Psych Britannia - Strange Daze

We're kick-starting the album off now with "Welcome for a Soldier". This opening number is as pleasantly surprising as opening the fridge door and expecting to find just one cold sausage in there and then discovering there's a whole smorgasbord of delicious delicacies to feast on. Harmony is the key to life, love, happiness and great music on this tremendous opening number. There's some gorgeous Beach Boys-style harmonising to be heard on this Pop meets Prog song. The keyboards are very much in evidence too and it's a case of Uriah Heep Lite, as it's not so Very 'eavy, or so Very 'umble. "Welcome for a Soldier" deserves a warm homecoming welcome in a glittering parade with flags flying and people partying in bunting-lined street parades, and with a fanfare of trumpets to add to the glorious occasion too. Yes, It really is that good! The second item on the menu is "Old Peoples Home", which have sadly become dangerous places to reside in these days for the vulnerable elderly residents, during these strange times we're living through with the lurking Chinese killer virus ever present. Anyway, back to the album and back to plague-free 1971. This charmingly gentle acoustic tune is as pleasant and laid-back and relaxed as nodding off to sleep on a rocking chair on a Sunday afternoon in an "Old People's Home". This unthreatening gentle tune leaves you feeling so safe and secure that the album should come with carpet slippers, a dressing gown and a mug of warm cocoa to take up to bed with you. We're in safe and familiar territory too with the third tune on the album "Classical Gas". It's an instantly recognisable piece of instrumental music, famously recorded by Mason Williams way back in 1968. Deep Feeling have given this classic tune their own magic touch by packing it with an almighty punch, making "Classical Gas" sound as high and mighty as a hydrogen-filled Zeppelin bomber. The acoustic guitar has never sounded quite so powerful as it does here in this dynamic slug-fest of thunderous keyboard-driven Prog, which comes right at you like a southpaw uppercut to the lower jaw from a heavyweight prizefighter.

It's all chop and change now for the opening song on Side Two: "Guillotine". This dark and dramatic piece of music with its slow marching rhythm is a cut above the rest. The music features interlocking prime cuts of fast and slow organ passages with a haunting ethereal interlude thrown in too for good measure. The spooky music from the doom-laden church organist is in the eerily atmospheric style of the horror movie hokum "The Abominable Dr. Phibes", starring Vincent Price, one of the three kings of classic horror. There's nothing abominable about "Guillotine" though. It's a chip off the old block of pompous and glorious British Prog. Deep Feeling have executed a masterful performance with this sliced and diced album highlight. There's a complete change of pace now for the cleverly-titled "Country Heir". No prizes for guessing it's a Country song. It's a chance for the band to really show off their gorgeous multi-part harmonies in the best traditions of the Country Rock legends, The Eagles. This buoyant country-tinged slice of Sunshine Pop is instilled with all of the joyous sing-along energy of the sunny California band, The Association. It's an irresistably catchy tune that just makes you want to throw caution to the wind and sing along to it, so go for it, even if you've only ever sung in the shower before. Finally, the classic Little Richard song "Lucille" is given the thunderous Heavy Prog treatment with an absolutely storming cover version here, assaulting the eardrums in an all-out sonic attack, marking a VERY LOUD and memorable ending to the album. Deep Feeling are locked and loaded with emotion and going out in a powerful blaze of glory with all guns blazing!

This is the kind of timeless Progressive Rock masterpiece that should be handed down through the generations. If you don't already have a son or daughter to pass this album onto, then now might be as good a time as any to take your wife upstairs and make one. You could give her some amorous Deep Feeling whilst listening to this album, or alternatively, put on some Barry White baby-making music to listen to whilst making mad passionate love together.