Alvin Lee and Company

Alvin Lee and Company is the third compilation album by Ten Years After released by their old record label Deram after they had switched to Columbia Records. It consists of songs that did not make it on the older records and a few alternative versions of old songs.

While it's true that this is certainly a period piece after TYA had already established themselves as superstars on the world stage, that doesn't negate the fact that it contains some fine music within and can hold its own with their earlier albums. Best of all is their earliest single, The Sounds, which had never been released on an album up to that time. Quite simply, this mid-tempo rocker contains one of the most hair-raising psychedelic Alvin Lee solos in the entire TYA catalogue. The minimalistic sound steadily builds to a sound drenched crescendo, complete with eerie backing vocals and one of the earliest false endings recorded. A good example of their willingness to experiment in the studio. The flip side of the single is Portable People, a catchy country-blues.

Ten Years After
Alvin Lee – guitar, vocals
Chick Churchill – organ
Ric Lee – drums
Leo Lyons – bass