"See/Search And Nearness" by THE RASCALS (September 2018 UK Beat Goes On Records (BGO) Compilation - 2LPs from 1969 and 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Carry Me Back..."

Having dropped the 'Young' moniker in 1968 for their fourth platter "Once Upon A Dream" (thereafter simply known as The Rascals) – the American band’s sixth and seventh albums (reissued here) were originally issued Stateside in December 1969 and March 1971 on Atlantic Records. But whilst the 'groovin' on a Sunday afternoon' troupe might have been trying to spread out artistically - commercially they were bombing in leaps and bounds.

Few now remember the slightly trippy "See" or "Search And Nearness" LPs - 1969's effort making No. 45 on the Billboard album charts whilst 1971's platter barely registered at No. 198 and then for only 1 week. In fact by the time "Search..." had come round (recorded late 1969 and into 1970) - the four-piece was down to three (Brigati left) and they would soon be signing to Columbia Records for "Peaceful World" - a supposed new start double-album released in the early summer of 1971 but one that again only registered mild public interest.

Neither of these final records for Atlantic were well received by the critics of the day – most saying the band was either languishing on their positive sunshine vibe of 1966 and 1967 that now sounded old hat in 1969 and 1971 or were offering too many styles on their new outings (Country Rock, Sunshine Pop, Psych and Jazz Rock are just some on platter number two alone) which conversely had the backwards effect of making them seem directionless and not expansive.

But Rascals fans see "See" or "Search And Nearness" differently – liking them precisely because of the stretching-out and the range of genres. For instance, my particular poison is a truly stunning Jazz Fusion Rock instrumental called "Nama" which ends Side 1 of "Search And Nearness" (written by the drummer Dino Danelli). Its 5:34 minutes of Keyboards, Saxophones and Drum solos would make most people double-take if they were shown the authors of such a piece as being by 'The Rascals'. Sounding not unlike War meets Billy Cobham meets Earth Wind And Fire – the band of "Good Lovin'" or "Groovin'" are absolutely unrecognisable here.

Availability-wise too both albums have been hard to find on deleted CD for years now - so this card-slipcase September 2018 Double-Disc Remaster by England’s Beat Goes On is a welcome addition to their increasingly impressive reissue catalogue (even if some will feel that this is a five-Star reissue of three-Star material – which it is). So coming to a digital nirvana portal near you - here are the all-seeing all-enlightening details...

UK released Friday, 21 September 2018 - "See/Search And Nearness" by THE RASCALS on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1357 (Barcode 5017261213570) offers two albums (1969 and 1971) Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 "See" (42:12 minutes):

1. See [Side 1]

2. I'd Like To Take You Home

3. Remember Me

4. I'm Blue

5. Stop And Think

6. Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me

7. Nubia [Side 2]

8. Carry Me Back

9. Away Away

10. Real Thing

11. Death's Reply

12. Hold On

Tracks 1 to 12 are their sixth studio album "See" - released December 1969 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8246 (Stereo only) and in the UK on Atlantic 588 210. Produced by THE RASCALS - it peaked at No. 45 on the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

THE RASCALS for "See" were:

FELIX CAVALIERE – Keyboards (Organ, Piano), Lead and Backing Vocals

GENE CORNISH – Guitar, Lead and Backing Vocals

EDDIE BRIGATI – Percussion, Lead And Backing Vocals

DINO DANELLI – Drums

Guests:

Chuck Rainey – Bass on all tracks except...

Ron Carter – Bass on "Nubia" and "Carry Me Back"

Hubert Laws – Flute on "Nubia", Danny Labbate – Soprano Sax on "Nubia"

CD2 "Search And Nearness" (38:44 minutes):

1. Right On [Side 1]

2. I Believe

3. Thank You Baby

4. You Don't Know

5. Nama

6. Almost Home [Side 2]

7. The Letter

8. Ready For Love

9. Fortunes

10. Glory Glory

Tracks 1 to 10 are their seventh studio album "Search And Nearness" - released March 1971 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8276 and in the UK on Atlantic 2400 113. Produced by THE RASCALS - it peaked at No. 198 in the USA (didn't chart UK).

