"Da Capo" by LOVE (May 2002 Elektra/Warner Strategic Marketing 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Mono and Stereo Mixes of the LP and One Bonus) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Comes In Colors..."

San Francisco's LOVE and their self-titled pop-orientated debut album "Love" tickled the American LP charts in May 1966 - eventually peaking at No. 57. And although their seismic second platter "Da Capo" fell to a lower No. 88 after a February 1967 release on Elektra Records - the musical leap forward and 180-degree style change couldn't have been more pronounced. And with it came plaudits.

Suddenly everyone began loving LOVE – restaurant tables became available – tabs were picked up and egos expanded along with their pupils. In fact in November of that same mercurial year - they would go one step further with what many feel is their real Sgt. Peppers, Electric Ladyland and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vidda all rolled into one - the masterpiece that is "Forever Changes" from November 1967. And that’s where this deeply brill CD reissue steps in...

Back in the mists of 2002 (May to be precise) - in conjunction with Elektra Records and Warner Strategic Marketing - Rhino USA began an extensive LOVE reissue campaign and turfed out this nugget - the Mono and Stereo mixes of 1967's "Da Capo" bolstered up with one 'tracking session' outtake. She comes in colours indeed - here are the seven and seven details...

UK and USA released 27 May 2002 (reissued February 2005) - "Da Capo" by LOVE on Elektra/Warner Strategic Marketing 8122 73604-2 (Barcode 081227360429) offers the MONO and STEREO mixes of the 7-track 1967 album and one Bonus Track and plays out as follows (76:19 minutes):

1. Stephanie Knows Who [Side 1]

2. Orange Sides

3. ! Que Vida !

4. Seven & Seven Is

5. The Castle [Side 2]

6. She Comes In Colors

7. Revelation

Tracks 1 to 7 are the MONO MIX of their second studio album "Da Capo" - released February 1967 in the USA and UK on Elektra EKL 7-4005

Tracks 8 to 14 are the STEREO MIX of their second studio album "Da Capo" - released February 1967 in the USA and UK on Elektra EKS 7-4005. Produced by PAUL ROTHCHILD and Engineered by DAVID HASSINGER – the album peaked at No. 80 on the US LP charts (didn’t chart UK).

BONUS TRACK

15. Seven & Seven Is (Tracking Session)

LOVE was:

ARTHUR LEE – Lead Vocals and Guitar

JOHN ECHOLS – Lead Guitar

BRYAN MacLEAN – Guitar and Vocals

ALBAN "Snoopy" PFISTERER – Keyboards (Drums on "Seven & Seven Is" - aka "7 & 7 Is")

TJAY CANTRELLI – Saxophone and Flute

KEN FORSSI – Bass

MICHAEL STUART-WARE – Drums

The 16-page booklet is a properly informative and visually sweet thing to behold – ANDREW SANDOVAL providing the liner notes that include interviews with all the key players – Lead Guitarist Johnny Echols (bringing in new drummer Michael Stuart-Ware whilst keeping the original Love sticks man 'Snoopy' on Keyboards) and second guitarist Bryan MacLean (reminiscences of his days with the Byrds and Roger McGuinn) – and new Drummer Stuart-Ware on the entire album being premiered at the legendary Whiskey A Go Go Club on the Sunset Strip in L.A. on Christmas Eve 1966 prior to its February 1967 release the next year. There are superb colour photos of the band – psychedelic concert posters at the Fillmore (with The Sons Of Adam) and the Avalon Ballroom (with Captain Beefheart) as well as rare foreign picture sleeves of "Seven & Seven Is" and even the British orange Elektra Records label for "The Castle". Sandoval not only produced the release - he's been involved in the much-praised Small Faces and Kinks 2CD Deluxe Editions (over 10 titles) as well as the sensational Van Morrison 3CD retrospective from April 2017 - "The Authorized Bang Collection" (see separate reviews for them all).

Two hugely experienced Audio Engineers - DAN HERSCH (of Rhino Fame) and ANDREW SANDOVAL (larges amount of Grammy-nominated work for Universal) – have handled the transfers, restoration and remasters. This is a matter of personal choice - but for me the MONO mix of the largely acoustic "The Castle" lacks the colours and palette of the STEREO version – but the centralised sonic attack of "Seven & Seven Is" in MONO is fantastic and of course most closely resembles what we heard on those 45s all those years ago. Personally I’m going for the STEREO Mix every time. Either way – I love that the air around the instruments is still there – no dampening or muffled sound – nor is it trebled too much for effect. A great job done...

An almost roaring Arthur Lee opens Side with the very Doors-sounding "Stephanie Knows Who" - all Beefheart Guitar, Soft Machine Saxophone and 'yeah yeah' shouts from Arthur as the harpsichord plinkers away in the background. Things settle into the pretty "Orange Sides" - Tjay Cantrelli filling the gaps with Flute while Arthur sings of a girl who makes him happy in his weird croaking tones. It was put on the B-side of Elektra EK-45608 with the opener "Stephanie Knows Who" as the A-side. Far away from straight-up Psych "!Que Vida!" (complete with inverted exclamation marks) offers up another slice of cute 60ts West Coast pop - an organ note anchoring Arthur's ever so slightly fay lyrics about travel and exploration and visions of yourself and money killing everything of worth. But then you're clobbered with the assault that is "Seven & Seven Is" - surely the most difficult song to record on the album. Original drummer 'Snoopy' thrashes his kit as the frantic pace as Arthur gives it so 'ooh pip pip' hollers. It's a great slice of Love's particularly unique Psych Sound and comes complete with an explosion borrowed from one of Elektra's 20 sound effects LPs. The Bonus Track of it shows the in-studio frustration between both band and Producer as they tried to get those difficult rhythms down right.

