Lost In Tyme Blog

Gothic-psych-baroque-rocker waxing demented in a way only an Englishman can...impeccable." (Goldmine magazine, USA).
"Sublime, fabbo and very, very in. Don't get left behind." (Melody Maker, UK)
"Enigmatic gothic/baroque troubador with the psychedelic fringe" (Ptolemaic Terrascope,UK)
"For some 15 years the enigmatic Paul Roland has carved out a niche in peculiarly ornate British pop music." (Record Collector, UK)
"He must be ranked with the most creative and unique songwriters of his generation...the work of an exceptional talent." (Bucketful Of Brains, UK)
"The male Kate Bush" (Robyn Hitchcock)
"If pop music had existed in the 19th century Roland would have been a star." (Music Week, UK)
"England's popmeister and future King" (The BOB, USA)

from Paul Roland's site:
Since 1979 Paul has been spinning his bizarre tales against an evocative backdrop of rock, psychpop, folk and, occasionally, baroque strings. His most memorable character creations include a crotchety Regency magistrate, various 19th century murderers, a retired executioner, an opium addict, and an entire court of medieval grotesques. But not all his dreams are dark. Among his more whimsical creations are the eccentric characters on the largely acoustic album 'Happy Families' and its prequel 'A Cabinet of Curiosities'.
In England he is better known as a writer of mass market books on mysticism and the occult for major publishers. However, his reputation as a uniquely imaginative and consistently fascinating figure on the psych-pop circuit has substantially increased with each album. Other cult figures such as Robyn Hitchcock, Nick Saloman (Bevis Frond), Nick Nicely, and Andy Ellison (John's Children) have made guest appearances on his albums, several of which are now listed as highly collectable.

Tracks : The Curate Of Cheltenham/Journey To The Pole/Nursery Crimes/Cousin Emilia/Builder Of Follys/The Best Years Of our Lives/Aunty/Animal Crackers plus extra tracks from CD : Beau Brummel (re-recorded)/Go Down You Murderers/ I Can't Control Myself (radio session)/Captain Blood (radio session)

Happy Families released in 1988 by the french label New Rose
Liner notes
Paul Roland: Vocals, Accoustic GuitarCris Randall: Organ, Harpsichord, Bass, KeyboardMauris Memmond: Violins, John Gallagher : Cello
Recordet at Elsewhere Studios, Kent, August 15-22 1988Organ&Boys Chorus Recorded in the Chapell of St Trinians School for Backward Boys Canterbury, Kent
Note: Most of the songs are based on the lives of real eccentries who lived during the Victorian Period.

This is for 'Tydalwaves' who is "desperately searching for it". He has the great new blog Hidden Among The Leaves with a lot of out of print records from the 80s (and 2 or 3 Roland LPs).
Update: Gomonkeygo informed us that in his excellent Time is a Disease That Only Space Can Cure blog you can find the Happy Families album, as well as the (better) Danse Macabre album (and many other great records).
Update of the update: gomonkeygo is now a regular contributor of Lost-In-Tyme. Time is a disease... blog still exists (though not updated anymore) but he has another great blog, named New Disease - the link is at the "Site Friends" column at the right.