THE RASCALS for "Search And Nearness" were:

FELIX CAVALIERE – Keyboards (Organ, Piano), Lead and Backing Vocals

GENE CORNISH – Guitar, Lead and Backing Vocals

DINO DANELLI – Drums

Others:

Eddie Brigati (left the band during recordings) – Lead Vocals on "You Don’t Know", "The Letter" and "Fortunes" (Felix Cavaliere Lead on all others)

Ron Blanco – Bass on Track 4

Chuck Rainey – Bass on Tracks 1, 2, 5, 7 and 9

Howard Cowart – Bass on Tracks 3, 6, 8 and 10

Joe Newman (Trumpet) with Joe Farrell and Seldon Powell (Saxophones) on "Nama"

David Brigati – Backing Vocals

The Sweet Inspirations – Backing vocals on "Glory Glory"

Cissy Houston and Tasha Thomas – Backing Vocals on "I Believe"

The card-slipcase adds the reissue a classy/luxurious look - Mojo contributor CHARLES WARING does his usual bang-up job with the liner notes gamely describing some of the not-so-brill songs with imaginative adjectives - whilst the big draw will be new 2018 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters. I've always found the band's own productions a tad clumsy - panning the three vocalists between the speakers like a badly recorded Three Dog Night - but there's no doubt to my ears of the improvement. Even when the guitars are fuzzy and the vocals bucket-deep, the overall stereo imaging is great and at last there's really power to the rhythm section. These CDs are upgrades and contain real oomph on recordings that needed it.

Lead Vocalist and founder member Felix Cavaliere came up with 8 of the 12 compositions on "See" – guitarist Gene Cornish proffering "Remember Me" and "Away Away" - while "I’m Blue" is a co-write between FC and Eddie Brigati - leaving only a lone cover of the Soul masterpiece "Temptation’s ‘Bout To Get Me" – a James Diggs song made a hit by The Knight Brothers in 1965 on Checker Records. Despite its yeah-man image of a silhouette dove on the front cover – the album seemed more full of short songs trying to be hits rather than messages of love and racial integration. Atlantic has issued "Carry Me Back" as a lead-in 45 in August 1969 with the album cut "Real Thing" as its flipside and it reached a respectable No. 26 on the Billboard 100.

They covered The Box Tops hit "The Letter" on "Search And Nearness" LP – a gorgeous gatefold sleeve on original release (the rear child-face artwork is the inlay beneath the CD trays whilst the front cover is the front page of the 16-page booklet). They psych it up although not perhaps as brilliantly as one would hope – but there is not doubt of their passion for the huge social changes taking place in the USA in the opener "Right On" – sort of Three Dog Night does inequality with a Norman Whitfield groove.

For sure not everything here is going to be worshipped from afar, but I can't help think that the second LP especially has stuff worthy of rediscovery and even an occasional rant ("Nama" baby - you heard it here first). Yes its 3-star material, but man what a 5-star presentation of it. Well done to all involved...

"My Friend/Missing You/Am I That Easy To Forget/I'd Fight The World" by JIM REEVES (June 2018 Beat Goes On Reissue - 4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Heartache Following Me..."

BGO of the UK have gotten rather good at these kind of value-for-money twofers – the fourth volume in their reissue campaign covering the first Gentleman of Country.

Offering up four complete 70ts albums onto 2CDs from Jim Reeve's vast back catalogue - you get "My Friend" and "Missing You" (both 1972), "Am I That Easy To Forget" (1973) and "I'd Fight The World" - all originally on RCA Victor Records in Stereo. And even though he'd been gone since 1964, back in the Country-obsessed 70ts US charts - his well of unissued recordings were still being mined and his popularity with the public as strong as that of say Buddy Holly (these posthumous albums all charted).

UK released 8 June 2018 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1313 (Barcode 5017261213136) has the now ubiquitous card slipcase that lends the release a sort of class and even elegance, great new liner notes and best of all - high def remastering from their resident engineer ANDREW THOMPSON.

These RCA Victor recordings were always recorded well, but listening to his own "Could I Be Falling In Love" or Ray Baker's "There's A Heartache Following Me" or Dale Noe's "Missing Angel" and the production values for overdubbed material are amazing. For sure some of the cardigan stuff on album two can be cloying, but more often than not the fact that the Texas troubadour wrote almost 90% of what's on here is seriously impressive.

