Album review: CLIMB ABOARD MY ROUNDABOUT (British Toytown Sounds, 1967-1974)

Cherry Red [Release date: 28.10.22]

The British Toytown Pop Sound of the late sixties was not a genre with staying power, but it was fun while it lasted. The very nature of its aesthetic – vaguely humorous songs describing mythical events and places, populated by often eccentric, make believe characters (‘Uncle Joe The Ice Cream Man’; ‘Phoebe’s Flower Shop’; ‘Auntie Mary’s Dress Shop’; ‘Mr Moody’s Garden’; ‘Mrs Murphy’s Budgerigar’) – suggested a melt in the mouth confectionary, one that would be gone in one swallow.

And yes, that was the reality in some cases. But in many others, the perfomances, and the songwriting – especially the songwriting – gave the material an appeal that saw many of these vinyl singles rack up significant sales.

One that didn’t, ‘The Skeleton And The Roundabout’ proved to be one of the most influential. The song, and the band, The Idle Race, kick started the careers of Jeff Lyne and Roy Wood, who would go on to form The Electric Light Orchestra.

And again, some of the better known names, Ambrose Slade (later just Slade), David Bowie, The Mindbenders (later 10cc), The Herd (where Peter Frampton began), The Spencer David Group, The Shadows, all dipped their toes into Toytown Pop, with varying degrees of success.

Many of the songs transcended their modest ambitions.

‘It’s The Best Seaside Town In The World’ came from the Frabjoy And Runcible Spoon. Earlier this year we described this track in a review of their resurrected album as full of ‘slick, oven ready wordplay and melodic artistry’. Ultimately, the duo became known as Godley & Creme.

Not many bands can claim to have toured with the legendary Captain Beefheart.

Brit band, Kaleidescope supported him and his band on their European tour in 1973. Their nod to Donovan’s ‘Jennifer Juniper’, titled ‘Jennifer Artichoke’ is here along with the perhaps less notable ‘Glorious House Of Arthur’ in the band’s Fairfield Parlour guise.

Clifford T Ward charted with several singles in the early seventies. His track here, ‘The Dubious Circus Company’ is a standout, along with other genuine trailblazers, like ‘Excerpt From A Teenage Opera’, from Keith West (Mark Wirtz), and ‘Ha Ha Said The Clown’, written and recorded by Tony Hazzard, and later a huge hit for Manfred Mann Band.

Climb Aboard My Roundabout proves to be yet another meticulously researched and expertly curated anthology from Cherry Red Records.

87 tracks and four hours later, you’ll be the world’s leading expert on Toytown Pop. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)