Dedicated Anglophiles' search for the quintessential British pop album shouldn't overlook the (so far) one and only outing from the
Brotherhood of Lizards
, a duo featuring
Cleaners from Venus
'
Martin Newell
and bassist/multi-instrumentalist
Nelson
. Recorded a step or two up from the
Cleaners
' rustic four-track catalog,
Lizardland
is soaked through with the cozy ambience of merry olde England, summoning up images of teatime, gardens and "misty chimneys smoking in the rain" via a collection of charming, chiming guitar pop that nods to obvious forefathers like
the Beatles
and
Kinks
, as well as later practitioners such as
XTC
. The delightful "The Happening Guy" has ba-ba-ba backing vocals straight out the '60s hit parade, while "The World Strikes One" is filled with sharp observations about ordinary folks, in the manner of
Ray Davies
himself. More of the same is available on the witty "Love the Anglican Way" and "Market Day," and there's even a droning number, "Rusty Iron Sun," that recalls great faux-Indian moments like "Norwegian Wood" and "Fancy."
Newell
's vision does outstrip his Spartan studio accessories: it would have been nice to have heard the songs with a live drummer, and the sound quality, while certainly acceptable, lacks that extra bit of punch common to higher-budget productions. But such concerns can't hold down songs as good as these. It was
's finest work at the time of its release, and continues to be a high water mark for the talented and idiosyncratic musician. ~ Dan LeRoy