"Freedom Means" by THE DELLS with Larry Wade, Terry Callier & Charles Stepney (2015 Caroline CD Reissue - Nick Robbins Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Heed The Call!" 

1971 was a huge year for Soul Music - especially American Soul. Marvin Gaye's staggering "What's Going On" on Tamla (which many argue is the greatest LP every made in any genre and they might be right) - Aretha Franklin's right-on Grooveathon "Aretha Live At Fillmore East" and the Blaxploitation big daddy of them all (with a dose of extra bling) - Isaac Hayes' "Shaft". All of them went to the coveted No. 1 spot on the US R&B charts in 1971. Even Curtis Mayfield's socially conscious inner city opus "Curtis" on Curtom Records proved to have extended legs from its release in October 1970 when it too went all the way - eventually hitting the No. 1 spot in February 1971 and staying there for 5 weeks.

But I'd argue it was a stunning and pivotal year because of those 'other' albums you hear about in hushed tones and deep Soul-worshiping circles. I'm talking about Bobby Womack's "Communication" on United Artists - Earth, Wind & Fire's eponymous debut on Warner Brothers – The Isley Brothers doing Rock in a Soulful way on their awesome covers album "Givin' It Back" on T-Neck and Gil Scott-Heron's beat poetry vs. music mash-up "Small Talk At 125th And Lennon" on Flying Dutchman (I've reviewed most). I'd like to add my further penny's worth with Minnie Riperton's "Come To My Garden" on GRT Records - The (New) Rotary Connection's "Hey, Love" on Cadet - and released in the same month of August 1971 and on the same label - the wonderful "Freedom Means" by The Dells. All of the last three mentioned have a connection – they were Arranged and Produced by the genius that was CHARLES STEPNEY.

Stepney is a big name in small circles and I've been singing his praises in my SOUNDS GOOD e-Book on 'Soul, Funk and Jazz Fusion' for years (he was sadly lost to us in May 1976 aged only 46). But what puts "Freedom Means" up there is the alliance on the same record with Stepney and Soul Boys/Songwriting Heroes - Larry Wade and Terry Callier. This dynamic-duo provided six of the nine songs on the LP and man you hear it. Which brings us to this 2015 Reissue...

Caroline International/SoulMusic Records are part of the Cherry Red network of UK labels and they are clearly pleased with their very cool and lovely Remaster. This is a beauty and they know it. Let's get to the music and the meaningful details...

UK released December 2015 - "Freedom Means" by THE DELLS on Caroline International/SoulMusic Records CAROLR 033CD (Barcode 600753663097) is a straightforward CD Reissue/Remaster of the 1971 US album that plays out as follows (40:28 minutes):

1. Freedom Means [Side 1]

2. Rather Be With You

3. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)

4. One Less Bell To Answer

5. It's All Up To You

6. Medley: If You Go Away/Love Story [Side 2]

7. Make It With You

8. Free And Easy

9. Melody Man

10. Freedom Theme

Tracks 1 to 10 are their album "Freedom Means" - released August 1971 in the USA on Cadet Records CA 50004 (no UK issue). Produced and Arranged by CHARLES STEPNEY - it peaked at No. 4 on the US R&B charts and No. 81 on the Pop charts.

NOTE: There are only 9 actual songs on the album - "Freedom Theme" at the end of Side 2 (credited to Charles Stepney) was merely a 20-second segment of silence (a statement of sorts on the times). To keep the integrity of the whole album - Caroline have included it here anyway.

