 'American Woman'.

Anyway, back to the more goofy and laidback pleasures of Stan Butcher's 'Birds and Brass', this LP is a Golden Hour production, meaning that 60 minutes worth of tracks are squeezed onto some poor quality vinyl, leading to slightly inferior sound quality. That said, there are some very enjoyable tracks hidden among the largely silly collection of songs. The first track, 'Birds meet brass' is a classic of its type - over the top scat vocals and a pantomime type backing. 'Sounds of Mars' is disappointingly dull, but 'Janie' is a very nice bossa instrumental. There are also some nice versions of 'somethin' stupid' and 'Mood indigo'. But there are also plenty of tracks I could have done without, such as 'chim chim cheree' and 'release me'. Overall, it's an interesting record to have if you see it in a charity shop, but I would advise against making the mistake of a few previous ebay shoppers and mistaking this for a record by the similar-sounding 'Birds'n'Brass'...


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