KEVIN AYERS

First of all, for those who don't know him, Mr. Ayers is, in my opinion, one of the great voices, different but just as great as that of the first Greg Lake or Ian Anderson (in the early '70s). But Kevin is also an example of creative freedom, which transcends mere musical composition. In particular, on this second album, he began to move away from Soft Machine and developed his own avant-garde, led by experienced jazz musicians, and a young Mike Oldfield whose solo on the song "Lunatics Lament" is in the anthology of monumental solos. The lyrics, the singing in French, the intelligence and lyricism of the lyrics, plus the delicate balance between experimentation and the apology for beautiful and sophisticated melodies, make this a fundamental album, without commercial commitments, without being accountable to anyone other than to his own art.

Bassist and singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers (1944 - 2013) was a founding member of THE SOFT MACHINE, and his participation on their eponymous debut (1968) was essential. He left the band before Volume Two and started a solo career with a delightful album Joy of a Toy (1969). No singles were released from the debut.

The second album Shooting at the Moon (1970), which was credited to "Kevin Ayers and The Whole World", starts with an elegant song 'May I?' with lyrics dealing with the male protagonist asking a beautiful girl at a café her permission to stare at her for awhile. On this single the lyrics were translated into French, and this really gives the serene, chanson- like song an extra charm. The listener easily associates Ayers to Serge Gainsbourg; the low, laid back vocals have a spoken section too which perfectly fits to this ironic song, and the instrumentation with some accordeon and sax brings a Parisienne atmosphere.

The B side has a non-album song 'Butterfly Dance'. It starts gently but soon the arrangement reveals its wide dynamics (including also a female choir) and, with the faster tempo, takes everything to a cheerful and highly vivant level. The very outgoing song is bursting with joy of playing, especially on percussion. I however don't like it very much personally. 'Puis je?' is alone worth three smiling stars. Both songs appear as bonuses on the 2003 remaster of Shooting at the Moon.

One of the original Canterbury scene characters, guitarist, bassist and singer-songwriter Kevin Ayers, formerly of The Wilde Flowers and Soft Machine (from which he departed after the 1968 debut album), did some charming solo albums between 1969 and 1974. After that period his artistic level notably decreased. Diamond Jack and the Queen of Pain (1983) is his tenth solo album. Safe to say it has almost nothing to do with the Canterbury style, not to mention prog. It's a commercially produced, synthetic pop-rock album of its time and it even features Linn drum programming. Both songs of this single are from that album.

'My Speeding Heart' is an uptempo rocker that sounds very American, not least because of the female backing vocals. The whole song consists mostly of the song title repeated over and over. Kevin's vocals are naturally still very distinctive. There's a brief slower section with interesting keyboard parts, but it's not enough to save the song.

'Champagne and Valium' is also produced to sound American, but in its relaxed blues-jazz approach it's actually quite enjoyable. Perhaps this is musically a bit more convincing than the slightly similar 'Waiting for the Big One' from Peter Gabriel's debut album. The jazzy saxophone is nice. Without having listened to the source album entirely I can only guess, relying on the sole review here, that this song is among the better ones on it. Two stars deserved, so and so.

Kevin Ayers had everything it takes to be a pop star. Drop-dead gorgeous, he was possessed of a seemingly effortless ability to compose richly melodic songs which he delivered in a delectably creamy baritone. That he never actually became a pop star can only have been because that particular ambition, or indeed ambition per se, never ranked very high on the list of priorities of this dedicated bon viveur.

Joy of a Toy, Ayers first solo album following his departure from Soft Machine in 1968, is replete with a nonchalant brilliance. It's not that Ayers isn't trying too hard, he doesn't really seem to be trying at all, just rattling off these idiosyncratic gems before getting back to the serious business of partying in Ibiza. With it's dry wit and languid air of bohemian Englishness this is the record Noel Coward would have made had he ever been introduced to the delights of mind-altering drugs. Mixing surreal wordplay with world-weary romance, Ayers was the missing link between Syd Barrett and Bryan Ferry. The songs are firmly in the tradition of late sixties quintessentially English pop, but the soundworld, with its unusual combination of instruments (Ayers former Soft Machine colleagues are augmented by a wide variety of instruments including cello, oboe, piccolo, celeste, alto melodica, Hawaiian guitar, and even that perennial I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue favourite kazoo - but no swanee whistle, alas) is utterly unique. At times the ensemble sound like a wandering troupe of psychedelic mediaeval musicians.

In addition to his pop sensibility, Ayers was also a dab hand at full tilt weirdery, and on this album the two strands of his artistic personality are seamlessly woven together, at once eminently accessible and impeccably avant-garde.

Ayers was responsible for some of the most singular music of the early seventies but he never surpassed the casual perfection of this miraculous debut. For Kevin Ayers being brilliant just came naturally.