THE DELLS were:

JOHNNY CARTER and VERNE ALLISON – Tenor Vocals

MARVIN JUNIOR and MICKEY McGILL – Baritone Voices

CHUCK BARKSDALE – Bass Vocals

Musicians:

Guitars – Phil Upchurch, Terry Callier and Patrick Ferreri

Trombones – John Avant and Morris Ellis

Trumpets – Arthur Hoyle and Murray Watson

French Horns: Ethel Merker and Richard Olberg

Piano – Charles Stepney

Harp – Edward Druzinsky

Bass – Sidney Simms and Phil Upchurch

Percussion – Morris Jennings, Sheldon Elias and Donny Simmons

Violins, Cellos and Violas – Various

In a sumptuous 16-page booklet – A. SCOTT GALLOWAY gives us superb liner notes that feature newly arranged interviews with surviving singer Mickey McGill as well as reminiscences down through the years from Callier, Wade and even Stepney himself. There's a great photo of Larry Wade with Terry Callier in 2000 looking like two elder statesmen of Soul – label repros of Side 1 and 2 for the Cadet CA 50004 LP as well as repros of the desirable Cadet/Checker US 7" singles for the two singles lifted off the album - "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)" b/w "Freedom Means" on Cadet CA 5683 (July 1971) and "It's All Up To You" b/w "Oh, My Dear" on Cadet 5689 (January 1972). It's really well done and gives genuine insight into facts around the songs and the recordings - insider info that was all but mystery only a few years ago.

But the big news is the Audio – a truly stunning NICK ROBBINS Remaster from original tapes. Nick has done literally hundreds of CDs for Ace Records of the UK and especially their beloved Kent-Soul imprint. This is a guy who knows his way around a Soul Record and a master box. The full lushness of Stepney's arrangements (there's fifteen players for Violins, Cellos and Violas in the booklet credits alone) and the other great musicians and their obvious skills is now in proper evidence. I had a few of these tracks on the Dells double-CD "Standing Ovation: The Very Best Of 1966-1988" from Universal in 2007 (see separate review) – they were remastered by the mighty Erick Labson and were uniformly stunning. But somehow, somewhere - Robbins has managed to wrench more. Fans of the album and Stepney-orientated material will love this.

Written by Wade, Stepney and Callier and somehow reflecting the heady days of blacks and whites finally coming together in some kind of shared bond - the album opens with the upbeat message song "Freedom Means". A spoken intro advises that speaking right out - finding space in time - working it all out together - is where it's at (man). The smooch vocals soon turn into a righteous groove with the little guitar flicks of Phil Upchurch subtly evident. Wade, Stepney and Callier song number two is the busy "Rather Be With You" - a love song with a pulse. Callier would return to the song almost two years later (as "I'd Rather Be With You") for release on his "What Color Is Love" album (Cadet CA 50019 in March 1973). Callier's later cut is a leaner version - his gorgeous voice carrying the melody yet again. The Dells version of "Rather Be With You" initially features the huge Bass lungs of Chuck Barksdale singing sexily into his lady's ears only to be joined by Bacharach type brass and the complimentary Tenor voice of Johnny Carter. It's a hugely romantic song and with Barksdale's deep timber has more than a shade of Brook Benton over on Atlantic Records.

Magic then wallops you in the proverbial goolies – the sensational "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)". Marvin Junior gets a lion's share of the passionate outbursts - but all five voices are up there harmonising like pros to make a sublime cohesive whole. This song alone makes the album five-stars and is surely one of the loveliest examples of Harmony Soul out there (the public took it to heart too over the months eventually putting it up to No. 8 on the R&B charts and even giving it a No. 30 placing on the normally resistant Rock and Pop charts). "One Less Bell To Answer" is the first of three cover versions - a Burt Bacharach and Hal David creation made famous by The 5th Dimension who put their version on Bell 940 on the No. 2 spot in late 1970. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of this overly busy song - or the Jacques Brel/Rod McKuen combo of "If You Go Away/Love Story" - the second cover on the LP. Both may have some reaching for the word 'cheese' and the remote control's forward button. Better is the very Terry Callier "It's All Up To You" which feels 5th Dimension but in a more genuinely joyful way.

