Gets progressively more annoying.
Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake is the third studio album, and only concept album by the English rock band Small Faces. Released on 24 May 1968, the LP peaked at number one on the UK Album Charts on 29 June, where it remained for a total of six weeks. It ultimately became the group's final studio album during their original incarnation (and the last album to contain solely new material until the release of reunion album Playmates in 1977). The album title and distinctive packaging design was a parody of Ogden's Nut-brown Flake, a brand of tinned loose tobacco that was produced in Liverpool from 1899 onwards by Thomas Ogden.
Gets progressively more annoying.
man, that was amazing. super cool, especially for 1968
The front half (or the first side of the album) stands up as some really great psychedelia from the 60s and the second half delves into a more progressive rock format with several songs coming together to make a long "medley" and tell a story. Using a bit of backwards logic, the front half has a bit of a Tame Impala sound, only except some of the mix isn't as perfect as other contemporary artists and artists of the 60s. Personally, I think there's a lot of heart to this album, and I will be coming back to this on a regular basis. Highlights: 1, 2, 5, and 6 (and 7-12 for those who want a combination of Yes and 13th Floor Elevators). Right after I wrote this, I went into the stereo versions. I should have started with them in hindsight, but sometimes mono can be cool for older stuff. I was already going to rate this a five, but I can't wait to listen through it again.
Truly terrible. It's like Pink Floyd meets Monty Python.
This is my fucking shit Such s fun concept for the second half; incredibly both vocally and instrumentally; timeless classic
Reminded me a lot of The Beatles in that quirky way. Very British sounding. Perfectly pleasant, if a bit odd, background music.
Surprisingly good. Definitely not something I would have searched out on my own.
I really enjoyed the album. I'm a sucker for weird psychedelic experimentation. However, this album is probably one of the weaker psychedelic albums I've heard. I got strong AiW vibes from the album, especially with the narrator coming in and out on the second side. It opened strongly with the title track. Nice transition from Afterglow to Long Agos and Worlds Apart. My favorite tracks are Long Agos and Worlds Apart, Lazy Sunday, and Journey. Would definitely trip to this.
Good... It was a bit much at times though. I think the wackiness sometimes surpassed the actual quality of the music, and relied too heavily on Unwin's unintelligible narration for the second half. Enjoyable and fun - just not great
Great first track.
Weird but good. Trippy
Probably not something I'll revisit, but also surprised at how much I'm enjoying it.
Side B was REALLY something!
What a deeply weird record! This was a really fun album to listen to, especially following a fairly safe outing like Urban Hymns. I have to admire an artist that goes out of their way to make something so strange with such commitment. And it wouldn't work if they didn't have the songs and musicianship to match. Lost half a point because I found the narration on side two kind of grating as it wore on. 3.5/5 Favourite tracks: "Afterglow" and "Lazy Afternoon"
Really enjoyed this one! Definitely on the ‘to buy’ list now! Love a bit of psychedelic rock! Mad for it!
The album starts off okay, a reasonably decent instrumental to kick us off followed by Afterglow (Of Your Love) which is great. The next track is filler, feels a lot longer than two and a half minutes (partially because it does that thing where it fades out and fades back in again). Then Rene, a song about a prostitute at the docks which if you'd told me was from a Monty Python sketch I would've 100% believed you... at least until it spends a couple of minutes at the end in a long, drawn out, instrumental finish. Song of a Baker is better, great guitar in this. Lazy Sunday is next, this is the one that is miles ahead in the Spotify listening numbers, but it's like Madness trying to do prog rock. Kinda catchy, but not great. Then we change tack completely. I had a quick google and this is the other side of the album, which I guess gives them an excuse for a stylistic change. Lots of narration, and the worst of prog rock weirdness. It's a gibberish fairy tale about someone looking for the other half of the moon, consulting a fly and a tramp. There's the odd interesting instrumental bit, but it's 50% narrative and just strange. Just about squeaks a 2 for me on the strength of the first couple of tracks.
An all time classic. Still as good as it used to be.
Never heard this 60’s psychedelic album, I was missing out.
I cannot believe this band has existed for 50 years and I never heard them. This belongs up there with any of the baroque pop that was being produced in the 60s.
Never listened to this in its entirety before. I should have done. It's brilliant.
So good, could've been released yesterday and I wouldn't have known the difference (except for the wild stereo mix which I love to hear in albums of this time). Heaps of comedic writing, doesn't take it's self too seriously and the loose concept is engaging.
One of the best albums ever. One of the best intros ever and Stanley Unwin's narration makes the whole second half a joy. Every track is a summery classic, and Steve Marriott is an amazing frontman - I love singing in a natural accent. I loved it before, and listening today I love it even more.
holy shit, every song is a 10/10 honestly, this album is too good for this 5 star scale, jesus christ, I love this
A brilliantly innovative album.
