"Superfly: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" by CURTIS MAYFIELD (March 1997 US Rhino 'Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition' Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Gotta Take The Pain Away..."

In the world of Sixties and Seventies Soul Music - some albums stand like giants from artists like Aretha, Marvin, Stevie, Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway – and of course - the second of three No. 1 albums for Chicago's Curtis Mayfield [ex The Impressions] – his soundtrack to the Blaxploitation movie "Superfly" issued in August 1972.

In 1997, reissue connoisseurs Rhino of the USA afforded the famous pusherman LP a 2CD "Superfly: Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition" outing complete with a whole disc of Previously Unreleased material and brand new Remasters by long-standing Audio Engineer Dan Hersch. It’s even sporting the die-cut artwork of the American LP originally on Mayfield's own Curtom Records (very tasty). Let's get to Freddie and Eddie before the Feds do...

US released March 1997 - "Superfly: Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition" by CURTIS MAYFIELD on Rhino/Curtom R2 72836 (Barcode 081227283629) is a 2CD Remaster that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (43:39 minutes):

1. Little Child Running Wild [Side 1]

2. Pusherman

3. Freddie's Dead

4. Junkie Chase (Instrumental)

5. Give Me Your Love (Love Song) [Side 2]

6. Eddie You Should Know Better

7. Nothing On Me (Cocaine Song)

8. Think (Instrumental)

9. Superfly

Tracks 1 to 9 are his third Studio album "Superfly: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" – released August 1972 in the USA on Curtom CRS-8014-ST (in a Die-Cut Gatefold Sleeve) and March 1973 in the UK on Buddah 2318 065 (in a Single Non Die-Cut Sleeve).

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Freddie's Dead (Theme From "Superfly") (Single Mix)

July 1972 US 7" single on Curtom CR 1975, A-side ("Underground" from the October 1971 "Roots" LP is the B-side)

11. Superfly (Single Mix)

October 1972 US 7" single on Curtom 1975, A-side ("Love To Keep You In My Mind" from the October 1971 "Roots" LP is the B-side)

Disc 2 (41:43 minutes): ALL PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

1. Ghetto Child (Demo Of "Little Child Runnin' Wild")

2. Pusherman (Alternate Mix with Horns)

3. Freddie's Dead (Instrumental Version from the film score)

4. Junkie Chase (Instrumental) (Full-Length Version)

5. Nothing On Me (Cocaine Song) (Instrumental Version from the film score)

6. Militant March (from the film score – Previously Unreleased)

7. Eddie You Should Know Better (Instrumental Version)

8. Radio Spot No. 1

9. The Underground "Superfly-esque Demo" from 1970 PU in USA)

10. Check Out Your Mind (Instrumental Version – Studio Jam)

11. Radio Spot No. 2

12. Curtis Mayfield (On "Superfly" Film & Songwriting) – from an interview with Rhino's David Dorn recorded fall 1995

The 24-page oversized booklet has liner notes by A. SCOTT GALLOWAY complete with loads of period photos and memorabilia (fab looking stuff) – even going as far as making the outer flap a die-cut like the original 1972 Soundtrack LP in the USA. But for me the big news is New Remasters by DAN HERSCH and the fabulous outtakes haul on Disc 2. Hersch is an Audio Engineer of long-standing who has handled huge swathes of the Atlantic/Atco Remasters Series for Rhino along with his partner in crime BILL INGLOT. This thing sounds fantastic – and Rhino has had their Remaster piggybacked upon by other reissue labels ever since. To the music...

You might think that some dodgy junkie movie from 1972 might not stand up musically in 2019 – but only one minute into the brilliant "Little Child Runnin' Wild" and you’re feeling Mayfield's lethal combo of a cool Soul music with genuinely keeping-it-real lyrics. As the strings fade out, words like "...gotta Jones...runnin' through my bones...guess its time to take another trip...don't care what nobody say...gotta take my pain away...all my life has been this way..." linger in your mind - you're feeling Freddie's ache and need and yes, despair. Next up is the full album version of "Pusherman" – the man in the alley – your friend – gotta need – he can supply the speed - his smug giggles throughout. It's another superb groove and not surprising that the song has featured in so many movies.

