by BROADCAST (Warp, 2003)
Angelic vocals float over honey-coated basslines, and aero-light drumbeats punctuate digital distortion and musique-concrete tape loops. This is how Birmingham's Broadcast create some of the most painfully authentic 60's psychedelia this side of the millennium while still turning out some of the most melodic, contemporary pop music of our time. Imagine a young Ennio Morricone conducting the Radiophonic Workshop at Andy Warhol's 'Exploding Plastic Inevitable'. AV

by JEAN-CLAUDE VANNIER (Suzelle, 1972)
Here we have it: the B-Music holy-grail from Serge Gainsbourg's right-hand man Jean-Claude Vannier, "Insolitudes" (or as it's more commonly known "L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches", which translates to "Child Assassin of the Flies").

Vannier's compositions are based on a strange story written by Gainsbourg, about a boy who likes to kill flies. Parts of the LP are like a sequel to 'Melody Nelson', mixing celestial choirs and pieces of music concrete into an off-the-wall orchestral rock-opera extravaganza. "L'enfants Royamme Des Mouches" is the undoubted highlight, chopping and changing tempo with tough guitar riffs, cowbells, mad sax and sirens, all backed up by some tremendous drumming and percussion, overlayed with Vannier's trademark choir arrangements.

Definitely not one for the ladies - my wife thinks this music is "horrible". However, anyone in the know should sell their gran to get their hands on a copy of this. It's not cheap though; there were only around 500 pressed at the time, so expect to pay at least a couple of hundred quid for this Gallic masterpiece. That's if you can find it. DT

NOW AVAILABLE ON LP & CD FROM FINDERS KEEPERS RECORDS

STREETNOISE (Marmalade, 1968)
In 1962 Brian Auger formed his first group, a jazz trio comprising of himself, bassist Rick Laird and Phil Knorra on drums. They did the rounds on London's pub and club circuit and enjoyed critical success through a Melody Maker fan-poll, Auger winning "Best Jazz Pianist" and "New Star" awards. Blues guitarist John McLaughlin and baritone sax player Glenn Hughes were later added to the line-up. However, the group broke up shortly after and Auger began looking for a new direction to output his prodigous talent.

In November 1964 he purchased a Hammond organ, hoping to emulate the exciting new R&B sound eminating from America. He recruited bassist Ricky Brown and drummer Micky Waller and formed the Trinity, and began gigging again in London's clubs and discotheques. In 1965 the singer Long John Baldry joined along with two unknown vocalists, Julie Driscoll and Rod Stewart. The guitarist Vic Briggs also joined at this time. Driscoll had been recommended by Auger's manager Giorgio Gomelsky, Julie was his secretary and also the president of the Yardbirds fanclub. They toured the UK as 'Steampacket', but never made a record, although a bootleg demo of recordings came out in the late seventies.

After a year or so another breakup occurred, but Auger managed to retain the services of Driscoll and Briggs. He completed the line-up by adding a second guitarist in Gary Boyle and bringing in Roger Sutton (replaced by Dave Ambrose in 1967) on bass and Clive Thacker on drums.

"Open" was the first LP recorded as 'Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and The Trinity' featuring cover versions of Donovan's "Season Of The Witch" and the soul standard "Tramp" it serves as a precurser to "Streetnoise", a melting pot of styles - soul, rock, blues and funk influences forged out the inimitable 'Trinity' sound.

Released in 1968 on the independent 'Marmalade' label Streetnoise sees the Trinity at their peak, ripping into tracks such as Richie Havens' "Indian Rope Man" and the 'Hair' musical soundtrack number "Flesh Failures / Let The Sunshine In", Driscoll's highly emotive and distinctive vocals and Auger's intense freak-out hammond solos mould each track into blues-jazz-rock hybrid classics. Ralph Steadman's trademark artwork perfectly depicts the gritty and dynamic mood of the album.

Alternative versions of the album can be found; there is a Polydor issue, an Atco issue and also a Marmalade double release which has the LP spread over 2 vinyls, each housed in different coloured jackets. Keep your eyes peeled for the Marmalade gatefold though if you want a real collectors' item... DT

by SERGE GAINSBOURG (Philips, 1972)
There is very little that has not been written about 'Histoire De Melody Nelson'. An absolute masterpiece that in recent years was reissued in the UK and subsequently got a panning review in the NME scoring 3 out of 10 (Stereolab's most accomplished LP 'Cobra Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night' scored a victorious 0 out of 10 a month previously).

