Among serious fans of British rock of the 1960s, few mysteries are more perplexing than how a band as exciting, innovative, and talented as
the Creation
failed to become major stars during their all-too-brief run from 1966 to 1969. They attracted a healthy following in Germany but were little more than a cult item in their native England (and essentially unknown in the United States); the only
Creation
album that appeared during their original run was
We Are Paintermen
, a collection of single sides and stray tracks that was issued only in Germany and Denmark. Decades after the fact,
have been hailed as heroes by critics and record collectors bowled over by their combination of mod style, R&B edge, and freakbeat sonics, with particular praise going to the lead guitar of
Eddie Phillips
, heralded for his bracing use of volume, feedback, and the violin bow (the latter technique would be lifted by
Jimmy Page
with much greater success). If
Phillips
was the band's wildest talent, vocalist
Kenny Pickett
, bassist
Bob Gardner
, and drummer
Jack Jones
were more than just along for the ride, reinforcing the bold attack of the songs at every turn.
The Creation
's output in the '60s amounted to just 25 tracks, and the British
Edsel
label has pulled them all together on
We Are Paintermen/How Does It Feel to Feel?
, a two-part set that features a remastered version of the 1967
album on disc one, with a revised version of
's 1982
compilation
How Does It Feel to Feel?
on the second. This package ignores their early recordings as
the Mark Four
and the uneven reunion albums they cut in the '90s in favor of a well-packaged and well-mastered presentation of
's essential canon. Unless you're an especially obsessive fan, this is all you really need from this great band. From the taut, danceable R&B of "Cool Jerk" and the would-be mod anthems of "Making Time" and "Biff Bang Pow" to the sweet psychedelia of "Ostrich Man" and the glorious sonic chaos of "How Does It Feel to Feel?" (featuring some of
' most savage guitar work),
were a group who captured the sound and mood of their time with a sense of experimentation and a forward-thinking vision that still sounds fresh and vital more than 50 years later.
isn't the most elaborate
collection you can find, but it's a fine, straightforward presentation of their most vital work, and for anyone with an interest in the more esoteric sounds of the British Beat era, this is brilliant and essential music. ~ Mark Deming