BBC RADIO 1971 - 1974

This is a retrospective of sorts of the band's BBC sessions from 1971-1974. All but two of the tracks were previously unreleased. I guess you could call the first retrospective "BBC Radio 1967-1971 the Wyatt years while this one covers the band's work from when Wyatt left up to "Seven", although some "Bundles" tunes are here too but that album wasn't released until 1975.

The first three tracks all from "Fifth" have the lineup with Hopper, Ratledge, Dean and Howard.This lineup was very much into improvizing and that sort of Free Jazz style. So "As If ", "Drop" and "Welcome To Frillsville" aren't necessarily the easiest tracks to digest, although "As If " is the one I really dig of the three.

Next up is a different lineup that included Hopper, Ratledge, Jenkins and Marshall which recorded "Six". Interesting that "Six" would be their best selling album since the debut. Here we get a medley of four tracks then one of my favs from this set in "Stanley Stamp's Gibbon Album" where we get the same lineup except that Babbington replaced Hopper. So now they were three quartes former NUCLEUS members and ready to record "Seven" one of my favourites. It's interesting that "Seven" was voted third best album of 1974 in the UK's Melody Maker edition, while it's international version rated it fourth best that year. Back to this compilation and this lineup also performs "Hazard Profile Part 1" , "Sinepost" and "Down The Road". All these pieces are so well done and it's cool to hear aboe in that last song from "Seven" and on the final track.

The final lineup consists of the same guys except Allan Holdsworth is added. It begins with an experimental track called "North Point" followed by "The Man Who Waved At Trains" and the 17 minute closer "Hazard Profile Parts 1-4".

This is a must for fans much like the previous compilation. 4 stars.