"Abracadabra: The Asylum Years" by JUDEE SILL (2006 Rhino 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Like A Wind Song…" 

With her so uncool Granny glasses, plain Jane straight hair and hard-to-pigeonhole melodies - JUDEE SILL's duo of Asylum Label LPs have gathered a cult-status that refuses to go away. Yet as someone who worked in a busy secondhand record shop in London's West End for near twenty years - I can remember in the late Eighties and Nineties when you couldn't give "Judee Sill" or "Heart Food" away. Much like Emitt Rhodes on Probe or Eric Andersen on Capitol (see reviews for both) - they'd sit in the racks in their fetching gatefold sleeves unloved and unwanted. And clearly from this gorgeous 2CD retrospective - that was something of a collective mistake. It's not all genius by any means - but when she hits that mark - her music is truly beautiful. So here are the cross makers and the soldiers of the heart...

UK released June 2006 - "Abracadabra: The Asylum Years" by JUDEE SILL on Rhino/Asylum 8122 79534 2 (Barcode 081227953423) is a 2CD Set of Remasters and breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (77:26 minutes):

1. Crayon Angels

2. The Phantom Cowboy

3. The Archetypal Man

4. The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown

5. Lady-O

6. Jesus Was A Cross Maker

7. Ridge Rider

8. My Man On Love

9. Lopin' Along Thru The Cosmos

10. Enchanted Sky Machines

11. Abracadabra

Tracks 1 to 11 are her debut album "Judee Sill" - released September 1971 in the USA on Asylum SD-5050 and May 1972 in the UK on Asylum SYLA 8751

12. The Pearl (Original Version)

13. The Phoenix (Original Version)

Tracks 12 and 13 were removed from the album to make room for the late inclusion of "Jesus Was A Cross Maker" and subsequently re-recorded for "Heart Food"

14. Ridge Rider (Alternate Version)

15. My Man On Love (Alternate Version)

14 and 15 are Previously Unreleased outtakes from the "Judee Sill" sessions

16. Intro/The Vigilante

17. Lady-O

18. Enchanted Sky Machines

19. The Archetypical Man

20. Crayon Angels

21. The Lamb Ran Away With The Crown

22. Jesus Was A Cross Maker

Tracks 16 to 22 were recorded 'Live In Boston Music Hall', 3 October 1971

Tracks 12 to 22 were first issued on the Rhino Handmade CD Edition of "Judee Sill" on RHM2 7836 in 2003

Disc 2 (77:56 minutes):

1. There's A Rugged Road

2. The Kiss

3. The Pearl

4. Down Where The Valleys Are Low

5. The Vigilante

6. Soldier Of The Heart

7. The Phoenix

8. When The Bridegroom Comes

9. The Donor

10. (No Title)

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Heart Food" - released March 1973 in the USA on Asylum SD 5063 and April 1973 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9006

11. The Desperado (outtake from the "Heart Food" sessions)

12. The Kiss

13. Down Where The Valleys Are Low

14. The Donor

15. Soldier Of The Heart

16. The Phoenix

17. The Vigilante

18. The Pearl

19. There's A Rugged Road

Tracks 12 to 19 are Solo Demos for the "Heart Food" album

20. The Donor (Alternate Mix) - Previously Unreleased

Tracks 10 to18 first issued on the Rhino Handmade CD Edition of "Heart Food" on RHM2 7802 in 2003

With its card slipcase, a 20-page sepia-tinted booklet and CD labels that reflect the original Asylum 'door in the sky' logo - this feels like a classy release - and it is. First up is the truly beautiful remastering by long-standing Rhino stalwarts DAN HERSCH and DAVE SCHULTZ. Co-ordinator ANDY ZAC explains in the liner notes that the first generation Stereo master tapes had inherent glitches and distorted her voice. Hidden by vinyl to some degree -the CD is less forgiving - but given that - the job they've done is fabulous - as faithful and as clear as the music is ever going to be. On quieter songs like the piano-driven "When The Bridegroom Comes" - their deftness of touch really lifts the song.

