"Face The Music: The Complete Singles 1967-1984" by HELEN SHAPIRO - Including Foreign Language Only Issues and Many Other First-Time-On-CD Rarities (28 August 2020 UK Ace Records CD Compilation – Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Threads So Sharp..."

A strong compilation for Shapiro fans with a generous playing time too and best of all – superb Audio on many rarities seeing the 2020 digital light-of-day for the first time anywhere. Hell, there are even a few Northern Soul dancefloor shufflers in here for those inclined. Threads so sharp and with all the latest fashion (lyrics from "She Needs Company") – let's face the music and dance...

UK released Friday, 28 August 2020 - "Face The Music: The Complete Singles 1967-1984" by HELEN SHAPIRO on Ace Records CDCHD 1573 (Barcode 029667098427) is a 25-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (77:20 minutes):

1. Stop And You Will Become Aware

2. She Needs Company

Tracks 1 and 2 are the B and A-side of a 25 August 1967 UK 45-single on Columbia DB 8256

3. Make Me Belong To You

4. The Way Of The World

Tracks 3 and 4 are the A&B-sides of a 10 March 1967 UK 45-single on Columbia DB 8148

5. You'll Get Me Loving You

6. Silly Boy (I Love You)

Tracks 5 and 6 are the A&B-sides of a 13 September 1968 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 17600

7. Today Has Been Cancelled

8. Face The Music

Tracks 7 and 8 are the A&B-sides of a 21 March 1969 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 17714

9. You've Guessed

10. Take Me For A While

Tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of an 18 July 1969 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 17785

11. Take Down A Note Miss Smith

12. Couldn't You See

Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a 13 February 1970 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 17893 (see also Track 25)

13. Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere

14. A Glass Of Wine

Tracks 13 and 14 are the A&B-sides of a 24 July 1970 UK 45-single on Pye 7N 17975

15. You're A Love Child

16. That's The Reason I Love You

Tracks 15 and 16 are the A&B-sides of a 11 April 1975 UK 45-single on DJM Records DJS 363

17. Can't Break The Habit

18. For All The Wrong Reasons

Tracks 17 and 18 are the A&B-sides of an August 1977 UK 45-single on Arista ARISTA 131

19. Every Little Bit Hurts

20. Touchin' Wood

Tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of a March 1978 UK 45-single on Arista ARISTA 178

21. Let Yourself Go

22. Funny

Tracks 21 and 22 are the A&B-sides of an April 1983 UK 45-single on Oval HELEN 25

23. Brickyard Blues

24. Just Another Weekend

Tracks 23 and 24 are the A&B-sides of a January 1984 UK 45-single on Oval OVAL 26

25. Das Ist Nicht Die Feine Englische Art

Track 25 is the A-side of a March 1970 GERMAN 45-single on Pye DV 11005. Its B-side "Take Down A Note Miss Smith" was issued as the A-side in the 'UK' (see Tracks 11 and 12). "Das Ist Nicht..." is a German Language song with no English equivalent and was exclusive to the country. It is included on this CD as a Bonus Track. 

Tracks 1 to 14 and 25 are MONO - all others are in STEREO

As with all of these archival releases from Ace Records of the UK - the 20-page colour booklet is a feast for the eyes and brain - TONY ROUNCE laying into the factoids aided and abetted by Helen and her husband of 30-years John Judd. Page 17 has the picture sleeve to the excellent "Brickyard Blues" (an Allen Toussaint song) whilst the other leaves are littered with Columbia and Pye Demo labels, foreign picture sleeves and even a trade advert for 1970's classy "Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere" - HS starring out at the water wondering when that English git she'd been promised by Mummy is going to turn up and get down to some much-needed lovin'. You could argue that Tony is overly generous in his assessments of singles that were good but never really great and hence the lack of chart action for a star who'd been on the go since early 1961. Still, it's a great read, his affection for what he clearly sees as a class act palpable – so fans and newcomers alike will chew it up.

NICK ROBBINS once again excels himself in the transfers and Audio department - the opening double-bass notes of the Northern-Soul B-side "Stop And You Will Become Aware" come floating crystal clear into your living room and the CD remains that way until the end - the only slightly compromised Audio being the German Song "Das Ist Nicht..." from 1970 that I suspect is dubbed from a disc. The song quality may not always hold up, but the Remasters are really great. To the music...

A Northern Soul dancer if ever there was one, the CD opens on a B-side instead of an A - the irrepressibly upbeat talcum powder shuffler that is "Stop And You Will Become Aware". The Mono Audio rocks whilst the equally drama-laden brassy A-side "She Needs Company" has our Helen eyeing up the sharp-dressed dudes of 1967 resplendent in all the latest Modtastic gear. Beggar or Queen, the darling "Make Me Belong To You" pleader continues the strong songs on her short stay at Columbia. That bopping A-side is offset by a lounge-lizard piano-tinkling schmoozer flipside called "The Way Of The World" - a very Dusty Springfield moment and again with cracking audio.

1968 saw her opening an account with Pye Records and the making-my-life-worthwhile "You'll Get Me Loving You" was a good start even if the rather throwaway B-side "Silly Boy (I Love You) " is a little too girl-group for its own good. Due to the cloudy condition of her mind, Helen finds "Today Has Been Cancelled" - the cold exchange of words with her beau the previous evening, still stinging like a wet kipper in a Billingsgate cafe. Unfortunately, you can so hear why middle-of-the-road pop material like "Face The Music" and "Take Me For A While" elicited a yawn amongst record buyers. Better is "Take Down A Note Miss Smith" - a very Bobby Gentry "Ode To Billie Joe" groove that even has traces of Dusty's sexy "Son Of A Preacher Man" too.

"Couldn't You See" feels like Pye is trying to make Helen fit into Tom Jones material that was already out-dated by 1970. Way more classy is the cautionary tale of "Waiting On The Shores Of Nowhere" where her concerned Pater advises an anxious Helen that she may have to bide her time - sit patiently and wait for that lurve boat to slip into Shapiro Bay with a big rocking Daddy handsome at the tiller. "A Glass Of Wine" feels like languid Bacharach and David - piano accompanied by 'oohs' and 'aahs' from her backing singers as they croon about his 'magic' prowess. By the time we reach Track 15, we're into 1975 and a rather good standalone Stereo 45 on DJM Records called "You're A Love Child". An inquisitive but obviously hurting kid is reassured that they are not a burden but an 'answer to my dreams' while its 'Philadelphia Freedom' sounding B-side "That's The Reason I Love You" is clearly trying to find that Kiki Dee market.

From there on in, it goes from one ok tune to the next - best of which by a country mile is the Allen Toussaint cover of "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" which is shortened to "Brickyard Blues". Shapiro wasn't the first great lady to notice the Funky-Rock grooves in Toussaint's New Orleans songs - Maria Muldaur having covered Brickyard on her 1974 Reprise Records LP "Waitress In A Donut Shop" (Frankie Miller, James Montgomery and Three Dog Night also had a go at the tune in 1974). And on it goes to the rather odd Mono 1970 German single at the end...

For sure not everything on here is genius and at times you can so hear why the British charts success of old eluded her during this period. But fans are going to love the presentation, the affection, the audio and the general classiness that Ace affords her legacy. "What you're playing just can't make it...play something sweet...play something mellow...play me something I can get my teeth into...like Jell-O..." she sang on the Toussaint cover of "Brickyard Blues". I suspect fans that have waited decades for these Remasters will do just that...