"…We Got To Let The
Music Play…"
Bit of a bargain this one to
say the bleeding least. Two forgotten but brilliant Doobie Brothers 70ts albums
featuring their ace Lead Guitarist – Tom Johnston – and both bolstered up with
cool Bonus Tracks and utterly Amazing Audio/presentation. What’s not to love -
here are the ‘Listen To The Music’ details...
UK released 29 August 2011 (6
September 2011 in the USA) – "The Doobie Brothers/Toulouse Street" by THE
DOOBIE BROTHERS on Edsel/Rhino EDSD 2104 (Barcode 740155210434) offers 2LPs
onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows...
Disc 1 (71:41 minutes):
1. Nobody
2. Slippery St. Paul
3. Greenwood Creek
4. It Won’t Be Right
5. Travelin’ Man
6. Feelin’ Down Farther [Side
2]
7. The Master
8. Growin’ A Little Each Day
9. Beehive State
10. Closer Every Day
11. Chicago
Tracks 1 to 11 are their
debut studio album "The Doobie Brothers" - released April 1971 on
Warner Brothers BS 1919 in the USA and on Warner Brothers K 46090 in the UK
BONUS TRACKS:
12. Nobody (Single Remix)
13. Daughters Of The Sea
(Demo)
14. Armadillo Death Chant
15. Osbourne (Long Train
Running)
16. Four Days Gone
17. Spiel
18. Lovin’ My Way Back Home
19. Pat’s Song
20. Bluejay
21. Peace In The Valley
Tracks 12 to 21 first
appeared on the 1999 4CD Rhino Box Set "Long Train Runnin':
1970-2000".
Track 12 is their April 1971
debut US 45 "Nobody" on Warner Brothers WB 7495. Tracks 13 to 16 and
17 to 21 are studio outtakes from the first album recorded 9 July 1971 and 6
October 1971 respectively
Disc 2 (48:16 minutes):
1. Listen To The Music
2. Rockin’ Down The Highway
3. Mamaloi
4. Toulouse Street
5. Cotton Mouth
6. Don’t Start Me Talkin’
[Side 2]
7. Jesus Is Just Alright
8. White Sun
9. Disciple
10. Snake Man
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd
studio album "Toulouse Street" - released July 1972 on Warner
Brothers BS 2634 in the USA and Warner Brothers K 46183 in the UK (reached
number 21 on the US album charts)
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Listen To The Music
(Single Remix)
12. Rockin’ Down The Highway
(Single Remix)
13. Listen To The Music
(Steve Rodway Extended Remix)
The US 45s for "Listen
To The Music" released August 1972 on Warner Brothers WB 7619 and
"Rockin' Down The Highway" released December 1972 on Warner Brothers
WB 7661 (B-side of "Jesus Is Just Alright").
Track 13 is "Listen To
The Music (Steve Rodway Extended Remix)" released April 1994 in the UK on
Warner Brothers W0228T (12”) and W0228CD (CD single)
The booklet apes the others
in this series (a great deal more substantial than what's gone before) -
24-pages feature original album artwork (including the inner gatefold sleeve of
"Toulouse Street"), the lyrics (a first for both LPs), musician
credits and an informative 6-page history by ALAN ROBINSON on both albums and
their impact. It's superbly done. A small mistake is that both albums were originally
on the 'Tan' Warner Brothers label in both countries - they've pictured the
late Seventies cream label for "The Doobie Brothers" and the
'Burbank' label for "Toulouse Street" (which is a mid-Seventies). But
aside from these niggles, the really big news is the fabulous new SOUND...
I've had all of the 2006
Japanese Remasters (in 5" card repro sleeves) to have the music - but here
the remaster by PHIL KINRADE at ALCHEMY in London is stunning and far better.
The clarity is amazing. The first LP is a little hissy in places fro sure, but
by the time you get to “Toulouse Street” Ted Templeman’s production values are
amazing and fully realized in the transfer. His name has long been associated
with the band (and later on with Van Halen).
Their debut album is a mixture
of the ordinary and the inspired – a band launching itself – a group getting
there. Their debut US 7" single "Nobody" is a great starting
point for any career and set up their "Doobie' sound for the first half of
the Seventies. The wonderfully slinky acoustics of "Slippery St.
Paul" is another firm fan favourite. Their cover of Randy Newman's
"Beehive State" hints at the Rock of the 1973 album masterpiece
"The Captain And Me", but better is the two finishers by Patrick Simmons
– "Closer Every Day" and "Chicago". The extras were all on
the 4CD Rhino box of 1999 so if you couldn’t afford that – they are a clever
addition here. "Daughters Of The Sea" finally surfaced on their 4th
album "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" in 1974 while
"Osborne" is an early version of their most famous song – "Long
Train Runnin'" that would eventually turn on their 3rd album "The
Captain And Me".
If their debut promised much
then "Toulouse Street" delivered. It was rewarded with an album chart
placing of 21 on the strength of two hugely commercial singles - "Listen
To The Music" (lyrics above) and "Jesus Is Just Alright" (a 1966
gospel song written by Albert Reid Reynolds that was a minor single for The
Byrds in 1969). These incredibly catchy songs charted at 11 and 35 respectively
and established the Doobies as Adult Rock Radio staples. Their cover of the
Seals and Crofts song "Cotton Mouth" is excellent while they just
about pull off a version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don’t Start Me
Talking". Better still is the lovely Jamaica shuffle of
"Mamaloi" and the truly excellent "Toulouse Street" (both
Patrick Simmons songs). The title track has graced many a 70’s Fest CD I’ve
made. The acoustic blues feel of "Snake Man" finishes the album in style
– and sounds incredible. The two 'Single Remixes' are helpful inclusions, but
the truly awful 90's Remix of "Listen To The Music" may evoke
murderous tendencies in even the most pacifistic of fans – a travesty best
forgotten. The "Jesus Is Just Alright" 7" single was a shorter
edit than the full album version – and that would have been a more appropriate
last track.
So there you have it. Doobie
Brothers fans have waited decades to see their band's back catalogue on Warner
Brothers be given the right reissue treatment - and England's Edsel label (who
have struck a licensing deal with WEA) has done them proud.
To sum up – albums that
deserves a second chance, superb remastering, genuine bonuses, tasteful
presentation and all topped off with a dirt-cheap price. Buy the lot in
confidence.
PS: there are 4 releases in
this series to date (all with bonus tracks):
1. The Doobie Brothers (1971)
/ Toulouse Street (1972) on Edsel EDSD 2104
2. The Captain And Me (1973)
/ What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) on Edsel EDSD 2105
3. Stampede (1975) / Takin'
It To The Streets (1976) on Edsel EDSD 2106
4. Livin' On The Fault Line
(1977) / Minute By Minute (1978) on Edsel EDSD 2107
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