My comments:
This comprehensive 2 CD collection of Pete Ham demos recorded during 1966-67 is actually the third CD release with Pete Ham solo-recordings.
On the first two CDs released on Rykodisc, "7 Park Avenue" and "Golders Green" producer Dan Matovina had given several songs new overdubs with great success, and several appeared almost as finished songs that could have been Pete's group, Badfinger. Also in contrast to this release, the songs on Rykodisc CDs were selected across the whole recording career of Pete Ham, right up until his tragic death in 1975. Many of these songs are thus marked to greater maturity, both in terms of compositional skill and personal development.
This time Dan Matovina has chosen to let these early "Keyhole Street" songs appear without post-production, and apart from a handful of songs where former Badfinger member, Ron Griffiths, helped Pete with his bass playing, it's Pete alone, who through many different genres alone experiments with different ideas; both in terms of songwriting and recordings with various overdubs.
Obviously the majority of these songs appear rough and unfinished and many of the lyrics are clearly written by a teenager whose emotion bubbles in the chest. On the other hand, many songs also could easily with success have been professionally recorded and some might have proven to have some of the hit potential, as Pete's later songs had. A small proportion of these songs were later recorded by The Iveys, while others have been previously released in other versions in other contexts. The vast majority of the songs, however, are here released for the first time.
It is difficult to highlight individual songs but "Dressed Myself in Black", "Come a Bit Closer", "Down Down Down", "How Much is the Sky", "Joker", "Beautiful Dream" and "Little Sue "underline in various ways that Pete Ham was a unique songwriter who unfortunately died way too early. That Pete Ham also was an excellent guitarist you can convince yourself if you listen to some of the relatively many albums Badfinger after all managed to released.
If you’re a fan of Pete Ham and Badfinger, this CD is a must. If you’re new to Badfinger I’d suggest ”Wish You Were Here” or one of the compilations available. Beware, that some poor re-recordings are also on the market.
My favourites:Several
Of 10 possible stars I would give this album:6
