Hipsters 2

Acid Jazz Records like to release the odd compilation album or two, the Rare Mod and  Sugarlumps series particular favorites with this author. Here's another, this time no oldies included, just contemporary garage, psych and beat recordings. Mod looms large on the nation's consciousness at the moment and Hipsters 2 captures the flavour of the scene.

Featuring The Birds with original 60's front man Ali MacKenzie with Matt, Jon, Neil and Dan of The Small Fakers. ‘That’s All I Need You For’ was featured in the cult sixties film ‘The Killer Bees’ but never recorded for release until now.

Bay Of Pigs, who attack 'Tainted Love', boast a pedigree of talent with guitarist Mark Saxby formaly of Arnold and X-Ray Spex, bassist Rob Ariss also from Arnold. Drummer Andy Ireland served his time in Flowered Up and Shane Magowan & The Popes while vocalist Dave Bassey was in Thamesmead’s lost legends Dog before a stint with Dodgy.

Speakeasy contain some heavyweight mod credentials with The Chords’ Brett Ascott, The Purple Heart's Simon Stebbings, Mark Le Gallez from The Risk & Thee Janitors and Mic Stoner, currently the busiest bass player in London.

 

The Galileo 7 are a 4 piece and hail from Medway. Not surprising then that they contain one Allan Crockford who has been in more influential bands than most. Here he goes all melodic, Pink Floyd and Psychedelic.

Slimshack cover Bo Diddly's 'Who Do You Love' to great effect. The Solomonics, sing of a 'Blanket Of Secrecy' giving no clues to their identity other than that they are rumoured to be members of the elusive Bohemian Underground Movement.

The Crackles are a studio project featuring guitarist Jim Guynan of funsters Smashing Time, one of the fav's from Sugarlumps 1, and features girl group The Duloks on vocals.

Aunt Nelly hail from Kent and feature 3 ex-members of The Clique in Phil Otto, Dom Strickland and Alex Petty. Add in Gavin Davis and Ian Snowball who also plays in The Effectives.

 

The Universal are a 4-piece from Liverpool, that sound like The Jam, who have spent the past 2 years gigging almost non-stop yet finding time to release a debut album last summer. 

The Sonic Jewels  are an offspring of the Laurence O'Toole, bass player of feather headed mod glam band Connett and sounds like the bastard child of The Prisoners and Cream.

Female fronted Modus's Blondie-esque pop blaster is cool, as is Harlow's The Feelmores, south London's Dig For Victory and funky Americans The Soulphonics.

The Method sound like a cross between The B52s and The Go Team, they are Welsh and very excellent, as are The Broken Vinyl Club, who sound like The Byrds and have just signed to Acid Jazz Records.

CD out Monday 27th June.
Vinyl out 11th July.
    
Get Hip !