Poet & The One Man Band - ST (Electric Folkrock UK 1969)

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Poet & the One Man Band are known more for the groups some of the members joined later than for the obscure self-titled LP issued under the Poet & the One Man Band name in the late '60s. Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson would soon move on to Fotheringay, the British folk-rock group fronted by Sandy Denny, and play on their sole album; guitarist Albert Lee, Tony Colton, Ray Smith, and Pete Gavin would form Heads, Hands & Feet. 

Poet & the One Man Band is a fairly average psychedelic-era album with some slight resemblance to the late-period Zombies, though there's some typical, and unmemorable, songs in a more straightforward, harder-rocking late-'60s British style.

Poet & the One Man Band try a bunch of approaches vaguely related to late-'60s trends in folk-rock, singer/songwriter-oriented, and psychedelic music on their sole and obscure LP. None of them are embarrassing, but none of them are noteworthy or exciting, either. It's a serious album in tone, and though it's not outright melancholic, some of the stronger tracks are those that get into the moodiest territory, like "The Days I Most Remember," which is a little like the circa-1967 Zombies and Moody Blues gone a bit more downbeat and gothic. 

Similarities to the late-period Zombies, though with a bit more psychedelic pop fantasy/whimsy, also show up in "Good Evening Mr. Jones" (which carries a trace of Beach Boys harmonies) and "The Fable," while the acoustic folky romantic ballad "Jacqueline" has a hint of Donovan. "The Days I Most Remember" and "Good Evening Mr. Jones" sure would sound better as sung by Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent of the Zombies, though, and the harder-rocking tracks are so faceless that there's little to say about them. Guitarist Albert Lee, the group's most famous member, really doesn't leave a heavy stamp on things; only "Ride Out on the Morning" has the kind of country-rock playing for which he would become known. The funereal churchy organ swamping "Twilight Zone" is an odd note on which to close an album that never establishes a consistent mood.

♫♪ Tony Colton (vocals)
♫♪ Albert Lee (guitar)
♫♪ Jerry Donahue (guitar)
♫♪ Pete Gavin (vocals, drums)
♫♪ Pat Donaldson (bass)
♫♪ Ray Smith (guitar)
♫♪ Mike O'Neill (keyboards)
♫♪ Nicky Hopkins (piano)
♫♪ Speedy Acquave (congas)
♫♪ John Bell (clarinet)
♫♪ William Davies (organ)
♫♪ Barry Morgan (drums)

01. Please Me, She’s Me  05:00 
02. The Days I Most Remember  06:02 
03. Jacqueline  02:26 
04. Now You’ve Hurt My Feelings  04:37 
05. Light My Fire And Burn My Lamp  05:05 
06. Good Evening Mr. Jones  04:10 
07. The Fable  03:20 
08. Ride Out On The Morning Train  04:36 
09. Twilight Zone  02:05

10. Dirty Heavy Weather Road [Bonus]  04.00
11. Sackfull O' Grain [Bonus]  03.24

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