"An American Treasure: Deluxe Edition" by TOM PETTY (September 2018 UK Reprise 4CD Retrospective - Chris Bellman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...From The Fire..."

Like so many guys of my age (I was 60 yesterday, 28 September 2018, the day of this release) - I was taken aback my Tom Petty's untimely passing in October 2017 – it hurt me way more than I knew how to deal with. After Prince and Bowie – he was another hero of my musical life gone too soon. So I pre-ordered the 4CD 'Deluxe Edition' of "An American Treasure" months back - and man - what a slam-dunk brill release it is – a truly fitting tribute.

Compiled with the full co-operation of his Heartbreaker band mates Guitarist Mike Campbell and Keyboard whizz Benmont Tench, Producer and Mixer Ryan Ulyate and especially his family (wife Dana and daughter Adria) – the Deluxe Edition of "An American Treasure" on Reprise 9362-49055-6 (Barcode 093624905561) gives you four Discs covering the 1970s on Disc 1 (15 Tracks, 52:53 minutes), the 1980s on Disc 2 (18 Tracks, 63:42 minutes), the 1990s on Disc 3 (14 Tracks, 56:45 minutes) and the 2000s onwards on Disc 4 (16 Tracks, 72:11 minutes).

There are 63 cuts in total (60 songs with 1 Radio Spot and 2 Spoken Intros) – and of the 60 they are broken down into 41 Previously Unreleased versions (outtakes, alternates and live renditions), 16 Album Cuts, 1 Non-Album UK 7" single B-side and 1 vinyl-only LP song from the "Kiss My Amps 2" compilation making its CD debut here. Ace Engineer CHRIS BELLMAN (at Bernie Grundman Mastering) has beautifully mastered this release. I can't emphasise enough the gorgeous audio quality on this release - it's astonishingly good. Sure there's the occasional audio lapse when recordings come from Stadiums and Arenas (usually included for performance and personal reasons) - but those are few and far between. Even familiar and previously well-mastered songs like the Seventies material is given an aural makeover here - lifted up into something stunning (check out the 'extended' version of "When The Time Comes" without the fade out or "You're Gonna Get It" with the Strings brought forward in the mix so you can hear their clever "Purple Rain" type additions to the end of the song).

In fact Campbell states over and over again that he wants fans to 'come into the songs' through these versions and even though you could argue that 16 album cuts you already own (most of whom don't need remastering) is excessive when we could have had more unreleased from what we're being told is a huge unheard archive – the 16 are included for deeply personal reasons as each liner note explains. Speaking of what album cuts are up for grabs – the team have gone deep into his catalogue to highlight what they clearly feel are overlooked nuggets - "The Wild One, Forever" from the self-titled debut, "No Second Thoughts" from the 2nd album "You're Gonna Get It", "Alright For Now" from 1989’s "Full Moon Fever" which often ended live shows on a shared band/audience high note and "You And Me" from 2002's "The Last DJ" - the final musical moment he and his wife shared before he passed (all of which are beautifully rendered by Bellman's masterful transfers).

And as for the unreleased stuff - how gems like "Surrender" (kept off the first album), "Keeping Me Alive" (a Southern Accents outtake) or even the Rockabilly fun of "Lonesome Dave" (from the "Greatest Hits" sessions) were left off albums or the flipsides of singles is a mystery. You also notice how the band so complimented his tunes like the Tench's keyboard part to "Deliver Me" and Campbell's guitar solos and acoustic playing on unplugged live sets - often transforming Rock songs that are ingrained in your memories into a new Americana version that touches and even equals the more flashy original.

There is also the added bonus of Stevie Nicks on the Demo Version of "The Apartment Song", the album cut "You Can Change Your Mind" and a live version of "Insider" - whilst Byrds founder and frontman Roger McGuinn adds his dulcet tones to an early take of "King Of The Hill". Hell even Lakers player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets his June 1981 moment of fame as he introduces the band at The Forum, Inglewood in California and promptly sparks off an ovation that apparently took 10 minutes to quell. If I had a complaint it would be that the quality somehow strangely dips on the 90s Disc and its disappointing that there isn't more insider-recordings from his 80ts masterpiece "Full Moon Fever" – but these are minor quibbles.