"...Heartache following me..." has never sounded so good. Recommended...

"Help Me Rhonda" [aka "New Lovers and Old Friends"] by JOHNNY RIVERS (July 2017 UK Beat Goes On CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...You Better Move On..."

Called "New Lovers & Old Friends" in the USA (Epic PE 33681) and "Help Me Rhonda" in the UK (Epic S EPC 80987, released September 1975) – this entire album of cover versions by Johnny Rivers hasn't dated at all well.

Beat Goes On has been reissuing JR's catalogue for years now - and audio-wise July 2017’s BGOCD 1303 (Barcode 5017261213037) benefits hugely from another quality remaster from BGO's resident Sound Engineer - ANDREW THOMPSON. This was a well-recorded album in the first place with a large array of flashy session names - so the Audio is top notch.

But despite Brian Wilson adding vocals to his own "Help Me Rhonda" - Michael Omartian and Chuck Finley on the cover of "It's The Same Old Song" (a Holland-Dozier-Holland hit for The Four Tops in 1965) - much of these remakes barely rise above tepid.

Rivers takes on the Tyrone Davis Soul classic "Can I Change Your Mind", Jimmy Cliff's Reggae hit "You Can Get It If You Really" and Arthur Alexander's R&B smash "You Better Move On" (favoured so much by The Beatles). But most make you want to rush back to the brilliant originals - while Ned Doheny's "Postcards From Hollywood” isn’t anything special despite his deserved rep amongst Yacht Rock aficionados.

Highlights however include the Rock-Soulful ballad "Spare Me A Little" - a typically pretty melody from the pen of Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie (it originated on their "Bare Trees" album from 1972) and the impossibly hooky "Dancin' In The Moonlight" first waxed by Boffalongo on their "Beyond Your Head" LP on Liberty Records in 1970. The obscure song has had a colourful history - Sherman Kelly's catchy tune turned up as a stand-alone single credited to High Broom on Island Records in the UK (WIP 6088 was also 1970). Then it went with him to his next band King Harvest who re-did it in 1972 on Perception Records (Pye in the UK). But most will know of the song via Toploader who had a huge hit with "Dancin' In The Moonlight" in 2000. Here its chipper vibe is retained.

Fans should waste no time and dive in (especially given the great audio and classy presentation) – but I’d advise others to cop a middle-of-the-road listen before a buy...

"Not A Through Street" by JOHNNY RIVERS - 1983 Album on Priority Records (March 2018 UK Beat Goes On CD Reissue - Andrew Thompson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Nowhere Else To Go..."

With titles like "Shelter In Time Of Storm", "Believe In Me" and his own "Nowhere Else To Go" - 60ts and 70ts burn out Johnny Rivers had embraced Christianity as a saviour and turned classics like "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" by The Four Tops and the Traditional "Uncloudy Day" (made famous by The Staple Singers on Epic Records in the Sixties) into songs of celebration and positivity and not just another set of obvious feet shufflers.

"Not A Through Street" by JOHNNY RIVERS was originally issued Stateside early 1983 on Priority Records PJU 38439 - a 12-track album of holy-roller tunes or themes thereabouts and as far as I know this is the first digital outing for that 80ts Christian Rock album. Details...

UK released March 2018 - this gorgeous-sounding BGO reissue of "Not A Through Street" by JOHNNY RIVERS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1331 (Barcode 5017261213310) transfers that forgotten platter onto a single CD, adding on a card slipcase, an annotated and expanded booklet and new 2018 High Def Remastering by ANDREW THOMPSON.

His cover of Dion's "Golden Sun, Silver Moon" and Sam Cooke's monumental "A Change Is Gonna Come" are given suitably imbued performances too. Fans of that superb Soul Group THE WATERS should also note that their gorgeous Harmony Vocals can be heard on "Nowhere Else To Go", "Reach Out (I'll Be There)", "Believe In Me", "Shelter In Time Of Storm" and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" with Lead Singer and Soloist Oren Waters on "Nowhere Else To Go" and "Golden Sun, Silver Moon" (see my review of their 1980 platter "Watercolours" on Arista reissued in 2018 as an Expanded Edition CD by Big Break Records of the UK). Another highlight is Leo Graham's "Turning Point" and "New Meaning" by singers Jim and Ginger Hendricks.

