"Tracks Plus" by HEADS, HANDS & FEET (November 2009 and August 2018 Cherry Red CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Warming Up The Band..."

The Seventies (especially in the early years of the decade) is littered with bands that should have been – could have been – but never did get there.

They had the chops, couple of the players might even have had the looks to make the young lassies swoon and the teenage lads emulate. In the mix you might also have scored a decent vocalist, signed to a prestigious label with hipster kudos galore and even sported the popular sound of the day (borderline Eagles Country Rock). And perhaps - if you were a real lucky chum – a big fat hit single to make everyone notice and get a slot with Pan’s People on Top Of The Pops (possibly even a hot date with Babs – the ultimate accolade).

But still - you ended up being shafted by record company mishaps, bad timing and an inexplicable indifference - a turned-on LP record/eight-track tape devouring public gobbling up anything remotely musical and interesting on any genre – anything that is but 'your music'. Our five-piece British heroes HEADS, HANDS and FEET are one of those groups...

What you get here is their second platter "Tracks" issued May 1972 in the UK on Island Records and a month later across the pond on Capitol Records. Cherry Red have also smartly chosen to ante-up this 2009 CD (itself reissued 2018) with the genuine added bonus of the groups superb first single – the non-album "Warming Up The Band" and its equally tasty B-side "Silver Mine" (albeit placed on the CD in reverse order for some reason). Here are the plus-size details...

UK released 23 November 2009 (re-issued August 2018) - "Tracks Plus" by HEADS, HANDS & FEET on Cherry Red CDMRED 424 (Barcode 5013929142428) offers their second 10-Track album from 1972 plus Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (46:14 minutes):

1. Let's Get This Show On The Road [Side 1]

2. Safety In Numbers

3. Roadshow

4. Harlequin

5. Dancer

6. Hot Property [Side 2]

7. Jack Daniels (Old No. 7)

8. Rhyme And Time

9. Paper Chase

10. Song And Dance

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Tracks" - released May 1972 in the UK on Island ILPS 9185 and June 1972 in the USA on Capitol Records ST-11051. Produced by EDDIE OFFORD (of Yes fame)

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Silver Mine

12. Warming Up The Band

Tracks 12 and 11 are the non-album A&B-Sides of their first 7" single issued November 1971 on Island Records WIP 6115 in the UK and on Capitol 3279 in the USA (Note running order, Track 12 is the A-side). The single "Warming up The Band" was released between the first album "Heads, Hands & Feet" in mid 1971 and the second album in May 1972. The British 45 was also reissued in a picture sleeve in the UK September 1976 on Island WIP 6319.

HEADS, HANDS & FEET were:

TONY COULTON - Lead Vocals

ALBERT LEE - Lead Guitar and Keyboards

CHAS HODGES - Fiddle, Banjo, Guitars and Vocals

RAY SMITH - Bass and Vocals

PETE GAVIN - Drums, Percussion and Vocals

Guests:

JERRY DONAHUE (of Poet & The One Man Band and Fotheringay) - Backing Vocals

JERRY HOGAN (of The Flintlocks) – Pedal Steel Guitar

The 12-page colour booklet is cleverly laid out - photos of the rare German and Japanese 1971 picture sleeves for "Warming Up The Band" - a killer cut written by the whole band and their best chance of chart action (sadly not to be). The original LP's 1972 inner gatefold with colour photos of each player is reproduced too in the centre pages and all of it complimented with extensive new liner notes from MICHAEL HEATLEY. There is a see-through CD tray with an inlay advertising similar Cherry Red releases of 2009. Heatley recalls Poet And The One Man Band and their lone 1969 album on Verve Forecast from whence much of Heads, Hands & Feet came. Cherry Red even repro the Jerry Lee Lewis album "London Session" from 1973 - where members of HHF were the Killer's backing band. But the best news is a decent Remaster by ALAN WILSON - no stranger to reissues. The Audio here feels great amplifying the original Production values by Eddie Offord (of Yes album fame). To the music...

