英国ポップサイケのサブジャンル「TOY TOWN POP」。日本では「バロック・ポップ」などと呼ばれる管楽器・弦楽器などをフィーチャーした室内楽的なソフトロックですが、本作はその「TOY TOWN POP」に焦点を当てて、有名無名問わず全87曲を収録した素晴らしいアンソロジーとなっています。
ビートルズの"PENNY LANE"がその源流とされるこの「TOY TOWN POP」の世界。ブラスと木管楽器の組み合わせによるプロダクションに、平凡な郊外の生活を送る登場人物が織りなす歌詞が乗る、というのが典型的なスタイルです。ジェフ・リンが在籍したアイドル・レースの"THE SKELETON AND THE ROUNDABOUT"、デヴィッド・ボウイの初期作品"UNCLE ARTHUR"といったビッグネームから、マーク・ワーツが残した幻のプロジェクトからの"(HE’S OUR DEAR OLD) WEATHERMAN"など、この手の音が好きな人は全編楽しめる中毒性の高い内容となっております。
DISC ONE 1 THE SKELETON AND THE ROUNDABOUT (MONO SINGLE MIX) ? THE IDLE RACE 2 JENNY ARTICHOKE ? KALEIDOSCOPE 3 CUDDLY TOY ? FRUIT MACHINE 4 PHENOMENAL CAT ? THE KINKS 5 LITTLE LESLEY ? THE ALAN BOWN! 6 EMILY SMALL (THE HUGE WORLD THEREOF) ? THE PICADILLY LINE 7 MAN IN THE TEAPOT ? FIRE 8 MR LIGHT ? JOHN CARTER AND MICKEY KEEN 9 THE DUBIOUS CIRCUS COMPANY ? CLIFFORD T. WARD 10 ICE CREAM MAN (ALTERNATIVE VERSION) ? KIDROCK 11 LOLLIPOP MINDS ? WIMPLE WINCH 12 PETER’S BIRTHDAY (BLACK AND WHITE RAINBOWS) ? WORLD OF OZ 13 HA! HA! SAID THE CLOWN ? TONY HAZZARD 14 SAD SIMON LIVES AGAIN ? TIM ANDREWS 15 UNCLE JOE, THE ICE CREAM MAN ? THE MINDBENDERS 16 PHOEBE’S FLOWER SHOP ? THE CORTINAS 17 COPLINGTON ? PERSIMMON’S PECULIAR SHADES 18 COLOUR SERGEANT LILLYWHITE ? WEST COAST CONSORTIUM 19 OUR FAIRY TALE ? THE HERD 20 TEENAGE LOVE SONG ? HETHERINGTON 21 EBANEEZER BEAVER (DEMO VERSION) ? THE MIRAGE 22 FAIRY TALE (DEMO VERSION) ? THE NEXT COLLECTION 23 BROTHER JACK ? BARRY WIGLEY 24 TRAFALGAR SQUARE ? THE GOOD TIME LOSERS 25 SADIE AND HER MAGIC MR. GALAHAD ? THE NEW GENERATION 26 MARJORY DAW ? MORNING GLORY 27 THE LAST PERFORMANCE OF THE ROYAL REGIMENTAL VERY VICTORIOUS AND VALIANT BAND ? THE SYN 28 RAINBOW ROCKING CHAIR ? MAJORITY ONE 29 EXCERPT FROM “A TEENAGE OPERA” ? KEITH WEST
DISC TWO 1 LAVENDER POPCORN ? SCRUGG 2 KNOCKING NAILS INTO MY HOUSE ? AMBROSE SLADE 3 MR JOB ? JIGSAW 4 UNCLE ARTHUR ? DAVID BOWIE 5 THE BITTER THOUGHTS OF LITTLE JANE ? TIMON 6 CELLOPHANE MARY JANE ? ASTRONAUT ALAN AND THE PLANETS 7 MR KIPLING ? TUESDAY’S CHILDREN 8 IT’S THE BEST SEASIDE IN THE WORLD ? FRABJOY AND RUNCIBLE SPOON 9 AND NOW FOR A LITTLE TRAIN NUMBER ? KENNY EVERETT 10 GLORIOUS HOUSE OF ARTHUR ? FAIRFIELD PARLOUR 11 LAUGHING BOY FROM NOWHERE ? SIMON DUPREE AND THE BIG SOUND 12 AUNTIE MARY’S DRESS SHOP ? TOMORROW 13 THE EQUESTRIAN STATUE ? THE BONZO DOG DOO-DAH BAND 14 JAMES IN THE BASEMENT ? DENIS COULDRY 15 TALES OF FLOSSIE FILLETT ? TURQUOISE 16 MY BEST FRIEND ? THE PICADILLY LINE 17 HAPPINESS IS TOY-SHAPED ? HARMONY GRASS 18 BIRMINGHAM BRASS BAND ? THE BULLRING 19 WATCHMAKER ? PERSIMMON’S PECULIAR SHADES 20 ROOM AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS ? TIMOTHY BLUE 21 AFTER TEA ? SPENCER DAVIS GROUP 22 DREAM DREAM DREAM ? KIDROCK 23 LEMON PIE FAIR ? COMPLEX 24 UNCLE HENRY’S MAGIC GARDEN ? DAVID MATTHEWS 25 BRIC-A-BRAC MAN ? BILL NILES 26 WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE* (FULL VERSION) ? CHAS MILLS AND MARK WIRTZ 27 EVERYBODY LOVES THE CLOWN ? NIRVANA 28 SHARKEY ? CHRISTOPHER 29 POOR JOHNNY ? THE SECRETS 30 FAIRGROUND ? PURE GOLD 31 TOY SOLDIER ? THE RIOT SQUAD
DISC THREE 1 (HE’S OUR DEAR OLD) WEATHERMAN ? MARK WIRTZ 2 ZEBEDY ZAK ? CARDBOARD ORCHESTRA 3 FLORENCE ? TAPESTRY 4 MR MOODY’S GARDEN ? GILBERT O’SULLIVAN 5 MUTINY ? THE ALAN BOWN! 6 UPTIGHT BASIL ? MAGIC VALLEY 7 BANG BANG ? KIDROCK 8 TOYMAKER ? WILD SILK 9 LANTERNLIGHT ? PETER AND THE WOLVES 10 LOVE AND THE BIG BRASS BAND ? DAVE CHRISTIE 11 PICCOLO MAN ? FRIENDS 12 UWE AUS DUISBERG ? THE HI-FIS 13 EINER KLEINER MISER MUSIK ? TONY RIVERS AND THE CASTAWAYS 14 THE HAPPY KING ? MUSIC BOX 15 MRS DAISY ? TINTERN ABBEY 16 MRS MURPHY’S BUDGERIGAR ? BLOSSOM TOES 17 ANNIE’S PLACE ? GENE LATTER 18 GLASSHOUSE GREEN, SPLINTER RED ? JOHN PANTRY 19 HENRY EVERYDAY* ? TIMOTHY BLUE 20 DEAR OLD MRS BELL ? THE SHADOWS 21 MR NICE GUY ? DRAGONMILK 22 MISTER WHITE’S WHITE FLYING MACHINE (ALBUM VERSION) ? AYSHEA 23 MAGIC SHOES (DEMO) ? FIRE 24 KING OF THE CASTLE ? JASON CREST 25 THROUGH MY TELESCOPE ? MARTY WILDE 26 TIME TO GO HOME ? THE TOTS 27 THE SAD STORY OF SIMON AND HIS BUGLE* (CORRECT VERSION) ? MARK WIRTZ
