"Adventure" by TELEVISION – April 1978 US and UK Second Studio Album on Elektra Records featuring Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Fred Smith and Billy Ficca (September 2003 US and October 2003 UK Elektra/Rhino Expanded & Remastered Edition CD Reissue with Four Bonuses – Dan Hersch Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Rating: ****

 

"...Glory Days..."

 

Like so many of my generation (I came at the Seventies from 1970 onwards) - the second half of that stunning decade from 1975 to 1979 was so many things - fantastic, exhilarating, awful, confusing and so full of new genres, bands and formats - it was frankly dizzying. 

What people also forget is that aside from the spitting and pogoing at gigs and homemade clobber posing on the street (the sheer visuals), both the UK and US Punk, New Wave and Alternative Rock bands were genuinely exciting - especially the American big boys like Talking Heads, The Ramones, Richard Hell, Dead Kennedys and such - on up to The Motels, Jim Carroll and even Canadian Philip Rambow, they all grabbed our attention. 

But none more so than TELEVISION - a band who like The Verve effortlessly engendered hero worship on a biblical scale – especially for some reason in Blighty. Their March 1977 British debut album "Marquee Moon" was a wonder (and it charted here which it didn’t in the USA) - the kind of LP that makes me weak at the knees even now despite that kind-of-crappy artwork. 

So it was probably not surprising that fans and worshippers alike felt like someone had wee-weed on the Mona Lisa when 1978's ever so slightly anaemic "Adventure" turned up in April. It was undeniably a lesser-work, great sounding, but rushed (rambling instrumental bits) even though there were those moments of magic. When they disbanded shortly after its American failure and Verlaine and Lloyd went off to solo and other projects – it kinda got stuck at the back on my vinyl record pile to be sold into secondhand stores when funds got tight. But as so many astute reviewers have pointed out - ok it's not MM - but it is Television and frankly Frank Frankfurter - in 2020 at the age of 62 - that does the tomato ketchup for me. But which issue to buy on CD?

Most will have noticed that if you type in 'Television Adventure CD' into Amazon's search bar, you immediately get thrown onto the cheap 1993 variant on Elektra 960 523-2 (Barcode 075596052320) which is new for about five and half quid. But this 8-track basic variant is not the one you want - the peach you need is the Rhino reissue from September 2003 (USA) and October 2003 (UK) with Four Bonus Tracks (one hidden). This is one of those rare instances where a Remaster and four Bonuses elevate a 3-star album up into a 4-star CD reissue by virtue of their dual quality (I provide the exact Barcodes below to locate either of the Rhino US or UK CD reissues). Here are the foxholes and the glory days...

US released 23 September 2003 - "Adventure" by TELEVISION on Elektra/Rhino R2 73921 (Barcode 081227392123) is an Expanded & Remastered CD Reissue with Four Bonus Tracks (One Is Hidden). The British issue was released October 2003 on Elektra/Rhino/WSM 8122-73921-2 (Barcode 081227392123) – both play out as follows (60:22 minutes): 

1. Glory [Side 1]

2. Days 

3. Foxhole 

4. Careful 

5. Carried Away 

6. The Fire [Side 2]

7. Ain't That Nothin'

8. The Dream's Dream 

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second studio album "Adventure" - released April 1978 in the USA on Elektra Records 6E-133 and April 1978 in the UK on Elektra Records K 52072. Produced by JOHN JANSEN and TOM VERLAINE - it peaked at No. 7 in the UK (didn't chart USA). 

BONUS TRACKS: 

9. Adventure - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (5:38 minutes)

10. Ain't That Nothin' (Single Version) - July 1978 US 45-single A-side on Elektra E-45516. The A-side single edit is 3:56 minutes (LP version is 4:53 minutes) with "Glory" from the album as its B-side.

