One of the last things The Edgar Broughton Band did in their heyday wasn't
done by The Edgar Broughton Band. Re-formed in 1979 as simply The
Broughtons, that incarnation of the band lasted just long enough to make this
album.
Some writers will tell you there was "a change in style for the band, having
a more new wave feel to the tracks". Bah - writers - what do they know!
Yes, there was a change in style, but new age probably isn't the best
description. Imagine that you're at a party with a bunch of very talented
musician friends They're horsing around in a cynically playful way, and and
you're lucky enough to be in on the session. No, that isn't what happened here,
but it helps describe the atmosphere. There's a slightly psychedelic / acid rock
feel to this music, and the irreverent attitude vaguely recalls early Lou Reed.
Parlez-Vous English was originally recorded in 1979 and has a late
'60s / early '70s vibe to it - so it probably missed its market by half a
decade. And The Edgar Broughton Band was well known for its
anti-everything activism and its political positions, which probably added to
this record's lack of commercial success. So the fact that Parlez-Vous
English isn't on the shelves of every collector of early Brit / Cantebury
progressive music is a pity - it's very nicely put together, there's some good
musicianship, every song is different from the next, and the whole package is a
lot of fun. The humor and the some of the lyrics will be better
appreciated in England than anywhere else (how many Americans know what a lorry
is, and how many can make out that rather heavy accent in "Little One"?) "April
in England" is a folksy piece, made particularly pretty by a childrens' choir.
"All I Want To Be" is the simplest and most melodic song on the album, and
the chorus could have been a Beatles piece.
The LP has been wonderfully remastered, its cover art was designed by
Hipgnosis, and with Eclectic Disc's high standard of packaging, and with the
band again doing occasional tours this is a good time to round out the
classic underground rock section of your collection. Does Parlez-Vous English
match the quality of the other Broughton albums? Possibly not - but it's a
whole heck of a lot more fun.
Track Listing:
- Little One
- Waiting for You
- Drivin' to Nowhere
- Meglamaster
- Didecoi
- April in England
- Revelations One
- Anthem
- Down in the Jungle
- Rentasong
- Young Boys
- All I Want to Be
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