Label: Parlophone Records (Japan), WPCR-15528
Style: Psychedelia, Canterbury Scene, Afro Rock, Latin Rock
Country: Kent, England (16 August 1944 - 18 February 2013)
Time: 64:03
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 401 Mb
It is indeed an oddity that, for all the considerable ambition of his albums, this collection of singles and unreleased outtakes may be Ayers' most satisfying LP. Why? Perhaps because when he's constrained within the 45 format, he taps his strongest and most endearing qualities: easygoing, singalong melodies, droll, nonchalant (even non sequitur) lyrics, good-natured sotto voce vocals, even female backup harmonies. There's little trace of the inaccessible, difficult (usually instrumental) passages that occupy much of the space on his early albums. Spanning 1969 to 1973, this includes eight tracks that wound up on flop singles, as well as six outtakes from the albums he recorded during this period, though there were no obvious reasons for their exclusion (too pop oriented, perhaps?). These are, indeed, "odd ditties": catchy, with occasional Caribbean rhythms and French lyrics, but way too goofball to be taken to heart by a mass audience, at times sounding like a more together Syd Barrett. Needless to say, none of these nifty tunes were anything close to hits. But if they had been, the world would have been a better place.
(allmusic.com/album/odd-ditties-mw0000455319)
Musicians include David Bedford (1, 3-9); Whack Skins (1); the Ladybirds (1,5,6,8,9); David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair & Richard Coughlan (ex Caravan 2); Lol Coxhill (3-5); Mike Oldfield (3-6, 8); Mick Fincher (3-5); Dave Dufort (6,8); Tony Carr (7); Bridget St. John (8); Greyhound (10); Archie Legget (11-13); Eddie Sparrow (11-14); Duncan Brown (11); Doris Troy, Liza Strike, Barry St. John (12); Keith Bachelor, Harry Smith, Roy Smith-Field (14).
01. Soon, Soon, Soon (03:25)
02. Singing A Song In The Morning (02:54)
03. Gemini Child (03:18)
04. Puis-je? (03:42)
05. Butterfly Dance (03:46)
06. Stars (03:34)
07. Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes (03:26)
08. Jolie Madame (02:26)
09. Lady Rachel (04:51)
10. Connie On A Rubber Band (02:54)
11. Fake Mexican Tourist Blues (04:38)
12. Don't Sing No More Sad Songs (03:45)
13. Take Me To Tahiti (03:37)
14. Caribbean Moon (03:05)
15. Star (Single Version) (bonus track) (04:21)
16. Religious Experience (Singing A Song In The Morning) (bonus track) (04:46)
17. Hat (bonus track) (05:28)
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