Recommended by
The Doughnut in Granny’s Greenhouse
Released
“The Bonzos” exist in a long and deep tradition of English nonsense that goes way back to Victorian music hall and before, and forward to the eccentrics of postpunk, rap and grime. But you don’t need to know that to appreciate the sheer joy of creation in this album. The composition of Viv Stanshall, Neil Innes and co is as musically advanced as it is lyrically complex — indeed this record with its fusion of jazz complexity, music hall quirks and psyche rock wig-outs is under appreciated as a cornerstone of prog. But it’s also fun all the way. Not merely wacky or quirky, but funny in a genuinely ebullient way, and full of tunes and sound effects that glow with the enjoyment of making sound in the moment.