For sure, some of the dreaded 80ts production values linger – and in a bad way - but for any fan who's ever liked this forgotten Johnny Rivers album - this fab-sounding 2018 BGO CD Reissue is the one to own...

"East Of Midnight/Waiting For You/A Painter Passing Through" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT (February 2018 Beat Goes On 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...A Painter Of Songs Passing Through..."  

Typically classy BGO reissue that grabs three from the later part of Gordon Lightfoot's huge career – three albums of Country and Folk Rock that most passed by - 1986's "East Of Midnight" (a co-write with David Foster on "Anything For Love"), 1993's "Waiting For You" (covers Dylan's "Ring Them Bells") and finally 1998's "A Painter Passing Through".

Each of these three albums has long been deleted (the first was originally on Warner Brothers on LP and CD and the other two on Reprise CD only) and they're now made available again here via BGO of the UK. Details...

UK released February 2018 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1325 (Barcode 5017261213259) offers three albums remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows...

CD1: 
"East Of Midnight" (1986) 
1. Stay Loose [Side 1]
2. Morning Glory 
3. East Of Midnight
4. A Lesson In Love
5. Anything For Love 
6. Let It Ride [Side 2]
7. Ecstasy Made Easy 
8. You Just Gotta Be
9. A Passing Ship
10. I'll Tag Along 

"Waiting For You" (1993)
11. Restless
12. Ring Them Bells
13. Fading Away 
14. Only Love Would Know
15. Welcome To Try
16. I'll Prove My Love
17. Waiting For You
18. Wild Strawberries
19. I'd Rather Press On
20. Drink Yer Glasses Empty 

CD2:
"A Painter Passing Through" (1998)
1. Drifters
2. My Little Love 
3. Ringneck Loon
4. I Used To Be A Country Singer 
5. Boathouse
6. Much To My Surprise
7. A Painter Passing Through 
8. On Yonge Street 
9. Red Velvet
10. Uncle Toad Said 

There's the usual card slipcase, a detailed 20-page booklet from noted writer JOHN TOBLER and best of all - fabulous audio remasters from ANDREW THOMPSON. These were good then but they’re better now.

Highlights for me are "Morning Glory", "Fading Away" and a cover of Ian Tyson's "Red Velvet". For sure there are lacklustre moments on these albums, but there's also magic and more often than not as you listen - you're left with an abiding sense of admiration for his sheer songwriting capabilities long praised by many within his own ranks of troubadours (and you can so hear why).

A rather tasty little reissue actually. Recommended...

"Singled Out" by BILLY BREMNER (October 2018 RPM Records CD Compilation - Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Fire In My Pocket..."

Like those other British songwriting geniuses with swinging dicks and fabulous bedroom techniques - Mickey Jupp and Nick Lowe - BILLY BREMNER has been a go-to guy for a witty boogie-woogie tune for absolute decades now. And it's about bleeding time that someone within the enclaves of music recognised his rather fab contributions to our R&B wellness. So up steps RPM Records.

A little history first – Scotland's Bremner owes his biggest claim-to-fame as one of the lead guitarists with England's supergroup ROCKPILE (although he's also played session guitar for The Pretenders, Carlene Carter and many more). Rockpile's lone album "Second Of Pleasure" from 1980 on F-Beat Records is the kind of British Rock 'n' Roll platter that will elicit an unsightly tearful blub of yesteryear nostalgia from men of a certain age and Pub Rock persuasion. And don't get me started on that fantastic Everly Brothers EP that was attached to the front sleeve either. And while this little beauty has none of those songs - its musically in the same ballpark. In fact when you play the opening number on this delightful hour-and-a-half CD compilation - "I'm Dying (To See You Again)" – Billy's vocal is so akin to Dave Edmunds (one of the other guitarists in Rockpile along with Nick Lowe) – you may indeed double take (the other new 2018 song is "Shoot Myself").

