Genre: rock
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: The World of Amen Corner
Company: Decca
Catalog: SPA
33
Year: 1969
Country/State: Cardiff, Wales
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: stereo pressing
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5630
Price: $15.00
By 1969 Amen Corner had splintered into two factions with sax players
Allan Jones and Mike Smith forming Judas Jump, while the rest of the group reappeared as the cleverly named Fair Weather.
Part of Decca Records reissue program that included such winners as "The World of Mantovani", "The World of Johann Strauss" and "The World of Lulu" 1969's posthumous "The World of Amen Corner" was a 14 track compilation that served to compile previously issued singles and material from their 1967 Deram. debut album. So what did you get for your money?
- 'Bend Me, Shape Me' was a nice, if needless cover of The American Breed's hit. Propelled by Andy Fairweather-Low's raspy vocals and some nice handclaps the arrangement wasn't all that different from the US original. Released as the group's third single b/w 'Satisnek The Job's Worth' (Deram catalog number DM-172) the song hit # 3 on the UK charts.
- 'Run, Run, Run' was another blue-eyed soul number that had been the 'B' side to their third single 'High In the Sky'. Nice song that should have appealed to anyone that liked 'Bend Me, Shape Me'.
- Turning it into an organ-propelled funeral dirge certainly didn't help 'Love Me Tender', effectively turning it into one of the strangest Elvis covers I've ever heard.
- Their cover of 'Our Love (Is In the Pocket)' was another nice slice of Welsh, horn-driven blue-eyed soul.
- 'Something You Got' found the band taking a step into country. You wouldn't have expected it, but the results were quite good. Kicked along by some sympathetic horns and a catchy chorus it would have been a nice single.
- ' I Am An Angel, but I Can't Fly' started out as a frenetic blue-eyed soul number before stumbling into a weird, almost psychedelic middle section, back to blue-eyed soul, and closing out with another dollop of psych. Once you got over the initial shock it was pretty entertaining.
- 'High In The Sky b/w 'Run Run Run' (Deram catalog DM-197) was tapped as the band's fourth single. A nice hybrid of blue-eyed and mild psych influences, the song hit # 6 on the UK charts.
- 'Expressway To Your Heart' was another straightforward copy of a US hit. Nothing wrong with it, but you might as well juts by The Soul Searchers original version.
- Same comments as above - 'Let the Good Times Roll and Feel So Good' was competent, but buy the original.
- 'Can't Get Use to Losing You' was a nice ballad without the typical soul influences.
- Unlike anything else on the album, 'Lost and Found' found the group turning in a Spanish-influenced ballad. Opening up with a tasty Flamenco guitar, Fairweather-Low's voice was always an acquired taste, but on this one his urgent delivery sounded great.
- Reflecting a curious blend of English blues and Memphis-horns 'Gin House' b/w 'I Know' (Deram catalog number DM-136) served as the group's first single and hit # 12 on the UK charts.
- As far as their blue-eyed soul covers went 'I Don't Wanna Discuss It' may have been the best of the lot; even better than the hit 'Bend Me, Shape Me'.
- Sounding like it was recorded through a blender, the album closed out with a live concert snippet 'Amen'. Enthusiastic crowd ...
Curiously absent from the set was the band's sophomore 45 - 1967's 'The World Of Broken Hearts' b/w 'Nema' (Deram catalog number DM-151). AN okay way to scope out the group, though there's nothing from their Immediate catalog.
"The
World of Amen Corner" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Bend Me, Shape Me (English - Weiss) -
2.) Run, Run, Run (Andy Fairweather-Low) -
3.) Love Me Tender (Elvis Prsley - Maton) -
4.) Our Love (Is In the Pocket) (Clinton - McCoy - Jackson) -
5.) Something You Got (Shaw - Keen) -
6.) I Am An Angel, but I Can't Fly (Andy Fairweather-Low) -
(side
2)
1.) High In the Sky (King) -
2.) Expressway To Your Heart (Kenny Gamble - Leon Huff) -
3.) Let the Good Times Roll and Feel So Good (Lee) -
4.) Can't Get Use to Losing You (Doc Pomus - Mort Shuman) -
5.) Lost and Found (Shaw - Keen) -
6.) Gin House (Troy - Henderson) -
7.) I Don't Wanna Discuss It (Cooper - Beatty - Shelby) -
8.) Amen