Their 3rd cover is the David Gates Bread classic "Make It With You" which The Dells radically rearrange into a Funky Stroller with Brass. Galloway's liner notes reckon it's a rare misstep - but I love it better than the supposed wonder of that "Love Story" talking-schlock. But they fade into memory as I totally trip out on another fave-rave of mine  - the stunning groove of "Free And Easy" - where Phil Upchurch finally gets to shine for close on five minutes. The voices swing and sway and there he is - flicking away on the frets - complimenting the very 'California Soul' groove in the melody. Apparently Stepney had charts for Upchurch to play - but he also knew that the virtuoso guitarist liked to improvise and 'feel it' (like all great Jazzers) - so that's what he let Upchurch do (this is why so many musicians wanted to work with CS - he understood how to get the best out of them). The lead vocals are also just stunning - one for that cool 70ts Soul CD-R you need to impress pals with. "Melody Man" brings it home and the 20-seconds of "Freedom Theme" feels like an eerie ghost somehow trying to tell us something important from the past...a quiet and 'be still' moment...

Barksdale wisely commented once - "...God allotted Charles Stepney just so much time to be here...that was time exquisitely spent..."

Spend some of your cash on this exquisitely realised CD Reissue/Remaster. 

And well done to all at Caroline International and more from the criminally ignored Cadet/Checker labels purlease...

"Nick Drake" by NICK DRAKE [August 1971 USA-Only LP Compilation on Island Records SMAS-9307 - Compiled From Inside 2013's 5CD "Tuck Box" on Universal) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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August 1971 US-Only 8-Track LP "Nick Drake" on Island SMAS-9307

"...You're A Very Rare Find..."

A bloody rare find indeed!

The first mention of this staggeringly hard-to-find album is the 31 July 1971 publication of Billboard in the USA – amazingly given a whole page heralding the immanent coming of Nick Drake's debut American LP "Nick Drake" on Island Records SMAS-9307 (Island was then distributed Stateside by Capitol Records hence the SMAS prefix on the catalogue number). Even now in 2017 – this expensive full-page confidence seems amazing - nestled amongst sizeable adverts for Humble Pie's "Rock On", AMPEX Tape Machines and how many Rock Bands had used SHURE microphones to get down their shtick – there it sits - a stark full-page advert for Island SMAS-9307. But who outside of industry insiders noticed?

Using the rear cover photo of September 1969's "Five Leaves Left" as its front aspect (the blurred man running past Nick who is stood up against a wall) – that snap is centred on a gatefold cover that bears no title on the front. The advert advises that he's had two albums in Blighty and that this is a compilation of songs from both. It also tells us that American punters have called in after hearing DJs play UK imports of his first two records – asking for such a release on their turf (oh yeah).

The cold commercial truth was probably a lot less generous and not so grass roots. In the same 31 July 1971 Billboard publication is another full-page advert without any words at all – just a photo of a beaming James Taylor standing beside an equally elated Carole King. Carole’s magisterial "Tapestry" had been released in February on Ode 70 Records and Taylor's second LP "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" on Warner Brothers in June of 1971. With both albums slaughtering all in their Grammy-winning singer-songwriter path (LPs and 45s) – someone at Island USA was more likely trying to tap into that same burgeoning market when they compiled the 8-song "Nick Drake".

They even went as far as giving the LP a rather lovely inner gatefold with a smiling carefree Nick reclining in green English grass - the track credits printed tastefully over to the right of the double-spread photo. Technically - the 1971 American LP "Nick Drake" featured 3 tracks from "Five Leaves Left" (1 on Side 1 and 1 and 2 on Side 2) with the five remaining being from "Bryter Layter". It can be sequenced as follows:

Side 1:

1. 'Cello Song

2. Poor Boy

3. At The Chime Of A City Clock

4. Northern Star

Side 2:

1. River Man

2. Three Hours

3. One Of These Things First

4. Fly

The following week – 8 August 1971 – it gets a single line entry in the New Releases section and is never heard of again. In a final act of superstar cult recognition – it was repressed using the year 2000 John Wood Remasters onto a vinyl LP with a poster for Record Store Day 2013. No longer a Poor Boy thank God. On to the music...

