The newly released cd "Frabjous Days"featuring the Marmalade Recordings of Godley and Creme,is absolutely marvellous,issued by Grapefruit Records.

It features what would have been their album that was to be released in 69,but unfortunately Giorgio Gomelskys Marmalade Records went bust,so those recordings and the proposed album never saw the light off day...until a week ago.

19 tracks of absolutely delightful late 60s pop music,NOT your commercial,mainstream throwaway type of material,this is magically written,with sumptious arrangements,cleverly put together,and for me,sounds very advanced for its time,and in some moments points the way they would take with 10CC.

Track 1-7 was to be the album ,recorded september 69,also 2 Graham Gouldman songs titled Hot Sun and Virgin Soldiers that Godley and Creme recorded July 69 were put on acetate,and both are blooming fab.

2 songs that appeared on the Marmalade 100% proof label sampler from June 1969,one by Graham Gouldman the fantastically catchy and clever The Late Mr Late,and another by Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon titled To Fly Away,which is different from the proposed album version,but both are magical versions,THIS song is a real highlight not just of Godley & Creme,but UK pop from this time,very airy,mellow,and gossamer light and just a beautifully arranged song with special light vocal harmonies,for me very much in The Hollies "Wings"vibe,in fact both songs are excellent,and its hard to believe lay unnoticed for decades!!

You also have the Septemberv 69 single I'm Beside Myself/Animal Song,again both cracking pop numbers,but Animal Song,is a special number,and it's hard to believe a song off this quality was a B side.

There's also 6 bonus tracks,released under different pseuodonyms,but are Godley & Cremde,aka Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon,they are the delightful Seeing Things Green/Easy Life single issued in January 1968 as by The Yellow Bellow Boom Boom,the A side has a poppy folk vibe to it,which i like very much.

Then theres 2 unreleased numbers found on an acetate recorded circa July 1968,titled One and One Make Love/Over And Above My Head,again,as i keep saying,both good numbers,its crazy to think numbers like those NEVER saw the light off day.
Finally the 2 numbers recorded late 1969 as a promotion for a new nightclub Hello Blinkers/Goodnight Blinkers,are no slouches,Hello Blinkers certainly gives out the vibe its a last hoorah to the groovy 60s,and Goodnight Blinkers poibts the way forward to 70s pop sounds,and the clearest sign of the future direction in sound of 10 CC.

Of course you have a nice informative booklet and digi pack packaging,like many Grapefruit releases!!

Its absolutely criminal that near 90% of this cd is unreleased material,not seeing the light of day for over 50 years,and shows just what gifted tunesmiths and arrangers both were ,even at this early stage in their careers,i highly recommend this cd,its my pick off the year so far,NOT a bad song on the whole cd,but i must state ,not remotely psychedelic,so don't be expecting that,but it IS top notch,incredibly smart late 60s pop music,that i'm sure the vast majority who frequent here will thoroughly lap up.

I wholly agree with you Stuart. It's a joy to hear from beginning to end. Kudos to Grapefruit for getting it out in the world at last.

PM:slightly_smiling_face:

Thanks for tipping this one Stuart. At the risk of upsetting Ringo fans there can't be many groups under the general umbrella of 'rock music' who can match 10cc for all 4 players being proficient vocalists.

Didn't know about this, thanks for the tip-off.

Yeah, this is a very enjoyable collection. I’m listening to it as I write this. Full of pop ideas well performed and with a great 1968/69 vibe.
It brings to mind the slightly weirder, but still creative and poppy in parts album by Ramases called “Space Hymns” on Vertigo. This sounds a couple of years earlier, but “Space Hymns” had 10cc guys making the music, and that album would be s nice follow-up listen to this CD.