Made In England is weirdly under-appreciated by collectors. Odd, because it contains definite moments of greatness, despite being a mixed bag
Coming out of Woodford Green, North London, Bulldog Breed’s drummer Louis Farrell had played in Gun, while other members had been in beat-poppers Please. Bulldog Breed recorded an excellent single, Portcullis Gate/Halo In My Hair, for Deram before releasing this monster album for the label’s newly formed progressive wing Deram Nova.
Despite being recorded at a time when shorter songs were being increasingly sacrificed in favour of drawn-out epics, Made In England contains several whimsical pop numbers, as well as some fantastic hard-hitters. Of the heavier tracks, When The Sun Stands Still (a song about shagging on acid) and Reborn are worth the price of admission alone.
Elsewhere, Friday Hill comes across like Procol Harum and The Zombies in reflective mood; opener Paper Man is classic pop psych; Eileen’s Haberdashery Store is baroque pop at its best. The album climaxes with closer and highlight Austin Osman Spare, which tells the story of the British occultist through phased vocals and flute for extra added eeriness.
Made In England could have benefitted from a stronger production but is still a lost gem. Unfortunately, Bulldog Breed disbanded not long after the album’s release. Bassist Bernard Jinks and promising young guitarist Keith Cross joined trailblazing proggers T2.
