STATUS QUO - PICTURESQUE MATCHSTICKABLE MESSAGE FROM THE STATUS QUO – 1968 (UK) psychedelic

Many people seem to claim that Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo is not the Status Quo album to begin with. I totally disagree. This is the beginning. It doesn't represent the kind of material they did later, but who cares when this material is better? On this album, The Status Quo (yep, they wore the article within their name) shows a melodic capacity that seldom appears on their '70s-'00s releases. (Of course it appears now and then - let's say, on tracks like "Living on an Island", "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" and "Confidence", but it isn't what the band is famous for.)
Before the album release, The Status Quo had already released three singles. "Pictures of Matchstick Men" was a well-deserved big breakthrough - a classic - while "Black Veils of Melancholy" tried to imitate it, and was a total misfire. The third single, "Ice in the Sun", by contrast, made the UK Top 10. It is a wonder why the Picturesque Matchstickable etc album opens with the worst song they had released, I mean "Black Veils." "When My Mind Is Not Live", which follows, is quality stuff just like "Ice in the Sun." "Elizabeth Dreams" maintains the quality, and so does "Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café", which first appeared as the B-side of "Pictures of Matchstick Men." "Paradise Flat", penned by Wilde and Scott (like "Ice in the Sun"), contains some weird psychedelic elements, which often means something good.
There are too many covers on the latter half of the album. "Spicks and Specks" (the Bee Gees' Australian hit) is done quite well, "Sheila" (by Tommy Roe) isn't that remarkable, and "Green Tambourine" is the most useless track while it is considerably worse than the original by the Lemon Pipers. "Technicolour Dreams", however, is fine, and also "Sunny Cellophane Skies" is almost as wondrous as the title suggests. The album closes with the familiar hit "Pictures of Matchstick Men" which was The Status Quo's signature tune in the 1960s - a status later stolen violently by "Caroline", which is completely short of ideas and melodies compared to its predecessor on the throne!
So, Picturesque Matchstickable Messages from the Status Quo is where one must start from. But still it isn't the best Status Quo album. That honour belongs to its follow-up, Spare Parts, on which the early ideas were in full bloom. This first album contains a lot of brilliance, but also a couple of meaningless covers, and a really stupid song as an opener. This is no Magical Mystery Tour, but well, almost.

Francis Rossi (guitar, vocals)
Roy Lynes (keyboards)
John Coghlan (drums)
Alan Lancaster (bass, guitar)
Richard Parfitt (guitar, vocals)
Disc: 1
1. Black Veils of Melancholy [Mono Version]
2. When My Mind Is Not Live [Mono Version]
3. Ice in the Sun [Mono Version]
4. Elizabeth Dreams [Mono Version]
5. Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café [Mono Version]
6. Paradise Flat [Mono Version]
7. Technicolour Dreams [Mono Version]
8. Sheila [Mono Version]
9. Spicks and Specks [Mono Version]
10. Sunny Cellophone Skies [Mono Version]
11. Green Tambourine [Mono Version]
12. Pictures of Matchstick Men [Mono Version]
13. To Be Free [B-Side
14. Make Me Stay a Bit Longer [A-Side][Version]
15. Auntie Nellie [B-Side]
16. Interview With Brian Matthew [BBC Session]
17. Pictures of Matchstick Men [BBC Session]
18. Things Get Better [BBC Session]
19. Spicks and Specks [BBC Session]
20. Judy in Disguise (With Glasses) [BBC Session]
21. Interview [BBC Session]
22. Make Me Stay a Bit Longer [BBC Session]
Disc: 2
1. Black Veils of Melancholy [Stereo Remix]
2. When My Mind Is Not Live [Stereo Remix]
3. Ice in the Sun [Stereo Remix]
4. Elizabeth Dreams [Stereo Remix]
5. Gentleman Joe's Sidewalk Café [Stereo Remix]
6. Paradise Flat [Stereo Remix]
7. Technicolour Dreams [Stereo Remix]
8. Sheila [Stereo Remix]
9. Spicks and Specks [Stereo Remix]
10. Sunny Cellophone Skies [Stereo Remix]
11. Green Tambourine [Stereo Remix]
12. Pictures of Matchstick Men [Stereo Remix]
13. Auntie Nellie [Stereo]
14. Gloria [BBC Session] - Spectres
15. Interview With Francis Rossi [BBC Session]
16. I (Who Have Nothing) [BBC Session] - Spectres
17. Neighbour, Neighbour [BBC Session] - Spectres
18. I Don't Want You [BBC Session] - Traffic Jam
19. Almost But Not Quite There [BBC Session] - Traffic Jam
20. Spicks and Specks [BBC Session] - Traffic Jam
21. Gloria [BBC Session]
22. Interview With Alan Lancaster [BBC Session]
23. Black Veils of Melancholy [BBC Session]
24. Bloodhound [BBC Session]

So what if half of the songs sound just like Pictures of Matchstick Men? If you're going to repeat yourself, choose one of the ultimate pop psych classics! The originals are pure acid sugar, as are covers of the BeeGees' Spicks and Specks and the Lemon Pipers' Green Tamborine. Reminds me of the Move's debut. A must!
Rip from CD 256@ (artwork included)
Download links
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