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RATINGS: *** Material ***** Audio **** Presentation
"...Because You Gave Me Something..."
When I worked at Reckless Records in both London's Berwick Street (Soho) and Upper Street (Islington) branches - Sutherland Brothers and Quiver albums were a sales no-no. They just didn't shift then and (sadly) it's pretty much the same now. Even the at-times gorgeous and wildly underrated Folk-Rock self-titled Island Records debut LP can be bought for just over two quid from loads of sites - not something you can say of any Island Records LP from 1972 – now over fifty years past and counting. Go to another famous site and in October 2023, you can find 182 copies of their "Reach For The Sky" LP with their big hit "Arms Of Mary" on it with a set-sale price tag of 80p.
Unfortunately, there are reasons why collectors won't pay up for LPs like "Dream Kid" or "Beat Of The Street" (from 1973 and 1974) - they just feel slight. As far as I'm concerned and despite silly assertions made in the booklet by Brian Mathieson of 'the best Rock music of the Seventies' – The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver went on a very real MOR downward trajectory after that lovely start - to a point where you can't give away the later albums either.
But this is not to say that all of their music warrants such low sums - it absolutely doesn't. The "Reach For The Sky" album has tunes and the sophisticated "Down To Earth" LP follow-up in 1977 was actually even better - but despite CBS trying three singles - it seemed few wanted to notice in those Punk and New Wave years. In short - despite the occasional oasis - it is all too often easy to hear as you wade through these eight Seventies slices of America-type songs why they didn't break through like some of their better contemporaries, Gallagher & Lyle jump to mind.
But praise where praise is due – there are goodies in here and Lemon Records of the UK (part of the Cherry Red roster of reissue labels) have done the sonic biz by the Scottish brothers and their harmonious legacy. What you get with "The Albums" is 3-star material given 5-star Audio and a 4-star presentation that offers eight remastered albums and twenty bonus tracks for beneath thirty quid from most online sites. Let's get to the details, because we got armloads of it...
UK released Friday, 27 September 2019 (4 October 2019 in the USA) - "The Albums" by SUTHERLAND BROTHERS and QUIVER on Cherry Red/Lemon Records CDLEMBOX237 (Barcode 5013929783706) is an 103-Track 8CD Clamshell Box Set of Remasters (Six of the albums have 20 Bonuses), Singular Repro Card Sleeve Artwork and a 28-Page Booklet that plays out as follows:
CD1 "The Sutherland Brothers Band" (43:36 minutes):
1. The Pie [Side 1]
2. Sleeping Dog
3. Hallelujah
4. I Was In Chains
5. Medium Wave
6. Big Brother
7. War Of The Roses [Side 2]
8. Midnight Avenue
9. Sunny Street, W14
10. Where In The World
11. Long Long Day
Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut studio album "The Sutherland Brothers Band" - released January 1972 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9181 and in the USA on Island Records SW-9315. Reissued 1975 on Island ILPS 9181 (different label) and November 1977 in the UK on CBS Records 82297. Produced by MUFF WINWOOD - it didn't chart in either country
CD1 BONUS TRACK:
12. The Pie (7" Version) - Edit at 3:31 minutes
Tracks 12 and 11 are the A&B-sides of their debut UK 45-single released 21 January 1972 on Island WIP 6120. Rare copies came with picture sleeves on the album's artwork (it's pictured on Page 2 of the booklet)
CD2 "Lifeboat" (61:12 minutes) - see NOTES below re releases:
1. Lady Like You [Side 1]
2. Lifeboat
3. Where Do We Go Wrong
4. Ireland
5. All I Got Is You
6. Space Hymn [Side 2]
7. Change The Wind
8. Sorrow
9. Love Is My Religion
10. Real Love
CD2 BONUS TRACKS:
11. Have You Had A Vision
12. Rock And Roll Show
13. (I Don't Want To Love You) But You Got Me Anyway
14. Not Fade Away
15. Sailing
16. Who's Crying Now
17. Annie (7" Version)
CD2 NOTES:
Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Lifeboat" - first 'UK' released November 1972 on Island ILPS 9212 (also produced by MUFF WINWOOD, also did not chart). The British Folk-Rock band QUIVER (who had had two albums on Warner Brothers in the UK, "Quiver" in 1971 and "Gone In The Morning" in 1972) joined with the Scottish group to become thereafter credited as The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver. This extended line-up recorded four new recordings in the spring of 1973 and along with the stand-alone UK 45-single "Sailing" from 1972 and four of the original British LP's songs - a new album line-up was formed for the summer 1973 'US' release where the LP was launched as "Lifeboat" by SUTHERLAND BROTHERS & QUIVER (using the same artwork). It is also pictured in the booklet.
