Sunbeam Rec.
G.F.Fitz-Gerald : Mouseproof (UK,1970)**°°'
Knowing that people/labels did not know what to do with this album is an understatement. Even for a listener after having read the liner notes first, the description in the booklet notes gives a very confusing idea of the album at a first listen. After having read “One of the most unconventional records ever recorded. This avant-garde psychedelic suite…” which for the first 5 tracks at that point this still sounds completely irrelevant, even nonsense, while after that the music more and more builds up, for an English album, into rather unconventional and original ideas. Even when similar experiments were happening more often in those days (in a similar way more likely in France for instance where avant-garde and ‘musique concrete’ was normal in mixing with rock now and then), the whole context and the abstract shapes mixed with a avant-rock opera idea, the album will in the end evolve to something rather unique.
The first song, “April Affair” still does not sound too different from the usual stuff; except that the lalala effect of the song evolves into a two chord jam where the singer screams out his talent, which is more or less ok, but it does not make it a very strong starter. “Country Mouse” has an American styled, with a Hank Williams, influence, and stoned lyrics. “May Four” is the last attempt for a serious song, also in a more American style. Because it was about the Kent State University event, where some students were shot by the army after a protest against Vietnam, the album could not be released in US (others wrote about that event, like Neil Young’s “Ohio”). After this the album starts to sound different, and even more interesting. “Ashes of an Empire/The End” sounds like a rock opera in different sections, with varied arrangements, from Indian flavoured psych (featuring Sam Gopal), using a rather nationalist folk tune, to a jazzy-like flavour, with guest vocalist Judy Dyble (the original singer from Fairport Convention). “Under and over the waterfall” after that is almost Canterbury but say jazzy rock mixed with electronic breaks, odd mixes, in a somewhat confusing way, and slightly chaotic but really interesting, and with surprising effects. Not loosing it through the confusion, the music becomes almost like ‘musique concrete’ on “A movement lost in twilight zone” with descriptive and oddly played organic guitar with echoes. “Political Machine” with focused chorus parts gives the concept once more an avant-garde opera-like effect. The vocal repetition, with and on a hypnotic rhythm, and odd guitars, create with their combinations another unique moment. The last track, “Opal Pyramid drifting over time” is the most beautiful moment, which is given time to develop to an almost abstract soundtrack, with ideas based on guitars, that could recall more keyboard cosmic shapes, showing some original ambition and ideas of G.F.Fitz-Gerald in the music composition, with a last part of more jazzy rock and choir.
The strangeness in the album does not sound really challenging, which makes the result more attractive and approachable.
Guest performers also include Rik Kenton (later Roxy Music) and Geoff Leigh (later Gong, Kevin Ayers, Henry Cow).
Picture of original LP here
