Ugly Custard - 1970 - Ugly Custard

Ugly Custard 

1970

Ugly Custard

01. Scarboro' Fair

02. Link

03. My Babe

04. Link

05. Hung Upside Down

06. Link

07. Custards Last Stand

08. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

09. Link

10. .Cry From The Heart

11. Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

12. Never In A Blues Day

13. Link

14. Feel This

Bass Guitar – Herbie Flowers

Drums – Clem Cattini

Guitar – Alan Parker

Organ – Alan Hawkshaw

Excellent studio project, strictly instumental, recorded in 1970 for Kaleidoscope by top British session musicians (see below). Collection of 8 covers (Scarboro Fair, My Babe, Hung Upside Down) and original compositions of Alan Parker.

Ugly Custard was: Alan Parker - talented guitarist, graduate of Royal Academy of Music, whose other projects include Blue Mink,Hungry Wolf, The Congregation and Collective Consciousness Society. He also appears on numerous albums (uncredited), but one can hear him on Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man", The Walker Brothers and David Bowie's. Next comes Clem Cattini (Clemente Anselmo Cattini) - veteran drummer, who was also with Hungry Wolf and Jeff Beck. Herbie Flowers (bass) recorded with T.Rex. Roger Coulam (organ and keyboards) is also well established name in music.

The album was initially produced for continental market (where it appeared with different artwork of blind doll), and then was available in the UK as another good collection of British Library Music (Ugly Custard previously recorded as Alan Hawkshaw's "The Mohawks" - outdated, nostalgic music still full of charm).

The great advantage of the album - it is not ruined by sub-standard vocals. In fact, add good vocals to the tracks, and we'll get an accomplished project - better than "revival" or "retro" 70s rock.

I really like Ugly Custard's only album from 1970. This S/T record really pleases my ears with it's fuzz-guitar and organ driven sound. The album is completely instrumental and the overall mood of the record is pretty jam oriented which I enjoy a lot.

It's hard to choose any highlights because the whole album is so strong. Their versions of "Scarborough Fair" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" are both really cool and unique. Actually the only thing I don't like that much about this LP is the album cover. I think it's kinda lame. But the music is superb and that's what really matters.

Highly recommended for the fans of both psychedelic rock and progressive rock. Awesome album from the start to the finish.