MIGHTY BABY

An overlooked late-sixties psych-rock gem, Mighty Baby's self-titled 1969 debut somehow got lost amongst all the 'Atom Heart Mothers' and 'In The Court Of The Crimson Kings' upon it's initial release. Although a fairly straight-forward of R'n'B, folk, rock and psychedelic influences, which, technically-speaking at least, is closer in spirit to the likes of The Beatles, The Doors and Jefferson Airplane than it is to any of the genre's popular progressive rock acts, 'Mighty Baby' showcased an inventive and surprisingly-experimental outfit whose West coast-leanings contrasted nicely with their UK beat-group origins. Songs, such as the impressive, country- flecked rocker 'A Friend You Know But Never See' start as seemingly-simplistic late-sixties psych-tinged rock, before breaking headlong into complex, overlapping rhythms that spin off into Jerry Garcia-inspired oblivion and back again via semi-progressive instrumental passages that feature Cajun violins, bluesy-guitars and folk-pressed vocals. Fans of The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Wizards From Kansas, as well as early rainy-day UK psych purveyors The Move, Tomorrow and The Magic Mixture should find much to admire on this enjoyable album, and whilst there may not be the complex keyboard passages, rampant experimentation and surreal conceits that ordain the best 1970's prog, Mighty Baby's brand of all-encompassing Beatles-ish psych-folk-rock remains refreshingly unique. STEFAN TURNER, LONDON, 2010

Mighty Baby was a Savoy Brown-related band, in that guitarist Martin Stone was a member and played of Savoy Brown's debut Shake Down from 1967 (that album was unknown to many American fans of the band due to it never being released here). Mighty Baby managed two albums, this being their debut, appeared on Head Records in the UK and US (in the US it was oddly distributed by Chess Records, a label I associate with R&B, blues, and early rock and roll, like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, etc.). Also we get a Roger Powell on drums, not THAT Roger Powell from Utopia, a British musician with the same name. I noticed Ginger Baker was a big influence on his drumming as he did a lot of those same type of cyclical fills that Baker did (Baker would likely be less than impressed if he heard it, given his unnecessary contempt for other drummers). It's the kind of album I felt should have been on Decca (due to the Savoy Brown association), but being on Head meant the album received limited distribution at the time making it a bonified rarity. While Savoy Brown pretty much stuck to a blues format (competing with contemporaries like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers), Mighty Baby obviously stretched out and took a more diverse format, in a psychedelic format. The opening cut "Egyptian Tomb" is a great piece of psych with early prog leanings. "A Friend You Know But Never See" is more in the straight up heavy psych vein, with some of those Ginger Baker type drum fills I mentioned. "I've Been Down So Long" is more in the country vein bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Grateful Dead. Even some of the vocals sound like Jerry Garcia minus his trademark guitar playing (I could even imagine the Dead playing this song live and it could easily pass as one of their own). "House Without Windows" and "A Point Between Fate and Destiny" are clearly in the prog/psych vein, while "I'm from the Country", unsurprisingly has more of that country/Grateful Dead feel to it.

While an original LP, regardless if its a UK or US pressing, will cost you a pretty penny, go seek out a reissue. This is really worth your time!

MIGHTY BABY were a five piece band out of London, England and this is their debut from 1969. This band arose out of the ashes of THE ACTION and the debut here I would describe as psychedelic with some folky flavours. The keyboardist by the way adds sax and flute.

"Egyptian Tomb" the opener and "House Without Windows" are the two outstanding tracks for me, liking both from the first spin. The opener especially with those sax leads and uplifting sound just sounds amazing. Gotta love the acid guitar leads on this album as well, I'm not as into the piano but check out the organ on the closer that is quite upfront and just floats on and on. Cool song and a top five.

"Same Way From The Sun" is another top five and the most psychedelic and uplifting track on here. "A Friend You Know But Never See" rounds out my top five. The three I'm not that into yet even with each of these songs there's sections I'm impressed with making this a four star record for sure. But "I've Been Down So Long", "Trials Of A City" and "I'm From The Country" are those three with a country/folk vibe on each yet as I said so much more than that. I understand they went more into the direction of these three songs on their next and last album "Jug Of Love".

Despite the odd band name I'm very happy to include this in my Psychedelic section. I will check out their other record down the road hopefully. This one is a keeper.