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Sunday 31 October 2010

"James Taylor" by JAMES TAYLOR (2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster In Gatefold Card Repro Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...


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"…In My Mind…I'm Going To Carolina…"

In 2008 I reviewed a reissue CD on Rhino called "The Circle Game" by American singer-songwriter-catalyst TOM RUSH. The original LP was issued in the USA on Elektra Records in 1968 - and apart from two original compositions from Rush - the album subsequently became famous for introducing 3 new writers and their extraordinary songs to the world (all on the same album) - Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and JAMES TAYLOR.

Bolstered by his need to capitalise on this modest success - Taylor arrived in London in March 1968 - was signed to The Beatles 'Apple' label within weeks - recorded his songs between June and October 1968 and then saw his own self-titled debut LP released in December of that fateful year.

This UK CD is an 'Expanded Edition' of that 1968 "James Taylor" debut album - one of 14 Apple Label albums remastered and reissued on 25 October 2010. 

Apple 5099990581120 comes in a card digipak (Barcode is also 5099990581120) and breaks down as follows (51:09 minutes):

1. Don't Talk Now
2. Something's Wrong
3. Knocking 'Round The Zoo
4. Sunshine Sunshine
5. Taking It In
6. Something In The Way She Moves [Side 2]
7. Carolina In My Mind
8. Brighten Your Night With My Day
9. Night Owl
10. Rainy Day Man
11. Circle Around The Sun
12. The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream
Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "James Taylor" released 6 December 1968 in the UK on Apple APCOR 3 (Mono)/SAPCOR 3 (Stereo) and on Apple SKAO-3352 in early 1969 in the USA (STEREO Mix Used on the CD).

Tracks 13 to 16 are FOUR PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DEMOS - bonus tracks new to this 2010 issue (there were none on the 1991 reissue):
13 and 14 - ”Sunny Skies" and "Let Me Ride" were recorded in Los Angeles in early 1969 with Danny Kortchmar on Guitars, Charlie Larkey on Bass and Bishop O'Brien on Drums.

15 and 16 - “Sunshine Sunshine" and "Carolina In My Mind" were recorded in London in the Summer of 1968 as MONO Solo Acoustic Demos.

"Sunshine Sunshine" was one of the tracks that appeared on the Tom Rush album - "Something In The Way She Moves" was the other. "Sunny Skies" was re-recorded for the "Sweet Baby James" album in 1970, while a longer version of "Let It Ride" turned on "Mud Slide Slim & The Blue Horizon" LP in 1971.

"Something In The Way She Moves" was covered by Matthews Southern Comfort on their "Second Spring" album in 1970 (a lovely version) - while Taylor famously returned to "Something..." and "Carolina..." with re-recorded versions on his 1976 "Greatest Hits" set for Columbia Records (these versions are truly beautiful and better known than the Apple originals).

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:
The liner notes are split in two - PETER ASHER explains Taylor's signing and how the album came about - while noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS follows this with very informational details on the songs and their history. Unfortunately, like all the other reissues in this series, the booklet is a disappointingly weedy 12-pages (EMI pushes the boat out again people). Having said that, both men do at least fill it with properly informative details, trade adverts, colour photos of a young Taylor and even an 'Internal Memo' from Asher to the US branch of Apple telling them to sign their new discovery. The playing credits are on the last page. Also - when the album was issued in the UK, it originally came with 'orange' lettering on the front cover which was then replaced with 'black' lettering on 1970 represses - the outer digipak has 'black' while the booklet 'orange' - a nice nod towards both issues. The MONO mix of the album is nowhere to be seen and not available as an extra download (nor are any other tracks).

SOUND:
The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters have done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. The audio quality is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. I wish I could say the same of the music...

CONTENT:
As much as I love James Taylor's Warner Brothers albums (who doesn't), this 1968 debut is not great. First is the way it's presented - before each tune is a short musical ditty which flows into the song itself, but mostly it doesn't work - and worse - detracts from the music. Then the song itself is overdone. How to describe this - imagine someone taking one of the quieter acoustic songs off "Tea For A Tillerman" by Cat Stevens or Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" and preceding it with a English choral ditty that doesn't match the track (you can't cue up the beginning of the song because of it). Then it gets funked-up halfway through with brass and heavy-handed drum bits to make it a pop hit - you get the idea. They're not all like this of course ("Something's Wrong" is preceded by "Green Leaves" and is good), but most of the others are ruined with this lead-in gimmick and then an overloaded track.

