"Tiptoe Past The Dragon" by MARLIN GREENE (February 2009 Collectors' Choice CD Reissue - Bob Fisher Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Masquerade Ball..."

Marlin Green's lone album "Tiptoe Past The Dragon" was issued Stateside in the early summer of 1972 and as per their rather over-reaching jewel case sticker - this February 2009 US 'Collectors' Choice' CD would have us believe it's - 'One of 1972's Great Lost Albums!'

"Tiptoe Past The Dragon" is not a lost masterpiece despite what they claim (it has been notorious bargain-bin fodder for decades in second-hand shops – a strict no-no as a buy in) – but it has musical goodies on both sides worth rediscovering – especially if you like your Americana with a touch of Country Rock.

Musically we’re talking a sort of lesser America – or in Britain - a sort of sub Matthews Southern Comfort or Plainsong. There are even traces of Neil Young circa "Gold Rush" and "Harvest" with his backing band Crazy Horse when Greene goes all Country Rock on certain songs. And recorded down South in The Muscle Shoals Studios – the LP features a slew of notable session types like Eddie Hinton, Barry Beckett and Wayne Perkins (of Smith, Perkins, Smith).

For fans of this forgotten album - this rather ordinary CD Reissue does at least offers up two things worth noting - a fairly tasty audio remaster and it's physically cheap too (less than four quid on some sites). Here are the details...

US released 17 February 2009 - "Tiptoe Past The Dragon" by MARLIN GREENE on Collectors' Choice CCM-997 (Barcode 617742099720) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Remaster of the 11-Track 1972 LP and plays out as follows (34:49 minutes):

1. Grand Illusion [Side 1]
2. Masquerade Ball
3. Jonathan's Dream
4. My Country Breakdown
5. Forest Ranger
6. Gemini Gypsy
7. Ponce de Leon [Side 2]
8. Who's The Captain Of Your Ship Of Dreams
9. Fields Of Clover
10. Good Christian Cowboy
11. Tiptoe Past The Dragon
Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut album "Tiptoe Past The Dragon" - released June 1972 in the USA on Elektra Records EKS 75028 (no UK issue).

MARLIN GREENE - Lead Vocals
EDDIE HINTON, LARRY 'GIMMER' NICHOLSON and WAYNE PERKINS - Guitars
LEON La BLANC - Pedal Steel Guitar
BARRY BECKETT and CHUCK LEAVELL - Keyboards
DAVID HOOD - Bass
FRED PROUTY, LOU MULLINEX and ROGER HAWKINS - Drums

Typical of almost all Collectors' Choice CD Reissues - you get a functional gatefold inlay that at least has a summary of the man's career and the album by noted writer COLIN ESCOTT (done in December 2008). BOB FISHER - their resident Audio Engineer - did the Remaster and it sounds professional, full and at times rather beautiful - the swirling acoustic guitars and 'la la' singing on "Masquerade Ball" - the pedal steel twang of "Good Christian Cowboy" - all good.

Produced by Greene himself – the album hit the shops in 1972 hoping no doubt to catch the singer-songwriter craze sweeping everything in the early Seventies. Vocally he's close to say Ian Matthews and wrote all the songs except "Fields Of Clover" and "Good Christian Cowboy" which were penned by Wayne Perkins (later with Smith, Perkins, Smith over on Island Records in 1972 – an album that I hope to one day see on CD). But despite the strength of material like "Masquerade Ball" alas few noticed - and is now confirmed by Green in the liner notes that little promotion of the LP took place at Elektra. The label more closely associated with the Doors, Bread and Carly Simon did try a Radio Promo 45 for the jaunty Eagles-sounding Country-Rock of Side1's "Forest Ranger" on Elektra EK-45790 - but it didn't raise any interest and apparently stock copies were never pressed or pursued. 

