Sorry I can't provide the cover image, but my copy doesn't have one!

Described as "three blokes, two haircuts and a lot of noise", Mother Goose are one of the strangest bands currently at large. Their gigs tend to involve dressing as women with VERY silly hats, and generally end with the application of a power drill to an electric guitar. While it's plugged in. Delightful. Something like Status Quo picking a fight with Faust in a transvestite club, as portrayed by Monty Python.

Their album, however, shows a wonderful degree of diversity and, indeed, quality musicianship. The trademark insanity is there - "Put That Haddock Down, Malcolm", conspiracy theorists' dream "Neil Armstrong" and the epic (!) "Bink!" And that's without bassist Dr. Tipper's between-song plummy Stanshallisms.

However, songs like "Mary", "Dark Playground" (a Peel favourite) and "Hats Off To Brucie" show an altogether different side to the band, sometimes wistful, sometimes folky, and tinged with melancholy.

The finest moment, though, has to be "Lightswitch Song". The protagonist finds that his bedroom switch won't work, and due to his lack of expertise he can't fix it. Subsequently, everything else in his life goes equally pear-shaped, until he finds himself in a Syd Barrett-like netherworld. And what happens after that? I've had this album for four years and I'm stll not sure!

Heartily recommended.

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