Angel Air continue their mining of the recently deceased John Du Cann's catalogue with two discs, originally released on Purple Records, that visit his post Atomic Rooster (the first time!) days and his all too short collaboration with future Roxy Music and Gillan man John Gustafson and ex-Rooster drummer Paul Hammond. "Bulletproof", initially released in 1972, is very much of it's time and never manages to consistently challenge the level Atomic Rooster had reached. A scattergun approach style-wise sees rough opener "Jay Time" and the unfinished sounding "The Provider - Part One" poor bookends to eight other tracks of which the Gustafson, Gillan and Glover co-write "Monster In Paradise", the rip-roaring "Millionaire and the excellent heavy rocker "Sinister Minister" really impress with much of the other material enjoyable, especially Du Cann's guitar work, but falling a bit into the "has it moments but ultimately unmemorable" category.

The following years "Bolex Dementia" is a more accomplished and impressive offering. "Roll A Rocket", "Ragman" and "Jumpin' Thumpin" all catch the attention boasting a bit of Slade-like early 70's stomp whilst the variety evident on the first album is still apparent but overall the standard is just higher. Really it's only the experimental sounding title track - a slightly more tuneful "Revolution 9" is the phrase that sticks in my mind - that fails to hit the spot. As with the "Bulletproof" release a couple of bonus tracks are added but the "classic album" tag that the label give each release is being a bit kind I feel. Any student of early 70s rock is going to find something of interest on these discs as there are plenty of examples of just why John Du Cann's legacy is worth investigation, just don't expect to discover two albums chock full of lost gems.


Bill Leslie