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Overall: **** (Grungy Hard Rock - 1972 Second Consolidates Epic Debut in 1971)
Presentation: **** 12-Page Book with Band Interviews - Band Approved
Audio: **** Best Ever Audio including Rarities and New Recordings
"…Make Me Happy…"
I vividly remember getting Budgie's hard-rocking second studio album "Squawk" as a Christmas present in 1972. That cool looking Black and Blue label on first MCA pressings with the Hexagon Symbol above the spindle hole (would later go to all black MCA in 1973 when their third album "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" made inroads – the album with "Breadfan") and my love affair with this Welsh power trio was cemented immediately.
"Squawk" may be seen as somewhat 'clunky and dated' nowadays, but back in the hair-shaking denim-wearing autumn of Seventies year-two - Budgie was the kind of band that elicited hero worship – the kind of riffage ensemble a boy-teen went nuts for while your sister was grooving to The Stylistics being Golly Wowed (you Betcha). A hirsute enamel-badged button-festooned chap could not really explain why Budgie were so utterly brill (the girls just didn't understand) – but my love for them and their rawk has remained at a youth-level cult-delight ever since.
Released September 1972 on MCA Records MKPS 2023 in the UK and September 1972 in the USA on Kapp Records KS-3669 - despite its rather plain (by his standards) Roger Dean artwork and bugger all info on the rear sleeve – I played "Squawk" to death – one of those great Power Rock albums that grows on you and therefore stays. To further my Garrard SP25 fix, I then naturally ran out and bought the budgie-on-a-horse self-titled debut – with its grungy hard rock, Sabbath-type dark production and fabulous David Sparling artwork (UK released in the last few days of July 1971 on MCA MKPS 2018). And lo and behold, "Budgie" was much better in my books than the second outing. Love affair number two. That affair with this Welsh Hard Rock band on digital, however, has been different…
Back in the 2000s - BUDGIE took control over their catalogue and rescued it from previous poor CD reissues. Their Noteworthy Productions CD Reissues all came with proper Remasters (band approved) and appropriate Bonus Tracks some of which were new and therefore previously unissued to fans. Even the spines made up a BUDGIE type photo (sort of Roger Dean-ish) from all the album artwork – lining up nicely on Hard Rock shelves everywhere.
And that's where this grumbling little brute / door number two comes a riffing in...to those rivers of whiskey and squawker details…
UK released 17 January 2005 - "Squawk" by BUDGIE on Noteworthy Productions NP3 (Barcode 8055202111094) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and 2004 Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (52:29 minutes – Track playing times from the CD):
1. Whiskey River (3:22 minutes) [Side 1]
2. Rocking Man (5:24 minutes)
3. Rolling Home Again (1:43 minutes)
4. Make Me Happy (2:36 minutes)
5. Hot As A Docker's Armpit (5:51 minutes)
6. Drug Store Woman (3:14 minute) [Side 2]
7. Bottled (1:50 minutes – Instrumental)
8. Young Is A World (8:07 minutes)
9. Stranded (6:21 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 9 are their second studio LP "Squawk" – released September 1972 in the UK on MCA Records MKPS 2023 and September 1972 in the USA on Kapp Records KS-3669. BUDGIE consisted of TONY BOURGE on Guitar, BURKE SHELLEY on Bass, Mellotron, Piano and Lead Vocals with RAY PHILLIPS on Drums and Percussion.
BONUS TRACKS:
10. Whiskey River (A-side Single Version) – 2:39 minutes (LP cut is 3:22)
11. Stranded (Alternate Mix) – 6:18 minutes
12. Whiskey River (2003 Version) – 3:20 minutes
13. Rolling Home Again (2004 Version) – 1:38 minutes
Track 12 recorded 2003 during rehearsals for a 2003 Autumn Tour featuring Burke Shelley, Steve Williams and Simon Lees
Track 13 recorded summer 2004 by Burke Shelley and Tony Bourge
The 12-Page Booklet features a new interview with the three - including insightful reminiscences on each song and where Budgie's progress was in the spring and summer of 1972. Each band member gets a Page photo - the CD label pictures the sleeve artwork and Budgie Logo, and of course there's the usual original credits with reissue details added on. But for fans the big news is a Remaster from real tapes by a team of two - ROBERT M. CORICH and MIKE BROWN in October 2004 (the archival material was handled by MARTIN GILES at Alchemy Mastering in London). Rodger Bain productions are of Black Sabbath listening fame - down and dirty and grungy - so Audiophiles can look away super fast. But what is here (after years of ear-cotton on other less worthy CDs) is an explosion of power - clarity that the album has always needed. I know this record all too well and I have dug these improvements. And I was shocked at the quality of the Bonuses - two oldies and two new - very cool additions.
