Saturday, April 28, 2007

Writings on the Wall Power of the Picts CD


Double disc reissue of this Scottish bands output. Proto Prog/Hard Rock/Psych are all descriptions applied to this band. Hammond driven rock with a good groove not unlike Deep Purple minus the vocal fireworks.
Disc one is 11 tracks the Power of the Picts LP from 1969 plus 2 singles. The opening track "It came on a Sunday" is pretty massive. Maybe some Vanilla Fudge or Procul Harem or something, my mind fails to be able to drop the correct comparision. "Children on a Crossing" and "Lucifer Corpus" are tracks from even more obscure singles. Both killer. This is worth it for disc one alone, but you get the added bonus of disc two! Disc two "Buffalo" starts out mellower is 12 tracks spanning from 68-72 comprised of demos and leftover tracks. "Buffalo" is on here twice and has a wicked groove.
This description seems to be cut and pasted into every online review. description, or mention of the band so here it is. Sounds pretty Spinal Tap to me "They regularly played the Middle Earth club, went on tour with the likes of Ten Years After, held a lengthy residency at the Marquee where they were supported by up and coming acts such as Wishbone Ash. As others retreated to “be-denimed slothfulness” Writing On The Wall became more theatrical, featuring choreographed fights, dressing up as a Caveman, a High Priest, a Monk and a Witchfinder, and the destruction of a Bubble car in support of the recently introduced breathalyser test.
Melody Maker felt sufficiently disturbed to comment that the band had "the reputation of being violent to frightening extremes". However John Peel was suitably impressed and the band recorded two Top Gear sessions for Radio 1."
Personally I prefer the painted sign they used to advertises the band which is featured in the liner notes, " the writings on the wall three do it standing up two sitting down!!!" Be-denimed slothfulness indeed!
Ork Records reissue.

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