The album cut of "Freddie's Dead" is 5:20 minutes long, but the edited single mix at 3:20 minutes was so damn cool, it raced up to a No. 2 position on the US R&B singles chart (the song entered in August 1972 and stayed on chart for a whopping 16 weeks). The short 1:40 minute instrumental "Junkie Chase" ends Side 1 with wah-wah guitars and jagged Shaft-like Funk (slip it onto Baby Driver 2 anyone). Side 2 opens with the sexy "Give Me Your Love (Love Song)" and again that guitar groove with those strings is fantastic stuff - Curtis can't get mad at his lady (or is it something else he's alluding too). "Eddie You Should Know Better" is a wise-up brother song, tears and fears and personal cost. Spoken messages come fast and thick in "Nothing On Me (Cocaine Song)" - Curtis advising that a natural high is a better buzz than a chemically induced one - a high followed by a down you can't kick the next morning. The album slides towards its finish with a surprisingly pretty instrumental called "Think" followed by the titular full album version of "Superfly" at 4:58 minutes. Very cool – the title track is all sexy horn jabs and tight drumming as Curtis tells of friends who've suffered at the greedy hands of the Pusherman (like James Brown, they both saw what these hustlers were doing to black communities all over America). A single edit was released October 1972 and it peaked at an impressive No. 5 in the States - Ron O'Neil's leading role movie 45 even getting a titled picture sleeve.

Of the outakes I went straight for the 4:18 minute extension of the instrumental "Junkie Chase" - fab stuff - drums and funk way past the LP cut. The fifty seconds of "Militant March" is good but gone too soon - better is the superb "Check Out Your Mind" - 4:06 minutes of instrumental Shaft-type funkiness. The two Radio Spots have Curtis rhyming lyrics to a backdrop of the signature music asking punters to check out Freddie and his woes. I also like the demo of "Underground" - treated guitars and growled lyrics.

I've been playing this Soul Soundtrack album for near five decades now - my battered Buddah Records UK LP covered in too many scratches and party detritus. Well, this fabulous 2CD celebration has only served to remind me of why I return to Curtis and his music so much...a winner...

"Love Changes: The Anthology 1972-1983" by MOTHER'S FINEST (March 2017 SoulMusic Records 2CD Reissue - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...You Move Me..."

Across two jam-packed CDs in this stunning 2017 Remastered anthology (both nearing the 80-minute mark) - SoulMusic Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red's bank of reissue labels) sure pack a whole lot of bang for your buck.

Ohio's Soul-Rock-Funk band MOTHER'S FINEST were always something of a cult in the UK even when they charted four albums in the lower regions of the American Billboard Rock LP charts (three on Epic and one on Atlantic between 1976 and 1981) and three on the US R&B charts (two on Epic and one on Capitol between 1976 and 1984). They also had 45s as far back as 1972 on RCA Victor and that's where this huge audio haul comes blazing in. There are loads of stand-alone single edits, selections from six albums (five studio and one live), a further rare seventh only LP issued in Europe in its entirety and even six (then unreleased) from a long-deleted 2CD American compilation first issued in 2010. Wow! Here are the love changing details...

UK released 3 March 2017 (10 March 2017 in the USA) - "Love Changes - The Anthology 1972-1983" by MOTHER'S FINEST on SoulMusic Records SMCR 5151D (Barcode 5013929085138) offers 37-Tracks Remastered across 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 "Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)" (78:24 minutes):

1. You Move Me

2. Dear Sir And Brother Mann

3. Monster People

4. Bone Song

5. Living Hero

6. Middle Of The Night

7. Funky Mountain

8. Run Joe

9. Fire (Single Edit)

10. Dontcha Wanna Love Me

11. Rain (Single Edit)

12. My Baby

13. Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)

14. Baby Love (Single Edit)

15. Thank You For The Love (Single Edit)

16. Dis Go Dis Way, Dat Go Dat Way

17. Mickey's Monkey

Tracks 1 and 2 are on their debut album "Mother's Finest" released November 1972 in the USA on RCA Victor LSP-4790

Tracks 1 and 2 were also the A&B-sides of their February 1973 debut US 7" single on RCA 74-0889

Tracks 3 to 8 first issued on the 2010 "Mother's Finest" USA 2CD set on Wounded Bird WOU-4790

Tracks 9 and 10 are the A&B-sides of an August 1976 US 7" single on Epic 8-50269

Tracks 11 and 12 are the A&B-sides of a 1976 US 7" single on Epic 8-50310

Track 14 is the A-side of a September 1977 US 7" single on Epic 8-50407, B-side was "Hard Rock Lover", see Track 1 CD2

Track 15 is the A-side of a November 1977 US 7" single on Epic 8-50483, B-side was "Piece Of The Rock", see Track 2 CD2

Tracks 9, 10, 11 and 12 are on their second album "Mother's Finest" USA released November 1976 on Epic PE 34179 (peaked at No. 148 Billboard Albums Charts)

Tracks 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are on their third album "Another Mother Further" USA released September 1977 on Epic PE 34699 (peaked at No. 134 on the Billboard Album charts)

