Judge Smith - 2023 - Mr. McKilowatts Dances

(52:26: Masters of Art)

Although Judge Smith is probably fed up with every reviewer starting their piece by saying he was a founder member of VDGG it would be wrong of me to omit it, even though I have come to him through his recent releases, of which this may just be the best yet. According to the blurb, this album was recorded by “The Weird ‘O’s Novelty Quartet’, comprising the multi-instrumentalists O’ Henry (Ondioline), O’ Brian (Farfisa Organ), O’ Neill (Xylophone, Marimba & Vibraphone), and O’ Clare (Theremin & Percussion), together with their special guest, the irrepressible Mr McKilowatts, controversial exponent of ‘Neolithic Wild-Dance’ and notable for having been banned from folk-dance festivals on three continents.”. There is even a picture of each of these renowned musicians, but for some strange reason they are all taken from the rear, and they all look exactly like a certain Judge…

25 instrumentals, all with a sound which was already out of date by the mid Sixties, there is no way this should work. In some ways it is almost infantile, so basic, but there is actually something incredibly compelling about this set of pieces which are conceived for themes of radio programs which were never developed, existing solely in Judge’s mind. The first time I played this I wondered what I had got myself into, as it is almost childish, but then I realised I was revelling in its innocence, its naivety and the feeling of a time gone by. It feels very British indeed, and I wonder if one has to be of a certain age and background to fully appreciate this, but if The Goons were around today then this is the style of music we would want alongside it. Some may well dismiss this out of hand, but this is something to be cherished and loved, and one can never have enough Theremin, surely? That Judge is able to grab our attention and keep it with a series of songs where not one lasts 2:30 minutes, and somehow brings in Canterbury and the Light Programme is nothing short of amazing. I dare you to listen to this and not fall deeply inside the world of Mr. Kilowatt and his merry band.

Kev Rowland, May 2024

Links:
https://www.judge-smith.com/