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CADENCE /CASCADE
CADENCE /CASCADE
PROG ROCK, PSYCH, AVANT GARDE...
And Others Genres Thereabouts
Exceptional CD Remasters
And Others Genres Thereabouts
Exceptional CD Remasters
Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On
Fusion Rock, Acid Folk, Art Rock and Underground
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Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs
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"...Can't Behave Myself..."
AUDIENCE suited the eclectic
roster of Charisma Records perfectly – their mixture of
early-ELO/Lindisfarne/The Move dense melodic flourishes sat comfortably
alongside their Prog musical label mates Genesis, Van Der Graaf Generator, The
Nice, Jackson Heights, Atomic Rooster and Rare Bird.
Along with their uber-rare
debut LP on Polydor Records in 1969 – Esoteric Recordings (part of Cherry Red
of the UK) have reissued all 4 of their albums onto expanded CDs – remastered
from original master tapes – all with bonus cuts and involvement from Howard
Werth of the band (see list below).
"Lunch" was their
3rd and last LP for Charisma before they disbanded due to musical differences
(it actually troubled the American LP charts in July 1972 on Elektra Records
rising to the lofty placing of 175). They regrouped briefly and successfully in
2004 and Audience retain huge affection amongst fans to this day (they were
monster in Europe – Number 1 in Italy in fact). And you have to say listening
to their long-forgotten music that Esoteric Recordings have done a top-notch
job on these remasters. Here are the ladies who lunch details...
UK released 25 May 2015
(June 2015 in the USA) – "Lunch" by AUDIENCE is an Expanded 13-track
CD on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2493 (Barcode 5013929459342) and breaks down as
follows (45:50 minutes):
1. Stand By The Door
2. Seven Sore Bruises
3. Hula Girl
4. Ain't The Man You Need
5. In Accord
6. Barracuda Dan [Side 2]
7. Thunder And Lightnin'
8. Party Games
9. Trombone Gulch
10. Buy Me An Island
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 4th
and last studio album "Lunch" – released February 1972 in the UK on
Charisma Recordings CAS 1054 and July 1972 in the USA on Elektra Records EKS
75026
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Grief And Disbelief –
Previously Unreleased
12. Hard Cruel World –
non-album B-side to the UK 7" single "Raviole" released November
1972 on Charisma CB 196. The A-side can be found on "The House On The
Hill" album from 1971 (see list below)
13. Elixir Of Youth –
Previously Unreleased
Recorded at Trident Studios
in London and Produced by the legendary GUS DUDGEON - the album title was
suggested by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis sleeve-art fame from the phrase
"Ladies who lunch..." The softly sentimental gatefold artwork and
inner sleeve of the original 1972 vinyl LP actually came from a knitting
pattern and followed on in theme from that slightly 30s and 40s look the
preceding album "The House On The Hill" had in April 1971. The
AUDIENCE line-up for "Lunch" was Howard Werth (Guitar and Vocals),
Keith Gemmell (Tenor Sax, Clarinet and Flute), Trevor Williams (Bass, Accordion
and Vocals) and Tony Connor (Drums, Vibes and Marimba) with outsiders Nick Judd
on Piano and the horn section on "Seven Sore Bruises",
"Barracuda Dan", "Ain't The Man You Need" and
"Trombone Gulch" provided by Rolling Stones regulars Bobby Keys on
Tenor Saxophone and Jim Price on Trumpet and Trombone.
The 16-page booklet is
coloured in the same tint as the original artwork (a nice touch) with 2015
liner notes by noted freelance writer and reviewer SID SMITH that features new
interviews with Howard Werth. It goes into the history of the album, touring as
the support band for the Faces in the USA (the song title "Trombone
Gulch" comes from a flight over the Grand Canyon) and how they finally
disbanded – tired and harassed by European authorities at Ostend. But the big
news for fans is a 24-bit remaster from original Charisma master tapes by Sound
Engineer BEN WISEMAN who has done loads of great work for a large number of
reissue labels. The audio is wonderful – given clarity to those dense
multi-layered arrangements.
It opens with "Stand By
The Door" which comes at you like a strange mixture of Mott The Hoople
meets Lindisfarne meets Roxy Music – Werth’s vocals sounding like the lovechild
of Roy Wood and Lindisfarne's Alan Hull - while the Saxophones and layered
vocals give it a lovely musicality. Charisma put "Stand By The Door"
out as UK 7" single in late June 1972 on Charisma CB 185 with the album
track "Thunder And Lightnin'" as its B-side but it did no business. A
million miles away from Prog - the band jaunt it up with the cheeky-chappy
"Seven Sore Bruises" which is more Rock 'n' Roll than
"Foxtrot" by Genesis. I never liked the cod Hawaiian vibe (and
whistling) of "Hula Girl" but the Americana The Band feel to
"Ain't The Man You Need" is great – the nasal vocals impassioned and
heartfelt. Side 1 ends with the accomplished Acoustic vs. Saxophone "In
Accord" which feels like an outtake from the Move's 1971 "Message
From The Country" album on Harvest.
Side 2 opens with a happy
ditty – the 2:20 minutes of "Barracuda Dan" while the frantically
paced "Trombone Gulch" seems to be hustling to be an American single
albeit at one hundred miles an hour and terrified of heights. It ends on the
'money' song "Buy Me An Island" where a grumpy Werth shouts
"...you ain't heard the half of it...and neither have I!" - our
heroes longing to get away to sunnier places that are easier on the noggin (and
once again the tune has that clever mixture of Acoustic Guitar duetting with
the Saxophone and Vocals in a very Audience way). Charisma chucked out another
Mad Hatter label 45 after the album – the Italian-sounding "Raviole"
off the preceding LP "The House On The Hill" and released it as a
single in November 1972. Its rare non-album B-side "Hard Cruel World"
turns up here as one of the bonus tracks and it’s a great addition for fans.
Both of the unreleased tracks are shockingly good in fact – both featuring
prominent Flute from Keith Gemmell and the band’s trademark acoustic guitar mix
(both very Jethro Tull in ways).
Sticks man Tony Connor
joined Hot Chocolate, Trevor Williams did stints with Jonathan Kelly’s Outside
and Judas Jump and has been a part of the Audience reunion gigs, Nick Judd
joined with Chris Spedding and Free’s Andy Fraser (sadly passed away recently)
for Sharks (did two albums on Island) - while Keith Gemmell moved into Stackridge
and spent many years with The Pasadena Roof Orchestra. The band’s main man and
principal songwriter Howard Werth released a solo album "King
Brilliant" in September 1975 (Charisma CAS 1104) trading as Howard Werth
& The Moonbeams.
Audience’s sound were never
everyone’s favourite tipple if I'm honest (none of their albums charted in the
UK) but this CD has been superbly done and made me reassess their music big
time. A top job done and a must-buy for fans...
AUDIENCE Expanded CD
Remasters on Esoteric Recordings:
1. Audience (1969 debut LP
on Polydor 583 065)
29 June 2015 Expanded CD
Remaster with 3 Bonus Tracks on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2494 (Barcode
5013929459441)
2. Friend’s Friend’s Friend
(May 1970 2nd LP on Charisma CAS 1012)
29 June 2015 Expanded CD
Remaster with 7 Bonus Tracks on Esoteric Records ECLEC 2499 (Barcode
5013929459946)
3. The House On The Hill
(April 1971 3rd LP on Charisma CAS 1032)
25 May 2015 Expanded CD
Remaster with 3 Bonus Tracks on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2492 (Barcode 5013929459243)
4. Lunch (July 1972 4th and
final studio LP on Charisma CAS 1054)
25 May 2015 Expanded CD
Remaster with 3 Bonus Tracks on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2493 (Barcode
5013929459342)
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