Review: After emerging from Mike Sheridan and The Night Riders, Birmingham's The Idle Race sought a new guitarist in late 1966 and decided to hire local teenager Jeff Lynne. By the time they signed with Liberty Records, Lynne, younger than his bandmates, had become the frontman and showcased his talents as the chief songwriter and lead vocalist. Their debut album, The Birthday Party, came in October 1968 and combined Beatles-esque melodies with surreal, ambitious British pop and duly received critical acclaim. Despite this, it didn't sell well due to Liberty's decision not to release a supporting single but it is now recognised as a classic so gets reissued on nice heavy vinyl complete with a 24-page booklet of rare photos and a new essay.
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