V.A. - The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 1+2

Gaiety Records was a Canadian label that operates out of Winnipeg/Manitoba. These two CD's bring together mainly garage and psych bands of the late '60s/early '70s. Both releases have their hi's and their lo's and a better idea should have been a best of all on one CD. The first volume of this set (Pacemaker PACE 020 / 2000) starts with two promising garage rockers from The Checkerlads. The remaining three tracks of this Regina/Saskatchewan band are rather ordinary pop-songs. The two singles of The White Knights are rather disappointing and their later incarnation Tomorrow's Keepsake don't do much better. The thumbs go up on The Plague (if you ignore the very uninteresting "We Were Meant To Be"), whose excellent "Face Of Time" was previously compiled on Psychedelic Disaster Whirl and 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall. Lexington Avenue's five songs are not all wholly satisfying but if you like the sounds of The Strawberry Alarm Clock or The American Revolution than you will be pleased with "Bird Collector" and "Wendy Taylor" at least. Also included is the last release of the Merriday Park (on the CD erroneously labeled as NRG, a moniker the band only used for one single), whose "It All Comes Back To Me" is a pretty strong song. The CD closes with the only 45 of Geralton/Ontario's Solid Reputation and both songs are recommended if you like "end-of-decade" psych-rock. "The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 2" (Pacemaker PACE 044 / 2003) contains most of the aforementioned groups and kicks-off with an acceptable version of "Searchin" by The Plague. Too bad their other two songs are eminently forgettable. One of the highlights are the two unreleased Solid Reputation tracks. "Lies" is an excellent psychedelic song and "Nature's Love" a pretty straight forward rocker. Forget the two Checkerlads songs and skip to Dewline's "If You Can Dig It", a real fine garage tune. Lexington Avenue's "Farmer John" is not a bad version and I know I've dissed Tomorrow's Keepsake before, but "Elevator Operator" is classic psych-pop à la Birmingham Sunday. The totally unknown Flying Colours had a catchy name but after hearing their two songs it's no wonder that nobody cares where they come from. The Merriday Park (aka NRG) is represented here with seven songs, two of them are well worth hearing. "My Shady Friend" is a cool psych-rocker but it's "Magic Man" that turns out to be their best song. Hiding on the flip-side of their only single they've made as NRG this is excellent psych-pop, very cool and very english. Finally the two 45's of The Portland Street South found its way on a compilation (the fine "Baby Get Out" was previously compiled on the Magic Cube). Very pleasant psychedelic-pop but don't wonder when you hear "Set Me Free", there's a short beep after 42 seconds.
I found volume 1 years ago in cyberspace and volume 2 is my own rip and comes with full artwork.

Tracklist:
[The Gaiety Records Story]
1. Checkerlads - Shake Yourself Down; 2. Checkerlads - Baby Send For Me; 3. Checkerlads - You Just Can't Hide; 4. Checkerlads - The Dreamer; 5. Checkerlads - Behind Ev'ry Man; 6. White Knights - Love That's True; 7. White Knights - Promise Her Love; 8. White Knights - There She Goes; 9. White Knights - Run, Run, Baby; 10. Tomorrow's Keepsake - High And Mighty; 11. Tomorrow's Keepsake - Eat Your Hot Dog Boy; 12. Plague - The Face Of Time; 13. Plague - Love And Obey; 14. Plague - We Were Meant To Be; 15. Plague - High Flyin' Bird; 16. Lexington Avenue - Bird Collector; 17. Lexington Avenue - Sound The Alarm; 18. Lexington Avenue - Wendy Taylor; 19. Lexington Avenue - Flowing Kind Of Feeling; 20. Lexington Avenue - Good To Me; 21. Merriday Park - Take Me Back Home; 22. Merriday Park - It All Comes Back To Me; 23. Solid Reputation - Brown Eyed Girl; 24. Solid Reputation - Things.

[The Gaiety Records Story Vol. 2]
1. Plague - Searchin'; 2. Plague - World Of Dreams; 3. Plague - Only In America; 4. Solid Reputation - Lies; 5. Solid Reputation - Nature's Love; 6. Checkerlads - So Much In Love With You; 7. Checkerlads - My Time Is Comin'; 8. Dewline - If You Can Dig It; 9. Dewline - Ode To A Cucumber, A Berry And A Flower; 10. Lexington Avenue - Farmer John; 11. Tomorrow's Keepsake - Elevator Operator; 12. Flying Colours - Yours Until Tomorrow; 13. Flying Colours - That's The Tune; 14. Merriday Park - Route 66; 15. NRG - To Be Back Home; 16. Merriday Park - I Brought My Love With Me; 17. NRG - The Magic Man; 18. Merriday Park - Witchcraft; 19. Merriday Park - My Shady Friend; 20. Merriday Park - Towns And Villages; 21. Portland Street South - Baby Get Out; 22. Portland Street South - You've Been Running So Long; 23. Portland Street South - Set Me Free; 24. Portland Street South - Love (I'll Never Let You Go).

Get Volume 1 here and Volume 2 there (Artwork included)