11. Glory (Early Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (3:39 minutes)

HIDDEN TRACK:

12. Ain't That Nothin' (Run Through) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (9:48 minutes)

The gatefold card digipak is unusual in that it has an extra inner-flap housing the Elektra Records logo CD (original 1978 US label design) whilst the first flap has the 16-page booklet with new liner notes by ALAN LICHT (see photos). The lyrics to the eight songs and the outtake "Adventure" are on the inner flaps too while the booklet features black and whites of our four heroes – Tom Verlaine on Lead Vocals, Guitar and Keyboards (all songs written by him except "Glory" which is a co-write with Richard Lloyd), Richard Lloyd on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Fred Smith on Bass and Vocals and Billy Ficca on Drums. There are other photos of the band in the back of some glass-strewn Transit van and a copy of the single Ain't That Nothin' in its US Elektra/Asylum label bag. The sorry history of the band is told that includes comments from Verlaine on the cold US reaction and bad sound engineers at British gigs. For a band that has been so influential, even now in 2020 and over 40 years later, their lack of success on home turf still seems inexplicable.

The Remaster is done by one of Rhino’s most experienced Audio Engineers – DAN HERSCH who along with his partner in tape-research crimes BILL INGLOT - have touched on huge swathes of the mighty WEA catalogue across decades of their releases. This Adventure thing rocks and rolls and is fantastically clear. I was expecting perhaps amateur hour with the outtakes – but no – they sound amazing, as does the LP. 

It opens strongly with "Glory" where a girlfriend dons emotional and physical boxing gloves and spars with Tom over halos, wet red lips and mirrors in vans. When they issued a 45-single to finally promote the album in September 1978, Elektra chose "Ain't That Nothin'" with "Glory" on the flipside – a mistake methinks because I would swear that "Glory" would have drawn in that Cars audience "My Best Friend's Girl" (but who knows). There is a touch of The Byrds in the jangle-prettiness of "Days" - a touch of her hand - standing on a bridge of dreams (gorgeous guitar work from both of the boys). "Foxhole" rocks out like a snot-nosed son of some wicked Lou Reed and Mick Hunter riff off the "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" live album - Verlaine wanting to know where his guardian angel is - dressed up to the poser nines in a relationship dug out. That fantastic pinging guitar solo of Verlaine's on "Foxhole" is just brilliant and full of power on this remaster. "Careful" is pop-Television and its "I don't care..." voices feels false and weedy but I love the old-school romance of "Carried Away" where he could even be Springsteen with the E-Street Band the way he makes that organ sound.  

Side 2 opens with "The Fire" - 5:57 minutes of guitar Television where it begins with Verlaine using a knife as a bottleneck for slide guitar - its slow holding-our-breath vibe feeling all weird and 50ts spacey. It's not the most immediate of Television tunes but there is a doomy vibe to the guitars and words about falling that draws me back after all these years. Riffage ala "Marquee Moon" ahoy with "Ain't That Nothin'" - a flicking-guitar chugger that's good but still feels suspiciously unconvincing until that cool chorus arrives. Six minutes and 45-seconds of "The Dream's Dream" brings the LP to a good if not a tad underwhelming finish. But what lifts me up are the Bonuses - all wicked especially the near ten-minute 'run through' of "Ain't That Nothin'" which is a Hidden Track. I used to slap this on CD-Rs in Reckless playlists and about five minutes into its so-Television guitar drone, the relentless almost Kraut rhythms would bring punters to the counter eager to know 'who is this!'

Yes - reviewers are right to call "Adventure" the complacency-riddled relative to its big brother and "It's A Wonderful Life" war hero - "Marquee Moon". But for me, the Bonuses on this fabulous sounding Rhino CD have saved the day. 

"Moved by the hand that was never a fist..." Verlaine sings on the album-title outtake "Adventure" - get this 2003 CD variant and discover why...

"The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" by THE KINKS – November 1968 UK Sixth Studio Album on Pye in Stereo and February 1969 US LP on Reprise in Stereo – featuring Ray Davies (October 2018 UK BMG/Sanctuary 50th Anniversary 2CD Deluxe Edition – Andrew Sandoval and Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Big Sky..."

  

Arguing the merits of this cracking British album is probably something of a mute point 52 years after the November 1968 event. But I would like to shout to the top about the stunning job BMG and its assembly teams have done for the 50th Anniversary celebratory reissue of "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society". Let us break it down first...

Formats: for punters, it can appear that there are a dizzying amount of variants (there are). Yet setting aside Downloads and Vinyl Represses – there are three digital shots worth your spondulicks - all newly Remastered for 2018 in what BMG is calling a first in their 'The Art Of The Album' Series. Here goes...