I've always felt that the "Da Capo" album is a tale of two cities with Side 2 being my preferred slice of poisonous mushrooms. Apparently the live-show staple loosely called "John Lee Hooker" was a Blues Boogie ala Hooker 'n' Heat with a bit of The Allman Brothers Band thrown in. It could on occasion last an hour in some sweaty club with each player getting to stretch out and get 'loose man'. The idea for "Da Capo" was to make it a first-on-record sidelong jam - but renaming it "Revelation" - we have to settle for a piddling 18-minutes. But for me the triple whammy of "The Castle", "She Comes In Colors" and "Revelation" is brilliant and an overall inspiring and classy listen for a 1967 album.

"The Castle" is a speeding acoustic song about a mansion in the Lois Feliz Hills area of Los Angeles the boys lived in and comes with those unexpected Love key changes, harpsichords and brilliant musical moments. The layered and lovely "She Comes In Colors" is a clear LP highlight even if Arthur's 'England Town' lyrics sounds suspiciously like wishful thinking more than an actual visit to Blighty (it's also said the Stones 'borrowed' the song title for their "She's A Rainbow' amidst other things that were 'borrowed' by those thieving Brits). And then we get the fantastic 'everybody needs somebody to love' jam that is "Revelation". And I know it's indulgent and ambling and Love may owe The Doors, The Allmans, Canned Heat and the estate of John Lee Hooker some serious royalty cheques - but massive 18-minute whig out or not - I love it (check out that Tjay Cantrelli Saxophone solo in the last few minutes and the mad Harpsichord dash to the fade out – so brilliantly trippy).

Despite its five-star status amongst fans - is February 1967's "Da Capo" as good as November 1967's "Forever Changes" – I don’t really think so. But I think this is a superbly handled CD reissue of that extraordinary 1967 set of moments. 'My love she comes in colors' is right...

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"The Authorized Bang Collection" by VAN MORRISON (April 2017 Exile/Legacy/Sony 3CD Set - Andrew Sandoval Remasters - including the "Blowin' Your Mind" LP from 1967) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Let It Out..."

I've donned my Sherlock Holmes deerstalker, ordered in ten crates of Lucozade to replace lost energy and have a well-thumbed copy of Donald Trump's Comprehensive Guide To World Peace beside my Porta-Nuclear Shelter to calm the nerves (what can possibly go wrong). OK here goes...

As Van Morrison obsessives will know - the two sessions our rotund spiritual leader made with Bert Berns in New York in March and October 1967 after he left Belfast's THEM - have been an LP and CD compilation nightmare for decades on end.

The actual "Blowin' Your Mind" debut LP from September 1967 had only 8-tracks – but after his Warner Brothers success in 1968 and 1970 with the masterful "Astral Weeks" along with the classic "Moondance" and "His Band And The Street Choir" albums – a mad dash in the Bang Records vaults plundered the remaining recordings. They produced unsanctioned albums like the dubiously titled "The Best Of Van Morrison" in September 1970, "T.B. Sheets" in December 1973 and even as the decade was coming to a close - the British compilation "This Is Where I Come In" from September 1977 – all of which seemed to be adding and mixing up more songs and muddying the waters.

The last decent fist at sorting out this shady period of Van Morrison’s early solo recording career came with the stunning April 1991 CD simply called "Bang Masters" (the UK issue is Columbia/Legacy 468309 2 - Barcode 5099746830922). But while it was a sonic sensation at the time - Audio Engineers Mark Wilder and Stephen St. Croix had decided to Remix all the 60ts tracks for that release - and those 1991 versions have been used on everything released since.

This April 2017 Exile/Legacy/Sony Music 3CD set is the first time that the original sixteen tracks have been presented digitally in their original STEREO form – along with Session Outtakes, Mono Single Mixes and a huge swath of Previously Unreleased versions that have circulated unofficially on bootlegs for years. There is a mountain of info to get through – so let’s get red-eyed never mind brown...

UK released Friday, 28 April 2017 – "The Authorized Bang Collection" by VAN MORRISON on Exile/Legacy/Sony Music 88985424672 (Barcode 889854246723) is a 3CD Definitive Anthology remastered by the Grammy-winning Audio Engineer ANDREW SANDOVAL (he did the Deluxe Editions of the much-praised Kinks and Small Faces) and has been sanctioned/overseen by the artist himself. It plays out as follows...

Disc 1 – The Original Masters – 71:30 minutes:

1. Brown Eyed Girl (Original Stereo Mix)

2. He Ain't Give You None (Original Stereo Mix)

3. T.B. Sheets (Original Stereo Mix)

4. Spanish Rose (Original Stereo Mix)

5. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) (Original Stereo Mix)

6. Ro Ro Rosey (Original Stereo Mix)

7. Who Drove The Red Sports Car (Original Stereo Mix)

8. Midnight Special (Original Stereo Mix)

9. It's All Right (Original Stereo Mix)

10. Send Your Mind (Original Stereo Mix)

11. The Smile You Smile (Original Stereo Mix)

12. The Back Room (Original Stereo Mix)

13. Joe Harper Saturday Morning (Original Stereo Mix)

14. Beside (Original Mono Mix)

15. Madame George (Original Mono Mix)

16. Chick-A-Boom (Original Mono Mix)

17. The Smile You Smile (Demo)

Disc 2 – Bang Sessions & Rarities – 74:29 minutes:

1. Brown Eyed Girl (Original Edited Mono Single Mix)

2. Ro Ro Rosey (Original Mono Single Mix with Backing Vocals)

3. T.B. Sheets (Take 2)

4. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) (Takes 10 & 11)

5. Send Your Mind (Take 3)

6. Midnight Special (Take 7)

7. He Ain't Give You None (Take 4)

8. Ro Ro Rosey (Take 2)

9. Who Drove The Red Sports Car (Take 6)

10. Beside You (Take 2)

11. Joe Harper Saturday Morning (Take 2)

12. Beside You (Take 5)

13. Spanish Rose (Take 14)

14. Brown Eyed Girl (Takes 1-6)

15. Brown Eyed Girl (Takes 7-11)

Track 1 issued May 1967 as a US 45 on Bang Records B-545, A-side

Track 2 issued October 1967 as a US 45 on Bang Records B-552, A-side

Tracks 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

(An edited version of Take 6 inside Track 14 was first issued 1991 on the US Legacy CD compilation "Bang Masters" on Columbia EK 47041)

Tracks 6 and 9 first issued 1998 on the US Legacy CD for "Blowin' Your Mind" on Columbia ZK 65751

Track 7 first issued 1991 on the US Legacy CD compilation "Bang Masters" on Columbia EK 47041

Disc 3 - Contractual Obligation Session - 35:42 minutes:

1. Twist And Shake

2. Shake And Roll

3. Stomp And Scream

4. Scream And Holler

5. Jump And Thump

6. Drivin' Wheel

7. Just Ball

8. Shake It Mabel

9. Hold On George

10. The Big Royalty Check

11. Ring Worm

12. Savoy Hollywood

13. Freaky If You Got This Far

14. Up Your Mind

15. Thirty Two

16. All The Bits

17. You Say France And I Whistle

18. Blowin' Your Nose

19. Nose In Your Blow

20. La Mambo

21. Go For Yourself

22. Want A Danish

23. Here Comes Dumb George

24. Chickee Coo

25. Do It

26. Hang On Groovy

27. Goodbye George

28. Dum Dum George

29. Walk And Talk

30. The Wobble

31. Wobble And Ball

All tracks by Van Morrison, recorded 1967 in New York, all tracks Previously Officially Unissued

The four-flap foldout card digipak certainly feels substantial and looks the 'major' reissue part. The 24-page booklet is a very classy affair and features liner notes from the mighty Vanster himself explaining in detail the torturous circumstances in which the album and the sessions took place. He praises Bert Berns as a genius - his connection with the American going back to London in 1964 when a young Van met Berns in the London offices of Phil Solomon at Decca Records. There are loads of classy photos showing Van with Bert as they recorded - Van with his acoustic in hand and giving some at the microphone. There are snaps of the three Bang 45s "Brown Eyed Girl", "Ro Ro Rosey" and "Goodbye Baby" - a concert flyer for 7 October 1967 at the 'Hullabaloo' where the support act is The Yellow Payges and the usual detailed reissue credits.

But it's the AUDIO that excels. Grammy-nominated Audio Engineer ANDREW SANDOVAL explains the intricacies of the 'tangled tapes' in his 'Compiler's Note' – two whole pages of facts about what's what. Both Disc 1 and 2 are mindblowingly good and I think will take most Morrison fans by storm. Sure the STEREO imaging is often crude – Van’s voice to the left speaker while the drums and tambourines whack out of the right – but there’s warmth to it all. "The Back Room" is spectacular while "T.B. Sheets" is eleven-minutes of Sixties R&B bliss (Tracks 12 and 3 on Disc 1). And while Disc 3 is actually questionable in its value with its one-minute throwaway vignettes (even if it the first legal issue of these wisely bootlegged recordings) - the outtakes on Disc 2 are another matter entirely. Many actually had me tingling - unbelievable finds that have been buried in a morass of legality and acrimony that's lasted 50 friggin' years. But before we get to the content of all three discs - a word on the actual 1967 debut album "Blowin' Your Mind" contained within...

THE FOUR ORIGINAL "Blowin' Your Mind" LPS:

A 21-year old Van was in New York in March 1967 with Producer Bert Barnes to cut some single-sides across two days (28th and 29th). The sessions produced a flurry of fully formed studio-recorded material including his biggest hit (and most famous early song) – the wonderful "Brown Eyed Girl". Van returned to Ireland to work on songs that would eventually become his first album proper as far as he was concerned – 1968’s "Astral Weeks". Barnes however released "Brown Eyed Girl" in May 1967 and it became a monster smash. Eager to capitalise on the momentum of the 45 and with contractual authority – Barnes then went back to the session tapes and cobbled together 7 other tracks (without Van’s consent) to make the album "Blowin' Your Mind" released September 1967 in the USA on Bang BLP 218 (Mono) and BLPS 218 (Stereo) and February 1968 in the UK on London HA-Z 8346 in Mono-Only. It is presented here in STEREO and that American first LP can be sequenced in consecutive order from Tracks 1 to 8 on CD1:

"Blowin' Your Mind" LP in STEREO

Side 1:

1. Brown Eyed Girl

2. He Ain't Give You None

3. T.B. Sheets

Side 2:

1. Spanish Rose

2. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)

