LITTLE RED RECORD

Matching Mole lasted barely a year as a group before Robert Wyatt decided he'd had enough of band leadership, but during this time, they managed to make two albums of which this is the second. While the first was very much Wyatt's own baby, this was more of a democratic affair, and it has to be said it sounds a lot more relaxed and at times humourous.

"Like so many of you, I've got my doubts about how much to contribute to the already rich" sings Wyatt over guest star Eno's synth tones on `Gloria Gloom'. The more things change the more they stay the same. The album despite its title is not a series of politically motivated songs, but with the exception of the wonderful `God Song' ("Next time you send your boy down here, give him a wife and a sexy daughter") is a largely instrumental excursion.

With Dave McCrae's Fender Rhodes more to the fore, the sound is a somewhat denser one than the first album, and in various places there is some experimentation with voices and humour (Monty Python was all the rage), but nothing which detracts from the seriousness of the matter at hand, some fine ensemble playing.

This new edition from Esoteric once again includes some very worthwhile bonus material, as well as a previously issued BBC concert (in best ever quality it has to be said) there are some fascinating out-takes including a wonderful `straight' vocal performance of the album's opener `Starting In The Middle Of The Day...' and some extended takes of `Smoke Signal' and `Flora Fidget', and for those already very familiar with the album, the moment "it's the Mole!" came into being ! Marvellous stuff.

Anything by this sadly short lived band is to be treasured and this wonderful reissue only adds to that legacy.

Share this MATCHING MOLE review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to beebfader
• Report this review (#782679)
• Buy MATCHING MOLE music online with PA partners
• Show all MATCHING MOLE MP3/Stream
• Go to MATCHING MOLE page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Little Red Record page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for MATCHING MOLE related discussions