To Dream＜限定盤/Shades of Grey Vinyl＞

北アイルランド出身の若きソングライター、デイヴ・ルイスを中心に、のちアンドウェラにも参加するベーシストのナイジェル・スミス、ドラマーのゴートン・バートンによる3人組「アンドウェラズ・ドリーム」としてスタートし、その後「アンドウェラ」と名前を変更、サウンドもポップ・サイケからスワンプ/アメリカ憧憬ルーツロックへと変化しつつのこした傑作3作品がまとめてリイシューです!
アンドウェラズ・ドリーム名義の69年1ST『Love And Poetry』はフォーキーなテイストの中にぞくぞくするようなファズ・ギターがこれでもかと疾走する英国サイケデリアを代表する1枚。ここですでにデイヴ・ルイスによる人懐っこく良質なメロディは花開いています。アンドウェラに改名しリリースした70年2ND『WORLD'S END』はデイヴ節のメロディはそのままにスワンプ/アメリカン・ルーツ・ロックへの影響を強く感じるサウンドにシフト。ホーンや弦のアレンジも非常に効果を上げており、単なる田舎ロックとは一線を画しています。同じく70年リリースの3RD『PEOPLE'S PEOPLE』は2NDのスワンプ/ルーツ志向により迫り、THE BANDに迫る瞬間が随所に見られる英国スワンプの傑作です。詳細なブックレット付の豪華セットです。

Though they were only active for a few years in the late 60s and early 70s, this trio covered a lot of ground in a very short time. After forming in Northern Ireland as the Method, the group moved to London and recorded one album as Andwellas Dream before shortening their name to Andwella, switching their style, changing up their membership, and then promptly disbanding. To Dream chronicles the entire journey, beginning with the blues-driven psychedelia and genre experimentation of 1969s Love & Poetry. While the production and songwriting are under the influence of some fairly obvious reference points of the time (Beatles-y vocal inflections on "Clockwork Man" and "High on a Mountain," massive Cream-esque guitars on "Shades of Grey," hints of Dylans Blonde on Blonde output in twangier moments like "Take My Road"), the band also brings in unexpected moments of jazz flute and other adventurous touches. The songwriting of bandleader David Lewis ties together what could have been a far less focused effort, creating a baseline for Andwellas various stylistic experiments. The group shortened their name, brought in a second guitarist, and dropped some of the flower power affectation for their second album, 1970s Worlds End. This set begins with the band leaning into hard-rocking, almost paranoid guitar heaviness on "Hold On to Your Mind" but then quickly pivoting to orchestral soft rock on tunes like "Im Just Happy to See You Get Her" and the relaxed shuffle of "I Got a Woman." Their final album, 1971s Peoples People, was far less of a mixed bag. Though still led by David Lewis, he was the bands only remaining original member at that point and Andwella had gone full-on roots rock, taking notes from the Band and post-Sweetheart of the Rodeo Byrds on countrified tunes like "Mississippi Water" and rusty ballads like "Four Days in September." While almost unrecognizable from their bluesy psych-rock of just a few years earlier, the albums consistent format allowed Lewis songwriting strengths to shine more than they did in more outlandish psychedelic settings. To Dreams remastered audio and chronological pacing lays out Andwellas interesting creative arc nicely, telling the story of a band who expressed themselves differently on every album before fading into the bizarre musical ether of the early 70s. ~ Fred Thomas