When I’d listened to this before I’d thought it was unbearably twee but it’s actually pretty rough around the edges Works brilliantly as a cohesive body and was fantastic start to finish
What a fun album The poetry was a trip, the music vintage Small Faces
This is very much my shit and I don't know why I hadn't heard it before (beyond a couple of well-known tracks).
Are you all sitting comftybold two square on your botty? Then I'll begin... God bless Stanley Unwin. I had a strong free association urge to go listen to Nilsson's The Point after this finished. So I did.
How the hell do I not know about this band? This is great. I was going to go on about how the band, and the drummer in particular, had some influence by The Who (and in a good way), then I read that the drummer is Kenney Jones, who replaced Keith Moon after he died (they were apparently at the same party that Moon died after). But, what a wild ride. Love the music, playing, singing, hilarious interstitials. I'm going to dig into this band. Somehow they missed the boat of the British Invasion. Too bad. This is good stuff.
A great album of storytelling that uses many musical elements.
How has this album almost been lost in musical history, but so many of its peers are still revered. This is absolutely amazing and should be a standard of the style of the time. Before listening to this album I honestly only knew the single, and that's by far the worst song on the album.
A classic record from the Small Faces and I'm glad I own a vinyl copy. Apart from the narrator cutting in and out of the music, the music is excellent and though there are only a couple minor hits on it, it's consistently solid with strong songs. I must hear or at least, must see, as the album jacket is very cool!
Just a lot of fun honestly, every song on this album was a great listen. Not to be all, "I was born in the wrong generation," but could you imagine an album like this being released today, with just people talking nonsense over half the songs? I couldn't
I thought this would be more dusty 60s rock that is only relevant as a step in the development of the genre, but the album actually holds up very well. To me, it illustrates the transition between stuff like the Beatles and 70s hard rock with its more involved guitar melodies. And "Lazy Sunday" is one of the absolute classics from the era.
wildddd I love it. Sounds like an acid trip
What a fun album! Interesting music and an early stab at a concept album.
Enjoyed Awesome
Weirdest thing I think I’ve ever heard in this genre. Loved the weird guy telling stories between songs. Felt like listening to Lydia telling a story or a Spag Cool guitar fx and riffage Giving 5 cos my mind is melted Recognised the neighbours song
Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake not only showcases the Small Faces' underappreciated brilliance but also serves as an inspirational precursor to bands like Blur and The Jam. Often dismissed as a novelty album, it defies expectations with stellar R&B tracks like Rolling Over. Stanley Unwin's narration adds a whimsical charm, setting the stage for the creative storytelling seen in later acts. This album, and the Small Faces as a whole, deserve recognition for their innovative sound, paving the way for the musical influences felt by subsequent bands in the British music scene. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 6 STAND OUT TRACK - Afterglow (Of Your Love)
Rip Bert, released from his lumbago at last.
Never heard of these guys before, but this album is right up my alley. In terms of folky, British psychedelic rock this is at the top of the game. It doesn't suffer from the common psychedelic music issue of jarring dissonance and comes with a whimsy all it's own. The narration on the second half is a gem in itself. A true shame the lyrics to this album aren't available on Spotify.
Loved the bass on this one
this is an album i have grown to love over the years. i didn't like it at first - it's one of those albums that people rave about but i think the goofy second half really gets to people, me included. i'm still not a fan of the narrator, but if you can get past him, it truly is a great psychedelic rock album that has some really killer songs and sounds great to this day. high energy, great riffs, just an all around great album. not to mention, the title track into 'afterglow' is a truly killer one-two punch to open an album. the small faces really fit my musical sensibility so this one is definitely up there for me.
Enjoyed the second half more than the first. Really weird spoken word portions but enjoyable
Skoent 60 tals lir
Tres bon ! J’aime le style et les chansons sont diversife en gardant une bonne ligne directrice 4*
This is actually a very playful and lovely record. First disc is just ok 60s rock, but Big fan of Disc 2 and the Tale of Happiness Stan.
3.9/5 Great classic rocks vibes and music. I could buy this album
The album has genuine moments of grandeur and inventiveness; however, it is held back by the random asides of the story it is trying to tell. Also, every now and then the cockney accents are a bit too much to stomach. All of these issues though are overshadowed by the overshadowing of the Stereo mix and creativity of the actual songs.
Prog rock and then some. A step below the Pink Floyd's and Who's of the world.
Title track fucking rocks This album has some dull spots but it is psychedelic as hell, too much narration though :/
Good early psycadelic rock album. FW it
I enjoyed this. Way more than I initially thought. The 60s sound wild
Was a bit weird, but near the end there were these stories that I really liked hearing! The diction and rhetoric they used were crazy and it seemed to have some flow but I didn't track it all that well. I'll have to listen again to understand!
Rock psicodélico sesentero. En algunas canciones recuerda a los Beatles.
Fun album from a band I've never heard before. Psychedelic Hobbiton folk rock? Why not.
Surprisingly good, extremely British. Some jams in here! Too many sketches for my liking.
