OLD SONGS, NEW SONGS

British psychedelic, bluesy, highly personal and, at least in the beginning, innovatively eclectic rock band FAMILY (who sadly never really matured into a proper good prog band, IMHO) debuted with a non-album single Scene Through the Eye of a Lens / Gypsy Woman before releasing their charming and amazingly original debut album Music in a Doll's House (1968). The band had several features making them quite unique, perhaps the most notable being the vibrant voice of Roger Chapman. The arrangements on the debut had a lot of variety due to multi-instrumental approach of the members. Bassist Rick Grech played also violin and cello, and Jim King played keyboards, soprano/tenor sax and harmonica. Chapman added some harmonica and tenor sax too, and guitarist John "Charlie" Whitney used also pedal steel.

That said, Music in a Doll's House is not all the time very [proto-] prog oriented or interesting for a prog listener like me who doesn't really enjoy blues. This single showcases Family's rougher blues rock side. 'Old Songs, New Songs' and 'Hey Mr. Policeman' are perhaps my least favourite tracks on the whole album. Apart from the high-pitched chorus "Old songs, new songs / Keep on singing" that probably mocks religious choir music, there's not much for me to say about these songs. Naturally they do their share to increase the brave eclectism of the album, which luckily avoids the blues flavour on its finer pieces.