What a Groovy Day: The British Sunshine Pop Sound 1967-1972

珠玉の英国産ハーモニー・ポップ!
有名どころから超マイナーまでを網羅した極上のブリティッシュ・ソフトロック集の決定版がリリース!
60年代後半に流行した「サンシャイン・ポップ」は、カリフォルニア産のイメージと強く結びついていますが、実は英国にも多数の同系グループが存在し、古くから好事家の蒐集対象になっています。 ポップサイケと呼ばれるオレンジ・バイシクルやマジョリティ・ワン、TOP OF POPSを席巻した職人ポップスであるジョン・カーターやトニー・ハッチの仕事、そして数多くのガール・グループ!
本作はそんな奥深い英国ハーモニー・ポップを掘り下げたアンソロジーBOXとなっています。タイトルにもある"WHAT A GROOVY DAY"は、勿論トニー・リヴァースのハーモニー・グラスの曲から取られていて、キャスタウェイズやシンボルズ、サマーワインといった英国産のビーチ・ボーイズ・フォロワーのキラー曲も満載。 未だに探し続けている人も多いカリフォルニアンズの"EARLY MORNING SUN"も収録。
更にはライブラリー音楽の女王であるバーバラ・ムーアや、後に国民的グラム・バンドへと変貌を遂げるスウィートの前身、スウィート・ショップ時代の音源など、英国ポップ好きなら昼飯を抜いてでも買っておくべき超充実な内容。エム・レコード初期リリースやSEQUELの「RIPPLES」シリーズを買い集めていたオールド・ファンも納得な3CD BOXです!

Despite its well-earned reputation for being a somewhat rainy and gloomy place -- weather-wise, at least -- late-60s Britain gave sunny old California a run for their money in the sunshine pop sweepstakes. Inspired by dreams of warmer climes, beachy days spent falling in love, and hit singles, many an English pop group delved deeply into the kind of light and polite, harmony-filled pop that bands like the Beach Boys and their ilk churned out effortlessly. Grapefruits 2023 collection What a Groovy Day: The British Sunshine Pop Sound 1967-1972 does a marvelous job gathering up a wide array of bands -- from the well-known to the unjustly obscure -- to present a compelling case that maybe Malibu wasnt the sunniest spot on earth after all. Most people with even a vague interest in this collection will know the big names like Hermans Hermits, Petula Clark, the Zombies, and the Hollies. Each is represented by a lesser-known song; the Hollies "Everything Is Sunshine" neatly epitomizes the sound of the disc as it straddles bubblegum and the British Invasion while bursting out in lush harmonies and a hook as big as the sun itself. Some people might be familiar with second-tier groups like the Tremeloes, the Montanas, White Plains, or the Flowerpot Men, whose "Am I Losing You" is one of the orchestrated ballads included that show the melancholy flipside of summer love. Deeper knowledge of the scene might mean that names like Tony Rivers or John Carter or groups like Episode Six or the Orange Bicycle ring a bell. That last band turn in one of the sets highlights with "Dropping Out," a track that gives a hint to what Joe Meek might have done with a surfer ballad. The chances for recognition dip to almost zero when it comes to the bulk of the groups included. Unless one were actually a member of Homers Knods or the Mellow Yellow or Chuckles, the songs by them that show up here are likely a total mystery -- but one worth uncovering in almost every case. Pinkertons Colours "Mum and Dad" is a fine post-British Invasion swooner, Warm Sounds "Birds and Bees" has a brilliant Baroque pop arrangement to go along with the vocal harmonies, and Deep Feelings "Do You Wanna Dance" turns the rocking oldie into a dreamy ballad. These songs highlight the diversity of sounds on the album as the compilers take a wide-view approach and rope in almost anything with a harmony or a hook, whether its radio pop or cabaret or even by Genesis, whose super-groovy acoustic demo "Try a Little Sadness" is one of the sets biggest surprises. Another is Marty Wildes "When Jezamine Goes," which shows the former child star made for a convincing pre-psychedelic crooner. The set abounds with discoveries, pleasant surprises, and songs that will make one want to hit repeat a couple times. Thats high praise for a collection, and to be expected from a Grapefruit release. ~ Tim Sendra