Fanny: Fanny Hill - 1972
Taking its title from John Cleland's raunchy 1748 novel, this was all-girl rock group Fanny's third album. Unfortunately for the group, it didn't perform any better than their previous two. Fanny, it seemed, had a lot of critical respect but it didn't transfer to sales.
For an overview of Fanny's general style, check out my reviews of their first two albums, as I don't want to repeat myself again. For me, this is the most rocking of their offerings thus far and has the best sound too.
Anyway, we begin with an appealing, rhythmic and ballsy cover of Marvin Gaye's Ain't That Peculiar, which manages to combine some searing rock guitar with the song's intrinsic soulful groove. I really like it. Knock On My Door finds the girls almost sounding a bit like early ABBA. Again, it features some impressive guitar.
Blind Alley is a chunker of a track, piano and guitars to the fore. A strong one. Fanny rocking out at their best. Fourth track in, ballad time. Here it is the gentle McCartney-esque acoustic tones of You've Got A Home. It is almost folky in feel. A similar vibe can be heard on the ethereal, laid-back Wonderful Feeling. The girls were just as capable of soft rock as they were of going heavier. Very talented.
That grittier sound is back on the powerful Borrowed Time, chock full of riffs and knife-sharp slide guitar, with a bit of brass from Jim Price thrown in too (a new addition to the group's sound). It's The Rolling Stones' mate Bobby Keys on saxophone, by the way. Their cover of The Beatles' Hey Bulldog is impressive too, not much to choose between it and the original but it probably suits The Beatles more due to its quirky lyrics.
Think About The Children is another of Fanny's songs that reminds me of something else from the same period by someone else. Like a fair few of their songs, the guitar work has a vague funky edge to it. It's a quality offering, this. It is also very 1970-72 in its hippy rock feel. Another corker is the Suzi Quatro-esque (before her, of course) Rock Bottom Blues. It is another kick-ass brasser.
Sound And The Fury sounds very Creedence Clearwater Revival to me in its verse structure and the melody. The vocals are lovely and soft. This is proper US 1972 AOR and it should have been a huge radio hit (it wasn't even a single). The First Time has a feel of The Rolling Stones' more brassy, soulful material from Exile On Main Street. There is a vibrant New Orleans groove to the brass parts on here and an almost gospelly joie de vivre.
A good album. Fanny must be one of the few groups to have released such an impressive bunch of unsuccessful but really good albums.
