MINT '70 PROMO "JOY OF A TOY" (SOFT MACHINE) KEVIN AYERS CRAFTY PROG PSYCH

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                          ORIGINAL 1970 FIRST PRESS
1st SOLO post SOFT MACHINE .... MINT.... PROMOTIONAL
                                                   ..

                          = KEVIN AYERS =
                   "JOY OF A TOY"
                                                        USA - HARVEST RECORDS - SKAO 421


ADVANCED RELEASE PROMOTIONAL ....
MINT CLEAN ....Original 1970  in THICK GATEFOLD COVER ...extremely difficult to find this 47 years past HIGHLY rated favorite packed with a treasure-trove of charming sparklers.

So ....this is Kevin Ayers first solo, the former bassist/vocalist of the original SOFT MACHINE ( he's reason why the "wheel cover" Softs #1 LP is so great!) ... With help of his former mates (Mike Ratledge distortion organ, Robert Wyatt and the others ...
Highlights are all over the place, but, 'Lady Rachel' is a masterpiece, arguably the best tune of Ayes entire career.....
...
Kevin Ayers' wonderful first album, "Joy of a Toy", takes the psychedelic pop elements from Soft Machine's first release, and incorporates them into a more direct, song oriented approach, for which Kevin has become renowned, at least to a small, loyal group of followers. With the album name taken from an eclectic Ayers/Ratledge-penned tune on the Softs debut, Joy Of A Toy sets the vibe straight away with the amusing, cheerful sing-a-long tune, entitled 'Joy of a Toy Continued', executed in perfect 60's style by Ayers and his friend David Bedford, with an almost child-like glee. The basic line-up for most tracks is Ayers and Bedford (with an entire studio's worth of equipment at their disposal) and drummer Robert Wyatt (for the most part), and also includes a small cast of guests, most noticeably Hugh Hopper (Bass) and Mike Ratledge (organ). 'Town Feeling' is a pretty tune, almost with a baroque feel, lovingly incorporating 'cello and oboe, and a lovely semi-tone riff which acts as the chorus. 'Clarietta Rag' is pure psychedelic pop, again a cheerful, sunny number with some nice Mellotron playing to boot, and funny-as- ever lyrics (usual trait in most of the songs Kevin writes) which compliment the music perfectly. 'Girl on a Swing' is a pastoral piece, with soft and sweet singing, and a pretty melody, again with some 'cranky' Mellotron playing (ala Moodies' 'Peak Hour') - pure 60's. 'Song for Insane Times' features the entire Soft Machine line-up, hence it's a more jazzy, faithful sounding Canterbury track with mellow verses, odd metres and a manic twist toward the end, where Ratledge has a freak-out on his Fuzz-toned Lowrey !! Side 2 starts with 'Stop This Train (Again Doing It)' - Kevin's experiment with repetition, a lengthy ramble of 2 chords, which features more of Ratledge's freak-out organ work - a really good song indeed. 'Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her)' is, despite the quirky title, an elegant, acoustic ballad, with flute and light orchestral touches - the most 'serious' sounding song on the album. 'Lady Rachel' is a song which actually sounds way ahead of its time (in the context of this album, anyway) it's dark and mysterious, incredibly infectious, and incorporates some strange oboe playing; arguably the best track Ayers ever delivered! 'Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong' is the truly weird track here, almost pioneering a style that was to become the 'Rock In Opposition' movement a few years later, with its dischordant sounds, odd time sigs and bizarre, off-the-cuff arrangement. Hats off to Kevin for this one !! The last track, 'All this Crazy Gift of Time', is a lightly country flavoured tune with harmonica and acoustic guitar, and really rounds off this amazing, period piece perfectly.

- Kevin Ayers / vocals, guitars (electric, Spanish, Hawaian & Italian), bass, piano

With:
- David Bedford / piano (2-4,6,7,13), electric piano (2,8), organ (4,8), Mellotron (3), vocals, arrangements
- Mike Ratledge / organ (5,6), piano (1,5), flute (5)
- Hugh Hopper / bass (1,5)
- Jeff Clyne / string bass (2)
- Paul Buckmaster / cello (2)
- Paul Minns / oboe (2)
- Robert Wyatt / drums (1-5,7,8,13), tambourine (1)
- Rob Tait / drums (6,9)
- Cyrille Ayers / backing vocals
- Jean-Pierre Weiller / backing vocals (1,9)
- Jean & Mary / backing vocals (1,9)
- Sean Murphy / backing vocals (9)



1. Joy of a Toy Continued (2:53)
2. Town Feeling (4:49)
3. The Clarietta Rag (3:19)
4. Girl on a Swing (2:49)
5. Song for Insane Times (3:59)
6. Stop This Train (Again Doing it) (6:04)
7. Eleanor's Cake (Which Ate Her) (2:53)
8. Lady Rachel (5:16)
9. Oleh Oleh Bandu Bandong (5:32)
10. All This Crazy Gift of Time (3:49)                 

CONDITION: The cover: rated: M- Very solid & stiff all over, it's clean, THICK GATEFOLD with perfect promo circle at top right in the way Harvest/Capitol produced their promotional albums in the '60s and early'70s ...NO delete marks or other imperfections ...strong original colors, no split seams, no bends, no writing...

The vinyl: is all clean, clear top copy  M- "nice" and "clear"- no wear ...with clean HARVEST labels ...plays smooth and clear all the way through....