Ivor Cutler's first full-length album, following the EPs Ivor Cutler...Of Y'Hup (1959) and Get Away From the Wall! (1960), 1961's
Who Tore Your Trousers? is rather startling at first glance for those more familiar with
Cutler's later material. For one thing, the positively youthful visage of the then-38-year-old
Cutler is a bit of a shock in comparison to the photos of the wizened elderly man that grace albums like
Jammy Smears and
Privilege. The bizarre hat or wig or who-knows-what perched on top of his head, which looks like a banana peel made out of broom straw, also seems rather like a misguided effort at wackiness, as does the unexplained "O.M.P." honorific that follows
Cutler's name on both the front and back cover. Listen to the album itself, however, and it immediately becomes clear that while this is early
Cutler, it's as fun and fascinating as his better-known later work. All of
Who Tore Your Trousers? features
Cutler by himself, singing surreal and satiric songs like "A Tooth Song" and the keening "Do You Ever Feel Lonely" in his trademark dolorous baritone, his droll Scottish burr adding an extra spin to his words as he accompanies himself on a droning, minor-key harmonium. The 15 tracks lean more toward songs than recitations, although the handful of poems and short stories are among
Cutler's funniest and daffiest. The howlingly funny "A Warning to the Flies" is a particular delight.