VA - Bubble Pop, 20 U.K. Pop Oddities [2005]

RARE POP

VA - Bubble Pop, 20 U.K. Pop Oddities [2005]

Given the chart dominance of the Kasenetz-Katz hitmaking juggernaut, it's tempting to dismiss the brain-candy bubblegum pop of the late '60s and early '70s as a uniquely American phenomenon, but in fact Britain liked its pop hits just as faceless, stupid, and endlessly catchy -- Bubble Pop, the fifth entry in RPM's excellent Lipsmackin' series, lends such fluff some historical legitimacy thanks to the label's typically impeccable attention to detail and presentation. Its 20 tracks come from the vaults of UK Records, the hugely successful indie label operated by Jonathan King, the composer/producer/impresario best known in the U.S. for the solo smash "Everyone's Gone to the Moon." Throwing everything from glam to reggae to folk at the wall and discovering that much of it would stick, King created a series of pop smashes as mercenary and disposable as anything manufactured by Kasenetz and Katz, yet UK's accumulated output is unbelievably eccentric, made all the more remarkable and otherworldly for its mainstream success. The highlights are weird beyond belief -- 12-year-old Ricky Wilde's note-perfect "Ziggy Stardust" homage "I Am an Astronaut" is alone worth the price of admission, Bubblerock's "Satisfaction" reinvents the Rolling Stones classic as soft rock manna complete with a full string section, and Baby Reggae's "Big Pig With Little Porker" is just as great as its title would suggest. (AMG review by Jason Ankeny)

Thoroughly recommended for those with a sense of adventure, a love of 70's music, and a great sense of humour!

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Track list

01 Jonathan King - The Kung Fu Anthem 2:48

02 Ricky Wilde - Teen Wave 2:57

03 Del - Motorbike Annie 4:33

04 Redhead - We Ran And We Ran 3:04

05 Bunk Dogger - Red Alert 2:08

06 Sparky - (Do You Remember) That Summertime Woman 2:47

07 Bubblerock - Satisfaction 3:31

08 Simon Turner - Shoeshine Boy 2:30

09 Ricky Wilde - Hertfordshire Rock 2:50

10 Clive Kennedy - The Late Late Show 3:38

11 Tibble - We Went For A Drive 2:17

12 Flannelcat - Rubatummy 2:42

13 Big Pig With Little Porke - Baby Reggae 2:22

14 Ricky Wild - I Am An Astronaut 2:35

15 Brendon - A Life In England 3:01

16 Del - Gypsy Girl 2:49

17 Tractor - Vicious Circle 2:32

18 Sparky - You Gotta Have It Sometime 2:46

19 Sound 9418 - Sex Appeal 2:05

20 Shag - Clap And Shout 1:20

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