Search - Pussy :: Pussy Plays

This album is well worth the detour

Robert Cossaboon | The happy land of Walworth, NY | 10/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, how many albums do you hear that sport a meowing cat for an introduction? With pixie-like vocals, which puts them in the early Pink Floyd territory, Pussy's modus operandi throughout the album is a heavy, funereal keyboard style laced with freaky guitar solos. But this is by no means a dark and gloomy album. Off-kilter would be a better description. The opener, "Come Back June" sports a surf-like Ventures style rhythm with a punchy guitar break halfway through. "All My Life" and "We Built The Sun" are more spacey, cerebral organ sponged songs. The former borders on drug-induced self pity, while the latter, through the lyrical personification of nature, tries to be somewhere else entirely-in the land of the sun people. Make sure you're sitting down for the interstellar overdrive of "Comets", which is the hands-down centerpiece of the album. You won't believe what's at the epicenter of this freak out either-yes, a raging theramin solo (or at least a keyboard that sounds very convincing)! Returning from that trip leads you to the gentler, earthier "Tragedy In F. Minor", that recalls some of the Pretty Things work on the S.F. Sorrow album; the acoustic guitar is wonderful on this piece. The last song, the instrumental "G.E.A.B." is another heavy standout, this time featuring guitar workout that builds to a fuzzy rave-up climax-and then the cat again."

It's still a rare album with an eye catching name.

Jack B. Nimble | East Coast | 06/04/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It's amazing they were allowed to use this name back in 68' without much if any controversy. This is a very rare underground British psych album originally released in early 1969 on Morgan Bluetown. An original VG+/NM copy will set you back over $600 on private lists or at auction. Pussy Plays is decent late 60's British psych/prog rock that now sees it's third official reissue release: UK's Edsel Records, Italy's Akarma (most of their reissues have mediocre sound, although they have excellent "Karmapack" CD packaging that look exactly like mini LP gatefold covers with thick cardstock just like the 60's album covers and last you have the Japanese import on Airmail. I have this Edsel import CD and the sound quality is excellent, however upon very close listening it sounds like it was transferred from a near mint vinyl copy. I really like "Come Back June" (with some nice Hammond organ), "The Open Ground" (with spoken lyrics) and "Comets" (drawn out acid rock) which are excellent examples of British psychedelia. There are many good ideas scattered throughout the album, but it's lacking in the songwriting and arranging dept. which makes it not that memorable. There are many other British groups that released much better albums (Tomorrow, The Move, Kaleidoscope, Eyes Of Blue, Arzachel, The Gods, Magic Mixture, Skip Bifferty, etc....). This is worth checking out, but not really worth all the hype it's gotten from the book Tapestry of Earthly Delights. It's still a rare album with a risky name and a frisky cat on acid with big bloody claws on the cover."