You can digitally sequence this 8-track LP by buying the two stand-alone CD Remasters from June 2000 – his September 1969 debut "Five Leaves Left" and his second LP – November 1970’s "Bryter Layter". But you can absolutely never have enough of ND – so I’d advise taking the immersive plunge and plum for the 5CD "Tuck Box" from December 2013 - a treasure trove of beautiful music presented in a really lovely way.

"Tuck Box" by NICK DRAKE is a 5CD Box Set on Universal/Island 0602537538546 (Barcode 602537538546) that consists of 5CDs in repro card digipaks with 5 accompanying foldout colour posters - the press-released full-page adverts for each album. As you can see from the photo – Universal have used his N. R. Drake '69 schoolroom Tuck Box as the Box set’s artwork.

The first 3 CDs in this Box Set are his officially released catalogue before his tragic loss in 1974 – the 28 June 2000 CD remasters done by SIMON HEYWORTH and JOHN WOOD (the albums original engineer). The sound quality on all three sets is absolutely exceptional - carefully and beautifully transferred. And of course his music is magical Singer-Songwriter Folk-Rock of the highest quality – songs imbibed with joy, sadness and a rare pathos that reaches out across the decades even now.

To sequence the American LP - the two CDs you'll need are...

Disc 1 "Five Leaves Left" (41:45 minutes):

1. Time Has Told Me [Side 1]

2. River Man

3. Three Hours

4. Way To Blue

5. Day Is Done

6. ‘Cello Song [Side 2]

7. The Thoughts Of Mary Jane

8. Man In A Shed

9. Fruit Tree

10. Saturday Sun

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut UK album "Five Leaves Left" - released 1 November 1969 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9105 - reissued on Remaster CD in June 2000.

Disc 2 "Bryter Layter" (39:26 minutes):

1. Introduction [Side 1]

2. Hazey Jane II

3. At The Chime Of A City Clock

4. One Of These Things First

5. Hazey Jane I

6. Bryter Layter [Side 2]

7. Fly

8. Poor Boy

9. Northern Sky

10. Sunday

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd UK studio album "Bryter Layter" - released 1 November 1970 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9134 - reissued on Remaster CD in June 2000.

The compilers of the 8-track American LP clearly saw the pattern across his first two British albums - acoustic based tunes with the double-bass acting as a rhythm section - providing each with that lovely shuffle his best music has.

The irrepressible "'Cello Song" opens proceedings – a stunner that gets me every time. The hiss levels increase a tad unfortunately on "At The Chime Of A City Clock" but not enough to detract - while "Northern Sky" still exudes romantic 'magic' every time I hear it and has been used in movies for just such a purpose (that ice-rink scene with Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack at the end of "Serendipity"). Another huge favourite is the gorgeous "One Of These Things First" and the jazzy "Poor Boy" – both sounding like a male-fronted Fairground Attraction decades before their time.

In a 'starry, starry night' kind of way - you just can't help thinking that someone as beautiful as Nick Drake deserved glory – but received so little of it on either side of the pond. And when you sequence these eight songs together – you wonder how so many simply didn’t get it back then.

A gorgeous reminder and perhaps the coolest vinyl rarity you can now have in your digital home for a CD pittance.

"...Please give me a second grace..." – he sang on the "Bryter Layter" ballad "Fly". 

I couldn’t agree more... 

"Cahoots" by THE BAND (2000 Capitol 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Life Is A Carnival...Take Another Look..."