UK released 26 October 2018 - '1CD Standard Edition' of "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" by THE KINKS is on BMG/Sanctuary BMGAA09CD (Barcode 4050538402179) and that offers you the STEREO version of the 15-Track album on a single CD in limited edition '50th Anniversary' Book packaging and retails for about eight quid or less. There is also a VINYL Variant of the STEREO LP in gatefold repro artwork on BMG/Sanctuary BMGAA09LP (Barcode 4050538402216) retailing for about £22.00.

The one I'd buy is the next grade up, the 2CD Deluxe Edition on BMG/Sanctuary BMGAA09DCD (Barcode 4050538402186). That peach (which I'm reviewing here) offers you the STEREO album on Disc 1 with 9 Bonus Tracks and the MONO Album on Disc 2 with a further 10 Bonus Tracks. Seven of the nineteen Bonuses are Previously Unreleased Mono and Stereo versions while the rest are either stand-alone singles mixes or from rare Kinks compilation LPs from the early Seventies. There is the hard card book sleeve and more in the way of presentation – an attached 20-page booklet, new liner notes, unseen photos and of course those new 2018 HD Remasters. It's about thirteen quid or less secondhand.

The next up is the big daddy and an object of serious lust for KINKs aficionados - the '50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Box Set' on BMG/Sanctuary BMGAA09BOX (Barcode 4050538402049) which BMG allocate a whole page advert to in the 2CD booklet. A 12" x 12" behemoth - it offers the 2CDs of the Deluxe Edition with a further 3CDs, Remastered VINYL LPs in both Mono and Stereo, 3 x Repro 7" singles, 52-page hardback book, memorabilia poster and quite possibly (if they could) - original 1968 underpants signed and authenticated by Ray Davies. In May 2020 Barcode 4050538402049 is technically still available and ranges from £90 to 140 depending on what site you use. Just to annoy fans further, in October 2018 the first 1000 came with an exclusive single and in June 2019, Ray Davies signed 50 copies that were only available on the Kinks website - all of course, sold out now.

Let's get back to the twofer Deluxe Edition we can have...

CD1 Stereo Album 2018 Remaster (65:44 minutes):

1. The Village Green Preservation Society [Side 1]

2. Do You Remember Walter?

3. Picture Book

4. Johnny Thunder

5. Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains

6. Big Sky

7. Sitting By The Riverside

8. Animal Farm [Side 2]

9. Village Green

10. Starstruck

11. Phenomenal Cat

12. All Of My Friends Were There

13. Wicked Annabelle

14. Monica

15. People Take Pictures Of Each Other

Tracks 1 to 15 are their sixth studio album (seventh overall) "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" - released 22 November 1968 in the UK on Pye Records NSPL 18233 in STEREO and February 1969 in the USA on Reprise RS 6327.

BONUS TRACKS:

16. Days (Mono Single Mix) - 28 June 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17573, A-Side

17. She's Got Everything (Original Stereo Mix) - first issued on the 25 March 1972 US 2LP set "The Kinks Kronikles" on Reprise 2XS 6454

18. Mr. Songbird (Stereo Mix) - 2018 Previously Unreleased

19. Wonder Boy (Mono Single Mix) - 5 April 1968 UK 7" single on Pye 7N 17468, A-side

20. Polly (Original Stereo Mix) - first issued on the 25 March 1972 US 2LP set "The Kinks Kronikles" on Reprise 2XS 6454

21. Berkeley Mews (Stereo Mix) - 2018 Previously Unreleased

22. Rosemary Rose (Stereo Mix) - 2018 Previously Unreleased

23. Misty Water (Stereo Mix) - 2018 Previously Unreleased

24. Till Death Do Us Part (Mono Mix) - first issued on the 25 January 1972 LP "The Great Lost Kinks Album" on Reprise MS 2127

CD2 - Original MONO Album, 2018 Remaster (66:55 minutes):

1. The Village Green Preservation Society [Side 1]

2. Do You Remember Walter?

3. Picture Book

4. Johnny Thunder

5. Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains

6. Big Sky

7. Sitting By The Riverside

8. Animal Farm [Side 2]

9. Village Green

10. Starstruck

11. Phenomenal Cat

12. All Of My Friends Were There

13. Wicked Annabelle

14. Monica

15. People Take Pictures Of Each Other

Tracks 1 to 15 are their sixth studio album (seventh overall) "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" - released 22 November 1968 in the UK on Pye Records NPL 18233 in MONO and February 1969 in the USA on Reprise RS 6327 (Stereo Only).

