Kensington Market - Avenue Road (1968)

Το όνομά τους το πήραν από μία γειτονική περιοχή του Yorkville Village στον Καναδά. Τους ανακάλυψε το 1967 σε κάποια μπαράκια του Village ο Bernie Finkelstein (βοήθησε τους The Paupers) ενώ μόλις έγινε η διάλυση των Luke And The Apostles, ο Luke Gibson ανέλαβε τα φωνητικά στο γκρουπ. Το 68 έκαναν το soundtrack μίας ταινίας με τίτλο "The Ernie Game" ενώ την ίδια χρονιά κυκλοφόρησαν το 'Avenue Road'. Την επόμενη χρονιά διαλύθηκαν, με άλλους να συνεχίζουν σόλο καριέρες και άλλους να φεύγουν από τον μάταιο αυτό κόσμο (Alex Darou πέθανε το 1970).
Περισσότερες πληροφορίες αλλά και τις φωτό που ανέβασα μπορείτε να διαβάσετε εδώ http://www.nickwarburton.com/wordpress/?cat=5 Στο σαιτ θα βρείτε και ένα κομματάκι που κατέβασα και εβαλα σαν μπόνους το οποίο δεν υπάρχει ούτε στο δεύτερο δίσκο τους.
Ο δίσκος είναι γενικά ευχάριστος με καλύτερη του στιγμή κατά την γνώμη μου το πραγματικά εξαίσιο Speaking of Dreams. Προσωπικά με αγγίζει περισσότερο ο δεύτερος τους δίσκος που νομίζω πως είναι ποιοτικότερος. Κρίνω επίσης υπερβολική την φιλοδοξία που διάβασα παρακάτω ότι λογίστηκαν ως η απάντηση των Καναδών στους Airplane. Μα καταρχήν είχαν άλλο ύφος. Νομίζω ότι προσέγγισαν περισσότερο τα Βρετανικά πρότυπα. Αυτή την φιλοδοξία μάλλον άλλοι πήγαν να τους την κόλλησαν διότι σύμφωνα με όσα διάβασα, μου φάνηκαν μετρημένα παιδιά. Όπως έχω γράψει παλιότερα, ο Καναδάς σπάνια μας απογοήτευσε.


Personnel:
ALEX DAROU bs A B
GENE MARTYNEC vcls, gtr, piano A B
KEITH McKIE gtr, vcls A B
JIMMY WATSON drms A B
LUKE GIBSON vcls B
JOHN MILLS-COCKELL keyb

ALBUMS:
1(B) KENSINGTON MARKET, AVENUE ROAD (Warner Bros WS 1754) 1968
2(B) AARDVARK (Warner Bros WS 1780) 1969 SC
NB: (1) was released with two different covers.

45s:
1 Mr. John/Kensington Market (Stone 714) 1967 76
2 I Would Be The One/Bobby's Birthday (Stone 721) 1967 -
3 I Would Be The One/Speaking Of Dreams (Warner Bros 7221) 1968 59
4 Witch's Stone/Side I Am (Warner Bros 7265) 1968 -
5 Help Me/Half Closed Eyes (Warner Bros 6061) 1969 -

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, (they were named after a downtown neighbourhood there), their first 45 was rather punkish but most of their material is in the pop/rock mould. Of both albums, Aardvark is definitely the superior one. The group mixed many clearly Canadian sounds and arrangements into a sometime psych-pop, sometime folk, sometime Cream-acid-rock format which was always entertaining. The first album, Avenue Road, was definitely more poppy and less representative of their live concerts. In Canada (or at least in Toronto), Kensington Market were considered Canada's answer to the Jefferson Airplane. Shades of progressive rock start creeping in on Aardvark's last piece, Dorian (co-written with Pappalardi), where odd, post-psychedelic chords strode alongside an acid/R'n'B rave-up section.
After the group split up in 1969 (barely after the release of their second album), bassist Alex Darou retreated to his apartment, not answering anyone's calls. Known for his bouts of depression, the other band members broke down his door to find him dead from malnutrition. It is assumed he was fasting, and went too far.
Gibson had earlier played with Luke and The Apostles and joined in 1967. He went on to form The Luke Gibson Band and recorded for True North records, a label created by Bernie Finkelstein, who was also Kensington Market's manager. His album was produced by ex-band-member Gene Martynec, who'd become a regular producer for the label. In November 1972 he was considered for the vocal spot in Seatrain. Martynec later played with Silver Tractors and went on to do session and production work.
Kensington Market's albums have been likened to The Beau Brummels - pleasant melodic pop/rock. They were produced by Felix Pappalardi of Mountain fame. Jimmy Watson was a cousin of Van Morrison. They also secured a couple of Canadian hits.
(Vernon Joynson/GB)

Tracks:
1 I Would Be the One
2 Speaking of Dreams
3 Colour Her Sunshine
4 Phoebe
5 Aunt Violet's Knee
6 Coming Home Soon
7 Presenting Myself Lightly
8 Looking Glass
9 Beatrice
10 Girl Is Young

Bonus:
Bobby’s Bithrday

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