The Langley Schools music Project

I can't make up my mind if it's so bad its good or if its just genius good. I heard that David Bowie loved it.I read that  in a music magazine, MOJO I think and the reviewer gave it it A+. I don't remember deliberately going looking for the CD but it just sort of presented itself to me during a weekend music trawl. I have heard my share and more of school orchestras and choirs.I have felt the pain as the soloist doesn't quite keep the beat or hit the note.So listening to this should be like agony, like deliberately poking knitting needles in your ears  but in a weird way the very amateurism of it makes the Langley School Project  fresh.It's flawed brilliance.Like outsider art its the imperfections and the sub-perfect skill in evidence that makes it both charming and very listenable. The Langley here is in Vancouver and the teacher was Hans Fenger and the year of the recording was 1977.But it wasn't until the year 2000 that a copy of the record showed up in a thrift store and Langley fever took off.Author Neil Gaiman was quoted as saying `I wish every school taught music like this.' David Bowie said that their version of Space Oddity was `a piece of art that I couldn't have conceived of' and said the backing vocals were
`astounding.' Richard Carpenter found the version of `Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Space' in his words `Charming' which was rich coming from a guy who ripped that song off from the band Klaatu who composed it and who when it was released were widely rumored to be The Beatles performing anonymously.Me? I love love love the Langley kids version of `Good Vibrations.' When I listen to it that's exactly what I get.