Her two minor hits are here - covers of The Turtles "Lady-O" and The Hollies "Jesus Was A Cross Maker" - but her own "There's A Rugged Road" impresses more (Shawn Colvin does a gorgeous version of it on her "Cover Girl" CD from 1994). "My Man On Love" has her signature magic - as lovely a melody as you've ever heard. It was put on the flipside of "Sky Enchanted Machines" when it got released in September 1972 in the UK as a 7" single (Asylum AYM 509). "The Archetypal Man" is witty and perceptive too and I love the 'Alternate Version' of "Ridge Rider" which is simplified and better for it.

But if I were to single out three masterpieces - two would be on the hugely accomplished "Heart Food" album. First is probably everybody's favourite -  the moving and beautiful ache of "The Kiss" - wow! If you get the chance -check out The Old Grey Whistle Test footage of her doing this live with just a piano in 1973 (lyrics from it title this review). Second is the epic 9-minute hymn-like finisher "The Donor" which MICHELE KORT rightly gives paragraphs to in her wonderfully detailed and heartfelt liner notes. It goes off into staggering vocal tangents and pirouettes that predate Kate Bush - and with the combined male and female voices repeating a Kyrie Eleison refrain throughout (Lord Have Mercy) - its musical ambition is like a female Todd Rundgren on a roll. The complicated tympani and vibes arrangements alone must have taken months to get down. It's astonishing stuff.

But best of all is the set's prize - a previously unreleased outtake that I feel matches even "The Kiss". It's called "The Desperado" and should have finished the album instead of the non-titled Track 10 that is merely an Irish air instrumental that might have seemed like fun at the time - but now seems superfluous and badly misjudged. "The Desperado" would have brought the album full-circle - even into Joni Mitchell territory. It's beautifully produced - a lovely acoustic melody - what a find.

Judee Sill won't be for everyone for sure and some may wonder what all the fuss is about - but I've been moved to tears many times by the beauty and talent available on this gorgeous 2CD release.

Aged only 35 - she died at home 23 November 1979 from a drug overdose - with her loss barely reported anywhere. Rest with the angels you beautiful lady...

“Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire: Deluxe Edition” by THE KINKS (June 2011 Universal/Sanctuary 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC 1960s MUSIC On CD - Exception Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)



"…We Thought Our World Would Never Change…"

Better than the previous 2004 single CD issue - along with the gains - there are some minor omissions too on this long-awaited KINKS Deluxe Edition of 1969's "Arthur..." 

So here are the intimate details for "Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS - a 2CD Reissue and Remaster released 20 June 2011 in the UK on Universal/Sanctuary 273 227-4 (Barcode 602527322742). It breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (78:24 minutes):

1. Victoria

2. Yes Sir, No Sir

3. Some Mother’s Son

4. Drivin’

5. Brainwashed

6. Australia

7. Shangri La

8. Mr. Churchill Says

9. She’s Bought A Hat Like Princess Maria

10. Young And Innocent Days

11. Nothing To Say

12. Arthur

Tracks 1 to 12 are the MONO version of the LP "Arthur Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire" released 10 October 1969 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18317 (no Mono version was released in the USA – only Stereo – see Disc 2)

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 13 is "Plastic Man" – the non-album Mono A-side of a UK 7” single released 29 March 1969 on Pye Records 7N.17724 ("King Kong" from "Village Green…" is its B-side)

Track 14 is "This Man He Weeps Tonight" – the Mono non-album B-side of a UK 7” single released 12 September 1969 on Pye Records 7N.17812 (the mono A-side is "Shangri La" from the album)

Track 15 is "Mindless Child Of Motherhood" - the Mono non-album B-side of a UK 7" single released 20 June 1969 on Pye Records 7N.17776. The A-side is the album track "Drivin'" – the B-side is credited as Kinks featuring Dave Davies

Track 16 is "Creeping Jean" – credited to Dave Davies, it’s the Mono B-side of a UK 7” single released 17 January 1969 on Pye Records 7N.17678 – it’s A-side is Track 18 – the non-album "Hold My Hand"

Track 17 is "Lincoln County" – credited to Dave Davies, it’s the Mono A-side of a UK 7” single released 20 August 1968 on Pye Records 7N.17514 – it’s B-side is the non-album "There’s No Life Without Love" which is 'not' on here – it’s only available on the 2004 single CD version of "Something Else" 