3. Ro Ro Rosey

4. Who Drove The Red Sports Car

5. Midnight Special

After the albums "Astral Weeks" (November 1968), "Moondance" (March 1970) and "His Band And The Street Choir" (November 1970) on Warner Brothers made Van Morrison a Rock Star around the world – Barnes went at the material again and came up with a 2nd LP - the dubiously titled "The Best Of Van Morrison". That 10-track compilation LP was released September 1970 on Bang Records in the USA on Bang BLPS 222 and May 1971 on President Records PTLS 1045 in the UK. He took "Brown Eyed Girl", four other tracks from the "Blowin' Your Mind" album and a further five outtakes from the sessions. That record can be sequenced from CD1 as follows:

"The Best Of Van Morrison" LP in STEREO

Side 1:

1. Spanish Rose [Track 4]

2. It's All Right [Track 9]

3. Send Your Mind [Track 10]

4. The Smile You Smile [Track 11]

5. The Back Room [Track 12]

Side 2:

1. Brown Eyed Girl [Track 1]

2. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) [Track 5]

3. Ro Ro Rosey [Track 6]

4. He Ain’t Give You None [Track 2]

5. Joe Harper Saturday Morning [Track 13]

A 3rd (and final original) compilation "T.B. Sheets" was released December 1973 in the USA on Bang BLP-400 (charted at 181) and March 1974 in the UK on London HSM-5008. This 8-track LP contained two new surprises – Mono mixes and early versions of two Bang-era tracks that would eventually come out on "Astral Weeks" in 1968 – "Beside You" and "Madame George". It sequences as follows

"T.B. Sheets" LP in STEREO

Side 1:

1. He Ain’t Give You None [Track 2]

2. Beside You [Track 14]

3. It’s All Right [Track 9]

4. Madame George [Track 15]

Side 2:

1. T.B. Sheets [Track 3]

2. Who Drove The Red Sports Car [Track 7]

3. Ro Ro Rosey [Track 6]

4. Brown Eyed Girl [Track 1]

A 4th compilation came out in the UK-only in September 1977 on London/Bang 6427 625 called "This Is Where I Come In" and its generous 15-tracks featured the bulk of the previous three gathered together as follows:

Side 1:

1. Spanish Rose [Track 4]

2. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) [Track 5]

3. He Ain’t Give You None [Track 2]

4. Beside You [Track 14]

5. Madame George [Track 15]

6. T.B. Sheets [Track 3]

Side 2:

1. Brown Eyed Girl [Track 1]

2. Send Your Mind [Track 10]

3. The Smile You Smile [Track 11]

4. The Back Room [Track 12]

5. Ro Ro Rosey [Track 6]

6. Who Drove The Red Sports Car [Track 7]

7. It’s All Right [Track 9]

8. Joe Harper Saturday Morning [Track 13]

9. Midnight Special [Track 8]

In hindsight the 8-track 1967 album still holds up and it comes as a shock to hear "Brown Eyed Girl" in Stereo as opposed to the Mono 7" single mix we're all so used to. Bang Records made a mistake in leaving something as cool and as brilliant as "The Back Room" off the original album - but the fake studio joviality at the beginning of "Madam George" is pretty hateful stuff when you compare it with the beauty of the "Astral Weeks" version. And of the Previously Unreleased Outtakes I'm digging the Bass and Chatter beginning to "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" where the Producer advises "...that opening is a little bit too much man..." and a superbly atmospheric groove in the rolling on six take for "Who Drove The Red Sports Car". Fans also get an amazing Takes 1 to 11 look into the organic construction of "Brown Eyed Girl" - the musicians ironing out kinks - trying to actually play what's in Van's head. Amazing stuff – and there’s so much of it too.

"...I see the way you joke at me...from behind the door...and look into my eyes...your little starstruck innuendos...inadequacies...and foreign bodies..." – Van tells a clearly misguided Julie in the epic "T. B. Sheets". 
Morrison then adds - "...Open up the window and let me breathe..." - pleading to be made clean – get me away from the smell of sickness - away from people who don't understand me.

Well there's no need to moan any more mate - because this new way into those halcyon days of creativity is beautifully clear. Big kudos to all involved in what is surely going to be an early contender for CD retrospective 'Reissue of the Year 2017'...

"Cahoots" by THE BAND (2000 Capitol 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Life Is A Carnival...Take Another Look..."

Forever the ugly child to its older siblings (1968's "Music From Big Pink", 1969's "The Band" and 1970’s "Stage Fright") - on American release in October 1971 The Band’s fourth studio outing "Cahoots" lumbered up to No. 21 on the US charts and was gone by the end of the year. Dismissed by many in the Press at the time as a 'band' already showing signs of being past it and except for sporadic moments of that old magic - running on empty - "Cahoots" was considered by tastemakers as one of those five-out-of-ten LPs that you buy anyway because you’re such a nerdy fan – nay even sucker.

In fact in Blighty - where The Band and their musings had reached almost mythical levels amongst musicians and certain parts of the public - the LP managed a staggeringly bad one single week on the UK LP charts in November when it was released there – unceremoniously excluded from Christmas stockings by Scrooge-faced punters humming and hawing at the mere sight of it. Robbie Robertson would later describe some of the songs as 'bizarre' and not even the presence of Van Morrison (riding high at the time) and Southern Soul gentleman Allen Toussaint on two different tracks (both courtesy of Warner Brothers) funked-up sales or persuaded otherwise.

But time is a healer - and 46 years after the event I feel we should reappraise this awkward and clumsy baby No. 4 – dancing about my living room to "Life Is A Carnival" just wanting to be loved like the other three. Here are the Take Another Look details...

UK released September 2000 (August 2000 in the USA) - "Cahoots" by THE BAND on Capitol 525 3912 (Barcode 724352539123) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (60:44 minutes):

1. Life Is A Carnival [Side 1]

2. When I Paint My Masterpiece

3. Last Of The Blacksmiths

4. Where Do We Go From Here

5. 4% Pantomime

6. Shoot Out In Chinatown [Side 2]

7. The Moon Struck One

8. Thinkin' Out Loud

9. Smoke Signal

10. Volcano

11. The River Hymn

Tracks 1 to 11 are their fourth studio album "Cahoots" - released October 1971 in the USA on Capitol SMAS 651 and November 1971 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 651 in a Gatefold Sleeve. Produced by THE BAND - it peaked at No. 21 in the US LP charts and No. 41 in the UK. 

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Endless Highway (Early Studio Take)

13. When I Paint My Masterpiece (Alternate Take)

14. Bessie Smith (Outtake)

15. Don't Do It (Outtake-Studio Version)

16. Radio Commercial

THE BAND is: 

Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko

Guests include Van Morrison on "4% Pantomime" and Allen Toussaint on "Life Is A Carnival"

As with each of these September 2000 Capitol CDs (Produced and Compiled by CHERYL PAWELSKI and ANDREW SANDOVAL) - the 16-page booklet is a pleasingly in-depth affair and has new pictorial elements. ROB BOWMAN provides the new liner notes accompanied by photos of the studio, tracking sheets for "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "Endless Highway", lyrics, reissue credits (the whole issue is 'In Memory of Richard Manuel and Rick Danko') and even a repro of the lone American 45 lifted off the album - September 1971's "Life Is A Carnival" b/w "The Moon Struck One" on Capitol 3199 ("When I Paint My Masterpiece" b/w "Where Do Go From Here" was to be Capitol 3249 in December 1971 but was cancelled and withdrawn).

But the big news is the Audio. "Cahoots" had a more polished and some say 'brittle' sound that the ramshackle Americana feel to the preceding albums - and many have complained that commercialism and radio-friendly needs practically ruined their chemistry-sound - and that rot started in full force here. I don't agree - the Audio here by ROB McMASTER and ANDREW SANDOVAL is very punchy all of a sudden and for all the right reasons. Sandoval was involved in all The Kinks and Small Faces 'Deluxe Editions' on Universal - so he knows his way around a master-tape or two. The only real glitch is the Audio Quality on the Marvin Gaye cover version of "Don't Do It" which they admit has been taken from 'best possible sources' because there are problems with the quality of the original masters on the 'Studio Version' (there's a storming live take of the song on the August 1972 live-double "Rock Of Ages"). Given what they had to work with overall – the team has done well and it all sounds great to me. Let's get to the music... 

I've always been partial to a Rock Band finding its inner Funk and Allen Toussaint's Meters-Brass is all over "Life Is A Carnival" - a tune that's stood more than the test of time for me. I find it a shimmering cool-aid - a wicked rare groove - inspired even - although I can understand how it's Pointer Sisters/Sly & The Family Stone rhythms freaked out hardcore Band fans wanting more tales of Appalachian Mountain Men wailing about their hardships with a dignified wince at on the oncoming winter winds. Bob Dylan's wonderful "When I Paint My Masterpiece" gives us that - a great Americana accordion melody sung with fantastic world-weary pathos by Levon Helm sounding scarily like he's Bob Dylan's older and wiser brother. The Remaster continues to sound fantastic on Robertson's "Last Of The Blacksmiths" - Richard Manuel doing well to remain soulful as those weird 'crying horns' punctuate the tune. The biggest enemy being 'man' - "Where Do We Go From Here" sings the plight of wildlife and railroads - all disappearing under the boot of progress. The liner notes tell us The Band weren't particularly fond of the song - but I've always like it and Rick Danko's great vocal. Van Morrison drops into the sessions - hears Robbie Robertson at the piano doodling on a chord - and suddenly the two are co-writing "4% Pantomime". Apparently done in one take at Bearsville Studios the next day - the lyrics are apparently loosely about the difference between Johnny Walker Black and Johnny Walker Red whiskies. It ends Side 1 on a cool duet vocal of Soulful men enjoying themselves.

I’d admit that the LP starts to suddenly feel ordinary with the wimpy guitar pings in "Shootout In Chinatown" - a song that's trying to be something and not quite getting there. But things improve big time with one of the LP's undeniable highlights - "The Moon Struck One" - a Robbie Robertson song directly inspired by Julie and Little John Tyler - characters Robbie had gleaned from 'Jules Et Jim' - the classic 1962 Francois Truffaut film. Richard Manuel's vocals are so damn good on "The Moon Struck One" as are Rick Danko's on the Piano/Dobro romp that is "Thinkin' Out Loud" - another stunning transfer and a hugely underrated song on the LP. The lyrics "...when they're torn out by the roots...young brothers join in cahoots...' in "Smoke Signal" give the album its name - a funky Robertson piano roller again with great sound and cool Stones guitar strumming. "Volcano" and "The River Hymn" bring the album to a finish - the first a brass funker that's part Little Feat part Stoneground - while the echoed piano of the finisher is classic big-picture Band.