Kevin Ayers & The Whole World sole album Shooting At The Moon is a pretty neat work. At times It enters avant- lands with noisy soundscapes at other times it has this really lovely chill lounge sound that's just magnificent.

I find what really drags the album down are it's more "progressive" moment, Pisser Dans Un Violon and Underwater. These tracks strike me as pointless sound collages which is what I think they sound like. Additionally, two of the shorter songs, Lunatics Lament and Shooting At The Moon sound like 60s hard rock a la The Who which I find are at odds with some of the other tracks which are in my opinion better. I think the rest of the songs showcase a classic Kevin Ayers sound made complete by the bands good instrumentation.

Overall I don't think this example would be entirely enjoyable to those who care not for sparse soundscapes such as myself. Still, I don't think it was without merit and is still a solid release.

I don't know with how many stars rate this album: 4 or 5. I like this album way too much more than I like "Joy of a toy" but definitely not that much as I like "Shooting at the moon".

When I heard this album for the first time I immediately got amazed by the first song; the following songs didn't make me feel that, but I still enyoyed it a lot.

I can measure and compare this album with some other great albums of the classic Canterbury Scene era and that wouldn't help me too much either.

I must be very careful and not to give it a higher note than it deserves, so I believe four stars is a very fair note. But I'm still not sure, probably it deserves five...

If I had to describe this album with just one word that word would be "majestic". It's not only that I liked it, but also is one of most epic albums that I've ever heard, one of those really few albums that make me feel incredibly lucky for having the chance to listen and enjoy them.

Each song is amazing and it has that natural continuity that is really hard to get on an album (even in Prog). The mysterious instrumental pieces like "Pisser dans un violon" and "Underwater" show us that even on an improvised track KEVIN AYERS and his group were able to do some great stuff (and I really don't think those pieces were really improvised).

I don't remember when it was the last time that I heard such a good album; "Shooting at the moon" is one of those essential albums that just have to be on every Prog Rock collection. This is an obligated album for any collector.

The French singing in the bonus tracks "Puis je?" And "Jolie madame" is wonderful: the French is very clear and easy to understand, easier than the French singed by most of the classic French Prog Rock bands like Ange or Mona Lisa, (but maybe that's particularly interesting to me because I like to study foreign languages).

This album is a whole masterpiece, so I'll give it the highest note: five stars!!!

Such an amazing album! To be honest, I don't like too much the first four tracks, but "Song for insane times" it's a great song and the following ones get much and much better.

"Lady Rachel" is one of my all time favourite songs from the whole Canterbury Scene cathalog, "Stop this train" is pretty cool too and "Oleh, oleh, Bandu Bandong" is from now on a song that I need to practice on my drum-set.

There is too much left from Soft Machine's classic sound, KEVIN AYERS had made a very underrated Canterbury Scene classic album which needs and deserves more people to listen to it.

My personal oppinion about "Joy of a toy" is that if you enjoy soft but very interesting and well done music you have to get it into your collection (I hope to get it into mine someday).

Very nice album! Four stars

One of Kevin's most rocking albums (the others being That's What You Get Babe and Yes We Have No Mananas). It's not hard rock or anything, and not prog, but it does show that he could cut loose at times. I think guitarist Ollie Halsall helped contribute towards that.

The fastest song is My Speeding Heart. It kicks the pants off anything from his laid back and slow releases (including The Unfairground). There are several songs with a Caribbean and reggae feel, as is one of his strong points. There's also some humor there as in his earlier career, though it's in a more adult and slightly jaded manner.

Decent rock, with tropical influences.

Definitely NOT progressive rock, more like new wave. This is one of Kevin's strangest albums. The album was commissioned by someone else, and Kevin basically had to turn over control to the producer (his musicians, his production, his ways, his ideas). The biggest offense is using an early drum machine, keyboard bass, and sometimes electronic drums in place of real instruments and a real rhythm section. They sound quite cheesy at times, and sort of like Devo in areas, which is so not Kevin Ayers. This is almost like 180 degrees away from what he was about.

There are some decent songs on this, including 1) the heavier lead-off track Madame Butterfly, 2) probably his best version of Ollie Halsall's song Steppin' Out, and 3) Lay Lady Lay. There are several versions of those last two songs on other albums, but these might be the best. Probably the oddest song here is Who's Still Crazy? It's such a synthesized departure of Kevin's music, that he kind of rambles on in the vocal booth, obviously trashed and drugged, probably the only way to deal with the difficult situation.

I understand now why this album is so hard to find. I wouldn't be surprised if even some fans have even hidden it or removed them from circulation. There's probably a fear of giving people totally the wrong impression about Kevin.

Despite the criticism, it's still a stronger album than the last two bland duds that he released (Still Life With Guitar and The Unfairground). There's still some energy there and some life, even though it stuffed under a synthesized mess. There's more rock and drunkenness too, which is missing from his later albums.

I gave it 2-stars for the prog and rock community at large. For Ayers fans though - those who get him - I'd give it 3 stars.