Review Summary: An obscure mod/freakbeat gem from the 60's.
The Attack were a UK freakbeat/psychedelic rock band formed in the mid 60's just before the genre exploded into the mainstream. They never found a large audience for their own particular brand of heavy psych but seem to have garnered some interest more recently with several remastered compilation albums being released. As far as I am aware they never actually put out a full studio album. This particular compilation is a remastered selection of some of their singles, demos and previously unreleased songs.
The main draw to the music of The Attack for me has always been the contributions of guitarist John Du Cann (later of Andromeda and Atomic Rooster). It would be going too far to suggest that he was some sort of mini-Hendrix but when he lets fly with a cutting solo as on such tracks as "Mr Pinnodmys Dilemma", a quite brutal song for a psychedelic band of the age, the results are very enjoyable. Much of the material on this compilation is pretty standard for its time but it's when the band veer away from the poppier side of their psyche that things become more interesting. The aforementioned "Mr Pinnodmys Dilemma" features a chugging rhythm and clanking guitar fills with the bass guitar forward in the mix and reveals an entertainingly creative middle section. Another highlight is "Strange House" with its driving bass riff and silly throwaway haunted-house style lyrics. "Sleep Like A Child" conjures up the ghost of the Yardbirds with its galloping rhythms and bluesy licks. The Attack had actually released a light-hearted cover of "Hi Ho Silver Lining" a few days before Jeff Beck but sadly this faded into obscurity along with the band. The production on this remaster captures the relative power and energy of the band perfectly and puts some of the rather limp original versions to shame.
A short and sweet review for one of my favourite 60's freakbeat bands. These guys were at the heavier, bluesier end of the psychedelic spectrum and definitely worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre. In my opinion one of the better relatively unheard of bands from the 60's.