BONUS TRACKS:

16. Lavender Hill (Mono Mix)

17. Rosemary Rose (Mono Mix)

18. Pictures In The Sand (Mono Mix)

19. Where Did My Spring Go? (Mono Mix)

Tracks 16 to 19 first issued on the 25 January 1972 US LP "The Great Lost Kinks Album" on Reprise MS 2127

20. When I Turn Off The Living Room Light (Mono Mix) - first issued in April 1970 on the Promotional-Only Various Artists 2LP Compilation "The Big Ball" on Warner Bros PRO 358. First commercial issue (like tracks 16 to 19) on the 25 January 1972 US LP "The Great Lost Kinks Album" on Reprise MS 2127

21. Did You See His Name (Original Stereo Mix) - first issued on the 25 March 1972 US 2LP set "The Kinks Kronikles" on Reprise 2XS 6454

22. Time Song (Monitor Mix - Stereo) - March 1973 outtake from the "Preservation Act 1" sessions, remixed by Ray Davies in May 2018 - 2018 Previously Unreleased

23. The Village Green Preservation Society (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix) - February 1973 outtake from the "Preservation Act 1" sessions - 2018 Previously Unreleased

24. Medley: Picture Book/People Take Pictures Of Each Other (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix) - February 1973 outtake from the "Preservation Act 1" sessions - 2018 Previously Unreleased

25. Village Green Overture (Preservation Version - Stereo Mix) - February 1973 outtake from the "Preservation Act 1" sessions - 2018 Previously Unreleased

The 20-page attached booklet is beautifully done. As a Rarities Buyer for Reckless Records in London's Islington and Soho branches for nearly 20 years – I saw my fair share of Kinks 45s from all corners of the world (there are two pages of them here). And you would see the Reprise Records double-album "The Kinks Kronikles" turn up because it was a US swap-meet staple. But I've honestly never seen most of the international covers for the LP displayed in a set of nine on Page 16 (Norway and Sweden and even a Mexican reissue). Another nice touch is that both CDs feature the original Pye Records LP colouring (separate card flaps for each at the back of the booklet). There are colour photos of the band on Hampstead Heath in August 1968, trade adverts for the Record Mirror and NME along with a concert poster and more (lovely things). ANDY NEILL provides a superb and knowledgeable appraisal of the album and its out-of-step place in the landscape of November 1968 – Ray Davies hankering not for change (like everyone else) but instead to put a stay of execution on a way of British life that was fast disappearing under the big city wrecking ball of progress (God save strawberry jam and all its different varieties). Pye had in fact vetoed a 20-track double-album, so Ray edited it down to a paltry 15. But as the LP charts show – neither side of the pond seemed particularly interested. Village Green didn't chart in either England or the USA – a famous flop that somehow seems a wee bit myopic on our parts.

A team of four have done the Audio - longtime associate with Kinks 2CD Deluxe Editions ANDREW SANDOVAL did the mixing and audio restoration, tape transfers fell to RICHARD WHITTAKER and KEVIN VANBERGEN while Final Mastering was carried out by Rhino's long standing Audio Engineer - DAN HERSCH. It's all so good - even the unreleased "Misty Walter" in Stereo boogies with power and shocking presence. To the music...

The album opens with Ray wanting Desperate Dan, Donald Duck and the village green saved from progress in the opening title track. The Stereo separation in "Do You Remember Walter?" is fab but my heart went straight to the wicked groove of "Picture Book" which sounds so damn good. Re-hearing its Scooby-dooby-do chipper chorus - you can't help but feel that Pye missed a serious trick here by not issuing it as a lead in single for the album. Reprise USA did just that when they coupled "Picture Book" with "Starstruck" in January 1969 (Reprise 0806) - a month before the album hit the shops there in February. Everyone tried his or her best but "Johnny Thunder" rides the highway - another cracking melody that easily could have been single No. 2. 