The album opens with a gentle acoustic ballad "Grand Illusion" where dreamers find their own reality (could have been a single too). It then trumps up the rather excellent "Masquerade Ball" - a highly produced 12-string acoustic tune that is instantly likeable. Clearly reading 'Jonathan Livingstone Seagull' (like everyone else at the time - that book was huge) - "Jonathan's Dream" is a rather aimless instrumental that starts with gulls and ocean waves lapping and doodles around on the guitar for about a minute and a half only to jump right into Flying Burrito Brothers territory with "My Country Breakdown" - not a particularly strong track either. I much prefer the Side 1 finisher "Gemini Gypsy" - so very Plainsong - and in a good way.

Over on Side 2 Greene rocks it up with the Dobro and Piano of "Ponce De Leon" and gets melodic Ian Matthews on "Who's The Captain Of Your Ship Of Dreams" - another potential single. Wayne Perkins of Smith, Perkins, Smith (and later two albums with Crimson Tide on Capitol Records) provides the two Country-Rock tunes - the very Neil Young ballad-feel to "Fields Of Clover" and the holy-roller of "Good Christian Cowboy" - both rather good. It ends on the short but Judy Henske/Jerry Yester strange title track - "Tiptoe Past The Dragon".

Not a masterpiece for sure but there is moments that impress hugely and on repeated listens - the music grows on you like crazy.

"...Why don't you look around..." - Greene sings in the hypnotic  "Fields Of Clover". 
I'd agree – worth a punt...

"Boz Scaggs [1969 Version + 1977 Remix Version]" by BOZ SCAGGS feat Duane Allman, Eddie Hinton and Barry Beckett (2015 Edsel/Rhino 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Loan Me A Dime..."

After two albums with The Steve Miller Band in the late Sixties – it was time for the smooth Texan William Royce Scaggs to go solo. He signed to the prestigious Atlantic Records - gathering around him the cream of Muscle Shoals sessionmen (including the Memphis Horns) and set about recording his Bluesy/slightly Country debut album in 1969. Not that the world sat up and noticed. They didn’t.

His debut “Boz Scaggs” was released in the USA in August of 1969 but despite some favourable responses in the press - few in the public eye bought it. After four more albums with a patient Columbia Records between 1971 and 1974 that slowly built interest and chart presence – the Bozter finally found his inner Rock-Funk self and hit global paydirt with his March 1976 LP “Silk Degrees” which spanned massive worldwide radio-friendly hits like “Lido Shuffle”, “What Can I Say”, “Harbour Lights” and “Lowdown”. The album had legs past 1976 too into 1977.

So what with his debut containing rising luminaries like Eddie Hinton, Barry Beckett and especially the established cult guitar-hero Duane Allman in blistering form - Atlantic Records decided to call in Tom Perry to remix and re-launch the debut yet again for a modern day market (it didn’t take 2^nd time round either). And that’s where this UK 2CD reissue on Edsel/Rhino comes in – it brings together to the two versions of that debut album for the first time – and in remastered form with superb presentation and new 2015 interviews. Here are the slow starter details...

UK released May 2015 – "Boz Scaggs [1969 Version + 1977 Remix Version]" by BOZ SCAGGS on Edsel/Rhino EDSK 7093 (Barcode 740155709334) is a 2CD set in an outer card wrap and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (Original 1969 Version – see NOTES) (43:35 minutes)

1. I’m Easy [3:04 minutes]

2. I’ll Be Long Gone [4:11 minutes]

3. Another Day (Another Letter) [2:53 minutes]

4. Now You’re Gone [3:46 minutes]

5. Finding her [3:54 minutes]

6. Look What I Got [4:08 minutes]

7. Waiting For A Train [2:38 minutes]

8. Loan Me A Dime [12:29 minutes]

9. Sweet Release [6:13 minutes]

Disc 2 (1977 Remixed Version – see NOTES) (44:48 minutes):

1. I’m Easy [3:01 minutes]

2. I’ll Be Long Gone [4:02 minutes]

3. Another Day (Another Letter) [3:12 minutes]

4. Now You’re Gone [3:50 minutes]

5. Finding her [4:10 minutes]

6. Look What I Got [4:13 minutes]

7. Waiting For A Train [2:40 minutes]

8. Loan Me A Dime [13:02 minutes]

9. Sweet Release [6:20 minutes]

NOTES: Despite what the CDs say – someone has mistakenly placed the versions on the wrong discs – Disc 1 is in fact the 1977 REMIX and Disc 2 the 1969 ORIGINAL. What’s noticeable too from the timings provided above is that Perry slightly edited some of the tracks on the 1977 remix but elongated others by a tiny amount. The most pronounced is the indulgent thirteen-minutes of “Loan Me A Dime” lopped by a half-a-minute (and rightly so in my book). Most of the others have smaller changes – but it’s worth pointing out.

