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The Pretty Things - Philippe DeBarge (UT Records - 2009) (1969)

Track listing:
  1. Hello, How Do You Do 4:02
  2. You Might Even Say 3:58
  3. Alexander 2:54
  4. Send You With Loving 2:59
  5. You're Running You And Me 4:35
  6. Peace 1:44
  7. Eagle's Son 3:06
  8. Graves Of Grey 0:47
  9. New Day 4:06
  10. It'll Never Be Me 4:32
  11. I'm Checking Out 3:40
  12. All Gone Now 2:18
  13. Monsieur Rock (Ballad Of Philippe) 5:33

Notes

The Pretty Things' career was rife with peculiar episodes, and none was more peculiar than the unreleased album which makes up the bulk of this bootleg. In 1969 the band recorded eleven original songs with an unknown French singer, Phillipe DeBarges, taking the place of Phil May. May and Pretty Things bassist Wally Allen produced the record, which was never released. It's quite similar in nature to the Pretties' own late-'60s psychedelic recordings, though more pop-oriented than S.F. Sorrow, sounding more like the soundtrack items that ended up on Electric Banana; in fact, three of the songs ("Alexander," "Eagles Son," and "It'll Never Be Me") were done as authentic Pretty Things tracks on Electric Banana as well. It's pleasant if usually slight pop-psych, often utilizing chunky guitar strums of the kind that Pete Townshend used (possibly due in part to the Pretties' influence?) on Tommy. Some of these songs were probably too strong to donate to DeBarges, though, like "Alexander" (one of their best late-'60s cuts), "Running You & Me" (with opening guitar chords quite reminiscent of the Tommy style), the swinging mod-like "You Might Even," and "Eagles Son." Sound quality is good, although as it's been taken from an acetate, there's some surface noise.

From the liner notes:
"In 1969 the Pretty Things were on a creative high, midway between two masterpiece albums, SF Sorrow and Parachute. Enter Philippe Debarge: Frenchman, playboy and Pretty Things superfan. He commissions the band to write and produce an album for him. Debarge sings lead; the Pretty Things play and sing everything else on a stunning set of 12 May/Waller originals in the classic late '60s Pretty Things style. Acoustic, fuzz and backwards guitars abound, along with Mellotron, harpsichord and the heavenly three-part harmonies of Phil May, Wally Waller and Jon Powey. The album is completed but never released.Until now. Here it is: fully remastered in magnificent stereo sound with the close collaboration of the band's Wally Waller. Plus an exclusive CD bonus track * recorded by the 1967-68 lineup especially for this release."