It's easy of course to point the finger of blame 42 years after the event - Apple were trying to make a commercially viable album at the time (Asher mentions 'over-production' in the liner notes). But had Taylor been left alone or recorded in the States - how different things might have been. As it is, what we do get is a glimpse of that greatness in the shockingly good bonus tracks (two with a band, two alone) - especially the beautifully recorded acoustic demos of "Carolina In My Mind" and "Sunshine Sunshine". The tone of his voice is so sweet - and already he had his 'own' sound that is still recognizable to this day. A whole album of these pared-down band/solo numbers and Apple's belief in him as a 'major' songwriting force would have vindicated ten-fold.

To sum up - the improved sound quality will thrill fans and the bonus tracks are exactly that - bonuses. But "James Taylor" is on the way towards "Sweet Baby James" and "Mud Slide Slim..." and it would take a different country and label to get there...

A nice reissue then - but in a three-star kind of way.

PS: see also my reviews for other releases in this October 2010 series
"That's The Way God Planned It" (1969) and "Encouraging Words" (1970) by Billy Preston, "Doris Troy" (1970), "Is This What You Want?" (1969) by Jackie Lomax, "Magic Christian Music" (1969), "No Dice" (1970), "Straight Up" (1972) and "Ass" (1973) by Badfinger

“Encouraging Words” by BILLY PRESTON (October 2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster In Card Repro Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...



This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my
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"…Learn To Live The Golden Rule…
...Don't Go Through Life Playing A Fool..."

"Encouraging Words" was the second and last album on Apple Records for long-time friend and sometimes-collaborator with The Beatles - American keyboardist and Soul Singer BILLY PRESTON. And along with his excellent debut LP from the year before (1969's "That's The Way God Planned It") - “Encouraging Words” is not just one of the Apple labels better offerings - it's a criminally forgotten Seventies Soul gem and arguably the best album of Preston’s long career. Here are the promising details…

UK released 25 October 2010 - "Encouraging Words" by BILLY PRESTON on Apple 5099990823923 (Barcode the same) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks (One Previously Unreleased) that breaks down as follows (54:44 minutes):

1. Right Now
2. Little Girl
3. Use What You Got
4. My Sweet Lord
5. Let The Music Play
6. The Same Thing Again
7. I’ve Got A Feeling
8. Sing One For The Lord
9. When You Are Mine
10. I Don’t Want You To Pretend
11. Encouraging Words
12. All Things (Must) Pass
13. You’ve Been Acting Strange
Tracks 1 to 13 are the LP "Encouraging Words" released September 1970 in the UK on Apple SAPCOR 14 (Stereo only) and on Apple ST-3370 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:
14. As Long As I Got My Baby
15. All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)
Tracks 14 and 15 first released on the 1993 CD reissue."As Long As I Got My Baby" (a Billy Preston song) was intended to be the B-side of Preston's version of "My Sweet Lord" on Apple 29 (scheduled for September 1970 release in the UK) - but was withdrawn. “All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" was co-produced with GEORGE HARRISON and released as a 7" single on 30 January 1970 in the UK on Apple 21 (a co-write between Preston and Doris Troy). It's B-side "As I Get Older" is on the "That's The Way God Planned It" CD reissue as a bonus (track 14) - both songs were non-album at the time of release.

16. How Long Has the Train Been Gone.
Track 16 is Previously Unreleased and new to this 2010 CD reissue (a co-write with Bruce Fisher). The song was recorded in January 1970 and then later re-recorded for Preston's 1973 album on A&M Records - "Everybody Loves Some Kind Of Music" (he would also re-record "When You Were Mine" for his 1976 A&M album "Billy Preston").

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:
Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy 12-page booklet (EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty full-page colour photos of Preston from the time. No UK singles were issued around the record (possibly why it disappeared so quick), but there is a full-page reproduction of an advert for the American single of "My Sweet Lord" on Apple 1826 (it also names Radio Stations supporting the song).

