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Rating: Once upon a time, there was a Gentle Giant that delighted the world with its excellent music... And before him, there were Simon Duprée & The Big Sound. Seriously, the beginnings of brothers Phil, Ray, and Derek Shulman, the founding and creative core of Gentle Giant, can be found in this business name; with them are Tony Ransley on drums, Peter O'Flaherty on bass, and keyboardist Eric Hine.
Formed in 1966 and signed by Parlophone, they released their first and only full-length album, "Without Reservation," in November 1967. Despite its good success, the ambitious Shulman brothers, who boast extensive classical studies and excellent technical skills, were uncertain about the value of their music—a rather conventional pop-beat with psychedelic aspirations, especially when compared to the numerous and innovative rock masterpieces released in the blessed year of 1967. Their fear was probably to become one of the many one hit wonders soon forgotten, so they decided to stray from the quite traditional beat group image and, in November 1968, they released a 45-rpm single under the pseudonym The Moles. By a fortunate coincidence, the single turned out to be the Parlophone item following none other than "Hey Jude" and preceding none other than "Get Back". Add to that sound affinities with the Fab Four, et voilà, the trick was done: the 45-rpm was credited to "The Beatles In Disguise," meaning Beatles disguised with Ringo Starr on vocals, and obviously, sales were satisfactory. But the joke is only funny while it lasts, as it was that genius Syd Barrett who spoiled the fun by revealing the true identity of the authors. Simon Duprée & The Big Sound alias The Moles admitted their "authorship," and the effects were deleterious: the public and the stations, probably annoyed by the fact that they had taken advantage of the misunderstanding and usurped the fame of the beloved Beatles, lost all interest in the record (and this is proof of how ungrateful Britain has always been to the Shulman brothers, as even the glorious Gentle Giant were quite underrated in their homeland).
It's such a shame that this experiment (it would be better to say divertissement) ended so bitterly in oblivion, considering its content. "We Are The Moles (part I)" is a small gem, a delightful dish of late Beatle-esque choirs and melodies grafted onto hypnotic bass lines, all seasoned with acid spices (the piercing fuzz guitar that continuously phrases) and futuristic aromas, almost with a whiff of space rock (the filtered voice, the "space" noises at the beginning and end of the song, a vague sci-fi aftertaste). The B-side is not as valuable, but still curious and fun: "We Are The Moles (part II)" is a ternary acoustic ballad with bucolic tones, almost a folk dance, in which the group repeatedly sings in chorus "we are the moles", as if they were a proper people, and at some point, for a few seconds, playfully quotes Offenbach (a first, weak hint of classical recovery that will characterize the progressive glories of the Giant?).
A very pleasant snapshot of the flourishing and always fascinating English psychedelic season. Recommended not only for completists.
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