UK band Kid Gloves are a real treat for anyone, like yours truly, into post-Beatles pop with a touch of bubblegum.
Written by: Eric
ARTIST: Kid Gloves
ALBUM: Kid Gloves
LABEL: Buddah Records
SERIAL: BDS 5124
YEAR: 1972
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England
LINEUP: Tom Parker – keyboards * Gary Taylor – bass, vocals * Andy Steele – drums * Davey Pattison – lead vocals
TRACK LISTING: 01 Let Him Sing His Song * 02 My Friend John * 03 A Little More Peace * 04 She’s A Lady * 05 Coming Back Too Soon * 06 Spilt Milk * 07 Talking In A Field * 08 Funny * 09 Love And Not Money * 10 And
Background
Released on Neil Bogart’s Buddah imprint, best known for its promotion of sticky sweet bubblegum bands The Lemon Pipers and Ohio Express.
Kid Gloves hailed from the UK and featured future Gamma vocalist Davey Pattison, ex-The Herd Gary Taylor and Andy Steele as well as keyboard player Tom Parker, the mastermind behind the classical pop band Apollo 100 who had a top ten hit with their cover of Bach’s ‘Joy (Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring)’.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think this album ever charted and in the early 80’s copies could still be found in cut-out bins on a regular basis which is how I scored mine.
The Songs
Kid Gloves are a real treat for anyone, like yours truly, into post-Beatles pop with a touch of bubblegum. The album is all over the place stylistically from Badfinger inspired ballads and bluesy rockers to innocent orchestral pop gelling together quite nicely with one exception.
‘Let Him Sing His Song (John Stewart’s Song)’ taking a wild guess is about the former Kingston Trio recently deceased folk singer John Stewart who some of you might remember from his 1979 hit with Stevie Nicks – ‘Gold’. What their relationship was and why open the album off with a folk protest song is a mystery, but I’m sure they had their reasons however misguided they might have been.
Thank god there was no more of that and from here the A side gets much better with the plaintive piano ballad ‘My Friend John’, the Badfinger styled ‘A Little More Peace’ and the dandy ‘She’s A Lady (Sunderland Nell)’ which reminds me a lot of The Flying Machine and their remarkable 1970 album with a dash of Paul McCartney.
Brilliant! Side two offers up even more delights with the Procol Harum inspired ‘Spilt Milk’, the gorgeous soft pop of ‘Funny’ and the album’s closer ‘And’ which sounds like early Elton John or better yet, the first Pilot album. Featuring Tom Parker’s classical keys and spot on orchestral arrangements, this track is a stunner and I’m in pop heaven every time I play it.
In Summary
Following Kid Gloves, Davey Pattison languished in obscurity until Bill Graham brought him to California and dropped him at the doorstep of Ronnie Montrose and Gamma. Gary Taylor returned to session work appearing on several albums in both the pop and jazz fields although Andy Steele passed away a few years ago.
Tom Parker? Not a clue where he is or what he did after Kid Gloves, but he deserved wider recognition beyond his one hit wonder status with Apollo 100 and this record.