PLAYERS:
The cast is impressive (if not a little vague) - GEORGE HARRISON co-produced the entire album with Preston, ERIC CLAPTON played guitar on 3 tracks - "Right Now", "Use What You Got" and "Encouraging Words". RINGO STARR and KLAUS VOORMAN are said to be on Drums and Bass respectively, while DELANEY BRAMLETT also plays guitar on "Encouraging Words" with Eric. The Rhythm Section for THE TEMPTATIONS are on there (Bass, Guitarist, Drums) while members of SAM and DAVE'S band played Drums and Bass too. Both MADELINE BELL and DORIS TROY provided beautiful soulful backing vocals (Doris Troy's lone album on Apple "Doris Troy" was released the week earlier - 4 September 1970) while the EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS are on "My Sweet Lord" and "Sing One For The Lord".

CONTENT:
Six of the 13 are Billy Preston originals with "My Sweet Lord" and "All Things (Must) Pass" being George Harrison compositions. "Let The Music Play", "The Same Thing Again" and "Sing One For The Lord" are co-writes with Jesse Kirkland, James Herndon and George Harrison respectively. Which leaves two cover versions - The Beatles' "I've Got A Feeling" and "You've Been Acting Strange" by Ronnie Lee Williams (also covered by Merry Clayton on her 1970 "Gimme Shelter" album). Unlike some of the other Apple issues, there are no extra tracks via download. But the really big news is the SOUND...

SOUND:
The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters have done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. I always thought the initial 1993 reissue was dull-as-dishwater soundwise - well not so now because the audio quality here is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. It also makes you reassess a lot of the songs and appreciate more Harrison's excellent production contributions.

"Right On" is a superb opener and sets the tone for the overall funky feel of the album (surely it would have been a hit single). "When You Are Mine" is a sweetheart too as is "Use What You Got" (with great wah-wah guitar from Clapton). Very cool stuff. Conversely - the two most famous 'early versions' of Harrison classics "My Sweet Lord" and "All Things (Must) Pass" are the ones that work the least well for me. Not so the stunning blues-soul of "The Same Thing Again" co-written with the noted Gospel singer James Herndon - it's a monster. It had customers coming to the counter in our shop wanting to know which 'Ray Charles' tune we were playing (praise indeed).

"Encouraging Words" is a brilliantly brassy dancer with a message for the 'kids' to be kind, stay in school and don't get suckered (lyrics above). It really is so good. The brass, the great production and the remaster combine to fill your room with superlative soul-funk. But for me the absolute dog's undercarriage is the fabulous Beatles-meets-Gospel "Sing One For The Lord" - Preston's huge organ playing combines with the choir feel of the backing vocals, George's meaty guitar riff and a lingering Sitar-sounding instrument called the Indian Tamboura which floats over the whole thing - it's a stunning cross-pollination of cultures and music and as close to post-Beatles magic as you can get.

Although a little hissy - the new song "How Long Has The Train Been Gone" is a slow soulful gem - it's fantastic - I can't believe its been lingering in vaults all these years. And like the new bonus track "Something's Got To Change" on the "That's The Way God Planned It" CD reissue (see separate review) - it's that rarest thing, a genuine must-have bonus track.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). They're minor points I know, but worth making...

To sum up - I've loved rehearing this forgotten peach of an album in this hugely improved sound quality - Seventies Soul lovers 'need' to discover this great record. I'm also reminded of crying uncontrollably when I saw Billy Preston play "Isn't It A Pity" live with Eric Clapton and that fantastic band at the "Concert For George" in The Royal Albert Hall in 2002 - magical. Too many losses man...remember them and him this way…

PS: see also my reviews for other releases in this October 2010 series:
"That's The Way God Planned It" (1969) by Billy Preston, "Doris Troy" (1970), "James Taylor" (1968), "Is This What You Want?" (1969) by Jackie Lomax, "Magic Christian Music" (1969), "No Dice" (1970), "Straight Up" (1972) and "Ass" (1973) by Badfinger

Thursday 28 October 2010

"That's The Way God Planned It" by BILLY PRESTON (2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...



This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my
SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  
Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95
Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 
(No Cut and Paste Crap)


"…Don't Put Off Tomorrow…What You Can Do Today…"

Having played on the “Let It Be” album, become the only other named artist on a Beatles 7” single (“Get Back”) and done the rooftop concert with The Fabs - Billy Preston’s signing to their Apple Records label was something of a foregone conclusion. But what pleases now in 2015 (all those decades later) is that his two albums on their corporate record company were both underrated corkers - right up their with the majors offerings of the time (and featured a host of big league guests and songs associated with the Beatles Solo catalogue).

