On Tour/Reunion

It's 1965, British Guiana is on the cusp of independence, ready to throw off the corrupt yoke of Albion, and a group of teenage musicians meet in Georgetown. Inspired by Duane Eddie and The Shadows, they form a band, thrill local audiences and, later, get to visit the US and UK; in the former, they play on network TV; in the UK, they lay down (the mis-titled) On Tour in London's Lansdowne studios, mixing up bubblegum pop and calypso, reggae and Latin on covers by the likes of (here uncredited) Toots & the Maytals and Henry Mancini. Three years later a reformed band reunites – in Toronto this time – and records a follow-up, bringing in some soca, as well as versions of ‘Oh Girl’, ‘Ain't No Sunshine’, the ‘Love Theme from the Godfather’ plus a reggae dub version of Paul Anka's ‘Diana’. That's the quirky, short-lived story of The Young Ones.

This release containing both vintage albums is a pleasant, intermittently soulful, erratic blast from naive colonialist times, the best bits being the psychedelic jams with pacey percussion and groovy glissandos on the Farfisa and Hammond organs. A novelty unearthing – sweet, but a bit saccharine too.