Track 18 is "Hold My Hand" – see Track 16

Tracks 19 to 21 are "Victoria", "Mr. Churchill Says" and "Arthur" – December 1969 studio recordings with further overdubs, mixing and editing – broadcast by the BBC in December 1969 on the 'Dave Lee Travis' show on Radio One

Disc 2 (79:48 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 12 are the STEREO version of the LP - Pye Records NSPL 18317 in the UK and Reprise Records RS 6366 in the USA (same tracks as Disc 1)

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 13 is "Plastic Man" – a Stereo take released in 1969 on a Dutch LP called "Star Parade" on SR International 79343

Track 14 is "This Man He Weeps Tonight" – a Stereo take originally released 25 January 1973 in the USA on "The Great Lost Kinks Album" on Reprise Records MS 2127

Track 15 is "Drivin'" – Previously Unreleased Stereo Alternate Mix from an Acetate

Track 16 is "Mindless Child Of Motherhood" – as per Track 14

Track 17 is "Hold My Hand" – as per Track 13

Track 18 is "Lincoln County" – a Previously Unreleased Stereo Mix

Track 19 is "Mr. Shoemaker's Daughter" – Stereo, a Previously Unreleased Mix

Track 20 is "Mr. Reporter" – Stereo, a Previously Unreleased Remix

Track 21 is "Shangri La" – Stereo, a Previously Unreleased Backing Track

The 24-page booklet is as tastefully laid out as the "Face To Face" and "Something Else" issues – they all have the same generic look. The liners notes this time are again by noted writer PETER DOGGETT (Record Collector magazine) but with contributions from Ray Davies, Dave Davies and Mick Avory of the band. There’s photos of the UK album artwork including the legendarily rare 'Queen Victoria' insert that only came with original copies. There’s lovely colour repros of rare Euro and US 7" single picture sleeves, trade adverts, newspaper clippings, memorabilia, lyrics to all the songs and there’s even input from fan sites etc. The breakdown of the tracks is very well done too - what came from what and why. Both of the discs are also themed - the CDs reflect the light blue and black colouring of the original UK Pye Records LP label - with Side 1 pictured beneath the see-through tray of CD1 and Side 2 beneath the tray of CD2 - all nice touches.

ANDREW SANDOVAL, DAN HERSCH (of Digiprep and Rhino fame) and ANDY PEARCE carried out the remasters - and the sound quality is exceptionally good. The STEREO mix in particular is STUNNING – leaping out of the speakers in a way it never did before - beautifully clear. And for American fans who’ve only ever grown up with the Stereo mix on Reprise Records, the MONO variant on Disc 1 will come as a brutal shock. It makes a lot of the songs somehow bleaker, more focused – it’s hard to describe, but I like it. In fact - as with "Face To Face" and "Something Else" - the difference between the MONO and STEREO variants is acute, but never more so than here. Some prefer the stark power of the MONO mix – others the spread of the STEREO version - but this is definitely one of those 'Deluxe Editions' that actually benefits from the presence of both. They’re different beasts for sure - but equally admirable.

To the record itself – somehow "Arthur…" seemed to sense that the Sixties were coming to a close, but not on a high note. A lot of the lyrics aren’t so much acidic as ponderous as to what the future was going to bring – "…Now I’ve got children, I’m going grey…" from "Nothing To Say" (lyrics above also) or "I see the lines across your face - Time has gone and nothing can replace - Those great, so great - Young and innocent days…" from the slightly sad "Young And Innocent Days" (a band favourite).  The zippy album opener "Victoria" is fabulous as is the layered "Drivin'" – very Kinks – very good. "Shangri La" is pretty yet biting, while the lyrics to "Mr. Churchill Says" now sound ever so slightly disrespectful and even revolutionary. The guitars on the finisher "Arthur" are so clear too… 

Niggles – couple of B-sides left off (but they’re available elsewhere if you really want them) and I find these new card-digipaks easy to dent and mark without the outer plastic wrap that was on all initial Deluxe Editions. But these are minor points - at a whopping 42 tracks and with full playing times on both discs, there’s genuinely very little to moan about.

