Arthur Brown CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN

Crazy World Of Arthur Brown: Arthur Brown (vocals); Vincent Crane (keyboards); Drachen Theaker (drums).
Reissue producer: Ed Strait.
Includes liner notes by Charles Fox.
The songs from side 1 of the original LP appear on the CD in both mono and stereo versions.
Produced by Pete Townsend, this 1968 set from the here-today-but-unfortunately-gone-tomorrow produced the hit "Fire," as well as "Children Of My Kingdom," "Rest Cure," "I've Got Money," and 12 more.
Liner Note Author: Charles Philip Fox.
Photographer: David Swan Montgomery.
Though a bit over the top, this album was still powerful and surprisingly melodic, and managed to be quite bluesy and soulful even as the band overhauled chestnuts by James Brown and Screamin' Jay Hawkins. "Spontaneous Apple Creation" is a willfully histrionic, atonal song that gives Captain Beefheart a run for his money. Though this one-shot was not (and perhaps could not ever be) repeated, it remains an exhilaratingly reckless slice of psychedelia. This CD reissue includes both mono and stereo versions of five of the songs. Although the mono mixes lack the full-bodied power of the stereo ones, they're marked by some interesting differences, especially in the brief spoken and instrumental links between tracks. ~ Richie Unterberger

• RSD Release Date: n/a
• Released: 6/30/1998
• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD