LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

First Class were the brainchild of John Carter (Ivy League/ Flowerpot Men), and scored a massive international hit in 1974 with the single Beach Baby. Bob Stanley writes: Beach Baby was possibly the fullest flowering of the John Carter Sound - constantly shape shifting, the harmonies, the strings, and more hooks than any four minute pop single should have by rights. John Peel raved about it in ‘Sounds’ and it was no.4 in the US in the summer of ‘74. In Britain it stalled at 11 but felt much bigger- it’s been a radio staple since. This studio group, including luminaries such as Tony Burrows, Chas Mills, Spencer James (from the Searchers), and Clare Torry (of Pink Floyd fame), released two LP’s and recorded tracks for a third that remained unreleased. All continued in the vein described above of hook laden /harmony driven /string backed perfectly produced pop. All recorded 1974 -1977, plus a bonus track from 1985 when Carter recorded a throw back single for possible release in Holland when Beach Baby became a reissued hit, that totally captures the Beach Baby excitement and gives it the hi-production wall of sound. RPM present the definitive collection of First Class aimed at the mainstream pop buyer, with the Guilty Pleasures market also a target, this is the summer sounds of the seventies compilation for 2005.
Track listing: Beach Baby / What Became Of Me / I Was Always The Joker / Long Time Gone / Dreams Are Ten A Penny / Bobby Dazzler / Lavender Man / Both Sides Of The Story / Smiles On A Summer Night / I Was A Star / Sunday Child / Baby Blue / Life Is Whatever You Want It To Be / Carry On Singing My Song / And She Cried / The Song Was Wrong / Wake Up America / Coney Island / I Can’t Believe My Eyes / Too Many Golden Oldies Bonus Track : Silver Surfer