To sum up - a superb new remaster on both mixes, properly upgraded packaging and liner notes and extra tracks that actually warrant the title 'bonus'. Recommended like Princess Marina's hat…

-->

“Something Else By The Kinks: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS (June 2011 Universal/Sanctuary 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC 1960s MUSIC On CD - Exception Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Lead The School Team To Victory…"

Like many fans of this great British band - I've watched the release of 6 Kinks 'Deluxe Editions' since the beginning of 2011 with a certain amount of scepticism. Haven't these albums been done to death already and isn't this just more monetary milking of it? But then several Reckless Records customers began to rave about the great new remastered sound on these doubles - so I took the plunge and they were right. These are better than previous 2004 single issues - and how. But along with the gains (there's 12 'previously unreleased' tracks), there are some minor omissions too. Here are the schoolboy details...

UK released 20 June 2011 in the UK - "Something Else By The Kinks: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS is a 2CD Reissue/Remaster on Universal/Sanctuary 273 214-1 (Barcode 602527 321417) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (79:46 minutes):

1. David Watts

2. Death Of A Clown

3. Two Sisters

4. No Return

5. Harry Rag

6. Tin Soldier Man

7. Situation Vacant

8. Love Me Till The Sun Shines

9. Lazy Old Sun

10. Afternoon Tea

11. Funny Face

12. End Of The Season

13. Waterloo Sunset

Tracks 1 to 13 are the MONO version of the LP "Something Else By The Kinks" released 15 September 1967 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18193 and January 1968 in the USA on Reprise Records R 6279 [Mono Variant Was Promo-Only in the USA]

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 14 is "Act Nice And Gentle" – the Mono non-album A-side of a UK 7” single released 5 May 1967 on Pye Records 7N.17321

Track 15 is "Mr. Pleasant" - the Mono non-album A-side of a UK 7" single on Pye Records 7N.17314. Released 21 April 1967, it pressed up for export issue to Europe. It was also issued in the USA on 24 May 1967 on Reprise Records 0587. Its non-album B-side is "That is Where I Belong" - that track is 'not' available here – it’s on the "Face To Face Deluxe Edition"

Track 16 is "Susannah’s Still Alive" – credited to Dave Davies, it’s the Mono A-side of a UK 7” single released November 1967 on Pye Records 7N.17429 – it was issued in the USA on 31 January 1968 on Reprise Records 0660

Track 17 is "Autumn Almanac" – the Mono A-side of a UK 7” single released 13 October 1967 on Pye Records 7N.17400 – it was also issued 29 November 1967 in the USA on Reprise Records 0647

Tracks 18 and 19 are "Harry Rag" and "David Watts" - Alternate Takes, both are 'Previously Unreleased'

Track 20 is "Afternoon Tea" – An Alternate Mix – It was originally issued as a Canadian 7” single on Pye 828 in October 1967

Tracks 21 to 29 are "Sunny Afternoon", "Autumn Almanac", "Mr. Pleasant", "Susannah's Still Alive", "David Watts", "Love Me Till The Sun Shines", "Death Of A Clown", "Good Luck Charm" and "Harry Rag" – all are BBC Recordings (August to October 1967) with 21 to 25 being 'Previously Unreleased'

Track 30 is "Little Women – Unfinished Backing Track" – first released in 1998 on the "Face To Face" CD reissue

Disc 2 (69:42 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 13 (titles as per Disc 1) are the STEREO version of the LP - Pye Records NSPL 18193 in the UK and Reprise Records RS 6279 in the USA

BONUS TRACKS:

Tracks 14 and 15 are "Susannah's Still Alive" and "Autumn Almanac" – these 2 STEREO versions were first slotted for release on the 1968 "Four More Respected Gentlemen" UK LP, but withdrawn - they finally saw release in the USA on the 2LP Reprise Records retrospective "Kinks Kronikles" in March 1972.

Tracks 16 to 20 are "Sand On My Shoes", "Afternoon Tea", "Mr. Pleasant", "Lazy Old Sun" and "Funny Face" – all are Stereo and 'Previously Unreleased'

Tracks 21 is "Afternoon Tea" – a German Stereo Mix released on the German LP version in December 1967 on Pye Hitton HTSLP 340044

Track 22 is "Tin Soldier Man" – and is 'Previously Unreleased'

The 24-page booklet is as tastefully laid out as the "Face To Face" issue is – they all have the same generic look - liners notes by noted writer PETER DOGGETT (Record Collector magazine), photos of both the UK and US LP artwork along with many rare Euro and US 7" single picture sleeves, trade adverts, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and input from fan sites etc. The breakdown of the tracks is very well done too - what came from what and why. Both of the discs are also themed - the CDs reflect the purple colouring of the original UK Pye Records LP label - with Side 1 pictured beneath the see-through tray of CD1 and Side 2 beneath the tray of CD2 - all nice touches.

