This pair of discs totalling 28 tunes runs through Twelfth Night’s various line-ups, from the femalefronted Electra of the late 70s, to the latterday incarnation led by Martyn Watson.
Opener The Cunning Man is all period slap bass and tinkly keys, while Aspidistra lifts the riff from Yes’ Long Distance Runaround. Ian Lloyd Jones is represented by the Spandau Ballet-prog of Late Night TV, and things get ever stranger on Geoff Mann’s Human Being and others reminiscent of Joy Division. Axe’s syndrum-heavy Don’t Make Me Laugh does (New Romantic prog, anyone?) and Andy Sears howls through the likes of I Am and the Simple Minds with sitars that is South Of The Wind.
Watson’s efforts are rockier but poorly recorded, and the disc is of academic interest only. Its companion live offering is better in audio terms, with the 11-minute Sears-led Take A Look building nicely, before several tapedthrough- a-sock Watson numbers and a dual-fronted Love Song that actually sounds like a song! Hurrah!