Forever the ugly child to its older siblings (1968's "Music From Big Pink", 1969's "The Band" and 1970’s "Stage Fright") - on American release in October 1971 The Band’s fourth studio outing "Cahoots" lumbered up to No. 21 on the US charts and was gone by the end of the year. Dismissed by many in the Press at the time as a 'band' already showing signs of being past it and except for sporadic moments of that old magic - running on empty - "Cahoots" was considered by tastemakers as one of those five-out-of-ten LPs that you buy anyway because you’re such a nerdy fan – nay even sucker.

In fact in Blighty - where The Band and their musings had reached almost mythical levels amongst musicians and certain parts of the public - the LP managed a staggeringly bad one single week on the UK LP charts in November when it was released there – unceremoniously excluded from Christmas stockings by Scrooge-faced punters humming and hawing at the mere sight of it. Robbie Robertson would later describe some of the songs as 'bizarre' and not even the presence of Van Morrison (riding high at the time) and Southern Soul gentleman Allen Toussaint on two different tracks (both courtesy of Warner Brothers) funked-up sales or persuaded otherwise.

But time is a healer - and 46 years after the event I feel we should reappraise this awkward and clumsy baby No. 4 – dancing about my living room to "Life Is A Carnival" just wanting to be loved like the other three. Here are the Take Another Look details...

UK released September 2000 (August 2000 in the USA) - "Cahoots" by THE BAND on Capitol 525 3912 (Barcode 724352539123) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (60:44 minutes):

1. Life Is A Carnival [Side 1]

2. When I Paint My Masterpiece

3. Last Of The Blacksmiths

4. Where Do We Go From Here

5. 4% Pantomime

6. Shoot Out In Chinatown [Side 2]

7. The Moon Struck One

8. Thinkin' Out Loud

9. Smoke Signal

10. Volcano

11. The River Hymn

Tracks 1 to 11 are their fourth studio album "Cahoots" - released October 1971 in the USA on Capitol SMAS 651 and November 1971 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 651 in a Gatefold Sleeve. Produced by THE BAND - it peaked at No. 21 in the US LP charts and No. 41 in the UK. 

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Endless Highway (Early Studio Take)

13. When I Paint My Masterpiece (Alternate Take)

14. Bessie Smith (Outtake)

15. Don't Do It (Outtake-Studio Version)

16. Radio Commercial

THE BAND is: 

Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko

Guests include Van Morrison on "4% Pantomime" and Allen Toussaint on "Life Is A Carnival"

As with each of these September 2000 Capitol CDs (Produced and Compiled by CHERYL PAWELSKI and ANDREW SANDOVAL) - the 16-page booklet is a pleasingly in-depth affair and has new pictorial elements. ROB BOWMAN provides the new liner notes accompanied by photos of the studio, tracking sheets for "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "Endless Highway", lyrics, reissue credits (the whole issue is 'In Memory of Richard Manuel and Rick Danko') and even a repro of the lone American 45 lifted off the album - September 1971's "Life Is A Carnival" b/w "The Moon Struck One" on Capitol 3199 ("When I Paint My Masterpiece" b/w "Where Do Go From Here" was to be Capitol 3249 in December 1971 but was cancelled and withdrawn).

But the big news is the Audio. "Cahoots" had a more polished and some say 'brittle' sound that the ramshackle Americana feel to the preceding albums - and many have complained that commercialism and radio-friendly needs practically ruined their chemistry-sound - and that rot started in full force here. I don't agree - the Audio here by ROB McMASTER and ANDREW SANDOVAL is very punchy all of a sudden and for all the right reasons. Sandoval was involved in all The Kinks and Small Faces 'Deluxe Editions' on Universal - so he knows his way around a master-tape or two. The only real glitch is the Audio Quality on the Marvin Gaye cover version of "Don't Do It" which they admit has been taken from 'best possible sources' because there are problems with the quality of the original masters on the 'Studio Version' (there's a storming live take of the song on the August 1972 live-double "Rock Of Ages"). Given what they had to work with overall – the team has done well and it all sounds great to me. Let's get to the music... 

I've always been partial to a Rock Band finding its inner Funk and Allen Toussaint's Meters-Brass is all over "Life Is A Carnival" - a tune that's stood more than the test of time for me. I find it a shimmering cool-aid - a wicked rare groove - inspired even - although I can understand how it's Pointer Sisters/Sly & The Family Stone rhythms freaked out hardcore Band fans wanting more tales of Appalachian Mountain Men wailing about their hardships with a dignified wince at on the oncoming winter winds. Bob Dylan's wonderful "When I Paint My Masterpiece" gives us that - a great Americana accordion melody sung with fantastic world-weary pathos by Levon Helm sounding scarily like he's Bob Dylan's older and wiser brother. The Remaster continues to sound fantastic on Robertson's "Last Of The Blacksmiths" - Richard Manuel doing well to remain soulful as those weird 'crying horns' punctuate the tune. The biggest enemy being 'man' - "Where Do We Go From Here" sings the plight of wildlife and railroads - all disappearing under the boot of progress. The liner notes tell us The Band weren't particularly fond of the song - but I've always like it and Rick Danko's great vocal. Van Morrison drops into the sessions - hears Robbie Robertson at the piano doodling on a chord - and suddenly the two are co-writing "4% Pantomime". Apparently done in one take at Bearsville Studios the next day - the lyrics are apparently loosely about the difference between Johnny Walker Black and Johnny Walker Red whiskies. It ends Side 1 on a cool duet vocal of Soulful men enjoying themselves.

I’d admit that the LP starts to suddenly feel ordinary with the wimpy guitar pings in "Shootout In Chinatown" - a song that's trying to be something and not quite getting there. But things improve big time with one of the LP's undeniable highlights - "The Moon Struck One" - a Robbie Robertson song directly inspired by Julie and Little John Tyler - characters Robbie had gleaned from 'Jules Et Jim' - the classic 1962 Francois Truffaut film. Richard Manuel's vocals are so damn good on "The Moon Struck One" as are Rick Danko's on the Piano/Dobro romp that is "Thinkin' Out Loud" - another stunning transfer and a hugely underrated song on the LP. The lyrics "...when they're torn out by the roots...young brothers join in cahoots...' in "Smoke Signal" give the album its name - a funky Robertson piano roller again with great sound and cool Stones guitar strumming. "Volcano" and "The River Hymn" bring the album to a finish - the first a brass funker that's part Little Feat part Stoneground - while the echoed piano of the finisher is classic big-picture Band.

As is the case with so many reissues - you hope for the best with 'Bonus' material - but as others have excitedly noticed - the four extra songs on "Cahoots" offer up some truly great outtake Band numbers - way better than they had any right to be. First up is an early studio take of "Endless Highway" that is all piano and vocals – free and swinging and sounding so fresh (what a great Remaster). We get a more acoustic-based alternate of "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and holy rollers but I must just prefer this to the finished article as I’ve been playing instead for years now. The audio dips admittedly for the Danko/Robertson session outtake "Bessie Smith" – but what a melody this is – full of real Band soul and character and way better than some of the lesser material on the released LP. The Funk of “Don’t Do It” was considered as an album track for ages but eventually dropped in favour of "Life Is A Carnival". Oh man what I would give to hear this is genuinely better studio sound – but there’s at least the live cut on "Rock Of Ages" which is also in this 2000 CD Series.

What we have here is a 5-star CD reissue of a 3 to 4-star album and I for one think "Cahoots" is a bit of an overlooked nugget that deserves serious reappraisal on this superlative reissue/remaster.  

"...We walked back to the house...while the moon struck one..."

Strike two for your household and give this baby-out-of-bathwater album a dry towel and another hug...

"Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by STEVIE WONDER (June 2011 Motown 5CD Mini Box Set - 4 x 2000 CD Album Remasters In Repro Card Digipaks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Sunshine Of My Life…" 

Here's one that seems to have slipped by the tired eyes of over-stimulated music lovers. Four bona-fide STEVIE WONDER Seventies masterpieces lumped together in a glossy hard card outer box - each in an oversized gatefold card sleeve with individual booklets ("Songs In The Key Of Life" is split across two card sleeves hence the total of five spines).

It's hardly original I know and there's no new remastering in this 2011 reissue (they're the KEVIN REEVES remasters from 2000 repackaged) - but man what a listen. And if you don't own the 2000 remasters - the box is nicely presented and a truly stunning reminder as to why Stevie Wonder is so beloved. These albums are just unbelievably good. Here are the Inner Visions, Superstitions and Sir Dukes...

Released June 2011 - "Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by STEVIE WONDER on Motown/Universal 0600753366226 (Barcode 600753366226) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (43:30 minutes):

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

2. Maybe Your Baby

3. You And I

4. Tuesday Heartbreak

5. You've Got It Bad Girl

6. Superstition - [Side 2]

7. Big Brother

8. Blame It On The Sun

9. Lookin' For Another Pure Love

10. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Talking Book" - released October 1972 in the USA on Tamla T-319L and January 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8002. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and recording credits (same as the 2000 remaster). JEFF BECK and BUZZY FEITON play guitar on "Lookin' For Another Pure Love" while RAY PARKER, JR. plays guitar on "Maybe Your Baby". Both SHIRLEY BREWER and DENISE WILLIAMS put in backing vocals on "Tuesday's Heartbreak" while TREVOR LAURENCE (Sax) and STEVE MADALO (Trumpet) are the fantastic Brass Section on the uber funky "Superstition".

Disc 2 (44:15 minutes):

1. Too High

2. Visions

3. Living For The City

4. Golden Lady

5. Higher Ground - [Side 2]

6. Jesus Children Of America

7. All In Love Is Fair

8. Don't You Worry 'Bout A thing

9. He's Misstra-Know-It-All

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Innervisions" - released August 1973 in the USA on Tamla T 326L and October 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8011. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and musical credits (same as the 2000 remaster). LANI GROVES sings Backing Vocals on "Too High" while DEAN PARKS (Acoustic) and DAVID "T" WALKER (Electric) plays Guitars on "Visions" with most other instrumentation played by SW.

Disc 3 (42:36 minutes):

1. Smile Please

2. Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away

3. Too Shy To Say

4. Boogie On Reggae Woman

5. Creepin'

6. You Haven't Done Nothin' - [Side 2]

7. It Ain't No Use

8. They Won't Go When I Go

9. Bird Of Beauty

10. Please Don't Go

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Fulfillingness' First Finale" - released July 1974 in the USA on Tamla T6-332S1 and September 1974 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8019. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and recording credits (same as the 2000 remaster). DENISE WILLIAMS sings backing vocals on "Smile Please", PAUL ANKA, SYREETA WRIGHT SHIRLEY BREWER and LARRY "Nastyee" LATIMER sing Backing Vocals on "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away", SNEAKY PETE plays Pedal Steel on "To Shy To Say", MINNIE RIPERTON sings Backing Vocals on "Boogie On Reggae Woman", THE JACKSON 5 sing Backing Vocals on "You Haven't Done Nothin'", LANI GROVES, MINNIE RIPERTON and DENISE WILLIAMS sing backing Vocals on "It Ain't No Use", SHIRLEY BREWER, LANI GROVES and DENISE WILLIAMS sing Backing Vocals on "Bird Of Beauty" while MICHAEL SEMBELLO plays Guitar on "Please Don't Go" and THE PERSUASIONS sing Backing Vocals with SHIRLEY BREWER and DENISE WILLIAMS on "Please Don't Go".

Disc 4 (42:47 minutes):

1. Love's In Need Of Love Today [Side 1]

2. Have A Talk With God

3. Village Ghetto Land

4. Contusion

5. Sir Duke

6. I Wish  - [Side 2]

7. Knocks Me Off My Feet

8. Pastime Paradise

9. Summer Soft

10. Ordinary Pain

Tracks 1 to 10 are Sides 1 and 2 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - released October 1976 in the USA on Tamla T13-340C2 and October 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown TMSP 6002. It has a 28-page booklet with complete album credits (same as the 2000 remaster) with the "A Something's Extra" 4-track EP tagged onto the end of Disc 5.

Disc 5 (62:15 minutes):

1. Isn't She Lovely [Side 3]

2. Joy Inside My Tears

3. Black Man

4. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing [Side 4]

5. If It's Magic

6. As

7. Another Star

A Something's Extra Bonus:

8. Saturn

9. Ebony Eyes

10. All Day Sucker

11. Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

Tracks 1 to 7 are Sides 3 and 4 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - Tracks 8 to 11 are the 4-track EP that came with original copies of the vinyl 2LP set (has no booklet, 2000 remaster).

I love the KEVIN REEVES remasters (done in 2000 at Universal using original tapes ) - warm and full of presence - bringing songs like "You've Got It Bad Girl", "He's Misstra Know-It-All" and "Isn't She Lovely" to life. The only title I find slightly sonically disappointing is "Songs In The Key Of Life" which seems to lack real sparkle on some tracks (the way it was recorded?).

For many Stevie's true musical journey begins with March 1972's "Music Of My Mind" and his new found Seventies sound and songwriting voice - so it's a shame it isn't here. But opening with the gorgeous "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" works for me. You also forget how good tracks like the slow funk of "Maybe Your Baby" and the ballad "You & I" are - "Tuesday Heartbreak" the same. And who can resist the fabulous ARP boogie of "Superstition".

We then of course step up into unmitigated genius with "Innervisions" - second only to "Songs" as a fan fave. Listening again to the beautifully remastered "Too High", "Visions" and "Living For The City" in a row is a thrill - even after 40 years. The album nuggets "All In Love Is Fair" and "Jesus Children Of America" still have that cool and warmth that amazes. It ends on the superb "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" which would surely have been another Top 5 hit.

After the magnificence of "Innervisions" - I can remember that "Fulfillingness First Finale" felt like a bit of a disappointment - but again a rehear and a reappraisal are in order. "Too Shy To Say" is as lovely a tune as he's ever penned and the double-whammy of "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "You Haven't Done Nuthin'" (with The Jackson 5) are funky moog workouts that still thrill. The Latin-scat of "Bird Of Beauty" is cool too as is the slink of "Creepin'" (great vocal work from Minnie Riperton) and the Smokey Robinson vibe to the finisher "Please Don't Go".

What can you say about "Songs In The Key Of Life" - it feels like "Blonde On Blonde", "The Beatles", "Exile On Main St." and "Physical Graffiti" - a double album you'll never tire off and can dip into for years to come and still seemingly find something new. It opens with the truly gorgeous "Love's In Need Of Love Today" and the brilliance (and social conscience) rarely lets up. I love the instrumental "Contusion" and Minnie Riperton and Denise Williams in the Backing Vocals of the acidic "Ordinary Pain' - with Shirley Brewer singing the angry 'response' lyrics with such conviction as to be positively unnerving. Album nuggets include "Joy Inside My Tears", "Pastime Paradise" and his soaring vocals in "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" brings tears to my eyes. Yet it has to be said that sonically this remaster lets the side down somehow - it feels strangely dull - you'd expect it to deliver - but it's good rather than great. I had the Japanese SHM-CD but I think it's based on the same remaster so that was an expensive waste of money on my part...

Stevie Wonder would annoy everyone with the indulgent 1979 2LP extravaganza "Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants" and then regain his crown with the slimmer "Hotter Than July" in 1980 - but these Seventies marvels are the bedrock of his reputation - and rightly so.

"Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by Stevie Wonder is a lovely thing to own or gift to someone you love - joyful and life affirming...like all great music is...

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