BOZ SCAGGS – Guitar and Lead Vocals

DUANE "Skydog" ALLMAN – Guitars and Dobro

EDDIE HINTON and JIMMY JOHNSON – Guitars

BARRY BECKETT – Keyboards

AL LESTER – Fiddle

DAVID HOOD – Bass

ROGER HAWKINS – Drums

Muscle Shoals Horn Section:

Joe Arnold – Tenor Saxophone

Charles Chalmers – Tenor Saxophone

Floyd Newman – Baritone Saxophone

James Mitchell – Baritone Saxophone on “I’m Easy”

Ben Cauley – Trumpet

Gene “Bowlegs” Miller – Trumpet & Trombone

Backing Singers:

Jeannie Greene, Donna Thatcher and Mary Holiday (on all selections)

Tracy Nelson, Irma Routen and Joyce Dunn on “Now You’re Gone” exclusively and additionally to Green, Thatcher and Holiday on “I’ll Be Long Gone”

There’s a tasty card wrap that lends the whole reissue a classy feel while the 20-page booklet features December 2014 liner notes by noted writer PAUL DYERS and a new interview with original LP producer JANN WENNER which throws light on how rushed the recordings were (Wenner, Scaggs and Marlin Greene produced the LP). There are label repros of the original LP on SD 8239 and lyrics (for the first time I believe) and tremendous photos of the fabulous band – David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, the backing lady singers, the Producer, Eddie Hinton and a naked Duane Allman standing in the woods with a hat on and his hands over his modesties. It’s beautifully done.

The howler mistake of wrong-mix/wrong-CD notwithstanding – all that anyone-can-make-mistake stuff pales against what you actually get here - a superb remaster for both albums (Peter Rynston at Tall Order Mastering). You can so hear how the record feels slightly empty and rushed first time around – and you can understand why Perry paired back the indulgent time length on the bluesy but brilliant “Loan Me A Dime” when he remixed the record in 1977. I actually prefer the 1977 version because it’s tighter and more importantly you can hear the musicianship more clearly – especially Duane Allman. The Dobro on “Look What I Got” (written by Muscle Shoals Sax player Charles Chambers and singer Donna Rhodes) is clearer as are the drums and backing singers. The same applies (times two) with his cover of the Jimmie Rogers yodelling song “Waiting For A Train” – Allman is very clear as is Beckett’s honky-tony piano runs.

I don’t know (even after another listen) if the album is actually any good – there’s a dreadful failure to ignite in too many of his songs – but then you’re hit with the fabulous Blues of “Loan Me A Dime”. Written by guitarist Fenton Robinson – it leads in with stunning organ work from Beckett – so Gospel, Blues and Soul all wrapped up in one. And then we get Duane in his “Skydog” looseness - letting rip on the frets half way in. On the remix his guitar is slightly more to the fore giving it more prominence and I agree completely with shortening the track on the remix (apparently this song is the reason why Wexler told them to close down recording faster and stop goofing around). It ends on “Sweet Release” – a slow six-minute Gospel lurch co-written by Scaggs and Barry Beckett.

With the best will in the world you could hardly call the “Boz Scaggs” album brilliant (it has its moments for sure) and in hindsight it’s easy to hear why it barely registered with the public. Having said that – there’s something about the quality of the remasters on offer here – and the different mixes too – that make you want to look at this record anew.

A superb reissue from Edsel – more of the same please...

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"My Time/Slow Dancer" by BOZ SCAGGS (March 2008 Beat Goes On CD Reissue - 2LPs on 1CD - Andrew Thompson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Sharpest Cat In Town...Must Be Hercules…"

With his 1969 Atlantic Records debut album under his perfectly coiffured belt (it didn't chart in either the UK or USA) - William Royce Scaggs singed to Columbia Records in the early Seventies and hoped for bigger things.

