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Reviews

Second Hand (The Moving Finger) — Reality
(Think Like a Key TLAK1159, 1968/2023, CD)

Second Hand — Death May Be Your Santa Claus
(Think Like a Key TLAK1159, 1971/2023, CD)

by Henry Schneider, Published 2024-09-03

Reality Cover artDeath May Be Your Santa Claus Cover art

Active between 1967 and 1971, the UK band Second Hand released two under-appreciated albums, Reality (1968) and Death May Be Your Santa Claus (1971). The original releases of these two albums have been long sought after by collectors. Though both albums have been reissued over the years, these 2023 editions have been meticulously remastered by the renowned Prof. Stoned. These two 50-year-old albums showcase an innovative approach to progressive rock through these young musicians’ no holds barred approach to music and studio trickery. Reality was recorded at a transformative turning point in popular music.  At that time the conventional song length was two to three minutes, to fit on a 7-inch single, and while many of the songs fell in this format, they pushed the envelope with a couple of six- to eight-minute tracks, taking a “kitchen sink” approach to production, including reversed tapes and Leslie speaker effects that greatly contributed to the lysergic atmosphere of Reality. And to quote Firesign Theatre, “What is reality?” Mixing blues rock with proto-prog, Reality does take a bit of investment to drag you into Second Hand’s world. The best tracks on the album are the somber “Mainliner,” the excellent title track, and the bonus track “I Am Nearly There.”

In contrast, Death May Be Your Santa Claus continues their story telling, but with a more coherent and darker sound. This album was conceived as a soundtrack to Frankie Dymon’s surreal nihilistic 1969 movie short of the same name. The album is a fusion of various styles ranging from funky prog jazz to the surreal, propelled by Ken Elliott’s keyboard prowess ala Keith Emerson, George Hart’s bass, and Kieran O’Connor’s drums. Now the majority of the tracks are longer than two to three minutes, plus the second side of the album is one long track, broken into several shorter pieces. There is a Biblical theme running through the album concerning Lucifer and God’s wrath. Vocals are exceptionally raw on their second album, along Hammond organ and Mellotron, especially on “Lucifer and the Egg,” and the side two opus “Cyclops,” “Sic Transit Gloria Mundi,” “Revelations Ch 16 vs 9 - 21,” “Take to the Skies,” and the reprise of the title track. The bonus track that closes the album, “Baby R U Anudder Monster?” is a wild and crazy experimental track that mixes surreal psych with carnival music and forced evil sounding vocals. These two reissues are the first time these two albums have been released in the US and are highly recommended for anyone with an appreciation for experimental musical storytelling.

Filed under: Reissues, 2023 releases, 1968 recordings, 1971 recordings

Related artist(s): Second Hand / Chillum

 

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