Best Of Kevin Ayers, The - Kevin Ayers > Reviews > Reliving my young hippy days

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	good music
Disadvantages:	made me feel old  .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

In the late sixties early seventies I listened to Kevin Ayres music a lot. I was young a bit of a hippy wore my hair long and dated men with long hair. Wore long skirts flowers in my hair. Listened to Alternate music, Pink Floyd, Yes, Gong, Mike Oldfield, Caravan.

Kevin Ayres was with the band Soft machine at first then he split from them.
I have little KEVIN Ayres music on cd but do have the best of Kevin Ayres a compilation by E M I in 1989. This Cd contains a fair selection of Kevin Ayres work.

Track 1 is Butterfly Dance 1970 this was released as a single Kevin sings with female vocals wailing in the background. He sings about a lady he likens to a butterfly beautiful but never staying. This is a good introduction to this Cd .
Next
GILRL on a swing from joy of a toy, one of my favourite Kevin Ayres cd
A pretty song you can just imagine "a girl on a swing, such a pretty thing"
I used to swing on the swing outside my parents house. And swing silently and sing like the girl in the song It was somewhere to think As these notes That are played and Kevin Ayres sings I can see myself swinging in my long hair and long skirts .

The next song is "Soon Soon" this was released in 1976 with their essential old ditties collection do not really remember this song. It has female vocals again. What do you know about nothing people? Sings Kevin Ayres the female voice sing we know what you have seen we know what you mean we understand,

Sweet Deceiver released 1975 this has a bit of a rocky rhythm to it. Some good guitar playing on here.

Going back to 1973 Caribbean moon is played next. This was a non album single it has that air of a Caribbean island. My feet are tapping as Kevin sings about the yellow moon all night

Irreversible neural damage. 1974 The music stealthily creeps up on you Kevin whispers questions hauntingly then the female also whisper hauntingly in reply. The music changes not so haunting and we go into the next track.

Gemini child from 1976. From the album shooting at the moon. A love song telling Gemini child you know I really love you.

Next track the lady Rachel from 1969 I think from the album Joy of a toy. I like this song it "She climbs up the stairs holding a candle". This has a little female vocalisation as Kevin sings who you will dream of tonight lady Rachel

Stranger in blue suede shoes released 1973 on whatevershebringswesing.
This is a silly song with lots of instrumentals. This song about the barman, who wants to escape from the company get out in the sun and wind

Next from 1973 there is loving among us from whatevershebringswesing this is mostly instrumental little singing .David Bedford wrote the music of this orchestral piece.

This bursts into the Clarietta rag from 1969. A jolly rag song, "she's the queen of the mountain magic. Please send her a great big shining star to show where you are." A fantasy song sung fairly fast my foot is tapping head nodding." have you seen Miss Clarietta riding round on her umbrella? I loved this in the early seventies dreamy magical.

Now track 12 Rhienhart and Geradine from 1970 from shooting at the moon, not too keen on the way the music distorts on this one .A song about colours.

Stars from 1971. Not sure where this comes from.

Hat song. From shooting at the moon 1970
A fast song where Kevin sings chants you say you like my shirt, like my hat but what about me? A quick song making me thinks.

Singing a song in the morning was released as a single in 1970 I think originally it featured Syd Barrat

Clarence in wonderland from shooting at the moon 1970 a jaunty happy song

"Diminished but not finished" from 1975 .This is on sweet deceiver a lot of keyboard / piano a good steady beat through this song.

"Song from the bottom of a well" 1972 from Whatevershebringswesing. The instruments are plated to make them sound as if they are dark and terrifying the words sounds deep and dark. This is a really good track

This finishes this CD I enjoyed listening to it reliving some of my youth. Kevin was born in 1944, his music experimental, his lyrics some weird.
Thanks for reading Mary