I'm sure there are many Kinks fans who have their blood moved by the cool harmonica R 'n' B of "Last Of The Steam-Powered Trains" - a once mighty puffer now gathering dust in a museum (the remaster rocks). The feeling that you're in the middle of a great album continues with the one-day-we'll-be-free "Big Sky" - a fabulous tune with spoken and sung lyrics. The piano-jaunty "Siting By The Riverside" conjures old English bars while at the same time segueing into Psyched-up Guitars and Accordions. Take me where the animals are playing, Ray sings on "Animals" - another 'wanna be back there in the easier past' song. Churches with steeples and a girl called Daisy fill up "Village Green" while another woman is "Starstruck" drinks deep because she can't have what the famous man she wants. Whimsy returns with the fat moggy song "Phenomenal Cat" while "All Of My Friends Were There" begins with a how's-yer-father rhythm only to go into a softer melody. The album races to a close with the rocky "Wicked Annabella", the shuffling Salsa rhythms of "Monica" and the rapido-shaking tambourine of "People Take Pictures Of Each Other".

Of the Bonus tracks my remote went not to the overplayed "Days" in Mono but the "Kronikles" Stereo Mixes of "She's Got Everything" and (pretty) "Polly" and they're every bit as Kinks-Kool as I remember them including that wild guitar solo in "She's Got Everything" that seems to encompass both 60ts Rock and Psych in one 15-second outburst. I can't believe how cool the Previously Unreleased Stereo Mixes are - the 'you make me happy' Stereo Mix of "Mr. Songbird" and the piano-rolling "Berkeley Mews" - previously unreleased variants fans will have to have. And on it goes on CD2...

Re-listening to the album now, I can hear why a 1968 young audience weren't taken - too much going on in the present and future to be focusing on the old English past. But make no mistake, in 2020 the Kink's past has been brought to life by this exemplary big sky set of reissues. Top marks to all involved...

The SUPER DELUXE BOX SET Edition

"Used Songs 1973-1980" by TOM WAITS (November 2001 Rhino CD Compilation - Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 1 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde and Underground 

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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"…Strangle All The Christmas Carols…"

The Asylum label period of Tom Waits' extraordinary career began in 1973 with his debut album "Closing Time" and ended 8 albums later in 1980 with "Heartattack & Vine". He then signed to Island Records and in 1982 released "Swordfishtrombones" to howls of joy, amazement, praise and derision - all in equal measure. And most of his albums on Island ('82 - '93) and Anti ('99 to the present day) have been the same ever since - mad, bad, beautiful, discordant and utterly unique in a world of increasingly plastic pop forced down our throats by gutless radio programmers every single day of our lives. Personally I love each period, Asylum, Island and the Anti label. And although the word is often overused, Waits is a genius - and utterly unique - beloved by both his fans and the industry for being so.

His Asylum albums were - if you like - his romantic troubadour period, a drunken Street bum with the heart of a poet and the itchy feet of Bukowski. He looked and sang the part too - greasy hair, freshly lit cigarette hanging out of his gob, wrecked clothes, a chronicler of the downtrodden and lost. But this was an artist whose songs were written with charm and real feeling for those on the outskirts - often touching and beautiful to a point where he could make you laugh with one song and cry with the next. But by "Heartattack & Vine", he had taken this persona it as far as it could go - hence the complete about face with his Island debut.

A little history for potential purchasers to explain why "Used Songs" is the best of scrappy bunch; the 1st compilation covering the Asylum Label period of his career appeared in 1981 and was called "Bounced Checks" - a single vinyl album containing a spattering of tracks and an unreleased live version of "The Piano Has Been Drinking" recorded in Dublin - a gig a friend of mine was privileged to be at. It's never been made available on CD to my knowledge. The second outing is "Asylum Years", a far better and more comprehensive 2LP set released on vinyl in 1984. Unfortunately, it's CD equivalent which came out two years later is a bit of a mish-mash - a single disc that lost 9 of the original 24 tracks and added 3 new ones not on the original double! This 14-track truncated CD carried the then relatively new words "digitally remastered" on the front cover and was sought after for that reason. The sound on that CD is good - if not spectacular - and is available to this day. It’s also worth noting that there are 8 tracks on the “Asylum Years” 1986 remastered CD that aren’t on “Used Songs” – they are “Diamonds On My Windshield”, “Martha”, “The Ghosts Of Saturday Night (After Hours At Napoleone’s Pizza House)”, “Grapefruit Moon”, “Small Change (Got Rained On With His Own .38)”, “Potter’s Field”, “Somewhere” (a superb cover of the famous Leonard Bernstein classic from “West Side Story”) and “Ruby’s Arms”. Which brings us up to "Used Songs 1973-1980", his 3rd and best compilation covering that period.

