THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN

Arthur Brown is definitely an important figure in the development of the theatrical movement within rock music that have inspired artists like Peter Gabriel, Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson. Still this rising artist never managed to top the unexpected success that was achieved with the release of his debut album The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. Even though some of his later Kingdom Come albums might have been considered critical masterpieces the public will most likely always remember Arthur Brown as the God of Hellfire!

The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown was an unusual rock album since it lacked the traditional sound of an electric guitar that otherwise dominated the music scene at the time. Instead the band relied on two other factors to keep the creative energy flowing. Arthur Brown was quite an elaborate poets at heart and delivered some of his work on the debut album while Vincent Crane supplied just the right Hammond organ textures to underline the band's front man. The collaboration is indeed a success on the band's original compositions.

Unfortunately, just like many other debuts of its time, the Arthur Brown Band just didn't have enough material to fill out two sides of an LP and had to rely on two pretty uninspired covers of I Put a Spell On You and I've Got Money. The former must been one of the most overused tracks of its time with cover versions available by everybody from Audience, Jeff Beck, The Animals, Joe Cocker, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many more. While James Brown's I've Got Money just doesn't add anything new to the classic composition especially since Arthur Brown is basically replicating the original without adding anything new or interesting to the mix.

It's quite unfortunate that the band couldn't transfer the excellent atmosphere that they created on their original works onto the cover material since it definitely knocks The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown down a notch for me. This recording is nonetheless an interesting product of its time well worth seeking out if just for the fun factor and/or shock value!

***** star songs: Prelude - Nightmare (3:28)

**** star songs: Fanfare - Fire Poem (1:51) Fire (2:54) Come And Buy (5:42) Time/Confusion (5:12) Spontaneous Apple Creation (2:55) Child Of My Kingdom (7:02) Rest Cure (2:44)

*** star songs: I Put a Spell On You (3:43) I've Got Money (3:10)