Similar-ish in look to the debut, their second studio album "Squawk" (like the 1971 self-titled debut) was Produced by RODGER BAIN of BLACK SABBATH fame. And with the Budgie-jet painting on the front cover was their first LP to feature Roger Dean artwork and the Budgie Astronaut logo on the rear – a logo that would become synonymous with the band. Although it sold solidly, it did not chart in either country.
Thinking the British LP was going to be released sometime in April 1972 (it was remixed after dissatisfaction and launched the first week of September 1972 on both sides of the pond) - MCA tried a lone UK 45-single (which is now a rare collectable). Released 3 March 1972 on MCA Records MK 5085 in Blighty, the A-side edit of "Whiskey River" clocked in at 2:39 minutes as opposed to the LP cut of 3:22 minutes. They slapped the opening track of the July 1971 debut LP "Guts" on as the B-side – but it did not ignite any chart. The America version of the "Whiskey River" 45-single (issued September 1972 on Kapp K-2185) also used the edit on the A-side on both Promos and Stock Copies but backed the flipside with the full 6:10 minutes of "Stranded" from the LP. "Whiskey River was the only single off "Squawk".
Their second album "Squawk" opens on a winner - the huge fan-fave "Whiskey River" - a tune any line-up of Budgie must still play some fifty-plus years after its unassuming arrival. That gripper is consolidated by "Rocking Man" - clever pace changes splitting up its 5:20 minutes playing time. Time to get gentle in the unnervingly lovely and acoustic "Rolling Home Again" - itself running into Burke Shelly's prettiest moment - "Make Me Happy" - that introduces Piano and Mellotron but in a subtle way. Side 1 then rollicks home with a lengthy riff-monster from Bourke wittily called "Hot As A Docker's Armpit" - heavy and almost Prog in places.
Side 2 opens with one my personal loves, the kick-ass "Drugstore Woman" (should have been 45-single number two) that itself segues into the short instrumental "Bottled". Both "Young Is A World" and "Stranded" are long - almost Rush-like in their Bourge mixture of Rock and Prog elements. They might take time to get into, but they're worth it and end a simple but impressive follow-up album to an even better debut. Let's talk about other desirable (if not pricey) destinations for CD...
REPRESSES: "Squawk" was also issued 25 August 2014 in Japan as part of their desirable SHM-CD Reissues series with Two Bonus Tracks (the Whiskey River Single Edit as Track 11 and the Alternate Mix of Stranded as Track 12). Super High Materials CDs can be played on all machines - it's a better form of the CD format and brings out more nuances. And then there's that gorgeous look where they use original artwork.
For "Squawk" and using the Noteworthy Productions October 2004 Remaster as its basis - Belle Antique BELLE 142265 (Barcode 4527516601485) also featured MINI LP ARTWORK, A Booklet and Obi Strip. But like so many of these Limited Editions was quickly deleted and started garnishing large prices on the secondhand market.
So, it was reissued in Japan yet again – 25 March 2021 seeing Belle Antique BELLE 213457 (Barcode 4527516 605605) ape the previous SHM-CD Mini LP artwork. But that repress is also deleted here in 2026 and like all Budgie product – weighed down with cult prices ever since. I would suggest the Noteworthy Productions British CD with its four bonuses (instead of two) is the better and cheaper buy.
God bless 'em - I loved Budgie then and this CD Remaster has rekindled that love all over again - recommended all the way armpits of a thousand dockers...
PS: see my review for the Universal UMC/MCA 3CD Box Set The MCA Albums 1973-1975 released Friday, 3 June 2016 with new Andy Pearce Remasters for "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" (June 1973), "In For The Kill" (June 1974) and "Bandolier" (September 1975)