The US LP "Lifeboat" released July 1973 on Island SW-9326 can be sequenced as follows from CD2:
Side 1:
1. (I Don't Want To Love You) But You Got Me Anyway (CD Track 13)
2. Sailing (CD Track 15)
3. Where Do We Go Wrong (CD Track 3)
4. Space Hymn (CD Track 6)
5. Real Love (CD Track 10)
Side 2:
1. Have You Had A Vision (CD Track 11)
2. Lifeboat (CD Track 2)
3. Not Fade Away (CD Track 14)
4. Change The Wind (CD Track 7)
5. Rock And Roll Show (CD Track 12)
After Rod Stewart had made a worldwide hit of "Sailing" as a cover version on his 1975 album "Atlantic Crossing" and "Arms Of Mary" became a hit for The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver when it charted 10 April 1976 in the UK and rose to a peak position of No.5 on the British 7" singles chart (exited the Top 40 in June 1976) - CBS Records reissued all of their catalogue to date including another British version of the "Lifeboat" album in November 1977 on CBS Records 82298 which replaced "Sorrow" as track 3 on Side 2 with the hit "Sailing". That 1977 variant can also be sequenced from CD2.
SINGLES:
24 November 1972 saw Island Records UK issue "Lady Like You" as the band's third UK 45 7" single (Island WIP 6147) with an Edit of "Annie" as its B-side (featured here as a Bonus Track on CD2 – the edit is 3:59 minutes, the re-made LP version of "Annie" can be found on the "Beat Of The Street" album on CD4 where it runs to 4:06 minutes). Their second UK 45-single "Sailing" b/w "Who's Crying Now" was issued July 1972 on Island WIP 6136 (both tracks featured here as Bonuses on CD2). Their fifth UK 45 was "(I Don't Want To Love You) But You Got Me Anyway" b/w "Not Fade Away" issued 23 February 1973 on Island WIP 6157 - both tracks from the American version of the "Lifeboat" album but Non-LP in the UK ("Not Fade Away" is a Buddy Holly cover version).
CD3 "Dream Kid" (40:41 minutes):
1. You And Me [Side 1]
2. I Hear Thunder
3. Flying Down To Rio
4. Seagull/Lonely Love
5. Champion The Underdog
6. Bluesy World [Side 2]
7. Bad Loser
8. Dream Kid
9. Maker
10. Rollin' Away/Rocky Road/Saved By The Angel
Tracks 1 to 10 are their third studio album "Dream Kid" and first credited to SUTHERLAND BROTHERS & QUIVER in Britain - released December 1973 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9259 and in the USA on Island SW 9341 (produced by MUFF WINWOOD - it didn't chart in either country). Reissued November 1977 in the UK on CBS Records 82299.
CD3 BONUS TRACK:
11. Don't Mess Up
Track 11 is the Non-LP B-side to "Dream Kid" released 25 January 1974 in the UK as a 45-single on Island WIP 6182
CD4 "Beat Of The Street" (43:46 minutes):
1. World In Action [Side 1]
2. Saviour In The Rain
3. Devil, Are You Satisfied?
4. Bone Dry
5. Beat On The Street
6. Laid Back In Anger [Side 2]
7. His Life Music
8. Living In Love
9. Annie
10. Last Boy Over The Moon
Tracks 1 to 10 are their fourth studio album "Beat Of The Street" - released October 1974 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9288 (no US release). It was reissued November 1977 in the UK on CBS Records 82230.
CD4 BONUS TRACKS:
11. Saviour In The Rain (7" Version)
12. Silver Sister
Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of an October 1974 UK 45-single on Island WIP 6209. Although it doesn’t say so on the label, the A-side is an edit at 2:34 minutes – the full album version of "Saviour In The Rain" runs to 4:13 minutes – the B-side "Silver Sister" was a Non-LP song
CD5 "Reach For The Sky" (44:37 minutes):
1. When The Train Comes [Side 1]
2. Dirty City
3. Arms Of Mary
4. Something Special
5. Love On The Moon
6. Ain't Too Proud [Side 2]
7. Dr. Dancer
8. Reach For The Sky
9. Moonlight Lady
10. Mad Trail
Tracks 1 to 10 are their fifth studio album "Reach For The Sky" – released June 1975 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 69191 – reissued May 1976 in the UK with the same catalogue number after the 45-single "Arms Of Mary" became a Top 5 chart hit. US album on Columbia PC 33982.
CD5 BONUS TRACKS:
11. We Get Along
12. When The Train Comes (7" Version)
Track 11 is the Non-LP B-side to "Arms Of Mary" released 6 February 1976 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 4001. Track 12 is the 3:32 minutes edited A-side of their seventh UK 45-single released 2 July 1976 on CBS Records S CBS 4336.
