The Pretty Things - The BBC Sessions

It seems as if every British rock band of any note recorded at least a few sessions for the British Broadcasting Corporation in the 1960s, and The Pretty Things were nothing if not notable; they spent more than their fair share of time at the BBC's radio and television studios, and this jam-packed two-disc set offers up the lion's share of their "Beeb" material in (generally) strong sound quality and a well-appointed package. Like most BBC collections, these performances sound drier and more stripped-down than the versions most fans are used to, but since "stripped-down" was a thing The Pretty Things did quite well back in the day, this isn't much of a drawback; if these takes of "Big Boss Man," "Big City," and "Road Runner" have a bit less bite than the official recordings, they still sound like The Pretty Things, with enough swaggering attitude to face an army (best reflected in Phil May's gloriously insolent vocals and Dick Taylor's switchblade guitar). Read More