I am a sucker for early to mid 70’s pop music and Jigsaw fall into this category with a delightful set of songs that are completely infectious and sweet enough to make your teeth hurt!
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Jigsaw
ALBUM: Sky High
LABEL: Splash Records
SERIAL: 17292649
YEAR: 1975
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Des Dyer – lead vocals, drums, percussion * Clive Scott – organ, piano, vocals * Tony Campbell – guitars * Barrie Bernard – bass
TRACK LISTING: 01 Sky High * 02 While You Wait * 03 Lost And Found * 04 Stop The Show * 05 I Thank You * 06 Tell Me Why * 07 Back Again * 08 Call Collect * 09 In Between The Loving * 10 Mystic Harmony * 11 Baby Don’t Do It * 12 One Step To Far
WEBLINKS: Wikipedia Page
Background
To set the record straight, there were three bands calling themselves Jigsaw in the early 70’s. A Dutch group, an Australian group and the British group who as it happens had two Australian members and are the Jigsaw we’re covering here. The roots of this band go way back to the late 1960’s.
Jigsaw released a few psychedelic singles including the wonderfully twisted titled ‘Lollipop and Goodie Man’ and even had a brief association with The Beatles‘ Apple Records, but didn’t release their first album until 1974 with ‘I’ve Seen the Film, I’ve Read the Book’. It wasn’t until the release of their third album ‘Sky High’ that Jigsaw received the international attention they so richly deserved.
The Songs
First of all, I am a sucker for early to mid 70’s pop music. I am not talking soul or California country pop here but the sounds of Pilot, First Class, Hello, David Essex and the like, pre-punk pop music with no pretensions or political awareness, just fun listening to escape into a feel good about long after the final song is over.
Jigsaw fall into this category with a delightful set of songs that are completely infectious and sweet enough to make your teeth hurt! The title track of course was a major hit single and ‘Sky High’ can still be heard on radio stations around the world. It’s stood the test of time with its catchy hook and that oh-so-70’s orchestration that sets it apart from much of what was happening at the time.
In fact the entire album is drenched in silky orchestra sounds and yes, at times it does get a little sappy lyrically on ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘Back Again’ but it’s so wonderfully done, resisting is useless. They rock too, yes a bit softer than most, but check out that chunky bass on ‘Tell Me Why’. Good!
In Summary
‘Sky High’ is one of my favourite albums and definitely a record I’d take on a deserted island. It’s available on CD in Japan as is most of their catalog both in the standard jewel case and more recently in the mini-LP. For fans of the golden age of AM pop, ‘Sky High’ is a must have and one of the best albums of the era.
Video
Entire Album
