Saturday 28 December 2013

McPhee [1972]

Heavy Covers

This is the sole release from Australian progrock band McPhee, and it is excellently heavy though achieving this through the covers of songs that clearly influenced their sound, for example Spooky Tooth from whom the Aussies [also New Zealanders, and English born drummer Terry Popple] grab their opener The Wrong Time as well as I Am The Walrus – the Beatles song, yes – both of these tracks appearing on ST’s album The Last Puff. It is all mainly riff-scorching guitar and swirling organ, and there are further interesting covers: Neil Young’s Southern Man [with loads of that heavy guitar], and then Richie Havens’ [via Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger] Indian Rope Man [great driving organ]. The strongest element for me is the powerful vocal of Faye Lewis, brilliantly so on IRM, though she loses out timewise to the guitar and organ soloing.

No comments:

Post a Comment