ANDREW SANDOVAL, DAN HERSCH (of Digiprep and Rhino fame) and ANDY PEARCE carried out the remasters - and the sound quality is exceptionally good. The STEREO mixes in particular are superb and so fresh, not just separated two-channel reprocessing, but a cohesive whole - very warm and beautifully clear. The difference between the MONO and STEREO versions in fact is acute (as it is on “Face To Face”). Some prefer the stark power of the MONO, but I think this is one of those 'Deluxe Editions' that actually benefits from the presence of both - they different beasts for sure - but equally admirable.

To the record itself - with "Sgt. Peppers" thrashing everything in sight from 1 June 1967 to the end of the year, that goliath’s presence perhaps goes some way to explaining why an album as brilliant as "Something Else…" was virtually ignored by the public on both sides of the pond. It made number 35 on the LP charts for 2 weeks in the UK and barely scraped 153 in the USA for 1 week. Talk about lost masterpiece…

The album opens with a double-whammy – "David Watts" (lyrics above) and "Death Of A Clown" – a duo of lyrical and musical brilliance. "Situation Vacant" is another gem – with lyrics like "…to keep his Mama satisfied, he went and bought the weekly classified…" Few bands excepting maybe The Beatles and The Stones had their finger on the pulse of Sixties society like The Kinks did – the light and the dark. The sonic punch out of both "Afternoon Tea" and the beautiful "Waterloo Sunset" is fantastic too. I love the even-more-trippy vocal on the Alternate "Lazy Old Sun" while the 'Alternate Backing Track' on "Tin Soldier Man" sounds like it will turn up on some retro TV program soon (it may be vocal-less, but it's fully-formed and ready to use). And as with "Face To Face", the keyboard flourishes of ace sessionman Nicky Hopkins can now be heard clearly throughout. Again - the whole thing feels like an embarrassment of riches.

Niggles – couple of B-sides left off (but they’re on the "Face To Face" double if you really want them) and I find these new card-digipaks easy to dent and mark without the outer plastic wrap that was on all initial Deluxe Editions. But these are minor points - at a whopping 52 tracks, there’s genuinely little to moan about.

To sum up - a superb new remaster on both mixes, properly upgraded packaging and liner notes and extra tracks that actually warrant the title 'bonus'.

Recommended like gazing on a fine Waterloo Sunset...

-->

“Face To Face: Deluxe Edition” by THE KINKS (June 2011 Universal/Sanctuary 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC 1960s MUSIC On CD - Exception Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...The Eagle Spreads Its Mighty Wings..."

Like many fans of this great British band, I've watched the release of 6 Kinks 'Deluxe Editions' since the beginning of 2011 with a certain amount of skepticism. Haven't these albums been done to death already and isn't this just more monetary milking of it? But then several pals began to rave about the great new remastered sound on these doubles - so I took the plunge on "Face To Face", "Something Else"" and "Arthur..." - and they were right. They're better than previous issues - and how. But along with the gains (there are 8 'previously unreleased' tracks) there are some strange omissions too...

Here are the details first - "Face To Face: Deluxe Edition" by THE KINKS was UK released 20 June 2011 on Universal/Sanctuary 277 262-0 (Barcode 0602527726205) as a 2CD set of Remasters and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (57:35 minutes):

1. Party Line

2. Rosy Won’t You Please Come Home

3. Dandy

4. Too Much On My Mind

5. Session Man

6. Rainy Day In June

7. House In The Country

8. Holiday In Waikiki

9. Most Exclusive Residence For Sale

10. Fancy

11. Little Queen Of Darkness

12. You’re Looking Fine

13. Sunny Afternoon

14. I’ll Remember

Tracks 1 to 14 are the MONO version of "Face To Face" LP released 28 October 1966 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18149 and 7 December 1966 in the USA on Reprise Records R 6228

BONUS TRACKS:

