Album Reviews |

Mike Batt

The Penultimate Collection 7 ( 2020 )
Children Of The Sky / Bright Eyes / The Winds Of Change / Lady Of The Dawn / Railway Hotel / Imbecile / Please Don't Fall In Love / Love Makes You Crazy / A Winter's Tale / Soldier's Song / Better Than A Dream / Into The Sunset / The Closest Thing To Crazy / Voices In The Dark / Nine Million Bicycles / Caravan Song / Caravan Theme / I Feel Like Buddy Holly / The Ride To Agadir / Waiting For A Wave / Six Days In Berlin, Pt. 1 / Warsaw / Tarota / On Watership Down / The Fires Of Rabat / Summertime City / Your Mother Should Know / It's Only Pain / Tiger In The Night / Run Like The Wind / The Wombling Song / Minuetto Allegretto / The Orinico Kid / The Aspisdistra Suite - 2nd Movement / The Walls Of The World / The Vanishing

Mike Batt’s The Penultimate Collection released on June 26th, 2020.

Mike wrote a lot of great songs back in the day, whether my indie cool allows me to like Mike Batt I am not so sure. He wrote the songs for the Wombles TV series back here in the UK. I do then remember Mike Batt from my childhood and I am very glad to say I enjoy getting reacquainted with the songs here. I am surprised I am enjoying ‘Mike Batt The Penultimate Collection’ so much, having previously only known him for the Art Garfunkel hit ‘Bright Eyes’. “A Winter’s Tale” I also recognize, not sure why I do so - it must have been a hit. I just said aloud to myself that I am listening to Eric Bristow - I am sure he was a darts player and not Mike Batt. I would not want to listen to Eric Bristow sing.

Sudden thought, the voice of Mike Batt sounds like Bruce Johnston from The Beach Boys - just a little. What else can I do? Well, I am enjoying the album a fair bit and also enjoying the 80s sounding ‘Love Makes You Crazy’. What else can I do to complete this review? Well, ‘Love Makes You Crazy’ enjoyably sounds like UK synth pop star Howard Jones. What else? Will get back to you after deciding that Roger Chapman who sings ‘Imbecile’ sounds like a sheep. Good guitar throughout ‘Imbecile’ though. 

Opening track ‘Children Of The Sky’ is strong and this collection of Mike Batt tunes proves sturdy and features plenty of highlights and collaborations along the way. A last note to add regarding this enjoyable LP, Mike Batt has not only written music for The Wombles as you will now gather. We also know him for conducting the following orchestras - London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Sydney Symphony and Stuttgart Philharmonic. 



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