joy of a toy

Listening to these reissues is something of a Harvest feast. The quartet is packed with wistfully childlike melodies, earnest art-rock and cheery improvisation, often countered by melancholic or surreal lyrics. The Kev classic ''Clarence in Wonderland'' from Shooting At The Moon, and ''Joy of a Toy'' and ''Clarietta Rag'' from the first album are classic feelgood English hippy-rock, of the early Pink Floyd variety. Conversely, on the terrifying ''Song From The Bottom OfA Well'' from Whatevershebringswesing, Ayers-does-Lee Marvin-doing-Tom Waits will chill you to the bottom of your...er...well. Elsewhere there is true experimentation: ''Reinhardt & Geraldine'' features frantic radio-dial twiddling, sandwiched between a soft sax riff, courtesy of Lol Coxhill"