Beat Goes On of the UK have already reissued his 2nd and 3rd albums "Moments" and "Boz Scaggs & Band" (both from 1971) onto 1CD in this series - here you get the next in line from 1972 and 1974 lumped together onto another single CD. You can literally hear the Rock/Soulful songwriter he would become with 1976's breakthrough album "Silk Degrees" coming to the fore on these records. Here are the tuneful Seventies details...

Originally UK released March 2008 (reissued 2010 and 2015) - "My Time/Slow dancer" by BOZ SCAGGS on Beat Goes On BGOCD813 (Barcode 5017261208132) features his 4th and 5th albums remastered onto one CD and breaks down as follows (69:56 minutes):

1. Dinah Flo

2. Slowly In The West

3. Full-Lock Power Slide

4. Old Time Lovin'

5. Might Have To Cry

6. Hello My Lover [Side 2]

7. Freedom For The Stallion

8. He's A Fool For You

9. We're Gonna Roll

10. My Time

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3rd LP "My Time" - issued September 1972 in the USA on Columbia KC 31384 and in the UK on CBS S 64975

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 and 10 are Boz Scaggs originals. "Slowly In The West" is a David Brown (aka Norton Buffalo) cover, "Old Time Lovin'" is an Al Green cover and both "Hello My Lover" and "Freedom For The Stallion" are Allen Toussaint songs. EDDIE HINTON plays guitar on Tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 10.

11. You Make It So Hard (To Say No) [Boz Scaggs]

12. Slow Dancer [Boz Scaggs/George Daly]

13. Angel Lady (Come Just In Time) [Scaggs/Johnny Bristol/Jim McDonagh]

14. There Is Someone Else [Boz Scaggs]

15. Hercules [Allen Toussaint song/Meters cover]

16. Pain Of Love [Johnny Bristol] [Side 2]

17. Sail On White Moon [Johnny Bristol]

18. Let It Happen [Boz Scaggs/Johnny Bristol]

19. I Got Your Number [Johnny Bristol/Greg Reeves]

20. Take It For Granted [Boz Scaggs/Barry Beckett]

Tracks 11 to 20 are his 4th LP "Slow Dancer" - issued March 1974 in the USA on Columbia KC 32760 and April 1974 in the UK on CBS 65963. Songwriting credits listed track-by-track above.

The 12-page inlay has affectionate and knowledgeable liner notes by noted music writer JOHN O'REGAN and features repro'd artwork and full musician/album credits. There's a nice card-wrap on the outside of the jewel case and the sound quality is beautifully clear and punchy throughout - digitally remastered in 2008 by ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Performance in London.

That template of Soulful Rock he would adopt for much of the Seventies and Eighties kicks in with the "Dinah Flo" opener - strings and girl singers and a slightly funky edge to his Rock. Sweeter is the ballad "Slowly In The West" which is followed by the Big-Guitars Rock of "Full-Lock Power Slide" - a sort of Joe Walsh riff that boogies along very nicely. But Side One belongs to his gorgeous cover of an Al Green Hi Records classic "Old Time Lovin'" where Boz's band sound not just comfortable but positively inhabiting the Soulfulness of the tune (big organ sound and lady singers throughout). The remaster on the love song "Might Have To Cry" is gorgeous - so sweet. Things are taken up a New Orleans notch or too with the excellent Toussaint tracks - the funky "Hello My Lover" and the Gospel feel of "Freedom For The Stallion". After the guitar-poppy "We're Gonna Roll" - the "My Time" album ends of a very Soulful note - the title track - sounding so smooth. And two of my session heroes get their moments – EDDIE HINTON plays Acoustic Guitar on Tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 10 alongside his pal BARRY BECKETT who lays down Piano on the same six tracks.

