Customer Reviews

Magic Forest: The Anthology

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Noel Redding (bass player) arose from the ashes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience to lead the band Fat Mattress. The Mattress put out a couple of albums of material which were notably lighter than the music associated with Hendrix. But of course there is a LOT of product out there which is lighter than Hendrix but still pretty substantial.
I am most familiar with the first album, which was self-titled. It came out in one of those gorgeous glossy thick cardboard gatefold covers; the sheen so bright you could see little cobblestone effects where the cover was glued on. The songs, as noted, were done with a psych-pop feel. This approach was a bit of a throwback to the UK bands of the mid 60's. The songs were quite good, especially "Petrol Pump Assistant." Nice memories, and probably also very servicable for those hearing it for the first time today.
(A fine review of this material also appears on the amazon link for the other 2-disc retrospective of Fat Mattress short-lived career)

After comparisons between Fat Mattress and some favorite groups, I bought this disappointment "in the blind." Playing it once, it's kind of like Bruce-you-know-who's last album, with every song sounding almost exactly the same. I think I'll opt for something more honest, like John Mellencamp's latest. This one was not a winner.