Monday 25 October 2010 saw 14 of the Apple Label albums remastered and reissued alongside "Come And Get It" - a first-time-ever label Best Of compilation. This reissue for Preston’s debut on Apple is one of them. "That's The Way God Planned It" was the first of two outings for long-time friend and sometimes collaborator with The Beatles - American keyboardist and Soul Singer Billy Preston. And along with its superb 1970 follow up LP "Encouraging Words" - it's one of the labels better offerings. Here are the Heavenly details…

UK released 25 October 2010 - "That's The Way God Planned It" by BILLY PRESTON on Apple/EMI 5099990824128 (Barcode 5099990824128) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (53:52 minutes):

1. Do What You Want
2. I Want To Thank You
3. Everything’s Alright
4. She Belongs To Me
5. It Doesn’t Matter
6. Morning Star
7. Hey Brother
8. What About You
9. Let Us Get Together Right Now
10. This Is It
11. Keep It To Yourself
12. That’s The Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2)
Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "That's The Way God Planned It" released 22 August 1969 in the UK on Apple SAPCOR 9 (Stereo only) and on Apple/Capitol ST-3359 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:
13. Through All Times
14. As I Get Older
15. That’s The Way God Planned It (Alternate Version)
16. Something’s Got To Change [Previously Unreleased]
Tracks 13 to 15 are the 3 bonus tracks given with the 1991 reissue. The writer of "Through All Times" is unknown, "As I Get Older" is an instrumental co-written with Sylvester Sly Stone Stewart and produced by Ray Charles - while Eric Clapton plays guitar on the Alternate Version of the “That’s The Way God Planned It”. Track 16 is a new bonus track for this 2010 issue - the previously unreleased fully formed song - a cover of “Something's Got To Change” by Johnny Johnson and The Bandwagon

Two UK singles came off the album with one non-album 7" that followed: 
1. "That's The Way God Planned It" b/w "What About You"
(Released 25 June 1969 in the UK on Apple APPLE 12 - it reached number 11 in July 1969 on the UK pop charts)
2. "Everything's All Right" b/w "I Want To Thank You"
(Released 17 October 1969 in the UK on Apple APPLE 19)
3. "All That I Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" b/w "As I Get Older"
(Released 30 January 1970 in the UK on Apple APPLE 21 - the A-side is on the "Encouraging Words" reissue as a bonus (Track 15), the B-side is Track 14 on here; both songs were non-album at the time of release)

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:
Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy 12-page booklet (EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty colour photos of Harrison and Preston in the studio. Derek Taylor's original LP sleeve notes are taken off the back cover artwork and placed inside the inner gatefold of the card - the collage of 6 black and white photos on the rear sleeve stay on the back.

PLAYERS:
The cast of musicians involved is impressive - KEITH RICHARDS on Bass, GINGER BAKER on Drums, ERIC CLAPTON and GEORGE HARRISON on Guitars with both MADELINE BELL and DORIS TROY providing beautiful soulful backing vocals (Doris Troy was in fact signed to the label on the strength of her work here). George Harrison handled all Producing except "Hey Brother" and Keep It To Yourself", which along with the B-side "Through All Times" were done by Wayne Schuler.

CONTENT:
Six of the 12 are Billy Preston originals with "Hey Brother" (a derivative of "Hey Joe") being co-written with Jesse Kirkland. Three others are co-writes too, this time with soon-to-be label mate Doris Troy - "Everything's All Right", "This Is It" and "Let Us All Get Together Right Now". Which leaves two cover versions - Bob Dylan's "She Belongs To Me" and "Morning Star" by American Blues founder father W.C. Handy. Unlike some of the other Apple issues, there are no extra tracks via download. But the really big news is the sound...

SOUND:
The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters has done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. I always though the initial 1991 reissue was dull-as-dishwater soundwise - well not so now because the audio quality here is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. The kick off the drums and vocals is fantastic - the piano intro on "Let Us All Get Together Right Now" is stunning (lyrics above). It makes you reassess a lot of the songs and appreciate more Harrison's excellent production contributions.