Things move a very big step towards 1976's "Silk Degrees" with the slinky "Slow Dancer album" from 1974. It opens with the very Philly strings and brass of "You Make It So Hard (To Say No)" - a hit single if ever there was one. After the smooch of "Slow Dancer" we get down to Funky business with "Angel Lady..." where Boz has clearly been listening to Stevie Wonder. After the "gotta go with someone else" pleading smooze of "There Is Someone Else" fades - we get the fantastic "Hercules" (written by Allen Toussaint and covered by The Meters) - a track that for me single-handedly elevates the whole album into something special - what a tune. This is followed by a clump of Johnny Bristol white-boy soulful jaunts like "Let It Happen" and "I Got Your Number" which are very 1974 Funk Rock.

It's not all genius for sure and his 1976 return with "Silk Degree" would finally culminate in a worldwide winner - but this is where that class started. And with the nice presentation and superb sound - a must-have for fans... 

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"BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" by THE STAPLE SINGERS. A Review Of The 1972 Stax LP Now Reissued On A 2011 CD Remaster With Bonus Tracks.

"...It's A Brand New Day..."

In 2004 the Fantasy Group acquired the entire Stax catalogue and its precious original mastertapes and through their 'Concord Music Group, Inc' Division they've begun to drip-feed CD reissues for the famous American Soul label out into a hungry marketplace. Every title features brand-new 24-bit remasters, bonus tracks, updated booklets and each mid-priced CD carries the generic logo "Stax Remasters" on their spine to differentiate them from previous issues.

Released May 2011 - Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072328761 (Barcode 888072328761) breaks down as follows (49:38 minutes):

1. This World
2. Respect Yourself
3. Name The Missing Word
4. I'll Take You There
5. This Old Town (People In This Town)
6. We The People
7. Are You Sure
8. Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ The Superstar)
9. I'm Just Another Soldier
10. Who
Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" released March 1972 in the USA on Stax STS-3002 and April 1972 in the UK on Stax Super 2325 069

Tracks 11 and 12 are "Walking In Water Over Our Head" and "Heavy Makes You Happy (Alternate)" - both are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ROB BOWMAN (author of "Soulsville U.S.A. - The Story Of Stax Records"). You get the original artwork and production credits also and there's a collage of 3 photos on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and the disc itself pictures the group too. But it's a shame the booklet goes no further - there's no new photos, none of those magical Stax sevens pictured nor any memorabilia. It makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best - even a little dull - when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND...

24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes by JOE TARANTINO at Joe Tarantino Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is truly GORGEOUS. Having had previous versions of this great Soul album on CD from the mid 1990's - the sound was good rather than great - hissy in places too. That's all gone - and it's not loud for loudness sake either - but clear and warm and full of presence. The bass is beautiful as is the rhythm section - and the powerhouse vocals of Mavis Staples now take centre stage in a way they've never done before. "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There" are so common to our ears that it comes as a genuine shock to hear them sound this good. The other single off the album "This World" is so clear and muscular too (lyrics above). A fantastic job done.

The bonus tracks are way better than I had expected - the 'Alternate' version of Jeff Barry and Bobby Bloom's "Heavy Makes You Happy" was recorded August 1970 at their first session in the Muscle Shoals Studios and sounds like a live rehearsal - it's excellent. You can clearly hear EDDIE HINTON on Guitar and BARRY BECKETT on Keyboards and the end of the song hears them ad-lib for a full minute longer than the finished single did. But then we get the real deal - an outtake that could easily have been an album track. Recorded in Muscle Shoals in October 1972 and written by PHILLIP MITCHELL, TERRY WOODFORD and OSCAR FRANCK - it features the other in-house band members for the album DAVID HOOD on Bass and ROGER HAWKINS on Drums and it's a winner. "Walking In Water Over Our Head" is a fully finished upbeat song that could easily have been recorded yesterday. Genuinely - after all these years - to hear any new material by The Staples Singers from that stunningly creative period is an out-and-out blast.

To sum up - as a voracious lover of the Stax label these reissues are incredibly exciting to me. And as for The Staple Singers - "BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" only grows as the years pass - and now with this great new sound quality - needs to be in your home and stereo right quick...

