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Small Faces - Small Faces (Decca Lk 4790 Original Mono Pressing 24-96 Needledrop)(Euripides)

Track listing:
  1. Shake 2:55
  2. Come On Children 4:21
  3. You Better Believe It 2:22
  4. It's Too Late 2:40
  5. One Night Stand 1:52
  6. What'cha Gonna Do About It 2:01
  7. Sorry She's Mine 2:50
  8. Own Up 1:49
  9. You Need Loving 4:01
  10. Don't Stop What You Are Doing 1:56
  11. E Too D 3:04
  12. Sha La La La Lee 2:57

Notes

Small Faces 'Small Faces' (1966)

Decca original mono pressing LK 4790

Quick review:
An absolute classic mod/pop album from the forefront of the UK '60's scene.

This album has kind of lost it's identity over time, for instance never appearing on its own in CD format.
I don't mean to criticize the generous bonus tracks that come with the Decca CD reissue of 2006, but it does mean that the clear statement of intent represented by the original album is somewhat diluted. In fact I could not find any relevant reviews of the album on its own to post here and had to write my own!

The Small Faces were rather more popular at the time than their historical standing might suggest, in the mid 60's they were serious rivals to the Who and the 'Stones. Several subsequent bands cite them as influences, and several others clearly benefitted from their influence even if they haven't admitted it. Check out 'You Need Love' and tell me it isn't the blueprint for Led Zep's 'Whole Lotta Love', it's almost the same song.

Other tracks on the album will be more familiar to 60's pop fans; 'Sha La La La Lee', 'What You Gonna Do About It', etc. but a lsten to this album in it's original sequence tells you much more about what kind of band they were. The liner notes suggest that these are the tracks 'as the band wants to play them' and one can only guess at the madness that must have been an original Small Faces gig. Kenny Jones drumming is almost as mad as Moon, the guitar is never less than strident and Marriott's vocals are pure aggro. There is a swagger to this material that shows itself in the energy and relentless pace of the tracks as they fly past, a few minutes at a time.
The mono mix is certainly a powerful reminder that more than one channel is not always necessary ;-)
Tip: PLAY IT LOUD!

Euripides Feb 2011

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Tracklisting:

1. Shake (Cooke) (2:53)
2. Come On Children (Winston, Jones, Lane, Marriot) (4:15)
3. You Better Believe It (Ragovoy, Lynch) (2:16)
4. It's Too Late (Winston, Jones, Lane, Marriot) (2:30)
5. One Night Stand (Lane, Marriot) (1:44)
6. What'Cha Gonna Do About It (Potter, Samwell) (1:54)
7. Sorry She's Mine (Lynch) (2:40)
8. Own Up (Lane, Marriot) (1:42)
9. You Need Loving (Lane, Marriot) (3:50)
10. Don't Stop What You Are Doing (Winston, Jones, Lane, Marriot) (1:50)
11. E Too D (Lane, Marriot) (2:54)
12. Sha La La La Lee (Lynch, Shuman) (2:49)

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Personnel:

Bass - Ronnie Lane
Drums - Kenny Jones
Lead Guitar - Steve Marriott
Organ, Guitar - Ian McLagan
Vocals - Ian McLagan, Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott