This Review and Many Others Like It Are In My E-Book...
"…Be
Good To Yourself…Be True To One Another…"
Most
Frankie Miller fans have despaired of seeing their hero’s output on a decent CD
retrospective – well all of that ends with this superb EMI mini-box set which
puts 7 albums (plus 1 remixed version) and 3 single sides onto 4CDs – and all
of it with great remastered sound. There’s a lot on here, so let’s get to the
details first…
UK
released May 2011 (re-issued 14 September 2018) - "Frankie Miller…That's Who! The Complete Chrysalis
Recordings (1973-1980)" by FRANKIE MILLER on EMI/Chrysalis 50999909777125 (Barcode
5099909777125) is a 4CD Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:
Disc
1 (69:18 minutes):
1.
You Don't Need To Laugh
2.
I Can't Change It
3.
Candlelight Sonata in F Major
4.
Ann Eliza Jane
5.
It's All Over
6.
In No Resistance
7.
After All (Live My Life)
8.
Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
9.
Mail Box
10.
I’m Ready
Tracks
1 to 10 are his debut album “Once In A Blue Moon” released January 1973 in the
UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1036
11.
High Life
12.
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
13.
Trouble
14.
A Fool
15.
Little Angel
16.
With You In Mind
17.
The Devil Gun
18.
I'll Take A Melody
19.
Just A Song
20.
Shoo-Rah
21.
I'm Falling In Love Again
22.
With You In Mind
Tracks
11 to 22 are his 2nd studio album “High Life” released January 1974
in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1052
Disc
2 (78:52 minutes):
1.
Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
2.
Trouble
3.
Little Angel
4.
With You In Mind
5.
I'll Take A Melody
6.
High Life (Filler)
7.
Shoorah Shoorah
8.
Devil's Gun
9.
A Day In The Life Of A Fool
10.
I'm Falling In Love Again
11.
Just A Song
Tracks
1 to 11 are “High Life – The Original Mix” – this is a previously unreleased
version of the album with the running order re-arranged
12.
A Fool In Love
13.
The Heartbreak
14.
The Rock
15.
I Know Why the Sun Don't Shine
16.
Hard On The Levee
17.
Ain't Got No Money
18.
All My Love To You
19.
I'm Old Enough
20.
Bridgeton
21.
Drunken Nights In The City
Tracks
12 to 21 are his 3rd studio album “The Rock” released September 1975
in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1088
Disc
3 (78:26 minutes):
Tracks
1 and 2 are “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever” and “I’m Old Enough”, the A &
edited B-side of an August 1976 UK 7” single on Chrysalis CHS 2103 [Previously
Unavailable on CD]
3.
Be Good To Yourself
4.
The Doodle Song
5.
Jealous Guy
6.
Searching
7.
Love Letters
8.
Take Good Care Of Yourself
9.
Down The Honky Tonk
10.
This Love Of Mine
11.
Let The Candlelight Shine
12.
(I'll Never) Live In Vain
Tracks
3 to 12 are his 4th studio album “Full House” released August 1977
in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1128
13.
Have You Seen Me Lately Joan
14.
Double Heart Trouble
15.
The Train
16.
You'll Be In My Mind
17.
Good Time Love
18.
Love Waves
19.
(I Can't) Break Away
20.
Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
21.
Love Is All Around
22.
Goodnight Sweetheart
Tracks
13 to 22 are his 5th studio album “Double Trouble” released April
1978 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1174
Disc
4 (76:40 minutes):
1.
When I'm Away From You
2.
Is This Love
3.
If I Can Love Somebody
4.
Darlin'
5.
And It's Your Love
6.
A Woman To Love
7.
Falling In Love With You
8.
Every Time A Teardrop Falls
9.
Papa Don't Know
10.
Good To See You
11.
Something About You
Tracks
1 to 11 are his 6th studio album “Falling In Love” released January
1979 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1220 (it was called “A Perfect Fit” in the USA)
12.
Easy Money
13.
The Woman In You
14.
Why Don't You Spend The Night
15.
So Young, So Young
16.
Forget About Me
17.
Heartbreak Radio
18.
Cheap...Thrills
19.
No Chance
20.
Gimme Love
21.
Tears
Tracks
12 to 21 are his 7th studio album “Easy Money” released July 1980 in
the UK and the USA on Chrysalis CHR 1268
Track
22 is “Sail Away” (a Randy Newman cover) and a non-album B-side to the November
1977 UK 4-Track 7” EP “Alveric’s Elfland Journey” [Previously Unavailable on
CD]
The
8-page booklet is a fairly functionary affair with a small history of the
albums taken from a 1998 Documentary for BBC Scotland. It gives a
track-by-track list and pictures some album covers and rare European 7” picture
sleeves. A nice touch is that Discs 1 and 2 are coloured with the Green
Chrysalis label while 3 and 4 are Blue - reflecting the original vinyl issues.
Beneath the two see-through CD trays are pictures of each album with the
production credits below the picture. It’s good, but hardly great. But the real
deal lies in the AUDIO…
After
years of budget label compilations, the remastered sound quality comes as a
genuine shock – done by ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM at EMI – it’s full, warm
and at last the music has the muscle its always deserved. The material itself
(mostly self-penned) isn’t all genius of course, but when this Glaswegian was
good – he was the absolute business. And like many rockers, he had loveliness
in his ballads too, which in turn inspired cover versions from people as
diverse as Cher, UFO and Ray Charles.
With
regard to the remaster the opening plaintive double of “You Don’t Need To
Laugh” and “I Can’t Change It” from “Once In A Blue Moon” are good examples –
the backing band is BRINSLEY SCHWARZ featuring Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe - and
suddenly the piano, the acoustic guitars and even the backing girly vocals are
all clear and alive. It’s not loud for the sake of it - just present – a treat
to listen to.
His
2nd album “High Life” was originally produced by New Orleans R’n’B
genius ALLEN TOUSSAINT (who also wrote many of the tunes), but without his or
Miller’s permission it was remixed before release – hence it’s on here twice –
the released mix and now the previously unreleased original version. One of my
favourites is “A Fool” – the new version brings the guitars, percussion and
brass solo to the front more and also lessens the hiss levels that were on the
released version. “Trouble” is really clear too – it’s fantastically well done.
1975’s
“The Rock” benefited from the production values of Elliot Mazer (Neil Young and
Joni Mitchell) with the songs featuring brass on almost every track with that
rock backbeat. Two of my personal favourites are the driving boogie of “Hard On
The Levee” and the epic Otis Redding type ballad “All My Love To You” (poignant
lyrics given his later incapacity and his wife’s devotion to his recovery).
A
polished production by Chris Thomas (Sex Pistols, Roxy Music, Pink Floyd) on
1977’s “Full House” made it his most commercial release and for me features one
his best tracks - the truly fantastic “Be Good To Yourself”. Written by Free’s
Andy Fraser, it epitomises what fans love most about Miller - a top tune
fronted by a great voice – an uplifting gem that hasn’t dated a jot (lyrics
above). His cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” is soulful and full on, but
his speeding up of Ketty Lester’s “Love Letters” is less successful. “This Love
Of Mine” is a soulful brass-driven Stax Records kind of ballad co-written with
ace guitarist Robin Trower and is another highlight. Proceedings were also
graced with Chris Spedding, Gary Brooker, John “Rabbit” Bundrick and the brass
of The Memphis Horns.
1978’s
“Double Trouble” featured a guest backing vocals from Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler
as well as songwriting collaborations with Paul Carrack on 5 songs (Ace,
Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, solo career) and a rocking Free-sounding “Double
Heart Trouble” not surprisingly written by Andy Fraser. 1979’s “Falling In
Love” (titled “A Perfect Fit” for its American release) features Frankie’s
biggest hit single “Darlin’”, but like 1980’s “Easy Money” it all becomes a bit
run-of-the-mill – too many average cover versions. The ballad “Good To See You”
and the rollicking “Heartbreak Radio” are good though.
Name-checked
by Rod Stewart, Phil Lynott, Bob Seger, Joe Walsh, Kid Rock and too many others
to mention – Frankie Miller was possessed of a voice and a way with a song that
literally engendered hero worship – and this huge remastered haul finally does
his criminally forgotten recorded legacy proper justice.
Like
Terry Reid, Long John Baldry, John Martyn and Maggie Bell – this great singer
will always be held in genuine affection...
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