Released November 2001 - "Used Songs 1973-1980" by TOM WAITS on Elektra/Rhino 8122-78351-2 (Barcode 081227835125) features 16 tracks Digitally Remastered by tape experts BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH at DigiPrep - and the sound quality is full, clear and beautifully rendered. It takes in songs from all 7 of his studio albums and one from the live double. Here's the layout and what track is from what album:

USED SONGS 1973 - 1980 (77:33 minutes):

1. Heartattack & Vine (on Heartattack And Vine", 1980)

2. Eggs & Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson)

(on the live 2LP set "Nighthawks At The Diner", 1975)

3. A Sight For Sore Eyes ("Foreign Affairs", 1977)

4. Whistlin' Past The Graveyard (on "Blue Valentine", 1978)

5. Burma Shave (on "Foreign Affairs", 1977)

6. Step Right Up (on "Small Change", 1976)

7. Ol' 55 (on "Closing Time", 1973)

8. I Never Talk To Strangers

(on "Foreign Affairs", 1977) [duet with BETTE MIDLER]

9. Mr. Siegal (on "Heartattack And Vine", 1980)

10. Jersey Girl (on "Heartattack And Vine", 1980)

11. Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

(on "Blue Valentine", 1978)

12. Blues Valentines (on "Blue Valentine", 1978)

13. (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night

(on "The Heart Of Saturday Night", 1974)

14. Muriel (on "Foreign Affairs", 1977)

15. Wrong Side Of The Road (on "Blue Valentine", 1978)

16. Tom Traubert's Blues (Four Sheets To The Wind In Copenhagen)

(on "Heartattack And Vine", 1980)

Being a single disc there are some glaring omissions and odd choices, "I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You" from "Closing Time" is left off in favour of "Ol' 55". "Wrong Side Of The Road" is chosen instead of the beautifully evocative "Kentucky Avenue" or the fantastic "Romeo Is Bleeding", both from "Blue Valentine". "On The Nickel" from "Heartattack & Vine" isn't there either. And so on - you could bitch about choices for days. ("Ol' 55" first turned up on the 3rd EAGLES album "On The Border" and was probably most peoples first introduction to Waits - so its easy to see why it was chosen.) What is on here though, sounds fabulous.

Why is sound so important with this issue? Each of his Asylum albums are available on CD, but the earlier albums in particular are hissy and less that impressive sound-wise, because almost all of them came out in the initial vanguard of CD releases in the late Eighties - they weren't mastered well and have never been touched since. That's not the case with "Used Songs". The REMASTERING done by Rhino here makes all the difference. Right from the opening guitar and drum of "Heartattack & Vine", you're aware of the fantastic sound quality upgrade - it just pounds you. "Burma Shave", with just piano and vocals, is loud and beautifully clear. Then there's the delicacy of "Muriel" and "A Sight For Sore Eyes" and the hurting gargled-with-gravel vocals of "Tom Traubert's Blues" (his Waltzing Matilda song) - the sound on all of them is sweet and full, the saxophone and sassy rhythm section floating out of the speakers like some boozed-up turned-on jazz combo. It's thrilling, it really is! And lyrically, Waits has always been the equal of Joni or Bob - and way funnier. The booklet pictures the albums, there's a reproduction of a 1975 Jon Landau article from Rolling Stone, and a new liner note from Hal Willner - all tied off with a tasty card wrap, giving the whole package the class this release deserves.

Although it should have been a double, "Used" has the big advantage of its gorgeous sound and makes you pine for Extended Editions of each of his fantastic albums from that period. And on that point, when you think of the amount of lesser artists who have their entire catalogues released, remastered and pumped up with bonus tracks, and then you see someone of Waits' stature have no album from 1973 to 1993 in REMASTERED form by either WEA or Island on the market after 20 years of CD re-issues - it's just ridiculous and criminal. The same of course applies to Little Feat, Prince, Rickie Lee Jones, and Van Morrison. Come on Rhino and Universal - get their individual album catalogues remastered and get them out there - for God's sake!

