WHATEVERSHEBRINGSWESING

Whatevershebrings... is one of the best recordings from Kevin Ayers: unclassifiable, adventurous, mad, unpredictable.

It opens with some symphonic spleandour of "There Is Loving", passes through the melodic, warm and delicate "Margaret", fly over the happy "Oh My" (a brass band pastiche) and finally throws itself in the purest madness of "Song from the Bottom of a Well". A really creepy number with psychopathic vocals and weir guitar stuff (by Mike Oldfield): the most fascinating (and anguishing) song of the album.

The title track is no less inspired but is at the opposite side of things: a romantic arrangement for the singer to express all his peculiar lunatic warmth.

The is also room for the large serie of "...mr Whatsit... blues" things: the slow paced "Champagne Cowboy Blues" and the more interesting "Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes" (I've always liked it).

What to say? Maybe the album sounds a bit dated or annoying in some parts, but still, it's impossibile not to love the opening number, the gothic "Bottom of the Well" and the glorious anthem "Stranger in Blue Suede Shoes".