Highlights for me include the wonderfully uptempo "I Want To Thank You" which feels like it stepped right out of a 1968 Northern Soul session - and the almost Aretha Franklin gospel vibe of "Let's Us All Get Together Right Now". The irresistible dancer beat and cautionary lyrics about keeping your trap shut when it comes to matters of love in "Keep It To Yourself" are so Motown - great stuff. But the best is kept until last. While the initial 3 bonus tracks are ok - not so the newly found "Something's Got To Change" - it's shockingly good. The closest approximation would be "I Want To Thank You" - the new song is a brass-laden dancer with male backing vocals - and it's that rarest of things, a genuine must-have bonus track.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company that issues these card sleeves seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). And like so many of the LPs on this erratic vanity label - it's a good record rather than a great one.

To sum up - fans will love it, while skeptics may have to rethink this underrated LP and artist. Recommended - especially given the massive improvement in sound quality and that great bonus track…

Sunday 24 October 2010

“Thin Lizzy” by THIN LIZZY - 1971 UK Debut LP (2010 Decca 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with 9 Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...



"…Look What The Wind Just Blew In…"

This new 18 October 2010 CD on Decca 984 447-7 (Barcode 602498444771) remasters Thin Lizzy's debut album for Decca/London Records in 1971 and adds on a further 9 bonus tracks (it was initially slated for a 25 February 2008 release, but cancelled). 

Here's a detailed breakdown for the Expanded CD Remaster of "Thin Lizzy" by THIN LIZZY (71:40 minutes):

1. The Friendly Ranger At Clontarf Castle
2. Honesty Is No Excuse
3. Diddy Levine 
4. Ray-Gun
5. Look What The Wind Blew In
6. Eire [Side 2]
7. Return Of The Farmer’s Son
8. Clifton Grange Hotel 
9. Saga Of The Ageing Orphan 
10. Remembering
Tracks 1 to 10 are the debut album “Thin Lizzy” issued on 30 April 1971 in the UK on Decca SKL 5082 (London PS 594 in the USA). 

The album was well received - especially by Britain’s influential RADIO 1 DJ David "Kid" Jensen, who championed the band and their platter as much as he could. In 1973 Kid Jensen put substance to his love of the band by turning up as the vocalist in the story song “The Hero & The Madman” on “Vagabonds Of The Western World”. The style of Lizzy’s debut was a mixture of Rock, Folk and even some Jazzy and Progressive elements. It highlighted Lynnot’s great voice and lyrics and Eric Bell’s superbly diverse guitar playing. The catchy riff of “Look What The Wind Blew In” (lyrics above) would have made a good lead off single, but no 7” ever came off the album. Standing alone it makes for a warm listen, but it’s the bonuses on this issue that make it an all together most tasty beast.

BONUS TRACKS:
Track 11 is “The Farmer”, the A-side of Lizzy’s legendary debut single on Parlophone Records DIP 513. Issued in IRELAND-ONLY, it was mistakenly credited to THIN LIZZIE and released on the last day of July 1970. Its first CD appearance came on the superb “Vagabonds Kings Warriors Angels” 4CD Box Set from 2001. As the band was an unknown, its release in that summer of 1970 went completely unnoticed and legend has it that it shifted less than 100 copies. A genuine rarity, the definitive authority that is the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide of 2012 lists it at £1000, but try finding one! Its inclusion here in upgraded sound quality is a genuine bonus to fans (it wasn’t on the original 1991 re-issue CD). As to the song itself, it’s not a great track by any stretch of the imagination - it’s also the only song in their cannon to feature the original keyboardist Eric Wrixon. Unfortunately, its equally rare and unheard B-side, “I Need You”, ISN’T represented on this new reissue (no explanation) - a very real shame that.