In the near 20 years I've spent working in record shops and dealing with rare records, I've met some great artists and huge talents in the industry and enjoyed chin waging with them all - fame doesn't really faze me that way. But my love of Tom Waits is different. Tom is God incarnate. If Tom Waits actually turned up in our humble little shop, I'd be knobbled! I'd be too busy kissing the hem of his garment to actually speak to the man! An Irishman lost for words - yikes!

To sum up, "Used Songs" is a fantastic set, a superb introduction to the man & his music and frankly, a beacon of light in a landscape of increasingly dim musical pap. It's available from over 60 on-line retailers for about three to four quid including P&P.

Sure I'm biased. I adore the guy and his musical warmth and racket I do. If you love music - you need to hear this man's songs - it will be the best musical fiver you've ever spent...

"Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 to 1972" by CAPTAIN BEEFHEART (November 2014 Rhino 4CD Box Set - Dan Hersch and Brian Kehew Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 1 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde and Underground 

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)

"…Distant Cousins…There's A Limited Supply…

...We're Down to Dozens...And Here's The Reasons Why..."

"Sun Zoom Spark" takes its title from a track on the wonderfully bat-shit "Clear Spot" album from 1972. But by my calculations, the last time CD remasters were applied to Captain Beefheart's hugely sought after trio of Seventies albums listed below was over 20 years ago (in 1993 I believe). 

So this 2014 reissue box set of 4CDs by Rhino Records of the USA with its truly fabulous sonic overhaul has been long overdue and is made all the more exciting by Previously Unreleased goodies on Disc 4. Makes me want to booglarize my big toe right quick and grow fins. But before we get all metaphysical on yo ass - here are the Smithsonian Institute Blues, Golden Birdies and Big-Eyed Beans from Venus...

UK released Monday 17 November 2014 - "Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 to 1972" by CAPTAIN BEEFHEART on Rhino R2 541728 (Barcode 603497905553) is a 4CD Box Set of Remasters that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:48 minutes):

1. Lick My Decals Off, Baby

2. Doctor Dark

3. I Love You, You Big Dummy

4. Peon

5. Bellerin' Plain

6. Woe-Is-Uh-Me-Bop

7. Japan in A Dishpan

8. I Wanna Find A Woman That'll Hold My Big Toe Till I Have To Go [Side 2]

9. Petrified Forest

10. One Red Rose That I Mean

11. The Buggy Boogie Woogie

12. The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or The Big Dig)

13. Space-Age Couple

14. The Clouds Are Full Of Wine (Not Whiskey Or Rye)

15. Flash Gordon's Ape

Tracks 1 to 15 are the album "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" - his fourth album first released October 1970 in the USA on Straight/Reprise RS 6240 and January 1971 on Straight STS 1063 in the UK.

Disc 2 (35:59 minutes):

1. I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby

2. White Jam

3. Blabber 'n Smoke

4. When It Blows Its Stacks

5. Alice In Blunderland

6. The Spotlight Kid [Side 2]

7. Click Clack

8. Grow Fins

9. There Ain't No Santa Claus On The Evenin' Stage

10. Glider

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 5th studio album "The Spotlight Kid" - released February 1972 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 2050 and Reprise K 44162 in the UK

Disc 3 (37:30 minutes):

1. Low Yo Yo Stuff

2. Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man

3. Too Much Time

4. Circumstances

5. My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains

6. Sun Zoom Spark

7. Clear Spot [Side 2]

8. Crazy Little Thing

9. Long Neck Bottles

10. Her Eyes Are A Blue Million Miles

11. Big Eyed Beans From Venus

12. Golden Birdies

Tracks 1 to 12 are his sixth studio album "Clear Spot" - released November 1972 in the USA on Reprise MS 2115 and February 1973 in the UK on Reprise K 54007

Disc 4 "Out-Takes 1970 to 1972" (46:39 minutes):

