Second BBCi Review of The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan

The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan

Say what you like about Gilbert O'Sullivan but he's given us one of the great pop moments in history. I'm not talking about his flat cap but the dance routine performed by Pan's People as they wagged fingers at dogs during Get Down. Ah, memories of Babs on Top of the Pops!

Gilbert was never trendy but you have to admit he dished up enough hummable tunes in his time. He was recognised with a number of Ivor Novello awards.

It's the first half of this album that'll be most familiar. Nothing Rhymed, Alone Again (Naturally) and Clair (which pre-dated that vomit-inducing kiddie revelation later used by Brotherhood of Man on Save Your Kisses For Me) are all present and correct.

As this is the first time EMI and Gilbert have teamed up to throw all his works onto a greatest hits, the author might be disappointed there's little from more recent years.

So What from 1990 does make it, however. That was the track he released on white label, without mention of his name. It fooled the music biz and record buying public just as The Alarm has recently done.

That there aren't more contributions from albums like In the Key of G, which had some more than decent tracks on it, is disappointing.

And there's no Christmas Song - a terrible omission.

The Berry Vest of is released on EMI. 3/5