FILTER REISSUES
Various
Liverpool Sunset
ACE. CD/DL
★★★★
Post-Beatles Liverpool sounds spanning 1964-’69.
THE KIRKBYS kick off this excellent Bob Stanley-compiled collection spotlighting the down-on-their-luck groups that remained in the titular city after The Beatles left for London and took the media’s attention with them. 1966’s It’s A Crime, The Kirkbys’ sole UK single release, was written and sung by Scouse lost son Jimmy Campbell. A gorgeous Mod nugget with unexpected harmonies and fuzz guitar, it flopped but didn’t deserve to. Soon after, The Kirkbys reconfigured as The 23rd Turnoff: their 1967 psych 45 Michael Angelo, also here, is thrilling but was another flop. Toxteth vocal harmony group The Chants also showed huge promise: 1968’s A Man Without A Face is startling social protest – Eddie Amoo, who wrote and sang the song, later formed The Real Thing. Former Liverbird Tiffany, meanwhile, was also part of the city’s soul contingent: 1966’s Find Out What’s Happening, which she recorded with The Thoughts, is tough R&B.