As is the case with so many reissues - you hope for the best with 'Bonus' material - but as others have excitedly noticed - the four extra songs on "Cahoots" offer up some truly great outtake Band numbers - way better than they had any right to be. First up is an early studio take of "Endless Highway" that is all piano and vocals – free and swinging and sounding so fresh (what a great Remaster). We get a more acoustic-based alternate of "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and holy rollers but I must just prefer this to the finished article as I’ve been playing instead for years now. The audio dips admittedly for the Danko/Robertson session outtake "Bessie Smith" – but what a melody this is – full of real Band soul and character and way better than some of the lesser material on the released LP. The Funk of “Don’t Do It” was considered as an album track for ages but eventually dropped in favour of "Life Is A Carnival". Oh man what I would give to hear this is genuinely better studio sound – but there’s at least the live cut on "Rock Of Ages" which is also in this 2000 CD Series.

What we have here is a 5-star CD reissue of a 3 to 4-star album and I for one think "Cahoots" is a bit of an overlooked nugget that deserves serious reappraisal on this superlative reissue/remaster.  

"...We walked back to the house...while the moon struck one..."

Strike two for your household and give this baby-out-of-bathwater album a dry towel and another hug...

"Stage Fright" by THE BAND (2000 Capitol 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster of their 3rd album from 1970) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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CLASSIC ROCK & POP 1970 to 1974 - Exceptional CD Remasters  

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"...Turned From The Sun...Saw Everyone...Searching..."

With two hugely influential albums already under their belt (1968's "Music From Big Pink" and 1969's "The Band") – it was time for Americana's pioneers to let the side down.

Some felt they did with "Stage Fright". I didn't. I've always loved this album. In fact it's quite probably biblically blasphemous and goat-sacrificial to say that studio platter number three for THE BAND is 'better' in places than its illustrious predecessors. But as Californication's Hank Moody would say to his agent Charlie the Runkalator as they hide even more scantily clad skanky hookers and a blizzard of cocaine from their long-suffering wives - "...I'm going to rock out with my cock out..."

Again - I love this album and this sweet-sounding 2000 CD Remaster only hammers that affection home all of 47 years later. Here are the details and The Shape It's In...

UK released September 2000 (August 2000 in the USA) - "Stage Fright" by THE BAND on Capitol 525 3952 (Barcode 724352539529) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (71:57 minutes):

1. Strawberry Wine

2. Sleeping

3. Time To Kill

4. Just Another Whistle Stop

5. All La Glory

6. The Shape I'm In [Side 2]

7. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show

8. Daniel And The Sacred Harp

9. Stage Fright

10. The Rumor

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd studio album "Stage Fright" - released August 1970 in the USA on Capitol Records SW-425 and October 1970 in the UK on Capitol Records EA-SW 425. Produced by DICK HIRTHE and Engineered by TODD RUNDGREN - it peaked at No. 5 in the USA and No. 15 in the UK LP charts.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Daniel And The Sacred Harp (Alternate Take)

12. Time To Kill (Alternate Take)

13. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show (Alternate Mix)

14. Radio Commercial

THE BAND was:

ROBBIE ROBERTSON – Guitars and Vocals

RICHARD MANUEL - Vocals, Piano, Drums, Baritone Sax & Mouth Harp

GARTH HUDSON – Keyboards and Saxophones

RICK DANKO - Vocals, Bass, Violin & Trombone

LEVON HELM - Vocals, Drums, Mandolin & Guitar

Compiled for CD by Cheryl Pawelski and Andrew Sandoval - the 16-page booklet has fantastically comprehensive liner notes by ROB BOWMAN that feature interviews stretching back twelve years (from 2000), repros of the American Promo 45 for "Time To Kill" and "The Shape I'm In" on Capitol P-2870 as well as two photos of The Band on sofas (one at outtake from the LP shoot). There is discussion on Todd Rundgren's pivotal role as Producer giving the LP the polish their 2nd album "The Band" lacked in 1969. Both Glyn Johns and Rundgren mixed the record and this CD offers the album as it was meant to be – differing from the original Remaster by Capitol in 1990 and the subsequent audiophile issue by DCC in 1994. The new 24-bit remaster by ANDREW SANDOVAL and RON McMASTER gives the album the oomph it's needed. It's a triumph to my ears. Let's get to the music...

"Stage Fright" is a group dealing with and being cudgelled by fame. Recording in June 1970 over only two weeks – the ramshackle looseness (musicians and like minds enjoying themselves) that so warmed up the first two albums was already gone. Some felt the overall LP cold and dark and too bleakly personal in places – and it was short too at 35 odd minutes. But the music for me is key. It opens with "Strawberry Wine" by Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson – a rollicking accordion song about drinking with lyrics about never getting any peace of mine (climbing up the walls and laughing in the dark). "Sleeping" is sad for sure - but it’s beautiful too and the remaster has accentuated that lovely piano and Robertson's distant thinny guitar parts (lyrics from it title this review).

Things slide slightly with Robertson's "Time To Kill" - it's good but its also throwaway for me and the happy-wappy vibe Danko and Manuel try to vocally create feels forced. Nice axe work from Robbie on "Just Another Whistle Stop" and the bass on "All La Glory" is so damn clear now - a hymn from Robbie Robertson to his newly born daughter sung by Levon in that utterly unique voice of his (love that keyboard break - so subtle and pretty). "All La Glory" ends Side 1 on a high.

As I recall the 16-days in the jailhouse tale of monetary woe that is "The Shape I'm In" was relegated to the B-side of "Time To Kill" in the States (October 1970) - when I can't help feeling it was an obvious A with its pounding keyboard funk. In March 1971 the British side of Capitol got it right and issued "The Shape I'm In" with "The Rumor" as its flipside on Capitol CL 15675 - not that the public noticed. "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" was the kind of tune that would have sounded fresh on "Music From Big Pink" - here for some reason it feels old already. Better is "Daniel And The Sacred Harp" - a religious procession song sung as if its a love song to some in the Old Testament. There's beautiful sound on it - those slides and strummed acoustic. The album's title track "Stage Fright" remained a live staple for the band for years - culminating in 1979's "The Last Waltz" where it seemed to come into its own. Although some think it a downer - I've always found the very Harvest-sounding "The Rumor" to be a huge grower - that piano and guitar duetting and the vocals. And you can so hear today's Americana seeping out its every pore...

"...Should I come in there...with that back beat..." - the boys joke in some studio banter after a false start. Amidst the bonus tracks is a thrill for Band fans - an Alternate Mix of one of the album's strong points "Daniel And The Sacred Heart". The audio is gorgeous - clear Bass and Acoustic Guitar - less clutter than the finished version. I might actually prefer the new Alternate Mix to "Time To Kill" to the released version - and again on here with fabulous audio. Great guitar opens "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" where the Alternate has more pronounced vocals and brass - and the one-minute po-faced sounding "Radio Commercial" uses snippets from "Stage Fright", "Strawberry Wine" and "The Shape I'm In" to sell 'the third album from The Band on Capitol'...

I know some see it as a four-star record but with that renewed audio and those genuinely cool extras - "Stage Fright" is one of those occasions where you don't have to pay through the CD nose to get that great combo of top music, quality sound and a cheap price (their first two album outings are the same and mots are online for less than a fiver).

"...The storm is past...there's peace at last..." – Richard Manuel sang on the many mood shades of "Sleeping" – lost in his music – lost in the game. Lost or not - I've so enjoyed joining him there once again...

"Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part 1 & Percy: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS (2014 Sony/Legacy/BMG 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Got To Be Free...Got To Be Free Right Now..." 

  

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2014 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD REISSUE ***

"...I see that Union Man walking down the street...

He’s the man who decides if I live or I die...if I starve or I eat..."

For a band so intrinsically linked with the Sixties - as ever Ray Davies refused to be pigeonholed by its sentiment and started the new Seventies decade with a musical hand-grenade – something of a kick in the nadge for the hippy dream. Yet despite being a bit of a caustic brute (especially lyrically) – November 1970's album "Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part 1" also contained huge popular hits like "Lola" and "Apeman" – provocatively charged sexpot songs that felt all grown up and mature and even gender-bender risky. The Kinks' "Lola..." has always been a great album and its arrival on DE has been much anticipated...

But after the thrilling CD reissue ride their 60ts catalogue received at the hands of Universal's double-disc 'Deluxe Editions' in 2011 - this August 2014 Sony/Legacy 2CD addition sounds better for sure but is actually incomplete. Although we get the "Percy" Soundtrack from 1971 on Disc 2 as a bonus along with many other outtakes on both CDs (some superb unreleased stuff amidst the 12 new cuts like "Anytime") - we lose two tracks that were on the previous 2004 issue - and it comes in a forgettable double jewel case instead of a foldout card digipak that would have matched the other spines in the series. Still - despite the packaging and content niggles - there's so much on here to love and want - there really is. Let's get physical...

UK released August 2014 - "Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround & Percy: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS on Sony Legacy/BMG 88843089592 (Barcode 0888430895928) is a 43-Track 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Reissue and Remaster with 12 Previously Unreleased tracks that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (64:48 minutes):

1. The Contenders

2. Strangers

3. Denmark Street

4. Get Back In Line

5. Lola

6. Top Of The Pops

7. The Moneygoround

8. This Time Tomorrow [Side 2]

9. A Long Way From Home

10. Rats

11. Apeman

12. Powerman

13. Got To Be Free

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround, Part One" - released 27 November 1970 in the UK on Pye Records NSPL 18359 and 2 December 1970 in the USA on Reprise RS 6423 in Stereo. It peaked at No. 35 on the US LP charts.

BONUS TRACKS (All PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED):

14. Anytime

15. The Contenders (instrumental Demo)

16. The Good Life

17. Lola (Alternate Version)

18. This Time Tomorrow (Instrumental)

19. Apeman (Alternate Version, Stereo) - originally appeared on the April 1971 Japanese LP of "Lola..." on Reprise YS-2456-Y

20. Got To Be Free (Alternate Version) - originally broadcast in the UK 15 Oct 1970 on BBC 1 Television

Disc 2 (63:25 minutes):

1. God's Children

2. Lola (Instrumental)

3. The Way Love Used To Be

4. Completely

5. Running Round Town

6. Moments

7. Animals In The Zoo

8. Just Friends

9. Whip Lady

10. Dreams

11. Helga

12. Willesden Green

13. God's Children (End)

Tracks 1 to 13 are the Soundtrack LP "Percy" - released March 1971 in the UK on Pye Records NSPL 18365 in Stereo. No US LP - but "God's Children" and "The Way Love Used To Be" was released as an American 7" single on Reprise REP 1017 in July 1971.