For collectors there's Tracks 15 to 18 - four Previously Unreleased Demos of "Loud Music In Cars", "The Creature From The Black Lagoon", "Trouble Boys" and "Stuck in The Fog". In fact the Bremner link with Edmunds goes back further than 1980 and Rockpile – Dave covered "Trouble Boys" on his "Tracks On Wax 4" album on Swan Song Records in 1978 and "The Creature From The Black Lagoon" on his "Repeat When Necessary" album – also on Swan Song Records – but in 1979. A call to arms then - here are the yes, buts, ifs and whys...

UK released 19 Oct 2018 – "Singled Out" by BILLY BREMNER on RPM Records RPM 542 (Barcode 5013929554221) comes in a card digipak offering a 16-page booklet annotated by NICHOLAS JOHN (with a further Producer’s Note by MARK STRATFORD on the rear page). The inner flap of the digipak pictures ten singles (labels and sleeves) stretching from 1977 to 2005 and offers discography info beside each. RPM’s resident audio guy SIMON MURPHY has done the mastering for its 21 tracks (65:25 minutes) and everything sounds lickety-splitly fresh and up for grabs. In fact if anything, the audio bounces off the speakers at you regardless of the decade – Seventies or Noughties (the only exception being a 1974 recording called "54" 40' Or Fight" about the Alamo that sounds like its been lifted from a wobbly cassette and is no doubt included for rarity's sake). All tracks by Billy Bremner except as noted below...

1. I'm Dying (To See You Again)

2. Shoot Myself

3. No If, But Maybe

4. I See It In Your Eyes

5. I Get Enough

6. Mona Lott - BILLY BREMNER & FASTBUCK

7. Shatterproof

8. Look At That Car

9. Fire In My Pocket

10. Meek Power

11. Yes Please

12. Tired And Emotional (And Probably Drunk)

13. Loud Music In Cars

14. The Price Is Right

15. Loud Music In Cars (Demo)

16. Creature From The Black Lagoon (Demo)

17. Trouble Boys (Demo)

18. Stuck In The Fog (Demo)

19. Heart And Stone - BILLY MURRAY

20. Downtown Hoedown - BILLY MURRAY

21. 54" 40' Or Fight - BILLY MURRAY

This is the kind of comp that feels like a long time coming and it won't surprise me a jot if it ends up being a tasty little seller. 21 tracks gather together long-forgotten 7" singles from 1977's "Party Hoedown" on Polydor Records 2058 881 right through to 2005's "No If, But, Maybe" on WEA 5050467-8386-5-9. In-between we get "Heart And Stone" from 1978 on State Records STAT 72 and on to the super cool and super catchy "Loud Music In Cars" on Stiff Records BUY 125.

Smart choices include a slew of obscure and unfairly forgotten flipsides - "Tired And Emotional (And Probably Drunk)" - a B-side to "Laughter Turns To Tears" on Stiff BUY 143 in 1982 and "Fire In My Pocket" from 1984 - a B-side to "When Love Goes To Sleep" on Arista ARIST 566. Another flipper is the setting-you-free "Mona-Lott" – B-side to "Endless Sleep" from 1985 on Rock City RCR 6. I also liked "Meek Power" from 1982 on Demon Records and the keep-up-the-payments chrome monster "Look At That Car" - but I wasn't too enamoured with the slightly forced "Shatterproof" - trying too hard to be a hit. But it’s a small complaint on an otherwise big fat yes.

A job well done and not before its time – kudos to all involved...

"King Size Reggae" [1970] by VARIOUS ARTISTS including Leslie Kong Productions (November 2018 UK Doctor Bird Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue - Andy Pearce Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Give You My Love..."

Tapping into the 50th Anniversary celebrations for Trojan Records UK - 2018 has seen Doctor Bird Records (part of Cherry Red UK) bombard us ravenous Reggae and Ska lovers with fantastic 'Expanded Edition' CD reissues of albums disappeared from our record shop racks four and even five decades ago – many of which in truth weren't widely available in the first place.

Centred round the magical output of Trojan’s catalogue from the late 60ts up to about 1975 (see list below) - these CD reissues are not haphazard cash-ins. Each is tastily done, reasonably priced, have properly expanded booklets with newly researched and updated liner notes, often offer two albums onto 1CD or one-album with a huge number of bonus tracks - and some give label rarities their digital debut after decades languishing in the vaults. And all of it mastered from best sources by one of the top Audio Engineers out there – Andy Pearce – a name more commonly known for his decades of work on a huge array of artists under the Universal umbrella.