12. Dublin
13. Remembering Part II (New Day)
14. Old Moon Madness
15. Things Ain’t Working Out Down at The Farm
Tracks 12 to 15 make up what’s known as the “NEW DAY” EP. Recorded across 3 days in July 1971, the non-album 4-track Extended Play was released in Britain after the album on 20 August 1971 as Decca F 13208. Most copies came in a Decca Label Bag, but rare ones carried a beautiful gatefold picture sleeve (very rare and again very expensive – £300+ - I’ve only ever seen one in my life). It was also a MAXI PLAY EP, in other words it spun at LP speed of 33 1/3.  Its four tracks were laid out as follows: 
Side A: 1. Dublin 2. Remembering Part II (New Day) 
Side B: 1. Old Moon Madness 2. Things Ain’t Working Out Down at The Farm
Their first outing on compact disc came on the 1991 reissue of the album as its only bonus tracks, and in the relatively early days of CD issues, the sound quality was good, but not great. In 2000 two of the tracks turned up on the “Classic – The Universal Masters Collection” set in hugely improved sound quality. This October 2010 issue is the first time ALL FOUR TRACKS are presented in the one place in truly exceptional remastered sound quality.  Eric Bell’s guitar work on “Remembering Part II (New Day”) is just great and makes this extended release makes for a much more rocking listening experience. 

16. Look What The Wind Blew In
17. Honesty is No Excuse 
18. Dublin 
19. Things Ain’t Working out Down At The Farm 
Tracks 16 to 19 are 'December 1977' remixes and re-workings – they first turned up on the 1979 UK Decca compilation album “The Continuing Saga Of The Ageing Orphans” and have never been on CD before. They contain guitar and keyboard ‘extra’ contributions from Midge Ure (of Ultravox) and Gary Moore. However, in order to sequence that 1979 compilation from CD you’ll need 3 CD remasters - “Thin Lizzy”, “Shade Of A Blue Orphanage” and the DE edition of “Vagabonds Of The Western World” (see my review). 

BOOKLET:
The newly upgraded 16-page booklet is peppered with black and whites photos of the boys looking confident and chipper and a very cool and rare poster naming them as the support act to the FACES on the 8th of October 1971 in the Royal Ballroom at Boscombe in Bournemouth. The knowledgeable and detailed liner notes by MARK POWELL go into the band’s history as Orphanage, Phil’s stint with Ireland’s Skid Row, their debut single on Parlophone in Ireland and their eventual signing to Decca in the UK. It’s very well written and its all been run by Philomena - Phil's mum.

SOUND:
As with "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" and the 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Vagabonds Of The Western World", PASCHAL BYRNE has remastered this 2010 CD with hugely improved results. I've raved about his work before (see my reviews for "Ain't No Saint" the 4CD John Martyn box set and "Blues From Laurel Canyon" by John Mayall), and this set is no different. The first generation tapes have been used - not too brash - fantastic presence - each track a revelation. 

CONTENT:
Taking their name from a character in the 'Beano' comic book called "Tin Lizzie", the band were still a three-piece at this point - PHILIP LYNOTT on Vocals and Bass, ERIC BELL on Guitars and Keyboards with BRIAN DOWNEY on Drums. The famous dual guitar blasts of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson are years away, so those expecting "Fighting" or "Jailbreak" should really look further ahead. 

SCOTT ENGLISH produced the stage-rehearsed 10 songs in 5 days in January 1971 – and the result was a great debut rather than just a starting point. Rockers like “Look What The Wind Blew In” and the Hendrix-influenced “Ray-Gun” sat comfortably alongside more folky offerings like “Honesty Is No Excuse” and the early Horslips folk-rock vibe of “The Friendly Ranger Of Clontarf Castle” (I come from Clontarf in Dublin). The bass and plucked guitar of “Clifton Grange Hotel” is fantastically clear and the hiss that seemed to inflict previous versions of “Saga Of The Ageing Orphan” is largely gone.  The “New Day” EP sounds far better too over the 1991 CD issue. And I love the rocking guitar work put in by Midge Ure on the 1977 modernised remix of “Things Ain’t Working Out Down At The Farm”.  Very nice indeed…

To sum up – lovers of lesser-known Seventies rock sound invest in this - the remaster is fabulous, the bonus tracks genuinely good and I picked it up for less than a fiver. 

Recommended like the refreshing breeze on Dublin’s Dollymount Beach. 

PS: see also my reviews for the 2010 versions of "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage", the long-delayed 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Vagabonds Of The Western World" as well the Deluxe Editions of "Night Life", "Fighting", "Jailbreak", "Johnny The Fox", "Live And Dangerous" and the single disc reissue of "Bad Reputation" as well the compilation for the Eric Bell years "Classic Thin Lizzy: The Universal Masters Collection"…

INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order