BONUS TRACKS:

14. Dreams (Remix) - Previously Unreleased

15. Lola (Mono Single) - 12 June 1970 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 17961 - 12 June 1970 US 7" single on Reprise 0930 with "cherry cola" lyric

16. Apeman (Mono Single) - 20 Nov 1970 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 45016, A-side

17. Rats (Mono Single)  - 20 Nov 1970 UK 7" single on Pye International 7N 45016, B-side of "Apeman" - 16 Dec 1970 US 7" single on Reprise 0979

18. Powerman (Mono) - first issued May 1998 in the UK on the CD reissue of "Lola..." on Essential ESM CD 509

19. The Moneygoround (Alternate Version, Mono) - first issued August 2012 in the UK on the 5CD/1DVD Box Set "The Kinks At The BBC" on Sanctuary/UMC 279 721-8 as part of the DVD - Audio here for the first time - Previously Unreleased

20. Apeman (Alternate Version, Mono) - first issued December 1970 on a Denmark 7" single on Pye 7N 45016, A-side - Previously Unreleased

21. God's Children (Mono Film Mix) - Previously Unreleased

22. The Way Love Used To Be (Mono Film Mix) - first released May 1998 in the UK on the CD Reissue of "Percy" on Essential ESM CD 510

23. Gold's Children (End) (Mono Film Mix) - Previously Unreleased

The 24-page booklet is the usual feast of colour photos, picture sleeves, repro'd memorabilia and in-depth recording/release date factoids you've come to expect from these DE releases. The second half of the booklet features racy stills from the iffy movie "Percy" - a superb 15-strong picture array of rare 45 single-sleeves from around the world ("Lola, "Apeman", "God's Children" and "Animals In The Zoo") - while the final few pages feature the handwritten lyrics to the "Lola" LP that graced the inner gatefold of British and American albums on Pye and Reprise. Noted writer and author PETER DOGGETT gives a detailed analysis of the band's leap into the heavy rock decade and their dubious involvement in a dubious movie. It's beautifully laid out. Unfortunately the "Apeman" and "Powerman" Demos that were unreleased extras on the 2004 reissue CD are AWOL when there was clearly room on either disc for them - so docked a star for that and the boring jewel case presentation.

But there's better news for fans in the CD transfers. A team of three trusted names have tackled the new 2014 Remasters - ANDREW SANDOVAL, DAN HERSCH and ANDY PEARCE. Sandoval was involved with all of the Universal DE's for The Kinks and much praised for it - Dan Hersch has been Rhino's go-to guy for decades and Andy Pearce (along with Matt Wortham) has a growing rep for fabulously realistic transfers that just keeps getting better (Thin Lizzy, Wishbone Ash, Budgie, the 2016 Free reissues and the much-anticipated new versions of Deep Purple's catalogue in 2017). The moment you hear the 40-second Acoustic into to "The Contenders" or the sheer punch to the riffage of "Powerman" or the 'Yes It's No. 1!' "Top Of The Pops" and you can 'feel' the punch. Great stuff. Let's get to the music...

"...On the verge of a nervous breakdown...I went to see a solicitor..." Ray sings bitterly on "The Moneygoround" as he (like so many musicians of the day) wonder - there's all this fame so why is there so little cash to go with it? No one at the record label is answering the phone. That kind of probing angst imbibes songs like "This Time Tomorrow" and the 'where are you going' cries in "Strangers" - each tune filled with cool music unpinned by a weary pathos. The audio on the Stereo "Lola" and "Apeman" makes them huge - those brilliant and fun lyrics still raising a smile after 46 years. I'd forgotten just how New York Dolls the "Rats" track is (B-side to the "Apeman” 45 in most territories) – a hard-hitting little rocker where slick and aggressive city types are crowding our Ray's personal space. It ends on the brilliant and upbeat "Got To Be Free".

Fans will love the newest find - "Anytime" - a 3:30 minute amble that feels epic. Probably the very guitar-based feel excluded it from the LP - but there's no doubt in my mind that it's the premium find on here - brilliant and exciting. The Instrumental of "The Contenders" is truly fascinating stuff - half Gary Moore's Skid Row when the guitars dominate - half Chicken Shack when the piano gets a look in. Just when you think it's going to descend into filler - "The Good Life" chugs its Havana Cigar way across your speakers - a wickedly good rocker that makes you wonder why it wasn't used as a B-side. There's Take 11 dialogue before the Alternate Take of "Lola" and a slower intro - and again - it's impressive stuff even for such a familiar song. Fans are going to eat up an instrumental of their LP fave "This Time Tomorrow" - piano and rhythm acting as a backing track as you hum along to the words in your head. The car sounds at the beginning of the Stereo "Apeman" are still intact - but after being used to the Mono Single - the 'nuclear war' instruments and lyrics feel 'massive' - an amazing listen. But the most radically different take is "Got To Be Free" where Ray sounds like he's channelling his inner Alan Price as he plinks away on a childlike piano - shame it's not better recorded and fades out too fast...

CD2 gives us the "Percy" Soundtrack - a much-maligned beast that's far better than I remember it - with some shining moments like the obvious upbeat single "God's Children" and its lovely flipside "The Way Love Used To Be". With lyrics like "...I want to go back to the way the good Lord made me..." - Davies gives "God's Children" a hopeful feel complete with choruses and strings. I've always thought the funked-up guitar version of "Lola" to be cool even if the cheesy organ that follows the opening kind of ruins the vibe. I also dig the chugging Bluesy guitar-and-harmonica instrumental "Completely" - like The Kinks forgot who they were for a moment and went all Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac for one song. "Moments" is pretty too - remembering things the main characters have forgotten. You can hear why "Animals In The Zoo" was chosen as a leadoff single - funky acoustic to begin with - yet so Kinks in its rhythms as it boogies along in a very catchy way. Of the unreleased on Disc 2 "The Moneygoround" and the Alternate Mono of "Apeman" come off the best - an impressive end to an impressive release. 

"...It might even turn into a steady job..." - our Ray roared on "Top Of The Pops" (number 11 with a bullet) about the life of a Rock Musician. And on the evidence of this 2CD reissue - thank God it did...