The British have something of a reputation for eccentricity, and a quick listen to this retrospective release from Pete Ryder will do little to wear away that reputation. From an opening track which extols the virtues of fossils as household pets (or even counsellors) to a song about Beatrix Potter and a gun, this is a CD which will appeal to those with a somewhat quirky sense of humour.
Mixed in among the songs are little nuggets of wry social commentary. The best songs are those where these are less obvious, where you get the feeling that they're more lucky coincidences or slightly tongue-in-cheek than deliberate messages. With Mr. Ryder's half-spoken vocals and the fairly basic acoustic arrangements, the audience for these songs may be quite small, and the length of this particular CD may make it unlikely to be listened to all in one go. Nevertheless, it is an amusing addition to the collection.