Tracks 15 and 16 are "Dead End Street" and "Big Black Smoke" - they are the MONO A&B-side of a non-album 7" single released 18 November 1966 in the UK on Pye Records 7N.17222 and 30 November 1966 in the USA on Reprise Records 0540

Track 17 is "This Is Where I Belong" - the MONO non-album B-side of a UK 7" single on Pye Records 7N.17314, released 21 April 1967, pressed up for export issue to Europe - it's A-side is "Mr. Pleasant" (that track is missing here - it's on the 2004 CD reissue)

Track 18 is "She's Got Everything" - the MONO non-album B-side of the UK 7" single on Pye Records 7N.17573, released 28 June 1968 (A-side is "Days"). It was also released in the USA on 24 July 1968 on Reprise Records 9762.

Track 19 is "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness" - a Previously Unreleased Alternate Take

Track 20 is "Dead End Street" - a Previously Unreleased Alternate Version first issued on the 2008 Sanctuary Records 6CD box set "Picture Book"

Disc 2 (63:28 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 14 are the STEREO version of the LP - Pye Records NSPL 18149 in the UK and Reprise Records RS 6228 in the USA (tracks as per Disc 1)

BONUS TRACKS:

Tracks 15, 16 and 17 are "This Is Where I Belong", "Big Black Smoke" and "She's Got Everything" - these 3 STEREO versions were first slotted for release on the 1968 "Four More Respected Gentlemen" UK LP, but withdrawn - they finally saw release in the USA on the 2LP Reprise Records retrospective "Kinks Kronikles" in March 1972. 15 and 16 are listed as 'Previously Unreleased'

Tracks 18 - 22 are "You're Looking Fine (Alternate Stereo Mix)". "Sunny Afternoon (Alternate Stereo Mix)", "Fancy (Alternate Stereo Mix)", "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness (Alternate Stereo Mix)" and "Dandy (Alternate Stereo Mix)" - all are listed as 'Previously Unreleased'

The 24-page booklet is tastefully laid out - liners notes by noted Kinks expert DANIEL RACHEL, photos of both the UK and US LP artwork along with many rare Euro and US 7" single picture sleeves, trade adverts, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and input from fan sites (www.kindakinks.com) etc. The breakdown of the tracks is very well done too - what came from what and why. Both of the discs are also themed - the CDs reflect the purple colouring of the original UK Pye Records LP label - with Side 1 pictured beneath the see-through tray of CD1 and Side 2 beneath the tray of CD2 - all nice touches.

The remasters were carried out by ANDREW SANDOVAL, DAN HERSCH (of Digiprep and Rhino fame) and ANDY PEARCE and the sound quality is exceptionally good. The STEREO mixes in particular sound superb and fresh, not just separated two-channel reprocessing, but a cohesive whole - very warm and beautifully clear. The difference between the MONO and STEREO versions in fact is acute - some prefer the stark power of the MONO, but I think this is one of those 'Deluxe Editions' that actually benefits from the presence of both - they different beasts for sure - but equally admirable.

Great tracks include the hypnotic "Rainy Day In June" (lyrics above) which sounds like its going to turn up in an episode of "Mad Men" real soon, while it's followed by the equally classy Sixties pop of "House In The Country" - Ray at his acidic best. The sonic punch out of both "Sunny Afternoon" and "Too Much On My Mind" is fantastic. The acoustic guitars at the beginning of "Dandy" and "Too Much..." are so clear now - as are the keyboard flourishes of ace sessionman Nicky Hopkins throughout. I was also surprised at how different the previously unreleased Stereo mixes of "You're Looking Fine" and "Little Miss Queen Of Darkness" are, but not in a bad way. They're very cool additions - and all in all (released or unreleased) = the whole thing feels like an embarrassment of riches.

Niggles - on Disc 1, Tracks 17 and 18 are ‘B-sides’, when a quick glance at the short playing time for Disc 1 will reveal that there was plenty of room for the A's - "Mr. Pleasant" and "Days" - yet you have to keep your 2004 version for those or buy the DE of "Something Else". It's a small point, but it's worth making.

To sum up - a superb new remaster on both mixes, properly upgraded packaging and liner notes and extra tracks that actually warrant the title 'bonus'. Very nice indeed.

Recommended like lazing on a Sunny Afternoon...