Reading the BUD SCOPPA liner notes and hearing Campbell and friends literally get choked up as their reminiscences of the songs and their circumstances come to mind is both moving and just a little heart-breaking. In short - this one is personal - and the love felt for TP and his songwriting craft is very real.

I miss him, his band and their music. "An American Treasure" is beautiful and then some - and surely the Deluxe Edition 4CD variant will be up for a 2018 'Reissue of the Year' gong. Way to go friends and family...job done and more than a nod to his life and musical legacy...

PS: the Deluxe Edition book packaging is superbly laid out too and classy with a capitol C. Released Friday, 28 September 2018, there is also a 26-Track cheaper 2CD truncated version on Reprise 572284-2 (Barcode 093624905547) and a 6LP vinyl set available in late November 2018...

"Silk Degrees" by BOZ SCAGGS - March 1976 US Album on Columbia (August 1976 UK on CBS Records) featuring Members of Toto and Little Feat (February 2007 UK Columbia/Legacy 'Expanded Edition' CD - Vic Anesini Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Dirty Lowdown..."

In hindsight it's extraordinary to think how loyal Columbia Records were to Boz Scaggs. His self-titled debut with Atlantic Records in 1969 had effectively tanked on release while his next three Columbia efforts - "Moments" (April 1971), "Boz Scaggs And Band" (December 1971) and "My Time" (September 1972) barely scrapped the Top 200 at No. 124, No. 198 and No.138 (his second LP for only 2 weeks). At least his fourth platter - the March 1974 Johnny Bristol produced "Slow Dancer" pushed on up to a respectable No. 81 - bringing in its wake a reissue of his 1969 Atlantic debut into the charts in July 1974 to No.171 for a few weeks. But man did their patience pay off.

"Silk Degrees" was a phenomenon. Released Stateside in March 1976 (August 1976 in the UK) - the LP began it's certain US ascent to an eventual peak of No. 2 and five million record sales slowly. First out of the blocks came the moderate hit of "It's Over" b/w "Harbor Lights" on Columbia 3-10319. That 45 eventually stalled at No. 38 on the US Pop charts while the follow-up single - the obvious "Lowdown" - was also paired up with "Harbor Lights" on the B-side in June 1976 for Columbia 3-10367. That slick piece of West Coast hip-sway hit the chart in early July and was stalling too when luck and fate stepped in. A DJ on a Cleveland Soul Station saw the crossover Rock-Soul appeal of the insanely hooky "Lowdown" and began spinning the thing incessantly on his night shifts to such a point that it caught on like wildfire. Hundreds of other stations soon followed suit and the album's most famous winner went to No. 2 in the singles charts. With it's cool-as-a-Bay-breeze artwork and super smooth production values - "Silk Degrees" the LP then began shifting album units by the ton – eventually lasting an astonishing 115 weeks on the American LP charts - over two years. It wasn’t as big as "Rumours" in February 1977 – but I can remember at the time – it sure felt like two went hand-in-hand in their LA domination of the world. Which brings us to this fab CD reissue of it. Here are the Lido Shuffles...

UK released 26 February 2007 - "Silk Degrees" by BOZ SCAGGS on Columbia/Legacy 82876 86715 2 (Barcode 828768671528) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Three Live Bonus Tracks (Previously Unreleased) that plays out as follows (53:42 minutes):

1. What Can I Say [Side 1]

2. Georgia

3. Jump Street

4. What Do You Want The Girl To Do

5. Harbor Lights

6. Lowdown [Side 2]

7. It's Over

8. Love Me Tomorrow

9. Lido Shuffle

10. We're All Alone

Tracks 1 to 10 are his fifth studio album "Silk Degrees" - released March 1976 in the USA on Columbia Records PC 33920 and August 1976 in the UK on CBS Records S 81193. Produced by JOE WISSERT - it peaked at No. 2 in the USA and No. 20 in the UK.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. What Can I Say (Live)

12. Jump Street (Live)

13. It's Over (Live)

Tracks 11 to 13 were recorded at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, 15 August 1976 and are Previously Unreleased

Musicians:

BOZ SCAGGS - Lead Vocals and Guitar

LOUIE SHELTON - Guitars

FRED TACKETT (of Little Feat) - Guitars

DAVID PAICH (of Toto) - Keyboards

DAVID HUNGATE - Bass

JEFF PORCARO (of Toto) - Drums and Percussion

Guests:

PLAS JOHNSON - Saxophone on "What Can I Say"

PLAS JOHNSON and BUD SHANK - Saxophones on "Love Me Tomorrow"

LES DUDEK - Slide Guitar on "Jump Street"

CHUCK FINDLEY - Flugelhorn Solo on "Harbor Lights"

JIM HORN - Tenor Saxophone on "What Do You Want The Girl To Do"

AUGIE JOHNSON and JIM GILSTRAP (of Side Effect) - Backing Vocals on "What Can I Say" and "Lowdown"

CAROLYN WILLIS (of Honey Cone) - Backing Vocals on "What Can I Say" and "Lowdown"

MARTY McCALL (of Tuxedo Junction) - Backing Vocals on "What Can I Say" and "Lowdown"

MAXINE GREEN - Backing Vocals on "It's Over" and "Love Me Tomorrow"

MAXINE GREEN and PEPPER SWENSON - Backing Vocals on "What Do You Want The Girl To Do"

The 12-page booklet is a surprisingly detailed and informative affair. The text pages are peppered with those Moshe Brakha photos of Boz and A Hidden Girl by a bench looking all hipster and California - sunglasses and tanned legs at the ready - just as the sun goes down and the night festivities are about to begin. After writer and musician credits – Boz then provides an overview to his approach on the 1975 and 1976 recordings - his core band that included members of Toto and Little Feat - following that with track-by-track reminiscences on the lyrics and the songs. Noted writer and music buff BUD SCOPPA then provides superb liner notes on the ex Steve Miller Guitarist's career and the album's tangled history and the major contributions of its musicians and Producer. But the big news is a stunning Remaster from ADAM AYAN done at Gateway Mastering. Always a Rock Audiophile wet dream - "Silk Degrees" the Remaster doesn't disappoint - each track feels amazing - clear and full of power - with all that amazing musicianship on display.

After the success of "Lowdown" as a single (No. 2 in the USA) - Columbia reached for the next obvious winner - the Side 1 opener "What Can I Say". They paired it with the Side 2 smoocher "We're All Alone" in November 1976 and given the strength of the song were only rewarded with a surprisingly modest No. 42 placing for Columbia 3-10440. But in Blighty the album had been picking up steam and "What Can I Say" on CBS Records 4869 managed a No.10 hit on the English single charts in January 1977. Fred Tackett of Little Feat provides the guitar on the poppy "Georgia" while Les Dudek raises "Jump Street" up with some great slide guitar. Boz joins two of the ladies for backing vocals on "What Do You Want The Girl To Do" - Maxine Green and Pepper Swenson - an Allen Toussaint song I admire more than I actually like. The side ends with Chuck Findley playing a sweet Flugelhorn solo on the cuddle-up-my-love "Harbor Lights".

"Lowdown" sounds amazing and brings home one of the albums great secrets to success - the pairing of Boz as a Soulful Rock songwriter with Toto's David Paich. Paich had toured with Steely Dan and played alongside Jeff Porcaro on Becker and Fagan's demanding albums too - but here he stumps up a co-credit on five of the ten songs including "What Can I Say", "Jump Street", "Lowdown", "It's Over" and "Lido Shuffle" with a further solo songwriting credit on "Love Me Tomorrow". You'd have to say that the combo of Scaggs, his Toto/Little Feat core band and all those superb session players and singers proved a lethal mix. As you listen you pick up on Scoppa's liner notes observations – the album featured an array of cool and hip tunes tailor-made for radio. "It's Over", "Love Me Tomorrow" and "Lido Shuffle" were all potential hits – in fact it often feels like SD is a whole album full of them. The three live cuts capture a moment of Yacht Rock emerging from its 1974/1975 gestation-period and now out in the open for all to enjoy. The audio is also good.

The 1978 follow-up LP "Down Two Then Left" came as something of a disappointment I remember even though tracks like the fab "A Clue", "We're Waiting" and the funky "Gimme The Goods" still displayed that same sound and magic.

To sum up - "Silk Degrees" is the kind of mid-Seventies slick-dick that still swings and this wicked-sounding 2007 CD Remaster has done that beach babe a proper solid. Hand me those sunglasses please...