This second volume of British Mod Sounds carries on where volume 1 finished. As the end of the decade approached, many bands evolved from their "Mod"/R&B style to a heavier or psychedelic sound. There was mixed success with some making an excellent transition while others floundered. The new music style also threw up some interesting new groups. Like Volume 1 there are interesting connections. Also, many artists are present who would make their mark in later years. A great compilation contains established, well-known artists as well as those who are more obscure and it is often the latter who make the compilations interesting.

A rare David Bowie track is The Gospel According to Tony Day. This appeared on the b-side of The Laughing Gnome. Marc Bolan would also become a superstar in the 1970s but in the late 1960s he was a member of John's Children who produced A Midsummer Night's Scene, controversial due to the line "Lift up your skirt and fly". While the Move from Birmingham produced some amazing tracks with a string of classic singles, songwriter Roy Wood would also make a major impact in the 1970s as a founder of the Electric Light Orchestra and with Wizard. Disturbance shows the band's innovative streak and was a worthy b-side to debut single Night of Fear. The Move had the dual lead vocals of Carl Wayne and Roy Wood and with the driving beat from Bev Bevan this is an amazing track. Prior to the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Harvey had an extensive solo career and his own Sunday Song is included here. Fleetwood Mac were still a top blues band at this time. Rambling Pony is credited to Peter Green although it certainly owes a massive debt to the blues classic Rollin' & Tumblin'.

Status Quo had been known previously as the Spectres and Traffic Jam and the debut single as the Quo is an English psychedelic classic with Pictures of Matchstick Men. They would, of course, change direction, in the 1970s and become a huge act. Likewise, the Idle Race was led by Jeff Lynne who would later join the Move and then, with Roy Wood, found the Electric Light Orchestra leading to mega success in the 1970s.

The Ivy League were known for their harmony vocals having contributed backing to the Who's I Can't Explain. However, there are worth a listen in their own right. My World Fell Down certainly has echoes of the Zombies' Odessey & Oracle.

Apostolic Intervention's version of Small Faces' Tell Me (Have You Ever Seen Me) features future Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley. Humble Pie are also present with Wrist Job while Small Faces contribute Me, You and Us Too, an alternative lyric to the heavy Wham Bam Thank You Mam.

Tomorrow should have been much bigger. My White Bicycle is an English psychedelia classic. Lead singer had more success as a solo artist with Excerpt From a Teenage Opera though while guitarist Steve Howe would hit the big time later with Yes.

Happenings Ten Years Time Ago is one of the Yardbirds' great tracks and there are plenty to choose from. This single is one of only three tracks recorded when the band featured both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitar. With such promise just what could have been achieved here. However, we did have Led Zeppelin and the Jeff Beck Group.

The Fleurs de Lys often appear on compilations. The band evolved throughout the 1960s with only drummer Keith Guster a constant member. The band's defining track is Pete Townshend's Circles which appeared on Volume 1. Mud In Your Eye also features amazing guitar work from Phil Sawyer. Another "what if this line-up had endured"?

There are some interesting cover versions of classics given even more of a pysch vibe. Check out The Beatles' Taxman by Loose Ends, Donovan's Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) by The Truth and Flies' I'm Not Your Stepping Stone.

There are some great examples of bands that evolved. The Action made their name live, largely through covers of Motown and other soul tracks. In My Dream is an original written by Alan "Bam" King and Reg King, no relation, that has a completely different feel to the group's previous output. The Action evolved further into the progressive Mighty Baby, albeit without lead singer Reg King. Likewise, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band made their name as a great live act based on covers. A change of name and direction led to Dantalian's Chariot and the psychedelic classic Madman Running Through the Fields. Again this is an original track written by George "Zoot" Money and Andy Summers, later of the Police. The Creation and and the Who both evolved although, in the case of the Creation, there had been some personnel changes. Pete Townshend contributed the amazing I Can See for Miles from the LP The Who Sell Out. I Can See for Miles not only takes the band in a more contemporary direction but showcases the Who's use of Keith Moon's drums as a lead instrument. Traffic were a bit different as it was a different band but Steve Winwood does sound much different to his previous group, the Spencer Davis Group, with the classic Coloured Rain. Even without the Winwood brothers, the Spencer Davis Group were able to produce some great tracks with Moonshine included here. Eddie Hardin proves to be a more than adequate replacement for Steve Winwood while Phil Sawyer has moved over from the Fleurs de Lys on guitar.

Listen to some great guitar lines from the lesser known bands such as The Fire, The Open Mind's Magic Potion, the Poets.

Many of the lesser known bands are deserving of more listening time. Apple's Buffalo Billycan instantly channels Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. Paul West & Compass and Satisfaction both have echoes of Jethro Tull.

All in all, volume 2 builds very nicely on the quality of volume 1. The mix of established artists and the less well-known or even obscure ensures that this is a voyage of discovery through some of the most exciting British sounds of the late 1960s.

Demon

Original release: 17 February 2023

Essential Tracks