CD6 "Slipstream" (40:54 minutes):
1. Slipstream [Side 1]
2. Wild Love
3. Saturday Night
4. If I Could Have Your Loving
5. Love On The Side
6. Secrets
7. Dark Powers [Side 2]
8. Something's Burning
9. Sweet Cousin
10. Midnight Rendezvous
11. The Prisoner
12. High Nights
Tracks 1 to 12 are their sixth studio album "Slipstream" – released September 1976 in the UK on CBS Records S 81593 and Columbia PC 34376 in the USA. Produced by HOWIE and RON ALBERT (Fat Albert Production)
CD7 "Down To Earth" – see NOTES (67:15 minutes):
1. Ice In The Fire [Side 1]
2. Dark Ship
3. Harbour Light
4. Somebody's Fool
5. Fun On The Farm
6. Every Tear I Cry [Side 2]
7. Situations
8. Oh Woman
9. Rock 'N' People
10. Where Lies Your Soul
Tracks 1 to 10 are their seventh studio album "Down To Earth" (British version) – released September 1977 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 82255 (see below re USA issue).
CD7 BONUS TRACKS:
11. Ice In The Fire (7" Version) – 19 Aug 1977 UK 45-single edit on CBS Records S CBS 5563, A-side – the LP-track "Where Lies Your Soul" was its B-side. The A-side edit is 3:37 minutes; the LP cut is 4:18 mnutes
12. Every Tear I Cry (7" Version) – 11 Nov 1977 UK 45-single edit on CBS Records S CBS 5818 – the LP-track "Rock 'N' People" was its B-side. The A-side edit is 3:27 minutes; the LP cut is 4:09 minutes
13. Somebody's Fool (7" Version) – 28 July 1978 UK 45-single edit on CBS Records S CBS 6453 (as The Sutherland Brothers) – the 1972 UK 45-single "Sailing" was its B-side. The LP version of the A-side is 4:33 minutes; the single edit is 3:32 minutes
14. One More Night With You
15. Sunbird
16. When I Say I Love You (The Pie) – Remake of their first single "The Pie" from 1972 on their debut album; Tracks 14, 15 and 16 on the American LP – see Notes below
CD7 NOTES:
Although it had the same front sleeve artwork, the US album for "Down To Earth" had three additional tracks not on the UK variant and a different track-running order too. Released on Columbia JC 35293 and using the six Bonus Tracks provided on CD7 – it can be sequenced as follows:
Side 1:
1. One More Night With You (Track 14 on CD7)
2. Ice In The Fire (Track 1 on CD7)
3. Sunbird (Track 15 on CD7)
4. Harbour Light (Track 3 on CD7)
5. Dark Ship (Track 2 on CD7)
Side 2:
1. Situations (Track 7 on CD7)
2. Somebody's Fool (Track 4 on CD7)
3. Every Tear I Cry (Track 6 on CD7)
4. Fun Of The Farm (Track 5 on CD7)
5. When I Say I Love You (The Pie) (Track 16 on CD7)
CD8 "When The Night Comes Down" (41:29 minutes):
1. Natural Thing [Side 1]
2. Have You Ever Been Hurt?
3. First Love
4. Easy Come, Easy Go
5. As Long As I've Got You
6. I'm Going Home
7. When The Night Comes Down [Side 2]
8. Dreams Of You
9. Cruisin'
10. On The Rocks
11. Crazy Town
Tracks 1 to 11 are their eight and final studio album "When The Night Comes Down" (credited as The Sutherland Brothers) – released April 1979 in the UK on CBS Records 83427 and Columbia PC 35703 in the USA
Quiver had consisted of Tim Renwick on Guitars, Flute and Vocals, Cal Batchelor on Guitars, Keyboards and Vocals with Bruce Thomas on Bass and Vocals and Willie Nelson on Drums and Vocals. Barney Bubbles had even designed both of their album sleeves for their duo of Warner Brothers albums in 1971 and 1972 – something he would bring to the debut for The Sutherland Brothers Band in January 1972 (he would go on to famously design New Wave albums).
Minus Cal Batchelor - the other three - Tim Renwick, Bruce Thomas and Willie Nelson – joined with the Sutherland Brothers in 1972 – in fact that second album featured a plethora of great session-players – Dave Mattacks and Pat Donaldson from Fairport Convention, Bob Ronga on Bass, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick and Steve Winwood from Traffic with John ‘Hawk’ Hawken all hawking Keyboards. Tex Comer from Ace (Paul Carrack’s band) joined them too on Bass for the "Beat Of The Street" album.