Really enjoyed this one, especially the first side and the first track. 4*
Ok, it was a good album. It’s was mellow and felt. I could listen to some of these songs again.
Pretty good, I liked it
A playful and warm psychedelic journey. I really enjoy this sort of thing.
I like the general vibe, the basslines are tasty. I like the concept album format. The songs that veered into psychedelia were my favorite, in particular "The Journey."
Such a great sound, the drums, the bass, its so cool. A psychedelic experimentation, but sonically not as polished as others of the time. 4/5 - Already have it on vinyl (mainly due to the cool cover)
Very good and way ahead of its time, though the whole fairy tale/nonsense dialog elements of the last half just muddled the B side for me.
Not bad, but hard to find
Rating: 7/10 Best songs:
Dobra psihodelija (prva strana albuma) u kombinaciji pozitive i spoken worda (cijela druga strana albuma) - jako simpatična priča, bajka, to mi je i presudilo za ocjenu. Volim kad u albumima ima nekakav koncept - kao ovdje u drugom dijelu albuma, ali naravno ne smijem izostaviti prvi dio jer je također isto dobar. Glas koji priča, taj govornik ima dobar glas, kao da slušam nekakvu priču iz crtića kad sam bio mali na kazeti, ali je na engleskom.
Further proof that back in the day, Itchycoo Park had the best drugs.
Really fun and heartfelt rock/spoken word stuff. The opening track was the perfect start to this album, I loved it!
Interesting .. especially side 2
Love me some 60s psychedelic rock 4.5/5
Beatles vibes
Это какая-то история. Нихуя не понял, но очень интересно.
I enjoyed this album. I can see how it influenced psychedelic rock.
Funky title, funky band. A bit special really. Bet deep down Blur would have swapped everything they ever did to have released something this original.
chique
Brilliant opening track. There's strong work on the rest of the album. Many reviews here suggest Python connections with the narration and themes of the music - we should realise that this album was recorded (should one say compiled?) well over a year before Python was first broadcast. Python were Oxbridge - small faces came from East London and the language and cadence of the narration are, while clearly not being Polari, are very much Polari-esque and steeped in music halls the Pythons would absolutely not have known, except by academic interest. The album is definitely worth a listen, and whilst undeniably a concept album, has enough great music to be worth dipping into again. Not faultless, the novelty aspect of it won't reward repeat plays in full, nonetheless I'd say a solid 4/5.
Nut indeed… also a fairly eclectic range of psychedelia covered on this LP. This week’s word is ”eclectic”
De va håårt man….. på någo sätt påminde de mig om gamla dagar….
Yeah this was good.
What was that?
I haven't listened to this album in many years. I bought it in my late teens, during a psychedelic phase. I preferred (then) side 2, with its interstitial tale of Happiness Stan and more whimsical songs. Listening to it now, I prefer the tougher side 1, which is (I think) a more transitional piece between the Small Faces and the bands to follow (Faces, and Humble Pie). This will definitely be getting more play from me.
Crazy album! I actually really liked it. Very cool psychedelic rock experience. The narration between tracks is a bit bizarre, but that only adds to the wild experience.
En tant qu’amateur de rock progressif et de psychédélique, je ne peux que me réjouir de découvrir cet album. On entend bien, par exemple, ce que « Supper’s Ready » doit à « Happiness Stan ». Les Petites Faces n’ont pas la finesse de Genesis, mais c’est bien correct comme ça.
The first disc was forgettable. Nothing special, just regular psychedelic-ish rock. The only good song on that half was "Lazy Sunday". The second disc absolutely saves the entire album and carries it to a 4/5 for me. I love stupid concepts and a guy riding a giant fly to locate the other half of the moon is something I can get behind. It was strangely nostalgic and reminded me of old fairy tales (something they were probably going for). Best songs: "Lazy Sunday", "Happiness Stan", "Mad John", "HappyDaysToyTown".
Great, but slightly mad.
was a bit annoyed with the voicing at first but towards the ongoing album it became quite endearing including the narration elements
Groovy stuff
Ah, the psychedelic 60s. An extra star for the poetic ballad on side 2
yes!
What the hell is he talking about
Briish af, stupid but good
It was wierd but good
Enjoyed it.
Very modern sounding for the sixties, the recordings are good and jolly. A nice album by the Small Faces.
So 60s it would sound like a parody if it came out now. The whole second half, with weird narration and short songs, showed a whole different way of making an album.
Obviously, a weird album but great musicality and tone
Surprising. Trippy vibe not too far from Tame Impala.
The first half of the album felt like store-brand Kinks to me, but I warmed up to it once the "Unwinese" narration started. Quite enjoyable overall! Fave track - apart from the narration bits, "Lazy Sunday" is quite fun.
That was a pretty fun listen, the opening track was impressive by just how 'big' the sound was. For an album recorded in 1968 it had a feel of something more (relatively) modern but with a good dose of swinging 60s spirit