For this release we get one of Trojan's lesser-seen LP compilations – the Leslie Kong produced "King Size Reggae". First UK issued 1970 as a 12-Track Various Artists budget compilation on Trojan TBL 140 – here it loses three songs - "Soul Shake Down Party" and "Cheer Up" by The Wailers (no doubt contractual reissue refusal is the cause for these two Bob Marley tracks being absent) and what was the opening song on Side 1 - "Drums Of Freedom" by Ken Boothe. That tune has already been issued November 2017 as the opening track on the "Hot Shots Of Reggae" CD reissue (Doctor Bird DBCD-08 – Barcode 5013929270831) – a complimentary Various Artists set of the same period hence its exclusion here. Of the 9 tracks that are present, most were Trojan singles with Leslie Kong Productions or tie-ins and the three losses are more than compensated with by a massive 19 bonus cuts from the period.

This Doctor Bird CD reissue is also a first digital outing for "King Size Reggae" and amidst the 19 Bonus Tracks are three songs not originally available in the UK (Tracks 13, 15 and 25) and one Previously Unreleased (Track 28). Here are the Soul Sisters...

UK released Friday, 23 November 2018 - "King Size Reggae" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Doctor Bird DBCD-026 (Barcode 5013929272637) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue of that 1970 compilation LP offering fans 9 of the original 12-songs alongside a further 19 bonuses (74:53 minutes):

1. (God Love You) Soul Sister – THE GAYLADS

2. It's Gonna Take A Miracle – KEN BOOTHE

3. The Bitterness Of Life – BRUCE RUFFIN

4. (Come) Rock It With Me – THE MELODIANS

5. Money Day – THE PIONEERS

6. Gave You My Love – DELROY WILSON

7. Now I Know – KEN BOOTHE

8. Staircase Of Time – TONY BREVETT

9. Tell The Children The Truth – THE GAYLADS

Tracks 1 to 9 are most of the 12-track compilation LP "King Size Reggae" originally UK issued 1970 on Trojan Records TBL 140 (see notes above re track list)

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Cecilia – BRUCE RUFFIN

11. I Can Remember – THE TENNORS

12. Got To Get Away – DELROY WILSON

13. I'm A True Believer – TYRONE EVANS & BRUCE RUFFIN

14. I'm Black – THE EPICS

15. Night Flight (aka "Sentimental Journey") – ANSEL COLLINS

16. Who's Gonna Be Your Man – BRUCE RUFFIN

17. Collie And Wine – GLEN BROWN

18. Tribute To Prince Ruff – THE MONSTER & THE BEVERLEY'S ALL STARS

19. Baby Don't Do It – THE CLARENDONIANS

20. You Were So Much In Love – THE TENNORS

21. Ooh Child – BRUCE RUFFIN

22. Run Fattie – THE SLICKERS

23. Fat Cat – ANSEL COLLINS

24. I'm Gonna Make It – THE KINGSTONIANS

25. Let Them Stay – TYRONE EVANS

26. The Bells Of Freedom – THE EPICS

27. Candida – BRUCE RUFFIN & BEVERLEY'S ALL STARS

28. Bull Rush – ANSEL COLLINS [Previously Unreleased]

Like all the others in this series - the 12-page booklet is a fantastic affair - new liner notes by ANDY LAMBOURNE [aka Charlie Chalk] and MARC GRIFFITHS of Boss Sounds. Each page is festooned with tape boxes, the two label sides of the original LP on Trojan TBL 140, photos of Bruce Ruffin, Ken Boothe, The Gaylads, The Melodians (and more) and of course Leslie Kong, nine label repros for singles on Trojan alongside another nine for associated labels like Beverley’s Records, Summit and Blue Mountain and even the Elephant rear artwork. But best of all is one of my fave-rave Audio Engineers at the helm - ANDY PEARCE - who along with his engineer partner Matt Wortham has done Lee Perry, The Upsetters, Treasure Isle box set and wads of huge Rock names like Free, Rory Gallagher, Budgie, Wishbone Ash, ELP, Spooky Tooth, Mott The Hoople and so on...

