Amazon Music Bestsellers and Deals

Thursday 20 May 2010

“Inside The Glass House/Thanks I Needed That” by THE GLASS HOUSE. A Review of the 2010 Edsel 2CD set.


This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…Just As Long As You And I Are Together…"

This superlative mid-priced set gathers together two very rare albums by US soul group THE GLASS HOUSE issued on Holland-Dozier-Holland’s “Invictus Records” label in 1971 and 1972.
The 6 bonus tracks (non-album single sides) are just icing on an already very tasty cake. And the remastered sound quality is fabulous too. Here are the details…

Released March 2010 in the UK as a 2CD set, Edsel EDSD 2057 breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:25 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut US album “Inside The Glass House” issued June 1971 on Invictus Records ST-7305. Tracks 10 to 12 are single sides

Disc 2 (46:37 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 11 are their second and last US album “Thanks I Needed That” issued October 1972 on Invictus ST-9810. Tracks 12 to 14 are single sides

Using the album cuts and the six bonus tracks across the 2CDs, you can sequence their entire US 7” singles output as follows…

1. “Crumbs Off The Table” b/w “Bad Bill Of Goods”, Invictus IS 9071, September 1969 (B-side is non-album)
2. “I Can’t Be You (You Can’t Be Me)” b/w “He’s In My Life”, Invictus IS 9076, June 1970 (both tracks are non-album)
3. “Stealing Moments From Another Woman’s Life” b/w “If It Ain’t Love (It Don’t Matter)”, 1971, Invictus IS 9082
4. “Touch Me Jesus” b/w “If It Ain’t Love (It Don’t Matter)”, June 1971, Invictus IS 9090
5. “Look What We’ve Done To Love” b/w “Heaven Is There To Guide Us”, September 1971, Invictus IS 9097
6. “Playing Games” b/w “Let It Flow”, January 1972, Invictus IS 9111 (Note: the B-side is Track 14 on Disc 2 – the “Single Version” – track 12 is the “Album” version)
7. “V.I.P.” b/w “It Ain’t The World (It’s The People In It)”, a solo single credited to SCHERRIE PAYNE, 1972, Invictus IS 9114 (B-side is non-album)
8. “Giving Up The Ring” b/w “Let It Flow”, 1972, Invictus IS 9118 (Note: 2nd issue of the “Single Version” of “Let It Flow”)
9. “Thanks I Needed That” b/w “I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore”, October 1972, Invictus IS 9129

Remastered by PETER RYNSTEN at TALL ORDER, the sound quality is blisteringly good – alive and jumping out of your speakers with no real compression. The 20-page booklet has very detailed liner notes by soul expert TONY ROUNCE who also provides photos of those rare 7” singles – it’s brilliantly informative and researched with both affection and care (his top class work features on most of Edsel’s soul releases).

The Glass House had two uniquely great lead singers, Tyrone “Ty” Hunter and Scherrie Payne (sister of Freda Payne and later a member of The Supremes) who often shared duet vocals. The music is catchy H-D-H soul, bright, poppy and aimed squarely at the charts and your feet. Highlights are many as one infectious tune follows another – the lovely “If It Ain’t Love (It Don’t Matter)” is typical – misery in an upbeat way (lyrics above). Even the religious message songs are excellent especially “Heaven Is There To Guide Us” which sounds not unlike The Chi-Lites at their best.

It’s an embarrassment of soul riches really – and Edsel are to be praised for releasing it. Ace stuff and recommended.

No comments:

INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order