Various / Iveys and others
An Apple a Day - RPM Records - 2006 Comments:This is the second volume of recordings of songs by writers signed to the Beatles Apple Music Publishing company. Though most of the artists contributing to the CD are pretty obscure with a very limited recorded material behind them, there are a few exceptions.
The Iveys, who later changed their name to Badfinger, are represented with four mod-inspired recordings quite unlike the material they originally released the group. Though all very much time-pieces quite interesting material, with Pete Ham's "Black and White Rainbows" as the strongest track.
George Alexander of Grapefruit wrote two songs for the CD; none of them recordings by Grapefruit, but both among the strongest recordings on the CD.
Songwriting team Gallagher and Lyle wrote four songs; three of them their own demos. Quite obvious that they were already at that time great songwriters. The Hollies sounding tracks "Technicolour Dream" and "Ivy Unrehearsed" are my favourites.
The obscure band "The U No Who" who later turned into "Bachdenkel", deliver some of the very best recordings to the CD. Quite amazing that Apple did not offer the band a contract. Their title-track "An Apple a Day" is a very catchy song; their music both melodic and complex. Their other two at least as strong. All in all a fine collection of music from the 1968-69 psychedelic years in British pop-music.
|