Fantastic cuts like "(God Loves You) Soul Sister", "Money Day" and "Tell The Children The Truth" all stem from 1970 Trojan 45s (TR 7771, TR 7781 and TR 7783) - but I also dig "Baby Don't Do It" by The Clarendonians amidst the extras - a sexy little shimmy originally issued February 1970 on Trojan TR 7719 and written by Peter Austin about his girlfriend Hortense Lewis of The Soulettes. Those ever popular Kingstonians throw in their tuppence worth with a Leslie Kong composition called "I'm Gonna Make It" - a B-side to "I'll Need You Tomorrow" in January 1970 on Trojan TR 7708. And on it goes...

You could argue that the three missing songs compromise the original listen too much – but frankly in all the years I was trading rare records and albums at Reckless in Berwick Street – I've never laid eyes on this LP – so to have it here at all is all right by me. Recommended my Soul Sisters and Reggae Brothers...

2017 and 2018 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues
(Featuring Larges Amounts of Trojan Records, Treasure Isle, Pama 60s & 70s etc)

1. BOB ANDY & MARCIA GRIFFITHS - Young, Gifted And Black/Pied Pier (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-014 - Barcode 5013929271432)

2. ERROL BROWN/THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Dubb Everlasting/Dub Expression [1977 and 1978 High Note 2LPs on 1CD] (November 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-07 – Barcode 5013929270732)

3. DAVE & ANSEL COLLINS – Double Barrel (June 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-016 - Barcode 5013929271630)

4. DESMOND DECKER & THE ACES – Action!/Intensified (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCD-025 – Barcode 5013929272538)

5. DESMOND DEKKER – You Can Get It If You Really Want (September 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-015 - Barcode 5013929271531)

6. DESMOND DEKKER – Double Dekker [1973 UK 2LP set onto 1CD] (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-018 – Barcode 5013929271838)

7. PHYLLIS DILLON – One Life To Live (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-021 – Barcode 5013929272132)

8. ETHIOPIANS – Reggae Power/Woman Capture Man (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-10 – Barcode 5013929271036)

9. MARCIA GRIFFITHS – Naturally/Steppin’ [1978 and 1979 2LPs on 1CD] (August 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-002 – Barcode 5013929270237)

10. DERRICK HARRIOTT & THE CRYSTALITES – Psychedelic Train (October 2017 CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-05 – Barcode 5013929270534)

11. HARRY J. ALL STARS - Liquidator (June 2008 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-012 - Barcode 5013929271234)

12. JUSTIN HINDS & THE DOMINOES – From Jamaica With Reggae (February 2018 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-09 – Barcode 5013929270930)

13. THE KINGSTONIANS – Sufferer (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-03 – Barcode 5013929270336)

14. THE MAYTALS – Monkey Man/From The Roots (July 2018 2LPs on 1CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-017 – Barcode 5013929271739)

15. THE PIONEERS – Long Shot/Battle Of The Giants (September 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-019 – Barcode 5013929271937)

16. THE UNIQUES - Absolutely The...Uniques (January 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-011 - Barcode 5013929271135)

17. THE UPSETTERS – The Upsetter/Scratch The Upsetter Again (October 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-022 – Barcode 5013929272231)

18. THE UPSETTERS – Return Of Django/Eastwood Rides Again (May 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-013 - Barcode 5013929271333)

19. VARIOUS – Dancing Down Orange Street [Trojan 1969 LP] (September 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-04 – Barcode 5013929270435)

20. VARIOUS – Gay Feet, Every Night (October 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-06 – Barcode 5013929270633)

21. VARIOUS – Greater Jamaica Moonwalk Reggae/Reggay At Its Best (October 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-030 – Barcode 5013929273030)

22. VARIOUS – Hot Shots Of Reggae (November 2017 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-08 – Barcode 5013929270831)

23. VARIOUS – King Size Reggae (November 2018, Doctor Bird DBCD-026 – Barcode 5013929272637)

24. VARIOUS – No More Heartaches/What Am I To Do? [2LPs from 1969 and 1970 onto 1CD] (August 2017, Doctor Bird DBCD-01 – Barcode 5013929270138)