CD2 "Take Me To The Middle (of Your Luv)" (79:07 minutes):

1. Hard Rock Lover (Single Edit)

2. Piece Of The Rock (Single Edit)

3. Truth'll Set You Free

4. Don't Wanna Come Back

5. Love Changes (Single Edit)

6. Can't Fight The Feeling

7. Watch My Stylin'

8. Somebody To Love (Live)

9. U Turn Me On

10. Evolution

11. Secret Service

12. What Kind Of Fool

13. Victory

14. Love Me Too

15. Everybody Needs Somebody

16. Big Shot Romeo

17. What You Do To Me

18. In My Baby's Arms

19. Some Kind Of Madness

20. Take Me To The Middle (Of Your Luv)

Track 1 is the B-side to "Baby Love" (A-side is Track 14, CD1), a September 1977 US 7" single on Epic 8-50407

Track 2 is the B-side to "Thank You For Your Love" (A-side is Track 15, CD1), a November 1977 US 7" single on Epic 8-50483

Track 3 is the B-side to "Don't Wanna Come Back" (A-side is Track 4, CD2), an August 1978 US 7" single on Epic 8-50596 and a November 1978 B-side to "Love Changes..." on Epic 8-50641

Tracks 1 to 3 (longer versions in the case of 1 and 2) are also on their third album "Another Mother Further" USA released September 1977 on Epic PE 34699 (peaked at No. 134 on the Billboard Album charts)

Track 4 is the A-side to an August 1978 US 7" single on Epic 8-50596 (B-side is Track 3, CD2)

Track 5 is the A-side to a November 1978 US 7" single on Epic 8-50641 (B-side is Track 3, CD2)

Track 6 is the A-side to a March 1979 US 7" single on Epic 8-50679 (B-side is "More And More" - not on this release)

Track 7 is the studio B-side to an October 1979 US 7" single on Epic 9-50784 (A-side is Track 8, CD2)

Track 8 is the live A-side to an October 1979 US 7" single on Epic 9-50784 (B-side is Track 7, CD2)

Tracks 4, 5, 6 and 7 are on their fourth album "Mother Factor" released in the USA September 1978 on Epic Je 35546

Track 8 is from their fifth album "Mother's Finest Live" released in the USA in November 1979 on Epic Je 35976

Tracks 9 and 10 are from their sixth album "Iron Age" released in the USA May 1981 on Atlantic SD 19302

Tracks 11 to 20 are their entire album "One Mother To Another" released in the Netherlands in 1983 on Epic EPC 25363

The 20-page booklet features a lot of discography info as well as new liner notes from A. SCOTT GALLOWAY with input from members of the band. The six albums are pictured along with wads of those US 45s on Epic as well as some rare picture sleeves. With much of it getting a first time digital dust-down, long-time Ace Records Audio Engineer – the hugely experienced NICK ROBBINS, has done the Remaster. Throughout the Audio is superb – kicking and full of life.

Originally formed in 1970 and eventually becoming a six-piece multi-cultural band - the first unadorned single offered here is a bit of a torch-ballad gem when they started out as a straight-up Chi-Lites type R&B outfit – Joyce Kennedy’s incredibly expressive croaky vocals slaying everything in its path on the fantastic "You Move Me" - aided and abetted by a funky flipside in "Dear Sir And Brother Mann" – both impressive originals. The unreleased tracks (3 to 8) unearthed by Wounded Bird USA on their self-titled 2CD compilation in 2010 feel like Sly & The Family Stone has had a baby with Funkadelic and Labelle – guitar-wild bass-infused keyboard-boogieing (all of them are shockingly good).

But for many it will be the almost Montrose Rock riffage of "Fire" that they will remember the band for, where they hit on that Soul-Rock almost Metal thing they did so incredibly well. The wicked fretwork of Atlanta axeman Moses 'Mo' is hair-raisingly good - a sort of Jeff Beck meets Prince meets Edgar Winter kind of mojo (he would later join the 1985 band Illusion). The hard funk continues with "Rain" and again back to Zeppelinesque power-chords for "My Baby" – another truly great Soul-Rock dancefloor filler that used to have customers in Reckless Records London race to the counter screaming, "Who is this man!”

This 2CD overhaul also wisely includes the full seven and half minutes of the album cut "Give You All The Love Inside Of Me” from 1978 because it showcases the band in all its multiple-genre glory - stunning Funk-Rock meets Soul meets sexy Seventies R&B – the kind of tour de force that will have you asking why you haven't had these wild cats in your home for the last 40 years. And on it goes...

