Masters Apprentices Choice Cuts

The 1971 third album by the Master’s Apprentices (who many critics refer to as Australia’s best rock band of the ‘60s) found them entering the studio for the first time with the intent to record an entire album (the band’s two preceding LPs were built from varied recordings). Having relocated to London, Choice Cuts was tracked and mixed at Abbey Road by Jeff Jarratt who had worked with the Beatles and Pink Floyd. The result sounds like a band absorbing some of the London scene’s post-psychedelia and a newfound path leading into proto-prog topography. “Rio de Camero” opens sounding like a tougher Yes sans keyboard wizardry before the harder rocking “Michael” reveals the band’s penchant for vacuum-tight vocal harmonies and unpredictable song arrangements — dig the mind-melting guitar solo on this one. “Easy to Lie” is pure unadulterated acid-rock replete with liquid-lightshow friendly leads and distorted vocals sung by Jim Keays pumped through a trippy sounding Leslie cabinet à la Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan.” The piano played on the album’s standout hit “Because I Love You” was Paul McCartney’s white grand.