LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Rev-Ola takes its first trip down under. It's time to blast off with The Gremlins! One of the most overlooked power-pop bands of the 1960's from a land populated by more sheep than humans, Auckland, New Zealand's Gremlins are often mistakenly categorized as primeval garage rock stompers but they were far more subtle than that as this definitive collection of their singles and EP tracks proves. They blended beat, pop and folk-rock with tantalizing results. Only The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" could stop the Gremlins' version of "The Coming Generation" (the flip side of The Knickerbockers' 1965 hit "Lies") from topping the NZ charts in 1966. The band quickly progressed from covering the UK and USA hits of the day to writing and recording their own material which recalls the best of The Byrds, The Hollies and The Grass Roots. Sadly The Gremlins never managed to record an album but instead left us with one classic EP and a string of some of the best Antipodean singles of the 60's. From the rebellious P F Sloan-style folk-rock of "Understand Our Age" to the sci-fi fantasy of "Blast Off 1970" to the Bee Gees-influenced pop-psych of their final single "Kingsforth Hemmingseen", these recordings are essential for fans of 60's pop everywhere. Collectors have long been paying top dollar for these scarce Gremlins singles. The Coming Generation collects all of the band's releases on CD for the first time and is remastered from bandleader Glyn Tucker's original two-track master tapes! The Coming Generation / Blast Off 1970 / I Can't Say / Never You Mind / A Man's Gotta Be A Man / Don't Just Stand There / Ain't That Loving You Baby / Ballad Of A Busker / But She's Gone / It's Easy To Say / You Gotta Believe It / Kingsforth Hemmingseen / Sunday Breeze / Understand Our Age / The Only Thing On My Mind / I Want Your Love / Listen To Me / Don't Ya / That's What I Want / Oh My Word / The Great Drain Robbery #1 / The Great Drain Robbery #2