Very much taken by Country Rock and Americana in general, the "Tracks" album feels like a British Group who has spent too much time listening to The Band whilst mainlining the funkier elements of 1969's "Farewell Alderbaran" by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester as a side order. Not a bad combo though says you – and it is. "(Let's Get This Show) On The Road" opens proceedings with a rapido Country Funk Rock groove - the Remaster bringing out all that frantic rhythm and the great playing (could even have been a single). Gavin's drums open the excellent "Safety In Numbers" - Albert Lee showing his guitar chops with sexy little flicks and a Funky little groove (again another possible 45). "Roadshow" is a piano led ballad by Albert Lee where he bemoans the waiting and the miles and his lady's indecision - waiting on you to come home. "Harlequin" is easily one of my faves - huge acoustic guitars anchoring a melody that feels fresh still - 47 years after the event - the Remaster bringing out Ray Smith's subtle bass line - Jerry Horgan of the 60ts Decca group The Flintlocks guesting on gorgeous Pedal Steel guitar. Side one ends with a very McGuinness Flint sounding "Dancer" - a sort of drunken acoustic strummer with fiddles - the boys regaling the wonders of a lady entertainer - someone they undoubtedly saw on the road - a sequined country gal helping lift up the spirits of deflated punters (amongst other things that she lifted up).

"Hot Property" opens Side Two but its beginning is a badly misjudged faster-go-faster Hillbilly instrumental portion. About a minute in, it segues into a wicked Funk-Rock groove ala Little Feat, Albert Lee zipping up and down the frets. Had someone edited out that Deliverance opener bit - it would have made for a great single. Silver dollar saloons and good whiskey inhabit "Jack Daniels (Old No. 7)" - but it feels dangerously close to an outtake from The Band's second album complete with Lynchburg Tennessee lyrics and Levon Helm vocals. Prettier is "Rhyme And Time" – a lovely melody by Albert Lee. The piano and voices melancholy "Paper Chase" flows nicely into my other fave-rave – the cool Bronco guitar-hooky "Song And Dance" – Albert Lee finding his inner Tony Joe White – sexy guitars and a sexy groove.

What a crying shame the public didn’t embrace the superb "Warming Up The Band" single – a fantastically slinky groove that should have killed the charts. In fact I can’t help thinking had it opened the second album – or Island followed it up with "Song And Dance" (a similar groove) as the second 45 – then the LP might have made real inroads – but alas...

Chas Hodges became one half of Chas and Dave – the popular barroom duo of English booze-up music (cloth caps, braces and ciggies) - whilst I last saw Albert Lee in the all-star band that accompanied Eric Clapton when he did the George Harrison tribute in the Royal Albert Hall – still whipping out those tasty licks and solos.

England's Heads, Hands & Feet are a footnote now in the history of Seventies Rock Music - but they're remembered with affection for a reason and the better tracks on this wicked-sounding CD Remaster prove why. A very cool little reissue really and I'd love to see someone tackle all three of their Seventies albums in a mini box set, and right soon...

"Strangers In The Room: A Journey Through The British Folk-Rock Scene 1967-73" by VARIOUS (March 2019 Grapefruit Records 3CD Clamshell Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 259 more like it are available 

In my e-Book "There's Something About 1970..."

Your All-Genres Guide To The Best CD Remasters 

(No Cut and Paste Crap - All Reviews from the Actual Discs) 

"...Gathering Wild Roses..."

Grapefruit Records have been slowly winning the pickled hearts of collectors these last few years with a steady stream of these 3CD clamshell-type Box Sets - and I suspect they'll be avalanched with quite a few saucy Valentine Cards (even in late March) for this wee buxom beauty.

Sixty genre-bending Folk and Folk-Rock tracks from 1967 to 1973 across three CDs (four Previously Unreleased with many others not stated as being Alternate or Rare Versions) and a Billy Bunter sized 40-page booklet to scoff it all down with. It's off to the Tuck Shop my wassailing lads and lassies of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and any other shire we may drag our non-European musical ruin stones and shillelaghs through. Put your finger-in-the-ear people and hope for the best. Here goes...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "Strangers In The Room: A Journey Through The British Folk-Rock Scene 1967-1973" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit CRSEGBOX054 (Barcode 5013929185401) is a 60-Track 3CD Clamshell Box Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Raise Your Voice And Sing Sweetly" (79:15 minutes):

1. Stranger In The Room - MICHAEL CHAPMAN (from the March 1970 UK LP "Fully Qualified Survivor" on Harvest SHVL 764)

2. The Blacksmith - STEELEYE SPAN (from the March 1971 UK LP "Please To See The King" on B&C Records CAS 1029)

3. Dangerous Dave (Alternative Version) - SPIROGYRA (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, Recorded February 1972) *

4. Murdoch - TREES (from the February 1971 UK LP "On The Shore" on CBS Records S 64168)

5. Sad Song For Winter - CHIMERA (Recorded November 1970 with a Wil Malone arrangement, not originally issued) +

6. Shoeshine Boy - THE HUMBLEBUMS (March 1970 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 130, A-side. Featured the comedian Billy Connolly and singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty later with Stealer's Wheel and a solo career)

7. Martha - HARVEY ANDREWS (from the May 1972 UK LP "Writer Of Songs" on Cube Records HIFLY 10)

8. Hanging Tree - OO BANG JIGGLY JANG (November 1971 UK 7" single on President PT 356, A-side - featuring Peter Bramall and James Roper of The Motors)

9. She's Getting Married In August - ALAN JAMES EASTWOOD [of The Exception] (from the February 1971 UK LP "Seeds" on President PTLS 1037)

10. Amongst Anemones - JADE (from the July 1970 UK LP "Fly On Strangewings" on DJM Records DJLPS 407)

11. I Don't Know Why - KNOCKER JUNGLE (November 1970 UK 7" single on Ember EMBS 293, A-side. Were Tony Coup and Keith Jones of Mandragon)

12. The Sailor - ROBIN SCOTT (August 1969 UK 7" single on Head HDS 4003, A-side - members of Mighty Baby featuring as the backing band)

13. Here Comes The Rain - TRADER HORNE (February 1970 UK 7" single on Dawn DNS 1003, A-side. Featured Judy Dyble of Fairport Convention and Jackie McAuley of Them)

14. My Delicate Skin - DAVE CARTWRIGHT (May 1973 UK 7" single on Transatlantic BIG 510, A-side and the May 1973 UK LP "Back To The Garden")

15. Almost Liverpool 8 - MIKE HART (from the February 1970 UK LP "Mike Hart Bleeds" on Dandelion S 63756)

16. Candy Dora - RICHMOND (January 1973 UK 7" single on D'Art ART 2008, A-side - featuring Chas Seward and Steve Hall)

17. Don't Know Why You Bother Child - GARY FARR (from the December 1969 UK LP "Take Something With You" on Marmalade 608 013)

18. 1917 Revolution - BEAU (August 1969 UK 7" single on Dandelion 4403, A-side)

19. Jesus Was A Carpenter - THE JOHNSTONS (from the November 1969 UK LP "Bitter Green" on Transatlantic Records TRA 211 featuring Paul Brady and Paddy Maloney - Ewan MacColl song)

20. We Can Swing Together - ALAN HULL (December 1969 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 129, A-side - later lead singer and songwriter in Lindisfarne)

Disc 2 "Back To The Garden" (78:31 minutes):

1. Woodstock - MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT (original 8-Track mix but not finally issued version, recorded July 1970) +

2. The Man Who Called Himself Jesus - THE STRAWBS (not originally issued alternative mix, Recorded July 1968) +

3. As I Roved Out - THE WOODS BAND (from the December 1971 UK LP "The Woods Band" on Greenwich Records GSLP 1004 - featuring Gay and Terry Woods - Terry later with The Pogues, Gay with Auto Da Fe)

4. Sir Patrick Spens - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (not originally issued, recorded October 1969 during "Liege & Lief" sessions) +

5. Be Not So Fearful (Demo Version) - BILL FAY (not originally issued demo version, recorded early 1969) +

6. I Loved Her So Long - UNICORN (from the June 1971 UK LP "Uphill All The Way" on Transatlantic TRA 238)

7. Sarah In The Isle Of Wight - AL JONES (from the September 1969 UK LP "Alun Ashworth-Jones" on Parlophone PCS 7081 in Stereo)

8. Song For A Dead Mole - LEA NICHOLSON and STAN ELLISON (from the June 1972 UK LP "God Bless The Unemployed" on Transatlantic TRA 254)

9. There's A Place I Know - BRIDGET ST. JOHN (February 1972 UK 3-Track 7" single on Dandelion 2001, Track 1 of 2 on the B-side of "Fly Away")

10. People Smile With Ghosts In The Land Of Make-Believe - JEREMY HARMER (from the privately pressed 1968 UK LP "Idiosyncratics And Swallow's Wings" on JH Records JH 001 - features David Costa of Trees and Celia Humphris sister Sue) +