25. VARIOUS [Duke Reid and Treasure Isle Productions] – Soul Of Jamaica/Here Comes The Duke (August 2018 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-024 – Barcode 5013929272439)

2019 Doctor Bird Records CD Reissues

1. ROLAND ALPHANSO & THE ORIGINAL ORCHESTRA – ABC Rock Steady (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 43 Bonus Tracks, Doctor Bird DBCDD-023 – Barcode 5013929272330)

2. DENNIS BROWN – Just Dennis/Deep Down (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-027 – Barcode 5013929272736)

3. ERROL BROWN & THE REVOLUTIONARIES – Culture Dub & Medley Dub (12 July 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 25 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-038 – Barcode 5013929273832)

4. ERROL BROWN & THE SUPERSONICS – The Treasure Dub Albums Collection (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with Eight Previously Unreleased, Doctor Bird DBCDD-043 – Barcode 5013929274334)

5. ALTON ELLIS – Greatest Hits/Mr. Soul Of Jamaica [known as Greatest Hits in the UK] (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 47 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-045 – Barcode 5013929274532)

6. THE ETHIOPIANS – Engine No. 5 (17 May 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 17 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-035 – Barcode 5013929273535)

7. THE GAYLADS – Fire And Rain (14 June 2019 1CD Expanded Set with 13 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-036 – Barcode 5013929273634)

8. JOHN HOLT – Like A Bolt (January 2019 Expanded CD, Doctor Bird DBCD-029 – Barcode 5013929272934)

9. THE MELODIANS – Rivers Of Babylon (9 August 2019 Expanded 1CD Set with 15 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCD-041 – Barcode 5013929274136)

10. DERRICK MORGAN – Moon Hop/Derrick Morgan In London (April 2019 Expanded 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-032 – Barcode 5013929273238)

11. DERRICK MORGAN – Derrick Morgan And His Friends (12 July 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 24 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-039 – Barcode 5013929273931)

12. SONIA POTTINGER – Put On Your Best Dress: Ska & Rock Steady 1966-1967 (14 June 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-037 – Barcode 5013929273733)

13. LORD TANAMO & FRIENDS – Festival Jump-Up [1965] (15 November 2019 Expanded 2CD Reissue of 1965 LP with 40 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-046 – Barcode 5013929274631)

14. LINVAL THOMPSON – The Linval Thompson Trojan Roots Album Collection [including two LPs by Big Joe & The Trinity called “African Princess” and “Rock In The Ghetto” and one Linval Thompson LP called “I Love Marijuana”) (11 October 2019 Expanded 2CD Set with 10 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-044 – Barcode 5013929274433)

15. LINVAL THOMPSON & THE REVOLUTIONAIRES – Negrea Love Dub/Outlaw Dub [1978 and 1979] (15 November 2019 Reissue featuring 2LPs onto 1CD (no bonus), Doctor Bird DBCD-047 – Barcode 5013929274730)

16. THE UPSETTERS featuring LEE 'SCRATCH' PERRY – Clint Eastwood/Many Moods Of The Upsetters (April 2019 2CD Expanded Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-034 – Barcode 5013929273436)

17. VARIOUS – The Down Town Albums Collection [Down Town Label] (February 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird Records DBCDD-020 - Barcode 5013929272033)

18. VARIOUS – Gay Jamaican Independence Time – Boom Sha-Ka-La (17 May 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 35 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-028 – Barcode 5013929272835)

19. VARIOUS – Greatest Jamaican Beat... (March 2019 2CD Set, Doctor Bird DBCDD-033 – Barcode 5013929273337)

20. VARIOUS – Independence Jump Up Calypso (9 August 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 46 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-040 – Barcode 5013929274037)

21. VARIOUS – The Treasure Isle Ska Albums Collection (January 2019 2CD Set [4LPs and more], Doctor Bird DBCDD-031 – Barcode 5013929273139)

22. VARIOUS – You Can’t Wine/Music Alone Shall Live (13 September 2019 2CD Expanded Set with 33 Bonus, Doctor Bird DBCDD-042 - Barcode 5013929274235)