Now Is The Happiest Time Of Your Life - Daevid Allen

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Mediocre
Quality and consistency of tracks	One hit and lots of B-sides
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Weak
Value for Money	Very Poor

Advantages:	Occational Touch of Greatness
Disadvantages:	A Load of Hippy Nonsence (Sorry Hippies)

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Way back and the early nineties I was dragged kicking and screaming to one of Daevid Allen's acoustic shows, "He was in Gong, a load of whimsical hippie nonsense" was roughly my expressed opinion. That night however my thought changes albeit on a temporary basis, I was knocked back by the mans charisma and the music that night was superb.
The album starts off innocuously enough with "Flamenco Zero" an acoustic number with some very nice guitar playing on it, and I am a happy Champ about this as I like the sound of a well played acoustic guitar. "Why Do We Treat Ourselves Like We Do?" again continues the theme of exceptionally well played guitar and some Hawkwind esque vocals but the general hippyness of the lyric puts me off and soon it disapears off into some whimsical land.

The third track "Tally and Orlando Meet the Cockpit Pixie" starts off with sound carnival sounds and some irritating talking, probably Daevid talking to his kids, and it is utterly pointless and highly irritating, dam hippies. "See You on the Moontower" is in a sort of country rock vibe, and is irritating as a bunch of highly irritating things doing something very irritating on your doorstep, when you are in an irritable mood.

However "Poet For Sale" is the reason I bought this album as he did do a stunning performance of this when I saw him live. Tenderly plucked acoustic guitars are spoiled by some annoying oooohhhhing. The poem itself is good but I preferred the version I saw him perform way back in the early nineties as it was nastier, however if this album has a redeeming feature then it is this one.

I remember being intrigued by the title "Crocodile Nonsense Poem" but I would probably have reacted violently if he had recited this in front of me as it is highly annoying. "Only Make Love If You Want To" is a case of more hippy noodling, and the sentiment behind it is highly annoying shut up you old hippy."I Am" is a musical illustration of one of Daevid's morning meditations and despite that is really quite good as it goes off into some weird electronic sound-scape I like it even though it is hippy nonsense.

The Album finishes off with "Deya Goddess" and is a quiet effortless acoustic song, but once again I am forced to shout "Shut up you hippy " at the lyrics...........

This is one of the few of his albums I have sampled I like the music but the lyrics are generally a load of whimsical hippy nonsense, I am fairly sure I am missing some elaborate joke here. After this I got Planet Gong's Floating Anarchy Live 1977 which is a far more sensible purchase. However I decided never again, not because I don't like the stuff but because of the variability in quality and general goodness of his work makes it difficult to make the right choice.