The Smoke - High In A Room; The Smoke Anthology (@320)

 

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The Smoke - High In A Room; The Smoke Anthology

High in a Room: The Smoke Anthology Review by Ralph Heibutzki.

New arrivals to this compilation might ask, "Will the real Smoke please stand up?" One minute the band exudes classic '60s mod aloofness on its epochal song, "My Friend Jack," in which grating fuzz guitars couldn't conceal knowing references to "taking trips." (A panicked EMI ordered the track recut -- just weeks after yanking the Game's equally notorious "The Addicted Man"). Fast forward to the '70s, and the boys are banging out trashy glam pop odes to homosexual rats ("Sweet Winifred, A Rodent Of Note" on their downtime as studio engineers at Morgan Sound.

Both eras are faithfully represented on this double-disc reissue, which kicks off with a classic blast of '60s mod snarkiness with "Keep A Hold Of What You Got," the only single by the pre-Smoke band the Shots).(Like their peers the Creation, the Smoke achieved their greatest peak in Germany, after weathering crucial setbacks at home.) In some ways, "My Friend Jack" proved a red herring, because their only album It's Smoke Time -- which appears here in its entirety -- leans more toward a psychedelic pop sound that compares favorably to the Kinks or Small Faces.

Disc Two is the flip side of the coin. The '70s-era incarnation exists as a vehicle for soggy ballads ("Time To Go"), knees-up bawdiness ("The Man With One Leg"), shameless recyclings ("Jack is Back"), and a French-only disco(!) mix that leaves the song largely intact. Quality varies greatly from track to track, but knockoffs like "Shagalagalu" wouldn't have given Marc Bolan any sleepless nights.

True believers won't revisit Disc Two more than once, but it makes for fun listening if you don't think too hard. Throw in a classic Phil Smee design, and an extensive foldout recounting the band's ups and downs, and you've got a smart, winning package. Thanks to Jack and his sugar lumps, the Smoke enjoyed a lengthier run than anyone could have imagined; what a difference a decade makes!

Tracklist:

CD1:

 

1-1 –The Shots Keep A Hold Of What You’ve Go 2:05

1-2 –The Shots She’s A Liar 2:21

1-3 –The Smoke My Friend Jack 3:02

1-4 –The Smoke We Can Take It 2:43

1-5 –The Smoke High In A Room 3:00

1-6 –The Smoke Victor Henry’s Cool Book 2:27

1-7 –The Smoke If The Weather’s Sunny 2:49

1-8 –The Smoke I Would If I Could, But I Can’t 2:13

1-9 –The Smoke You Can’t Catch Me 3:16

1-10 –The Smoke Waterfall 2:40

1-11 –The Smoke Wake Up Cherylina 2:18

1-12 –The Smoke Don’t Lead Me On 2:16

1-13 –The Smoke I Wanna Make It With You 3:10

1-14 –The Smoke It’s Getting Closer 2:33

1-15 –The Smoke It’s Just Your Way Of Lovin’ 2:25

1-16 –The Smoke It Could Be Wonderful 2:17

1-17 –The Smoke Have Some More Tea 2:12

1-18 –The Smoke Utterly Simple 2:34

1-19 –The Smoke Sydney Gill 3:30

1-20 –The Smoke The Girl In The Park 2:10

1-21 –The Smoke Thus Spake Alice (Aka Utterly Simple) 2:22

1-22 –The Smoke Sydney Gill (Alternative Version) 2:51

1-23 –The Smoke My Friend Jack (Demo Version) 3:11

CD2: The Seventies

2-1 –The Smoke Playing With Magic 3:05

2-2 –The Smoke Like A Good Man Should 3:38

2-3 –The Smoke Bringing It All Back Home 2:19

2-4 –The Smoke Time To Go #1 3:08

2-5 –The Smoke The Man With One Leg 2:19

2-6 –The Smoke Old Feet, New Socks 3:41

2-7 –The Smoke Poor Little Frogs 2:35

2-8 –The Smoke Sweet Wilfred – A Rodent Of Note 2:56

2-9 –The Smoke Blown Away 2:45

2-10 –The Smoke Ride Ride Ride (Dick Turpin) 2:34

2-11 –The Smoke Guy Fawkes 2:01

2-12 –The Smoke Jack Is Back 3:15

2-13 –The Smoke Sugar Man 3:09

2-14 –The Smoke That’s What I Want 2:21

2-15 –The Smoke Time To Go #2 4:08

2-16 –The Smoke Holiday Farm 3:14

2-17 –The Smoke Ring Me 2:36

2-18 –The Smoke Shagalagalu 3:20

2-19 –The Smoke Gimme Good Loving 2:38

2-20 –The Smoke My Lullaby 2:50

2-21 –The Smoke Looking High 2:56

2-22 –The Smoke Lady 3:37

2-23 –The Smoke My Friend Jack (1975 Remake Only Issued In France) 3:09

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