A fab little twofer then and a band that deserved so much more than their cult status – they really did. If you like your Soul and Funk with a bit of Prince-like Rock-guitar pyrotechnics – then this fabulous little sucker is the bad boy for you. And well done to all at SoulMusic Records for presenting it so damn well…

"Freedom Means" by THE DELLS with Larry Wade, Terry Callier & Charles Stepney (2015 Caroline CD Reissue - Nick Robbins Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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"...Heed The Call!" 

1971 was a huge year for Soul Music - especially American Soul. Marvin Gaye's staggering "What's Going On" on Tamla (which many argue is the greatest LP every made in any genre and they might be right) - Aretha Franklin's right-on Grooveathon "Aretha Live At Fillmore East" and the Blaxploitation big daddy of them all (with a dose of extra bling) - Isaac Hayes' "Shaft". All of them went to the coveted No. 1 spot on the US R&B charts in 1971. Even Curtis Mayfield's socially conscious inner city opus "Curtis" on Curtom Records proved to have extended legs from its release in October 1970 when it too went all the way - eventually hitting the No. 1 spot in February 1971 and staying there for 5 weeks.

But I'd argue it was a stunning and pivotal year because of those 'other' albums you hear about in hushed tones and deep Soul-worshiping circles. I'm talking about Bobby Womack's "Communication" on United Artists - Earth, Wind & Fire's eponymous debut on Warner Brothers – The Isley Brothers doing Rock in a Soulful way on their awesome covers album "Givin' It Back" on T-Neck and Gil Scott-Heron's beat poetry vs. music mash-up "Small Talk At 125th And Lennon" on Flying Dutchman (I've reviewed most). I'd like to add my further penny's worth with Minnie Riperton's "Come To My Garden" on GRT Records - The (New) Rotary Connection's "Hey, Love" on Cadet - and released in the same month of August 1971 and on the same label - the wonderful "Freedom Means" by The Dells. All of the last three mentioned have a connection – they were Arranged and Produced by the genius that was CHARLES STEPNEY.

Stepney is a big name in small circles and I've been singing his praises in my SOUNDS GOOD e-Book on 'Soul, Funk and Jazz Fusion' for years (he was sadly lost to us in May 1976 aged only 46). But what puts "Freedom Means" up there is the alliance on the same record with Stepney and Soul Boys/Songwriting Heroes - Larry Wade and Terry Callier. This dynamic-duo provided six of the nine songs on the LP and man you hear it. Which brings us to this 2015 Reissue...

Caroline International/SoulMusic Records are part of the Cherry Red network of UK labels and they are clearly pleased with their very cool and lovely Remaster. This is a beauty and they know it. Let's get to the music and the meaningful details...

UK released December 2015 - "Freedom Means" by THE DELLS on Caroline International/SoulMusic Records CAROLR 033CD (Barcode 600753663097) is a straightforward CD Reissue/Remaster of the 1971 US album that plays out as follows (40:28 minutes):

1. Freedom Means [Side 1]

2. Rather Be With You

3. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)

4. One Less Bell To Answer

5. It's All Up To You

6. Medley: If You Go Away/Love Story [Side 2]

7. Make It With You

8. Free And Easy

9. Melody Man

10. Freedom Theme

Tracks 1 to 10 are their album "Freedom Means" - released August 1971 in the USA on Cadet Records CA 50004 (no UK issue). Produced and Arranged by CHARLES STEPNEY - it peaked at No. 4 on the US R&B charts and No. 81 on the Pop charts.

NOTE: There are only 9 actual songs on the album - "Freedom Theme" at the end of Side 2 (credited to Charles Stepney) was merely a 20-second segment of silence (a statement of sorts on the times). To keep the integrity of the whole album - Caroline have included it here anyway.

THE DELLS were:

JOHNNY CARTER and VERNE ALLISON – Tenor Vocals

MARVIN JUNIOR and MICKEY McGILL – Baritone Voices

CHUCK BARKSDALE – Bass Vocals

Musicians:

Guitars – Phil Upchurch, Terry Callier and Patrick Ferreri

Trombones – John Avant and Morris Ellis

Trumpets – Arthur Hoyle and Murray Watson

French Horns: Ethel Merker and Richard Olberg

Piano – Charles Stepney

Harp – Edward Druzinsky

Bass – Sidney Simms and Phil Upchurch

Percussion – Morris Jennings, Sheldon Elias and Donny Simmons

Violins, Cellos and Violas – Various

In a sumptuous 16-page booklet – A. SCOTT GALLOWAY gives us superb liner notes that feature newly arranged interviews with surviving singer Mickey McGill as well as reminiscences down through the years from Callier, Wade and even Stepney himself. There's a great photo of Larry Wade with Terry Callier in 2000 looking like two elder statesmen of Soul – label repros of Side 1 and 2 for the Cadet CA 50004 LP as well as repros of the desirable Cadet/Checker US 7" singles for the two singles lifted off the album - "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)" b/w "Freedom Means" on Cadet CA 5683 (July 1971) and "It's All Up To You" b/w "Oh, My Dear" on Cadet 5689 (January 1972). It's really well done and gives genuine insight into facts around the songs and the recordings - insider info that was all but mystery only a few years ago.

