The Third Walker Brother
wrbtu | Long Island Motor Parkway | 04/15/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this CD because I'm a big Walker Bros. fan, & this is Gary Walker's group. I wasn't expecting much, just a chance for Gary to do something without the help of Scott & John, the two great Walkers vocalists. Gary never drummed for the Walkers (for contactual reasons, although he was previously a member of the Standells), so I was surprised to find a solid R&R album, with a few psychedelic songs on it. They even do a Gary Walker cover version, & do it better than he did solo (due to the superior vocals here). Good fuzz guitar too, & one of the better songs sounds quite a bit in the mold of The Amboy Dukes in their prime! Definitely a CD I will keep listening to, for the quality of the music."
Long lost Psychedelic/Freakbeat/Pop masterpiece
Fredric A. Cooper | Los Angeles, CA | 08/30/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Finally a legitimate release has appeared for this superb album. As unlikely as it may have seem, The Walker Bros.' drummer Gary (who actually brought the group together) initiated a solo career that, as the excellent liner notes contained herein state, was every bit as notable as Scott Walker's, even if it was short-lived. Judging from the music here, it is a shame the band only lasted for one album and a pair of singles. The music is on a par with the best psychedelic and pop music of the time period. It was only due to record company indifference in the UK that prevented the band from going further. As The Walker Brothers were huge in Japan, Gary travelled there with his new band and the album was released in that country, but as the two singles the band did (both covers, and rather uninspired compared to the first-rate album tracks) flopped in the UK, the album wasn't released in England. What a shame, as one listen will blow your mind. Only a muddy-sounding bootleg of this album has appeared prior to this, but the sound here is crystal-clear and gorgeous, rendering the boot absolutely unnecessary. For lovers of psych/freakbeat, late 60s UK pop, "Album No. 1" by Gary Walker and The Rain (featuring Paul Crane from The Cryin' Shames of "Please Stay" fame and Joey Molland, future Badfinger guitarist) is a must-have."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1