PS: "STAX REMASTERS" Series to 2014 are (all reviewed):
1. Green Onions - BOOKER T & THE M.G.'S (1962)
2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S (1970)
3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)
4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)
5. Born Under A Bad Sign - ALBERT KING (1967)
6. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1971)
7. BeAltitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)
8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)
9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)

“Very Extremely Dangerous” by EDDIE HINTON. A Review of the 1978 Album Reissued on a 1997 USA-Only CD.

EDDIE HINTON is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

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"…I Got The Feeling…The Feeling For Love…And It Feels Alright…"

1. You Got Me Singing
2. Concept World
3. I Got The Feelin'
4. Shout Bamalama
5. Get Off In It
6. Brand New Man
7. Shoot The Moon
8. We Got It
9. Yeah Man
10. I Want It All

Eddie Hinton's voice is part Otis Redding part Bobby Womack part Frankie Miller - and as you can imagine with credentials 'that' good - his guttural singing style is considered to be a thing of wonder among soul aficionados.

Recorded in November 1977 at the Muscle Shoals Sound Recording Studio in Sheffield, Alabama and released in March 1978 on Capricorn CPN-0204 in the USA only, this obscure and criminally forgotten LP received good reviews at the time of release, but produced poor sales. And it's been the very definition of ‘lost masterpiece' ever since.

Sporting what has to be one of the worst titles for an LP ever and an album cover that wasn't much better, "Very Extremely Dangerous" is a soul-rock album on a label more associated with the southern boogie of The Allman Brothers, The Marshall Tucker Band and Elvin Bishop. This 1997 remaster by FRED MEYER was part of Polygram's "Capricorn Classics" CD series - but now deleted - it too is equally rare (42:05 minutes).

The session players for the album were:
EDDIE HINTON - Guitar, Piano & Vocals
BARRY BECKETT - Piano, Organ and Moog Synthesizer (also Produced)
JIMMY JOHNSON - Guitar
DAVID HOOD - Bass
ROGER HAWKINS - Drums
HARRISON CALOWAY - Trumpet
HARVEY THOMPSON - Tenor Saxophone
DENNIS GOOD - Trombone
RONNIE EADES - Baritone Saxophone

"You Got Me Singing", "I Got The Feeling", "We Got It" and "Yeah Man" are solo Hinton songs with ALVIN HOWARD co-writing on "Concept World", "Get Off In It", "Brand New Man" and "I Want It All". DAN PENN of the legendary Dan Penn/Spooner Oldham song-writing team co-wrote "Shoot The Moon" while "Shout Bamalama" is not surprising an Otis Redding cover version.

Barry Beckett's production is typically accomplished and lovely (he was one of the founders of the Muscle Shoals Studios). His history in music is extraordinary - and apart from being on so many legendary sessions as to be ridiculous - he was also at the production helm of umpteen great albums - "Communiqué” by Dire Straits (their underrated 2nd album) and Dylan's "Slow Train Coming" to name but a few (with Jerry Wexler). Which brings me to Meyer's remaster combined with Beckett's top production values - it's produced a delicious finish on this CD - a lovely warm sound that's full and sweet.

The songs have a distinctly Southern feel - they range from mellow to funky and are most effective when they slow right down. The majestic soulful build of "I Got The Feeling" is typical - a slow soulful groove is found, licking guitar then backs it up and is sided by the legendary Muscle Shoals brass - all the while Eddie is wailing like Otis is in the room and he has to impress his mentor. The boppin' "Shout Bamalama" sounds Little Richard in party mode with the boys in the band having a ball. “Yeah Man” is fabulous too – a slinky little number that goes down like honey. But the album's gem for me is "Get Off Of It" which is almost Van Morrison in its mystical soulful vibe - it's just beautiful. It contains the album's title in its lyrics and is as successful a fusion of rock and southern soul as I've ever heard.

The downside is of course acquiring this peach. Most will baulk at the extortionate prices now being asked for this rare deletion (time for a re-issue Hip-O Select), but when you hear it - you'll understand why it's worth the wallet-full required... Hinton died in 1995 at the age of 51 and this - his debut LP after years of session work - is a powerful legacy.

Lovely stuff - and recommended big time.

PS: this review is dedicated with affection to the memory of Barry Beckett who passed away in June of 2009