BAKERLOO

Gritty, earthy blues from this short-lived outfit that featured future Humble Pie guitarist Clem Clempson, this self-titled released from 1969 is a must for anyone with a penchant for the bluesier side of progressive music. Similar in sound-and-scope to the likes of Steamhammer, Ten Years After, The Groundhogs and Savoy Brown(to name but a few), it's a shock to discover that Bakerloo were actually a three-piece, such is the depth to much of the material on this criminally-undersold record. Fortunately, and although only one album would be released under the Bakerloo moniker, the members - Clempson(guitar, piano, vocals), Terry Poole(bass) and Keith Baker(drums) - would all feature in an array of excellent progressive and psychedelic acts over the years, turning up in, amongst others, the short-lived power-psych-trio May Blitz, prog-rockers Uriah Heep, jazz- proponents Colosseum, the bluesy Vinegar Joe, and heavy-metal pioneers Judas Priest. Some great music would be produced by the trio in their later guises, yet nothing quite matches the electrified blues-prog on offer here, the slight R'n'B-tinged formula producing a succession of powerful rockers('Big Bear Ffolly'), slow, psychedelic workouts('Last Blues') and wigged-out boogie rock epics('Son Of Moonshine'). Original vinyl copies are now highly-collectible(of course) yet for once the quality of the music really does live up to the reputation of the record. Highly recommended. STEFAN TURNER, STOKE NEWINGTON, 2012