Fuchsia - Song 2 x 7" EP

Fruits de Mer Records (crustacean 80)

I bet most of my readers are familiar with early 70's folk/prog/psych group Fuchsia who only released one cult album at the time in 1971. This wonderful double 7" EP in open gatefold cover celebrates 50 years of recordings by Fuchsia's Tony Durant. Tony is still active recording new albums and playing live and is coming to play at Fruits de Mer's 15th Dream of Dr. Sardonicus Festival in Wales this week!

The EP progresses in chronological order starting from 1967 when Tony did a demo with Louise. "Look at the Sun" is a hard-hitting psych/freakbeat tune with great melodies and does not sound that bad for a 50-year-old acetate. I like it! Then we get an early demo version of the Fuchsia song "The Band" that would later be recorded with the Swedish band Me and My Kites in 2013. Lovely! On the B side we'll get a long classic track from the Fuchsia album: "The Nothing Song" and this is a really unique, progressive masterpiece. Tony's comeback album Fuchsia – II From Psychedelia... ...To A Distant Place was released in 2013 and from that album there are two real treats: the beautiful "Piper at the Gates of Time" and the perky "Fuchsia Song", both in every way as good as the early struff also including folky/orchestrated strings like before. Also Tony's personal vocals sound exactly the same! The last side is saved for two brand-new tracks that will be on the third Fuchsia album released very soon. "Box of Destiny" is a melancholic up-beat pop song with a wonderful, nostalgic vibe and the three-minute "Just Another Song" a slow, a bit country-styled folk rock number. It's amazing how these brilliant tracks spanning the last fifty years work together so well! What a great release.

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