Battered Ornaments - 1969 - A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark

Pete Brown & his Battered Ornaments

1969

A Meal You Can Shake Hands With In The Dark

01. Dark Lady

02. The Old Man

03. Station Song

04. The Politician

05. Rainy Taxi Girl

06. Morning Call

07. Sandcastle

08. Travelling Blues (Or The New Used Jew's Dues Blues)

Flute, Alto Saxophone – Nisar Ahmed Khan

Bass, Banjo – Butch Potter

Congas, Percussion – Pete Bailey

Drums – Rob Tait

Piano, Guitar – Chris Spedding

Harmonica, Organ – Charlie Hart

Tenor Saxophone – Dick Heckstall-Smith

Trumpet, Vocals – Pete Brown

Pete Brown's debut album may not have been as accessible as those of Cream (for whom he often helped write material) or even the early Jack Bruce (for whom he continued to collaborate as a songwriter). There are similarities, however, though more to Bruce's solo work than to Cream. For one thing, there are those lyrics, which are of a far higher standard than heard on most rock songs, ranging from ominous impressionism to take-out-the-piss political satire. Then there's Brown's voice, which rather resembles a gruff Jack Bruce, and is effective though certainly not as smoothly melodic as Bruce's vocals. And then there's the music, which grew out of the same jazz-blues-rock community that gave birth to the Graham Bond Organisation, Cream, and Colosseum. In fact, two other alumni of that scene, Bond (on organ) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (on saxophone), are among the supporting players, as is a young Chris Spedding. There are also unusual psychedelic and Middle Eastern accents here and there in the arrangements, though tasteful and subdued. Because there aren't the pop hooks of the songs Brown had a hand with in Cream, and because Brown's voice is not that of your average rock frontman, it's not something that ever got a wide audience. But it has its rewards for those looking for something a little more avant-garde and intellectual than much late-'60s psychedelic-prog rock, including the fairly grooving "Dark Lady" (which musically resembles Graham Bond's work), "Station Song" (where the likeness to some of Jack Bruce's more mysterious tracks is highest), and the beguiling downward-spiral melody of "Rainy Taxi Girl." Some of the bluesy tunes are more functional, but the 12-minute "The Politician" -- not the same as the Cream classic "Politician" penned by Brown and Bruce, though there are similarities -- is a highlight, as a very witty and scathing anti-establishment spoken word poem segueing into an off-kilter blues-rocker that exposes the "politician" for the lecherously hypocritical geezer he is.

Pete Brown was Jack Bruce's chief lyricist in the late 60's and early 70's. This was his first album, recorded in 1969 with a group of session musicians (the 'Battered Ornaments'). It was also the third album I ever bought, after Cream's 'Goodbye' and Taste's first album. 30 years later I still play it and though I tend to skip the more 'inventive' (=strange) tracks such as 'Sandcastle', there are three real gems which make the purchase of this album worthwhile. Firstly, the original 'The Politician' which Brown co-wrote with Jack Bruce and was recorded by Cream on 'Wheels of Fire' and 'Goodbye'. Apart from the lyrics this is nothing like Cream's version - you have been warned! The drunken/doped spoken intro is a scream. Secondly, 'Rainy Taxi Girl' is a beautifully melodic piece of Brown's poetry and could have been a minor hit if it had been released as a single. It was after hearing this track on Kid Jensen's radio show (UK radio) that I bought the album. Thirdly, 'Travelling Blues' (or 'New Used Jew's Dues Blues') which is a lazy 12-bar blues featuring Chris Spedding on lead guitar. It must be one of the most original 12-bar blues ever! Lyrically and melodically the album is inventive and always interesting, if a little bit wild in places. If you are interested in the development of 60's rock it deserves a place in your collection.

Brown went on to make a couple more very good albums in the early 70's with his next group 'Pipblokto!'. These were 'Things May Come And Things May Go...' (no longer available) and 'Thousands on a Raft'. Both albums feature fine guitar work by a young Jim Mullen who went on to find minor fame in the 'Average White Band', 'Kokomo' and as a solo jazz guitarist.