The Clamshell Box offers eight individual single card sleeves and a 28-page booklet (all pictured above) with new liner notes by BRIAN MATHIESON who draws from interviews with the core four-piece of Sutherlands, Renwick and Willie Nelson. There are tour posters with Elton John, Island Records promo photos (two), Zig Zag magazine covers and various Trade Adverts. Each card sleeve is a single with a picture CD inside that reflects the album artwork and not the original labels. Any original inner bags or lyric inserts are left out – so the gatefold of "Beat Of The Street" is missing – the inner sleeves of "Dream Kid" and "Down To Earth" are not here – the lyric inserts for "Reach For The Sky" and "Slipstream" are AWOL too. Some of the artwork to those inners is in the booklet along with a collage of singles, picture sleeves and other period material too, but sadly no lyrics.
It’s a perfectly acceptable visual on all fronts – but the fireworks are really clean and upfront remasters (the overall set is mastered by JAMES BRAGG). The extras are all very smart moves too – fans will know that for instance the CBS Rewind Remaster of "Reach For The Sky" (their breakthrough album from 1975 and 1976) had only the UK LP tracks – here Lemon provide the full US picture too – the same for "Down To Earth" from 1977. To the tunes...
The early 1972 debut LP on Island Records has at least three or four great moments least not of all is Track 4 "I Was In Chains". Both Maggie Bell of Stone The Crows and Paul Young of The Q-tips spotted its lovely Folk-Traditional melodious magic when Maggie covered it in 1975 on her "Suicide Sal" for Polydor - while Young put it as the last track on his 2nd solo album "The Secret Of Association" ten years later in 1985. Other cool grooves come with the stay-together-comrades chug of "Big Brother" and the other whopper on the LP – the oddly happy let-down-off-the-family obsessed "Where In The World". But the LP is dominated by many fans firm fave – the beautiful lilt in "The Pie" that opens Side 1 (here in two forms, full album and edited single). British jocks played it a lot, but for some reason, it just didn’t take with the general public enough to chart it (the saccharine syrupy/string remake version on the otherwise excellent "Down To Earth" album is to be avoided – ruin a perfectly lovely memory).
Their second outing "Lifeboat" comes in two forms – the British original from November 1972 which is only OK – but then three members of Quiver joined The Sutherland Brothers and injected some much need oomph. Sessions ensued with four new songs. So July 1973 sees the LP re-launched in the US (same artwork) credited as "Lifeboat" by The Sutherland Brothers and Quiver (the UK LP is TSB only). When you sequence the US variant from CD2 (see Notes above) – it makes for a much more coherent and enjoyable listen – better songs and the killer "Sailing" included too. The only pointless moment is a cover of the Buddy Holly classic "Not Fade Away" that instantly feels like filler and superfluous to requirements.
Although a considerable audio notch up in Production values, for me the two from 1973 and 1974 "Dream Child" and "Beat Of The Street" are just plain boring and lightweight (the second did not get a US release). And you can just so hear why bands like America and especially Eagles shifted such huge numbers of albums – they always had tunes – whole albums full of them. But things change with a signing to CBS Records. Unfortunately (and as is discussed in the booklet) – TSB and Quiver could not have known of the Epic Records signing CBS Records UK was really interested in – ABBA.
Abba had removed the mighty "Bohemian Rhapsody" by QUEEN from the No.1 spot of several weeks in late 1975 and early 1976 by putting their "Mamma Mia" at No. 1. They would put "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen" both at further No.1 spots in May and September 1976 – just when TSB and Quiver were getting lucky with "Arms Of Mary". As a charting band – the Scandi ABBA were huge. I mention this because the "Reach For The Sky" album came out in June 1975, yet CBS had not even bothered prepping a teaser 45. The band would have to wait until November 1975 for the not-so-good "Ain't Too Proud" for a UK 45-single and that was only because Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd played barely-perceptible Steel Guitar on the track and that other mega band was riding high after "Wish You Were Here" had become one of the monster albums of 1975. Someone thought maybe fans of Pink Floyd would seek out anything DG was on.
Then came the 1976 relaunch of the LP after "Arms
Of Mary" broke the lean streak by charting April 1976 and rising eventually to No.5. in England. Willie Nelson describes the song in the
booklet as a throwaway that came back from America with overdubs and commercialized
sound – a melody that did catch the British public's attention. Other goodies on their most famous album include "When The Train Comes" and "Something Special" while the Side 2 ender "Mad Trail" is a refreshingly funky belter.
Both the "Slipstream" album from 1976 and especially the more accomplished follow-up "Down To Earth" from 1977 deserved better sales – tracks like "Secrets" and "Situations" showing they could still touch a heart. But the last set here "When The Night Comes Down" is a step too far into soulless Yacht Rock and is mostly unlistenible for me.
Iain Sutherland sadly passed in late November 2019 aged 71 – only a couple of months after the release of this Box Set. At least Lemon Records of the UK did him and his band pals a solid. If you are a fan, it is a must own, and for the Seventies-curious there are discoveries enough worth seeking out...
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