If the title immediately makes you question whether you need yet another such compilation, then think again. Thoughtfully and imaginatively compiled, Looking Back illuminates a well-trodden path.
As you would expect, it draws a lot from small indie labels such as Ember, Clarion, President, Planet and the French Barclay imprint; and yes, it includes previously unissued sides and many others on CD for the first time (from The Sorrows, Arthur Brown and Tony Rivers, for example). Plus there are obscure before-they-were-famous tracks, notably a 1967 Australian single featuring Bon Scott in The Valentines, enthusiastically covering Soft Machine’s Love Makes Sweet Music.
Each disc has its own character, the first exploring raucous British R&B and hopped-up Who wannabes, the next embracing often clumsy attempts at Brit-soul either with horns or propelled by heavy Hammond organ. Disc Three rushes boldly into 1970 with broader brush strokes including a procession of forgotten girl singers such as Jacki Bond, Val McKenna and, best of all, Barbara Ruskin. The sequence ends with She Trinity’s remarkable Climb That Tree, which comes across like a rampant, all-girl MC5. With dancefloor soul, dreamy ballads, fizzing garage rock and more besides, this is what 60s pop was all about.
