Big Band Sound, The - Band Of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Plymouth

Advantages: Pretty far out stuff, I ain't never heard anything like it before
Disadvantages: Hard to get into, will need to see live to get full experience

..., “Superhero Music” came out some time later. They’re with the Manchester-based Grand Central record label and they’re a two-man band consisting of DJ Peter Parker (who some of you may know if you’re Mancunian and keep your ear to the Manchester music circuit) and Sneaky who is known by a more sensible and real name but for the life of me I can’t quite remember. Anyway, they debuted their latest album “Fingathing and the Big Red Nebula Band” halfway through the Mr. Scruff gig, as well as playing some of their older stuff for two hours. And what a stonking two hours it was. In hindsight its probably easier to appreciate Fingathing if you’ve seen them live like I have. Its not just the music, but in a similar manner to bands like Bjork or Goldfrapp, but they put on a great visual show as well. Peter Parker has under his control a scratching deck... Read review

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Advantages: Interesting, eclectic list of guests and collaborators
Disadvantages: A few so-so tracks

...three minutes, but a rather dull song, a sturdy if unadventurous tinkling on the ivories, and a half-hearted beat on the drums, fail to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Teaming Mr Pink Floyd and one of our top soul divas sounds like a good idea on paper, but ‘Spell On You’ has always been one of those classily sophisticated yet tedious songs that fails to strike any chord in me whatsoever. As for ‘Outskirts’, well- this is big band cocktail smoothieness again, but the song creaks along at a funeral pace. If I hadn’t heard a much faster version by Mungo Jerry some years ago, maybe it wouldn’t come off so badly. I’ve also got reservations about John Cale’s ‘I Wanna Be Around’. If you’re a sucker for the swagger of Sinatra or Harry Connick Jr, you’ll... Read review

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Advantages: Some stonking 70's hit singles
Disadvantages: B sides are a little ropey soundwise

...Sheperd and the double drumming attack of Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard. Whilst not the only band with two drummers (and Adam & The Ants would later take up the mantle in the early 80's) it did give them a distinctive sound and put down the rythym track for lots of big, brassy Boys Own type of songs, though laced with some wistful lyrics provided mostly by Shepherd but also bassist John Springate. Roping in Glitter's old producer Michael Leander was a sharp move as it gave the sound its continuity, and teamed with the brass section of John Rossall and Harvey Ellison they proceeded to storm the charts from 1974 to 1976. Opening the album is the top 5 smash hit Angel Face with its military style drumbeat and heavy fuzz guitar. This has a really cool break just before the last chorus where the drums pause for a halfbeat before... Read review

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