NIRVANA: "All Of Us" + 4 Bonus Tracks

Original released on LP Island ILPS 9087

(UK, 1968)

Nirvana's second album was dainty period British pop-psychedelia, falling on the lightest shade of that category that could be imagined. For some adventurous pop fans, few higher recommendations could be concocted. For most 1960s collectors, though, it's fair to say that it's too precious and insubstantial to qualify as a major work. Their most well-known song, "Rainbow Chaser," leads off, with its prominent phasing effects; "Tiny Goddess," one of their best ballads, comes next. The rest of the album doesn't measure up to those two tracks, with pretty but not compelling melodies (sometimes reminiscent of, but not in the same class as, Paul McCartney) and orchestration that, like the songs themselves, seem to tiptoe for fear of being too forceful. The overall result is too saccharine, and occasionally even childish. (Richie Unterberger in AllMusic)

NIRVANA: "The Story Of Simon Simopath"

Original released on LP Island ILPS 9059

(UK, October 1967)

One of the most entertaining things to do on websites that allow customer reviews of CDs is read the apoplectic fury Kurt Cobain's fans have for the original Nirvana, the cultily-adored British psych-pop group from the late '60s. Much of that misguided and ill-informed venom seems to be directed toward this album, Nirvana's 1967 debut. An unashamedly twee early concept album, "The Story of Simon Simopath" (subtitled "A Science Fiction Pantomime," suitably expressing the deliberately childlike tone of the album) sounds, like most rock concept albums, like a collection of unconnected songs forced together by the story written in the liner notes. Ignoring the rather silly story (something about a boy who wishes he could fly), what's left is a regrettably brief but uniformly solid set of well-constructed psych-pop tunes with attractive melodies and rich, semi-orchestrated arrangements. Although the core of Nirvana was the duo of singer-guitarist Patrick Campbell-Lyons and keyboardist Alex Spyropoulos, the group is here expanded to a sextet including full-time French horn and cello players, and the semi-Baroque arrangements are particularly memorable on the singles "Pentecost Hotel" and "Wings of Love." Although "The Story of Simon Simopath" has no individual songs as instantly delightful as "Rainbow Chaser," the hit single and key track from their next album "All of Us", it's a much more consistent record than that somewhat patchy follow-up. (Stewart Mason in AllMusic)