The World Of Oz - The World Of Oz (1969 uk psychedelic pop japan remaster edition - MP3 320K and FLAC)

This album was, for many years, a choice and expensive collectable in the U.K. and elsewhere, mostly owing to its sheer obscurity -- the group had virtually ceased to exist by the time the 12" vinyl platter made it into record shops on either side of the Atlantic, and it disappeared soon after.

But The World of Oz has more than rarity or obscurity to recommend it -- it actually works on two levels, the original album's 11 songs holding up as first-rate sunshine pop, strongly reminiscent of the Bee Gees' Horizontal and Idea albums, while more select parts of the record document a band that was regarded as one of the more promising to come out of late-'60s Birmingham.

On the softer side of the music, "Beside the Fire" recalls "World" from the former album, while "Jackie" is strongly reminiscent of any number of early Robin Gibb-sung ballads, and that is hardly to be considered negative criticism.

The only problem one has with those songs, and the album as a whole, is the same one that the bandmembers reportedly had with it: that it doesn't always represent what the group really sounded like.

Deram Records A&R chief Wayne Bickerton lavished attention on this band, including the budget for a 35-piece orchestra that accompanied them on many of the tracks, which made the music sound great but somehow lost the sound of the band itself in the process.

The group does reveal a somewhat heavier sound on "The Hum-Gum Tree," which was also their third single -- the thicker-textured guitar and bass work are probably closer to what this group sounded like on-stage, while the haunting "With a Little Help" mixes a restrained orchestral accompaniment and Beatlesesque harmonies, it's a great compromise between their pop and rock aspects.

The music may sometimes seem a bit fey and light, but as with the Bee Gees on Horizontal, one does get a strong sense of a band with some solid chops there beneath the harmonies and orchestral flourishes.

"Mandy-Ann" works even better as a horn-and-harmony driven piece with the rhythm section coming to the fore, though one wishes that the producers had avoided one annoying punctuating sound-effect (by Bruce Eder).

Like A Tear:


Track List:
01.The Muffin Man
02.Bring The Ring
03.Jackie
04.Beside The Fire
05.The Hum-Gum Tree
06.With A Little Help
07.We've All Seen The Queen
08.King Croesus
09.Mandy-Ann
10.Jack
11.Like A Tear
12.Willow's Harp

The World Of Oz:
Tony Clarkson: bass
Rob Moore: drums
Geoff Nicholls: guitar, organ
Christopher Robin: guitar, piano, vocals

[ FLAC rip and scans by OldrockerBR ]
[ MP3 rip and scans by SKULLY76 ]

[ MP3 version posted on the phrock blog in Friday, December 25, 2009 ]
CODE: 51366