Small Faces – Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake (1968)

Yet another bargain boot fair purchase. This is supposed to be the Small Faces' finest hour, their 1968 classic crossover of music hall style songs, pop and psychedelia, yet an album I hadn't previously heard.

This was the band's third and final studio album, before Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton, and the rest of the band (Ronnie Lane, Kenny Jones and Ian McLagan) dropped the 'Small', and brought in Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood from Jeff Beck's group.

The title track opens, a rambling instrumental overture, which every such concept album of the time seemed to deserve, before the first proper song, After Glow, a bluesy number showcasing Marriott's vocal talents and a not-quite-hit single. Long Agos and Worlds Apart is McLagan's only vocal, and sole writing credit on the album, and sadly, like Mac's singing, it's a bit insubstantial. Rene displays the Marriott I enjoy the least - the cockney barrow boy singalong - in a frankly misogynist song of little interest. Song Of A Baker is a slower bluesy number, much more interesting, before the first half closes with the worldwide hit Lazy Sunday, still a great song, despite the cheery cockney delivery.

The second half is the real concept bit - the strange and impenetrable tale of Happiness Stan, with narration between tracks by the tediously unfunny 'Professor' Stanley Unwin, whose gobbledygook is meant to amuse but doesn't aid the narrative. The songs don't feel strong enough to carry it, with Rolling Over and The Journey being interesting, if dated, but Mad John, a folky ballad is a short but strong one, while the suite concludes with more cockney singalong nonsense in Happy Days Toy Town.

I'm not a fan of bonus tracks, but a live version of the band's top 10 hit Tin Soldier, is a welcome relief after the previous six tracks of Happiness Stan.

I can see why this was a bold departure in 1968, and there's some excellent stuff on the first side, but so much of it hasn't aged well, especially the 'concept' bit, sounding awfully twee 56 years later.

Link to full album

3* - There's probably much more historical interest than strength of the music here, but this 60s classic still has its moments.