Unfairground

Kevin Ayers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Gigantic
• ASIN: B0013FSVFW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #154,229 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2007 album from the pioneer of the British Psychedelic scene. On this release, Ayers is accompanied by artists he inspired like Teenage Fanclub, Ladybug Transistor, Candie Payne and Euros Childs. Also features long time musician and close friend Hugh Hopper from Ayers' Soft Machine days. . --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars UNFAIR ONLY IF HE RETIRES AGAIN, November 6, 2007

By 

ROBERT BLANKEN "ROTTENHAT" (PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unfairground (Audio CD)

Wonderful! After such a long wait, this is a remarkable record. Instantly memorable songs by truly gifted artists: this is among Mr. Ayers finest collections of great music. I got an Ehrwurm (ear worm---when you can't get a song out of your head) on the first hearing of the first song (Only Heaven Knows) that lasted a full week. The last time that happened to me was the song "Scarred for Life" by Slapp Happy (from Ca-Va; also a great record. But of course, I am writing about Kevin Ayers here. Kevin lives up to his fine reputation of classy, bluesy R & B, and the man's voice has not diminished in the least with age. He has become more like a fine wine that only gets better with age. The only sad note is that Ollie Halsall's great guitar no longer plays on this earth. Wine, women, song, and of course, bananas (a banana is on the cover art and hard to find--sorry, no hints!)
So, whether or not you are already a fan, or have never heard him before, buy this disc with complete confidence. Not to brag (!), but I have all of his discs, and ALL of his LP's (still in near mint condition). Let us hope that Kevin Ayers dosen't make us wait another 15 years for his next sublime masterwork.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Finely-Crafted Set of Songs, October 23, 2007

By 

Head Full of Rainbows (Colorado Springs CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unfairground (Audio CD)

This album convinces me that Kevin Ayers is a true genius. Simple words wrapped in deceptively simple melodies which tell stories of love and loss and ageing and dealing with it all. A perfect album and it could well be the best thing he's ever done. The only thing missing is Ollie Halsall's guitar.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars At Long Last!, December 31, 2007

By 

Chris Frohring "Bed Whistle" (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unfairground (Audio CD)

I cannot say how relieved I was to finally hear Kevin's follow-up to 1992's "Still Life With Guitar". It is a very organic-sounding record produced with the aid of several talented friends young and old. It hearkens back to the "Whatevershebringswesing" period with colorful arrangements and relatively dry production. "The Unfairground" is probably the best LP Ayers has recorded since "Rainbow Takeaway" in 1978 and stands proudly next to his best work. One hopes that he doesn't need another 15 years to produce another album. A couple of suggestions to those in the Ayers camp: get the 1983 LP "Diamond Jack and the Queen Of Pain" and the 1986 LP "As Close As You Think" released on CD; then, encourage Kevin to re-record the best of those songs ("Howling Man", "Stepping Out", etc.) with the same cast that appeared on "The Unfairground". He actually re-recorded "Only Heaven Knows" from the latter LP for "The Unfairground" with excellent results. This LP is recommended to fans of Kevin, Robert Wyatt, British psychedelia and accessible Progressive Rock.