Originally intended as a collaborative effort to be credited to Jean-Claude Vannier AND Serge Gainsbourg the former's name was stripped from the LP's lavish gatefold sleeve making the album Gainsbourg's first solo credited outing in ten years (Vannier immediately went on to record his uber avant-classic "L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches" - a suitable Melody Nelson conceptual, companion LP for the hungry enthusiast). In 70s France the concept album was very prevalent in French pop, albums such as Michel Polnareff's "Polnareff's", and Nino Ferrer's "Metronomie" are recommended milestones of the burgeoning genre. Msr. Gainsbourg (along with his faithful alter ego Msr. Gainsbarre) had wanted to have a crack at the increasingly popular genre for some time, in turn he created one of the greatest theatrical rock records you are ever likely to hear. The literal story of Miss Melody Nelson begins when a well-lubed Serge drink-drives into an underage Makham (Patron of Sunderland) cyclist and proceeds to accompany her to a local open-minded hotel for a bit of the old 'ow iz your papa? He will then watch her board a 'plane destined for good old Blighty which is consequently willed out of the sky by a mystical cult of cargo pilfering druids. Now that's what I call concept music 1972!

When it comes to the history of Melody Nelson's recording process, the personnel for the bass heavy proceedings has always been something of a mystery. Serge liked to record in the UK, in this case at the Marble Arch studios in London so it seems probable that UK session men were roped in to create the slow-burning backing track, its not inconceivable that Jimmy Page could be responsible for the handy axemanship that lies herein. Library recording fanatics like to think that KPM stalwarts like Herbie Flowers and Alan Hawkshaw (who would indeed work on Serge's future solo projects) were at the helm, and if this is the case the same personnel would record a Julie Covington LP around the same time. On listening to the album 'Beautiful Changes' there are certainly a couple of would-be Melody outtakes brooding beneath the Rock Follies singers angelic verse. Due to Jean-Claude Vannier's involvement other enthusiasts presume the featured artists were Frenchmen. Tonio Rubio on Bass? Claude Angel on Guitar? Maybe members of bands like Triangle or Jean-Claude Petit? On closer inspection of the 1972 Philips LP sleeve we are rendered none the wiser - Gainsbourg didn't want to give anything away.

Three memorable pieces of celluloid nostalgia were released as part of the album's promotional campaign. A pioneering psychedelic collage shot on video by pioneering artist Jean-Christophe Averty, a black and white mini-movie narrative of the LP's macabre story line and an audience with... a style performance of the entire LP from start to finish. For collectors in need of further HMN memorabilia a paperback novella was published and a picture sleeve 45 of Ballade De Melody Nelson was one of Serge's less commercially successful releases.

A bewigged Jane Birkin adorns the light blue LP sleeve naked from the unbuttoned waist up complete with unborn baby Charlotte in her tummy. Ms Birkin herself revealed HMN to be Serge's favourite personal achievement, while straight-laced chanteuse Francoise Hardy regards the album as her favourite LP of all time. Serge's final collaboration with JC Vannier would infact be the unreleased score for the film 'Projection Privee' featuring vocals from Francoise herself. Another cinematic JCV collaboration was the mind-blowing clavinet and quasi-psych guitar soundtrack for a celebrity-couple-in-cinema gangland cash-in called 'Cannabis' (Jane and Serge being the leading duel-protagonists). Gainsbourg told the press that the ultra rare soundtrack was in fact a tribute to Chopin and Jimi Hendrix in equal parts! AV

by BREAKOUT (Pronit, 1969)
After a disruptive personnel adjustment in their formative stages, the band known as Black-Out decided to go incognito and radically change the name and image in search of a happier tomorrow. The name? BREAKOUT! Whether or not the transformation put paid to pesky autograph vultures on the streets of Warsaw is unsure, but the new LP, 'Na Drugim Brzegu Teczy', revealed a tougher approach to their blues tinged freak-beat. Sounding harder than Pele-on-payday, the new regime combined progressive rock elements precursor to those of many a Western European or American band, for example. Embodying choral arrangements alongside classical influences, unblinkered attempts at a soul/jazz direction worked to great effect and in no way detracted from the rugged production and drum-heavy orchestration. Front woman Mira Kubasinska added the feminine touch which for 'My Zloty' you can put in a similar bag as 'Fear Itself', whereas the mainstream comparison tends to be early Fleetwood Mac. But to be frank, Breakout are unique because they sound Polish.

The following albums are fairly consistent too. Their fifth LP, 'Karate', saw a temporary departure of Ms. Kubasinska, providing us with the instrumental title track which potentially tears up dancefloors, and a Cherrystones classic that Rocks! AV