But the big news is the Audio – a truly stunning NICK ROBBINS Remaster from original tapes. Nick has done literally hundreds of CDs for Ace Records of the UK and especially their beloved Kent-Soul imprint. This is a guy who knows his way around a Soul Record and a master box. The full lushness of Stepney's arrangements (there's fifteen players for Violins, Cellos and Violas in the booklet credits alone) and the other great musicians and their obvious skills is now in proper evidence. I had a few of these tracks on the Dells double-CD "Standing Ovation: The Very Best Of 1966-1988" from Universal in 2007 (see separate review) – they were remastered by the mighty Erick Labson and were uniformly stunning. But somehow, somewhere - Robbins has managed to wrench more. Fans of the album and Stepney-orientated material will love this.

Written by Wade, Stepney and Callier and somehow reflecting the heady days of blacks and whites finally coming together in some kind of shared bond - the album opens with the upbeat message song "Freedom Means". A spoken intro advises that speaking right out - finding space in time - working it all out together - is where it's at (man). The smooch vocals soon turn into a righteous groove with the little guitar flicks of Phil Upchurch subtly evident. Wade, Stepney and Callier song number two is the busy "Rather Be With You" - a love song with a pulse. Callier would return to the song almost two years later (as "I'd Rather Be With You") for release on his "What Color Is Love" album (Cadet CA 50019 in March 1973). Callier's later cut is a leaner version - his gorgeous voice carrying the melody yet again. The Dells version of "Rather Be With You" initially features the huge Bass lungs of Chuck Barksdale singing sexily into his lady's ears only to be joined by Bacharach type brass and the complimentary Tenor voice of Johnny Carter. It's a hugely romantic song and with Barksdale's deep timber has more than a shade of Brook Benton over on Atlantic Records.

Magic then wallops you in the proverbial goolies – the sensational "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)". Marvin Junior gets a lion's share of the passionate outbursts - but all five voices are up there harmonising like pros to make a sublime cohesive whole. This song alone makes the album five-stars and is surely one of the loveliest examples of Harmony Soul out there (the public took it to heart too over the months eventually putting it up to No. 8 on the R&B charts and even giving it a No. 30 placing on the normally resistant Rock and Pop charts). "One Less Bell To Answer" is the first of three cover versions - a Burt Bacharach and Hal David creation made famous by The 5th Dimension who put their version on Bell 940 on the No. 2 spot in late 1970. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of this overly busy song - or the Jacques Brel/Rod McKuen combo of "If You Go Away/Love Story" - the second cover on the LP. Both may have some reaching for the word 'cheese' and the remote control's forward button. Better is the very Terry Callier "It's All Up To You" which feels 5th Dimension but in a more genuinely joyful way.

Their 3rd cover is the David Gates Bread classic "Make It With You" which The Dells radically rearrange into a Funky Stroller with Brass. Galloway's liner notes reckon it's a rare misstep - but I love it better than the supposed wonder of that "Love Story" talking-schlock. But they fade into memory as I totally trip out on another fave-rave of mine  - the stunning groove of "Free And Easy" - where Phil Upchurch finally gets to shine for close on five minutes. The voices swing and sway and there he is - flicking away on the frets - complimenting the very 'California Soul' groove in the melody. Apparently Stepney had charts for Upchurch to play - but he also knew that the virtuoso guitarist liked to improvise and 'feel it' (like all great Jazzers) - so that's what he let Upchurch do (this is why so many musicians wanted to work with CS - he understood how to get the best out of them). The lead vocals are also just stunning - one for that cool 70ts Soul CD-R you need to impress pals with. "Melody Man" brings it home and the 20-seconds of "Freedom Theme" feels like an eerie ghost somehow trying to tell us something important from the past...a quiet and 'be still' moment...

Barksdale wisely commented once - "...God allotted Charles Stepney just so much time to be here...that was time exquisitely spent..."

Spend some of your cash on this exquisitely realised CD Reissue/Remaster. 

And well done to all at Caroline International and more from the criminally ignored Cadet/Checker labels purlease...