Label: RCA
Year of Release: 1969
The Spectrum are starting to pick up a bit of love from sixties pop-pickers these days, who are recognising that while they never really did try very hard to pass the electric lemonade test, they still produced some strong pop singles. For my money, the previously featured "Heading for A Heatwave" is a high water mark, and indeed it did manage to sell in huge quantities in Spain.
This particular disc of theirs attracts a lot of interest for its vaguely unorthodox flip side "Nodnol", one of those peculiar late sixties tracks that is clearly inspired by the sailed ship of psychedelia but also pre-empts some of the oncoming noises of seventies glam. Those stomping, tumbling drums, fey cockney vocals (in the chorus, at least) and thudding piano lines are clearly beckoning in the new era.
The actual A-side "Glory" is a piece of optimistic pop (poptimism?) which tries to lift the listener's spirits with its gospel chorus. Somehow though, for my money it doesn't really sound raw or passionate enough to quite do the job.
For most of their career The Spectrum consisted of Tony Atkins on lead guitar, Bill Chambers on organ, Colin Forsey on vocals, Keith Forsey on drums and Tony Judd on bass. Keith Forsey went on to write "Flashdance (What A Feeling)" and "(Don't You) Forget About Me", besides acting as sticksman on Donna Summer's "I Feel Love". Now that, my friends, is a career most drummers could only dream of.
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