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Climb Aboard My Roundabout-British Toytown Pop box(Grapefruit)

This 3 cd clamshell box set has been out for a few weeks now.I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it.So i thought i's have a wee go.

As usual the detail in the strurdy clamshell box is just lovely,the artwork and design is what we have come to expect from Andy Morten at Pepperbox and Grapefruit,it's bright and cheerful,and the animation could be from a childs book,which of course fits in with the theme of the box.Each cd comes in a sturdy glossy slip envelope,with pictures of Mark Wirtz and Keith West on cd1,a young David Bowie on cd2,and a picture of Ayshea,who i have NEVER saw a picture of on cd3.
The booklet is as usual excellent,informative,with photos and memorabilia,nicely laid out and in good quality material.Its nicely compiled by the very experienced David Wells,ands as a whole Grapefruit Records have created a real winning formula with these clamshell box sets,my main worry is the running out of decent material to fill the 3 cds up,which is of course down to licensing issues,as in this case ,there are MANY tracks that could have fitted into the theme of this set,but because of licensing are NOT included.

This is where a problem could arise,as the compilers thoughts of what Toytown Pop is,could differ from many peoples ideas or hearing,and i'm one of them,i do feel this is a loose based theme of Toytown Pop.As i personally feel when i first saw the tracklists BEFORE it's release,i remember thinking,hhmmm,to me certain tracks are NOT what i think of Toytown Pop,yes pop/psych or popsike or just very nice pop music,or maybe Toytown Pop IS a strand of popsike?

Ok now that i've said what i think is a loosely based theme and NOT to be taken too seriously,the music throughout is of course very enjoyable indeed,and ALL in fabulous sound!!

I am one of those music enthusiasts,who go through phases and depending on what mood i am in,i can listen to heavy psychedelia,organ heavy psych/prog crossover sound,hippie folk,commercial pop/psych,trippy spaced out cosmic rock,very light pop music from the 60s and 70s,orchestrated pop loveliness,popsike,sitar laced psychedelia,early mellotron soaked prog and what we have here,light,airy,catchy,juvenile,ultra commercial,whimsical,touches of psychedelia with studio concoctions,pop music.Call it what YOU want,it is a fabulous listen,and a very happy enjoyable trip at that too,but having a sugar tooth may help,as i'm sure for some listening to ALL 3 cds one after the other,may result in an overdose of sweet,whimsical,catchy tunes taking over the brain,and feeling nauseas,resulting in vomiting!!!!

There are many numbers on this that have been compiled quite a few times,but others,to my mind a small amount,have not,it's those non comped numbers and unreleased tracks that i find most interesting of course,but Dave Wells compiling does of course make it a very coherent,loosely themed box of delights,and ALL in the best sound possible,so i can ignore the fact i have many numbers on other comps,as no other comps are as well done as these Grapefruit Collections on Clamshell boxes,and at the very reasonable price being asked!!
The QUALITY continues,but with possible selections for other boxes similar to this may be getting thin on the ground, and i'd hate for regurgitation of tracks for other themed collections!!!Many on here WILL lap this up.........and why noyt?

Re: Climb Aboard My Roundabout-British Toytown Pop box(Grapefruit)

Hi Stuart,

Not much to say on this subject other than most of it seems to have been done before elsewhere. I agree that people often mistake pop sike for twee 60's pop. IMO I'd say that "Toytown" is a subdivision of Pop Psych (Sike), poppy but not necessarily psychedelic. If you need anymore of the same you might like to check out "Electric Looking Glass – Somewhere Flowers Grow" as it seems to fit the bill. https://krakenfiles.com/view/RUNh4PUv67/file.html

Enjoy
PPP