11. Pucka-Ri - URBAN CLEARWAY (not originally issued, recorded circa August 1972) +

12. Scranky Black Farmer - C.O.B. [Clive's Own Band - Clive Palmer of The Incredible String Band] (from the November 1971 UK LP "Spirit Of Love" on CBS Records 69010)

13. Lady Of St. Clare - DAYLIGHT (August 1971 UK 7" single on RCA Victor RCA 2106, A-side)

14. Love Has Gone - MARY-ANNE [Mary-Anne Patterson] (from the April 1970 UK LP "Me" on Joy Records JOYS 162)

15. Time Machine - MICK SOFTLEY (August 1970 UK 7" single on CBS Records S 5130, B-side of "Can You Hear Me Now" - features Mike Vickers of Manfred Mann on Keyboards)

16. Fleance - THIRD EAR BAND (from the March 1972 UK LP "Music From Macbeth" on Harvest Records SHSP 4019)

17. Morning Glow - STORYTELLER (from the May 1970 UK LP "Storyteller" on Transatlantic Records TRA 220)

18. Riverboat - DANDO SHAFT (from the May 1971 UK LP "Dando Shaft" on RCA/Neon NE 5)

19. What I Am - FRESH MAGGOTS (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded circa October 1970) *

20. Like A Rolling Stone - CANTICLE (November 1970 USA 7" single on Century Records 36685, A-side)

Disc 3 "Down Into The Moonlight World" (77:21 minutes):

1. Queen Of The Moonlight World - ANDY ROBERTS (from the March 1970 UK LP "Home Grown" on RCA Victor SF 8086 - ex Liverpool Scene, later with Everyone, also with Iain Matthews in Plainsong)

2. The Cuckoo - THE PENTANGLE (from the October 1969 UK LP "Basket Of Light" on Transatlantic TRA 205)

3. Little Woman (Single Version) - MR.FOX (November 1970 UK 7" single on Big T Records BIG 135, A-side - featuring Bob and Caroline Pegg - different mix from the LP, first appearance on CD since release) +

4. Father Forgive Them - RALPH McTELL (from the November 1970 UK LP "Ralph McTell Revisited" on Transatlantic TRA 227)

5. Just As The Tide Was A Flowing - SHIRLEY COLLINS and THE ALBION COUNTRY BAND (from the November 1971 UK LP "No Roses" on Pegasus PEG 7)

6. Oh Did I Love A Dream - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND (not originally issued, recorded circa mid-1972) +

7. Strange Days - PAPER BUBBLE (not originally issued, recorded October 1970) +

8. Dahlia - PAULK BRETT'S SAGE (March 1973 UK 7" single on Dawn Records DNS 1021, A-side – possibly withdrawn and never released) +

9. Your Lovely Ways (Part One) - MIKE COOPER (May 1970 UK 7" single on Dawn Records DNX 2501, A-side) +

10. River Of Fortune – HERON (not originally issued, recorded July 1970) +

11. Beverley Market Meeting – JUDE (not originally issued, recorded February 1971 – Judith Willie) +

12. All In A Dream - STEVE TILSTON (from the May 1972 UK LP "The Collection" on Transatlantic Records TRA 252)

13. Carry Me – PRELUDE (from the October 1973 UK LP "How Long Is Forever" on Dawn Records DNLS 3052 – Irene Hume on Lead Vocals)

14. City Girl - JOAN ARMATRADING (from the November 1972 UK LP "Whatever’s For Us" on Cube Records HIFLY 12)

15. Furniture – HORSLIPS (from the January 1973 Ireland and UK debut album "Happy To Meet, Sorry To Part" on Oats Records MOO 3)

16. Who Cares - GERRY RAFFERTY (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded mid 1971) *

17. Young Waters - JSD BAND (from the June 1973 UK LP "Travelling Days" on Cube Records HIFLY 14)

18. September - 9.30 FLY (from the June 1972 UK LP "9:30 Fly" on Ember NR 5062)

19. Waxing Of The Moon - LIFEBLUD (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded circa January 1970) *

20. Who Knows Where The Time Goes - SANDY DENNY (not originally issued, recorded July 1967) +

* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

+ ALTERNATE or RARE VERSION

Put together by the uber-knowledgeable and Baby Driver with-it JOHN REED – his equally sexy co-compiler DAVID WELLS pours on the facts in the multitudinous 40-page booklet – each artist and song given a full appraisal usually sided by period photos, ticket stubs, flyers, trade adverts and those impossibly rare single and LPs pictured throughout. Take the Steve Tilston entry for his "All In A Dream" song on Disc 3. It advises that in late 1972 after the album's release in May, Steve did an interview with Zig Zag magazine ruminating on how fame and fortune might affect his songwriting. None other than John Lennon replied in writing (to his worries) and that was the basis for the rather insipid Al Pacino film vehicle "Danny Collins" – or that Prelude who had a huge hit with their truly gorgeous Acapella version of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" sang backing vocals on another huge Folk-ish hit - "Streets Of London" by Ralph McTell. I didn’t know either of those things and I dare say, neither did you. Each entry is full of great name-checks like that. Beautifully laid out and aimed at collectors and novices alike – when I think of the recent miserable 8-page inlay given to Fleetwood Mac and their supposed '50 Years – Don’t Stop' 3CD celebration, it really does show how independents light the way, when the majors seem content with what they can get away with.

Audio is by ALAN WILSON and with so many sources is a mixed bag of the astonishing vs. the muffled with most being way better than that. For sure the audio dips on each of the CDs when it comes to those fast and loose demos and alternate mixes, but the rest of it is impressively presented and in some cases (as I say) will blow your socks off for recordings that are mostly 50+ years old. To the garden of delights...

Across 60 tracks there are those fabulous discoveries - the debut Unicorn LP on Transatlantic Records where the chosen debut album song "I Loved Her So Long" is the link between Matthews Southern Comfort and Plainsong (much of their better material in the mid 70ts on Harvest Records had the same hooky gorgeous melodies) - the beautiful ethereal harmony vocals of Fairport Convention's Judy Dyble and Them's Jackie McAuley in their Trader Horne incarnation for "Here Comes The Rain" (see my separate review of that album reissued by Earth Records on CD). Some of it (as already mentioned) is unfortunately ropey Audio wise - the hissy Billy Fay demo and The Woods Band is disappointingly muddied but on the other hand Dave Cartwright's McGuinness Flint-sounding "My Delicate Skin", Michael Chapman's box-set title song "Stranger In A Room" (see my review for Light In The Attic's stunning reissue of his second album "Fully Qualified Survivor" and Storyteller's early Genesis-like "Morning Glow" all sound superlative - huge acoustic guitars, voices and clever string arrangements.

Only winners are the fabulous Folk-meets-Pastoral union in Dando Shaft's flute-and-acoustic shuffle "Riverboat" - the jolly acoustic jostle of my "Lady Of St. Clair" by the staggeringly collectable Daylight - and even if Jeremy Harmer's self-recorded "People Smile With Ghosts In The Land Of Make-Believe" gives us some 'ships in squalls that change to gurgling laughter' might be a hippy lyric too far - the 99-only copies LP contained David Costa from Trees with their singer Celia Humphris' sister Sue doing harmony vocals (just about as cultish and collectable as it can get). Paul Brady and Paddy Maloney newly attached to The Johnstons transform the Ewan MacColl song "Jesus Was A Carpenter" into a "Woodstock" beautiful moment while Mick Softley gets fully-fledged Audio quality on his impressive "Time Machine" where he sings 'who will they be in 5000 AD' - indeed – a star tripper maybe. Speaking of that famous Joni song, I love the 8-Track Tape Version of the Matthews Southern Comfort UK No. 1 - it's a version that unlike the single has the acoustic and pedal steel guitars much more to the fore. And although it doesn't say it anywhere in the box, I think it's the version that turned up on the "Three's A Charm" privately-pressed CD from Iain Matthews in 1999 for his fans – the mix that was remastered by Bradley Kopp in Boulder, Colorado and is featured in his forthcoming "Orphans And Outcasts" 4CD Box Set. Anyway – it's a keeper, much like this fabulously inventive little box set...

A companion piece to Grapefruit's much praised duo of threesomes - "Milk Of The Tree: An Anthology Of Female Vocal Folk & Singer-Songwriters 1966-73" from June 2017 (see review) and "Gathered From Coincidence: The British Folk-Pop Sound Of 1965-1966" from June 2018 (review to follow) – March 2019’s "Strangers In The Room: A Journey Through The British Folk-Rock Scene 1967-1973" is a deserved Amazon No 1 in the Folk-Rock genre section.

Cadburys Easter Eggs on every desk and big-time kudos to the compilers and everyone else involved...

"In A Wild Sanctuary/Gandharva/All Good Men" by BEAVER & KRAUSE - 1970, 1971 and 1972 Albums Remastered onto 2CDs (March 2019 UK Righteous Records Compilation - 3LPs onto 2CDs - Alan Wilson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 100s of Others Available in my e-Book:

"...Spaced..."

There aren't many bands or artists who 'don't' make the Record Collector Rare Records Price Guide when they issued albums as far back as 1970, 1971 and 1972 - but the eccentric and frankly noodlesome output of PAUL BEAVER and BERNARD KRAUSE are among that select few.

When I worked as a Rock and Rarities Vinyl Buyer at Reckless Records (a stretch of 20 years penal servitude) - Beaver & Krause albums were like Bach on a Moog or Sitar for your Grannies Bunions - curios that sold for a few quid, usually bought by hipster DJs looking for samples, quirky bits of noise they could use in between spins on the Technics 1200s. And in some respect, not a lot has changed for this dynamic duo of alternate soundscapes.

What you're getting here is three full albums the keyboard bending boys did for Warner Brothers in the early Seventies (they did their first in 1968 "The Nonesuch Guide To Electronic Music" and a second on Limelight Records in 1969 called "Ragnorök (Electronic Funk)") – the third having slowly moved away from Ambient Electronics to embrace proper songs (even if they are a bit weepy and let the side down somewhat). Short on playing time but impactful nonetheless, the first and third of these forgotten albums were only released in the USA ("In A Wild Sanctuary" in 1970 and "All Good Men" in 1972) - whilst the more commercially accessible "Gandharva" LP saw both America and Blighty outings and remains the one album most British Rock heads have ever seen by them.

Insider support was impressive too. The first two albums drew in some world class players prepared to bolster up experimental outings - Bud Shank on Flute and Saxophone, Dave Grusin on Keyboards, Gerry Mulligan on Saxophone with Milt Holland on all manner of Percussion. The Electronic Rock of the "Gandharva" album even has the guitar work of Mike Bloomfield and Ronnie Montrose on it with genuine Soulful bonuses being supplied by that trio of classy backing vocalists - Vanetta Fields, Clydie King and Patrice Holloway – Clydie lending "Walkin'" an almost ethereal Rotary Connection feel before the three launch into a full-on see-me-in-church Gospel romp on the very next song (and that's a Nirvana for me I can tell you). Ace Conductor Jimmie Haskell arranged the third platter where the duo did most of the playing – tackling Scott Joplin amongst other things - all forgotten now in a sea of existential bum fluff.

But (and as they say in a Donald Trump shower situation, here comes the big but) - there's much to be getting on with here - goodies due reappraisal - music that is actually moving and even beautiful at times - tunes that have passed many discerning ears by. Beaver & Krause even championed environmental and ecological issues in 1970 on their big label debut "In A Wild Sanctuary" with the full permission of Warner Bros executives - back in the days when hopeful men ran the music business and not disinterested suits. I mean how can you not love a band that has song titles like "Aurora Hominis" and "Walking Green Algae Blues". For sure the third platter lets the side down somewhat...

Anyways, some reissue crowd called 'Righteous' seem determined that we pay attention with this 2019 digital twofer and start yanking on those bare wires again. So as the plugged-in boys said in their original liner notes - let's get to our 'environmental expressions recorded with Moog synthesiser' (I will if you will baby)...

UK released Friday, 29 March 2019 (5 April 2019 in the USA) - "In A Wild Sanctuary/Gandharva/All Good Men" by BEAVER and KRAUSE on Righteous PSALM23:93D (Barcode 5013929989320) offers 3 albums from 1970, 1971 and 1972 (originally on Warner Brother Records) Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (46:30 minutes):

1. Another Part Of Time [Side 1]

2. And There Was Morning

3. Spaced

4. So Long As The Waters Flow

5. Aurora Hominis [Side 2]

6. Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle

7. People's Park

8. Walking Green Algae Blues

9. Sanctuary

Tracks 1 to 9 are their third studio album "In A Wild Sanctuary" - released June 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1850 (no UK release).

10. Soft White [Side 1]

11. Saga Of The Blue Beaver

12. Nine Moons In Alaska

13. Walkin'

14. Walkin' By The River

Tracks 10 to 14 are Side 1 of their fourth studio album "Gandharva" - released May 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1909 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46130.

Disc 2 (55:49 minutes):

1.  Gandharva [Side 2]

2. By Your Grace

3. Good Places

4. Short Film For David

5. Bright Shadows

Tracks 1 to 5 are Side 2 of their fourth studio album "Gandharva" - released May 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1909 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46130.

6. A Real Slow Drag [Side 1]

7. Legend Days Are Over

8. Love Of Col. Evol

9. Sweet William

10. Bluebird Canyon Stomp

11. Looking Back Now

12. Prelude

13. Child Of The Morning Sun

14. Between The Sun And The Rain

15. All Good Men

16. Waltz Me Around Again Willie/Real Slow Drag

Tracks 6 to 16 are their fifth and final studio album "All Good Men" - released September 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2624 (no UK release).

The liner notes by DAVE HENDERSON are witty and suitably eclectic (given the two involved) – but there is precious little by way of actual album credits (the guest musicians I’ve mentioned above) and he barely touches the actual music. For instance the third LP has songwriter Adrienne Anderson giving it some ‘love you’ soulful vocals on Side 1’s "Sweet William" and US Folky Cris Williamson getting all Jimmy Webb on "Looking Back Now" – ballads that are more Dionne Warwick than Karlheinz Stockhausen. There’s an Native Indian voice attributed to Elizabeth Watson in the LP credits on the repeated spoken lyrics in "Legend Days Are Over" – but again no background as to who or why – when it would have been cool to know after all these decades.

ALAN WILSON has done the mastering - the 8-page booklet peppered with snaps of those WB master tapes. "Gandharva" was done digitally in 1994 with Lee Herschberg on the Warner Archives Series while two ok Collector’s Choice CDs came out in 2006 for "In A Wild Sanctuary" and "All Good Men" and I suspect that all three of these have been used (licensed from WEA). The audio is good – at times great – but at other times just a tad low and wanting. Overall I’d say four out of five stars. To the sounds...

Patters of a Tabla Drum are quickly joined by cool synth notes and a hip organ melody on "Another Part Of Time" – the first LP’s opener. It’s a tune that acts like its Ramsey Lewis on Cadet Records in 1968 instead of 1970. The instrumental "And There Was Morning" has huge dawn-of-man notes and apes an ELP moment. The quiet "Spaced" has surprisingly little hiss as the synth notes trickle like water dripping on a sidewalk – while "So Long As The Water Flows" forgoes dribbles in space and gives us the full storm – crashes and bangs and static sounding like lashing rain – synth notes rising above- all majestic for five minutes. There is even an "Obscured By Clouds" Pink Floyd feel to "Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle" – the whole flowery album plea ending with one and half minutes of the peaceful "Sanctuary".

While the first LP is undoubtedly interesting, things pick up steam considerably with "Gandharva". The Bluesy Guitar picking of Mike Bloomfield follows a huge synth swish at the beginning of "Saga Of The Blue Beaver" – an instrumental that thereafter chugs along in a Funky fashion to a point where you feel you’ve stumbled on a Shuggie Otis LP over on Epic Records. That’s followed by a droning synth instrumental called "Nine Moons In Alaska" that sounds not unlike "Electro Lux Imbroglio" on Steve Miller’s "Book Of Dreams" album in 1977. But this is only a prelude to my fave – Clydie King scatting echoed vocals on the fabulous "Walkin'" – a trippy Soulful moment that acts as a lead in to the full-on Gospel of "Walkin' By The River". Perhaps even better is Gerry Mulligan playing on his own "By Your Grace" over on Side 2 followed strongly by another pretty floating Sax moment in "Good Places".

Minus the big names and with almost every instrument played by the duo only – unfortunately the third album is a very mixed bag (worst of the three) coming across at times like some bad Paul Williams schlock and not the wired experimentalism of the groovy first and second platters. Beaver unwisely sings with his twee voice of a child running in meadows and the sun shining and la-la-laing his way through saccharine flutes. The intro synth drone of "Between The Sun And The Rain" quickly gives way to bopping Salsa rhythms that is frankly way too close to some bad lounge band taking the Michael. The Scott Joplin covers just feel out of place too. There are other better moments on "All Good Men", but they’re not the Side 2 Flute and Sax instrumentals of "Gandharva'".

So musically it’s a bit of mishmash then, the first two offering genuinely surprising moments of grandeur and vibe whilst number three loses its way without those big name helps.

Still, a timely reminder and a cool little reissue into the Moogy bargain...