Siren Records

Reviews:

Mid-60s British mod band The Action were rivaled by only the similar Small Facesand The Who—and the more ornery Creation—for soaking-hot rock ‘n'roll of that particular sexy, adrenaline-and-amphetamines-powered stripe. Producedby the great George Martin when he had some spare time from his mid-period Beatlessessions, the group's five U.K. singles may have failed to chart, but weretoo damn memorable to "fade away." Instead, the ten songs were eventuallycollected in 1981 by Brit label Edsel as The Ultimate Action (with fourbonus tracks from Continental singles added, and three more when it reappearedon import CD last year as Action Packed) during the height of the Britmod revival, with liner notes from then-reigning king of the genre, The Jam'sPaul Weller. Weller raved about Action singer Reggie King as "one of thegreatest white soul singers in history this side of the Small Faces' SteveMarriott," an informed opinion backed up by King's genius on thatdefinitive collection.

Now, finally, here come The Action's final demos, often bootlegged, butnever released until last year's import. And though someone in the U.S.still needs to issue the early stuff, the totally different Rolled Gold isalso a wonderful work. Making great use of King's chunky, deep-throatedbut clear vocals grabbing the material full-force, and well placed harmonies,The Action pound out the simple psyche-pop with aplomb, style, energy, and ultra-sexydelivery.

How a label could pass on these demos instead of signing up one of the bestand brightest talents of the enormously fertile era is a murderous mystery worthyof cranky Nero Wolfe. "Phooey!" Wolfe might say, and history wouldback him. Rolled Gold is every bit the psych-pop classic GBV leader RobertPollard has repeatedly said it is, and man, does the finished, remastered versionblow away the dirtier, muddier bootleg we all had to make do with so long! Getthis action!