HEAVY SOUL: ANTHOLOGY

"Heavy soul" is a fine double CD introduction to the music of Atomic Rooster. The collection is packed with what are arguably the best tracks taken from their original albums, plus a suitably psychedelic sleeve. Given that the only consistent thing about the band was their startling inconsistency, there is a strong case for asserting that this is indeed all the Atomic Rooster you could ever need.

The band's two best know songs "Tomorrow night" and "Devil's answer" (both of which were hit singles) are of course here. Unlike most Atomic Rooster compilations however, it is the original studio recordings which are included, not inferior live versions. The collection starts with the self titled first album (or is it "Atomic Roooster per the sleeve"?) and works its way through to "Nice 'n' greasy" from 1973. Thus, while there are a number of significant line up changes along the way, the collection covers the band's classic era in detail.

With two well filled CDs in this package, there is plenty of room available to include a good number of tracks from the five source albums. For example, all but one of the tracks from "In hearing of.." are included, as is the aforementioned non-album single "Devil's answer", which became a bonus track on remaster of "In hearing of". In addition, there are a number of comparatively rare tracks to complete the compilation. "Can't find a reason" was recorded in late 1972 as the intended prelude to a Vincent Crane solo album, and released as a single backed with the non-album piano instrumental "Moods", which is also included in this package. Interestingly, the A side was actually deemed to be by Crane/Farlowe, Chris Farlowe being the then current vocalist with Atomic Rooster. The A side was an uncharacteristically impassioned ballad, which would eventually appear on the unfortunately titled "Nice 'n' greasy" album.

"Tell your story" was released as an isolated single in 1974 in the name of "Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster". It is a rather anonymous, lightweight affair with a repetitive hook, and some nice brass work. The B side, "O.D.", which for obvious reasons when you hear it was a B side, closes this compilation.

In terms of the music, there is of course a strong emphasis on the keyboard work of Crane. While he has always claimed that the band's influences were more in soul music (hence the album name here) than rock or prog, it is only on the final source two albums "Made in England" and "Nice 'n' greasy" that such influences really become overt. Even then, the basis of the music is still firmly founded in rock. The songs can at times tend to seem like more of the same, the band never really progressing from the organ driven funk and blues rock which Crane brought with him from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Bands such as BLACK SABBATH and URIAH HEEP ploughed similar furrows around the same time as Atomic Rooster, but both developed and refined their sound while Crane, possibly in part due to his health, appeared to be happy to maintain the status quo.

For those wishing to obtain the back catalogue of Atomic Rooster in all its glory, the excellent remasters of their original albums are a worthy purchase. For those simply looking to obtain a significant cross section of their best works in one package, this will fit that bill nicely.

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