OLDIES AND…

Two ‘Best-Ofs’ that should be in all music collections, one from Fruupp and one from George Benson, plus we review AA Williams’s fabulous debut album: Forever Blue.

During the early 1970s, Fruupp commanded a small but devoted following and supported Queen, Genesis and Supertramp. This ninetrack ‘best-of’ compilation shines a light on their most intricately-crafted and lustrously polished songs. With their pastoral drifts and convoluted, organ-led staccato passages, the likes of the acrobatic Graveyard Epistle and the prog panoply of Decision show the Genesis connection. Fruupp’s tendency to lace wistful ditties with autumnal strings and twinkling keyboards is evident on Three Spires and White Eyes. The convoluted neo-classical blow-out, Wise As Wisdom, goes pure Foxtrot in ambition before ending on an accelerated jazz gallop. The concept-heavy album ‘The Prince Of Heaven’s Eyes’ is represented here by the eponymous single, along with widescreen epic Knowing You.

Joe’s British blues-themed tour of a few years ago has culminated in an album of new songs he’s penned with artists including Bernie Marsden, Pete Brown and Jools Holland. Don’t expect many 12-bars though, as opener When One Door Opens proves with its rocking riffs and a blazing wah solo. The title track has a Cream vibe; organ stabs, bluesy guitar fills and a searing solo. The punchy Lookout Man is a great driving anthem. High Class Girl has suitably gnarly guitar tones and biting exclamations while tracked guitars feature on A Conversation With Alice. The stand-out track, I Didn’t Think She Would Do It, enters up-tempo, Hendrix-esque territory and features some of Joe’s most blazing playing on the album. This is a tasty and majestic album full of great tracks, great playing and great writing.