The Fine Art of Wood

Known for the elegance and complexity of their decorative art, Marquesan artists were described by Paul Gauguin as possessing "an unheard of sense of decoration" in all they created. The extraordinary ways in which Marquesans adorned their world are reflected in virtually every type of object they made and used—from sacred figures of gods and ancestors to items that were purely functional. Long admired by artists, writers, and scholars, the art and culture of the Marquesas Islands have until recently been unfamiliar to larger audiences. …

This 21-song set is representative of Roy Wood's always inventive work with the Move, Wizzard, and as a solo artist. It contains no fewer than three U.K. number one hits, in addition to the seasonal "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day," and which usually makes a chart appearance during the holidays. And the sound quality is uniformly fine, which certainly hasn't been the case with some reissues like The Best of & the Rest of Roy Wood & Wizzard, which is something of a companion piece to this disc. The songs range from the strongly Beatles-influenced early Move singles ("Blackberry Way") to their heavier, later material ("California Man" and "Brontosaurus," both of which have been covered by Cheap Trick) to the Phil Spector homages of Wood's rock & roll big band Wizzard ("See My Baby Jive," "Ball Park Incident," and "Angel Fingers") to sumptuous solo pop confections ("This Is the Story of My Love"). A gifted writer, arranger, and producer, Wood is an underappreciated original whose music should appeal to any fan of classic rock and pop.