1. Alice In Blunderland (Alternate Version) [3:55 minutes]

2. Harry Irene [3:33 minutes]

3. I Can't Do This Unless I Can Do This/Seam Crooked Sam [2:00 minutes]

4. Pompadour Swamp/Suction Prints [4:23 minutes] - see NOTE

5. The Witch Doctor Life (Instrumental Take) [5:27 minutes]

6. Two Rips In A Haystack/Kiss Me My Love [2:38 minutes]

7. Best Batch Yet (Track) Version 1 [2:18 minutes]

8. Your Love Brought Me To Life (Instrumental) [3:11 minutes]

9. Dirty Blue Gene (Alternate Version 1) [2:52 minutes]

10. Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man (Early Mix) [3:59 minutes]

11. Kiss Where I Kain't (Instrumental) [2:44 minutes]

12. Circumstances (Alternate Version 2) [3:23 minutes]

13. Little Scratch [2:57 minutes]

14. Dirty Blue Gene (Alternate Version 3) [3:03 minutes]

All Tracks Previously Unreleased. Note: "Pompadour Swamps" appeared on the Virgin Records LP "Bluejeans And Moonbeams" LP in November 1974 - but the music is an early version of "Suction Prints" which later appeared on the Virgin Records LP "Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)" in February 1980.

The Box Set (using his own paintings as cover art) is shaped a little like a 7" single set with the sepia-printed 20-page booklet inside and four 5" Card Repro Sleeves inlaid into a centred hollow with a red ribbon to pull them out with ease. The fourth disc not surprisingly utilizes one of his paintings as its artwork - a pastel from 1970 called "Button Down Fashion Bow". Each of the three album repro sleeves is of a very high quality with clear facsimiles of the colour artwork front and rear (no gatefolds). A real nice touch is that "The Spotlight Kid" has the lyric insert that came with original copies of the vinyl album and "Clear Spot" has its outer plastic envelope (I'd put the naked CD in a protective to avoid scratching).

The Box has been produced by STEVE WOOLARD and BILL INGLOT (a long time associate remaster engineer for Rhino) and inspired by TIM FRASER-HARDING. The hugely experienced DAN HERSCH carried out the remasters at D2 Mastering in LA with the "Out-takes" done by BRIAN KEHEW at Timeless Studios in North Hollywood. The remasters are sensational to my ears - full of life and presence - both men are to be praised for their work on this.

The booklet I'm glad to say is a classy affair. The size of a 7" single - it foregoes track lists and time-wasting for an essay called "The Sky Ran Down My Pencil" by RIP RENSE which features extracts from Beefheart interviews, Magic Band Trombonist Fowler, Guitarist Morris Tepper, Eric Feldman - celebrities and admirers like Matt Goening of The Simpsons, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, the famous reviewer Lester Bangs from The Rolling Stone and there's even a wicked poem on Don by none other than TOM WAITS on Page 11. There's a witty quote on the side of the box too. But let's get to the real deal - the sonic wallop...

I'm probably going to elicit the wrath of legions, mental health enquiries and many sharp instruments rammed up the softer parts of my elderly person's flabby behind by saying that I've always found the 1969 double-album "Trout Mask Replica" 'hard going'. I say this because the 1971 single-album follow up "Lick My Decals Off, Baby" (after Replica quite possibly the best album title ever in the Universe) feels like "Trout" Part 2. And for this (spurious I know) reason - its fifteen short 'n' gangly discordant vignettes frankly do my brain in. But - and this is not up for debate or grabs - fans who've been listening to the 1993 "Decals" CD version are going to have their grey matters fried this time around because the new DAN HERSCH remaster sounds unbelievable - fantastically detailed and vibrant - bringing new layers to the music that simply wasn't there before. Comparing the new remaster of say "Woe-Is-Uh-Me-Bop" to its previous version is like comparing a Derby Car wreck to a James Bond's Aston Martin Vanquish - the mad Tom Waits rhythms of "Smithsonian" is the same.

Things go from great to frigging stratospheric on "The Spotlight Kid". There is slight hiss around the opening guitars of "I'm Gonna Booglarize You" for sure - but Mother-of-God when they kick in - the power of the riffage is just HUGE. And then his fantastic voice comes out of the speakers and I'm gone baby gone. The clarity of the pitter-pattering drums and vibes on "Blabber 'n' Smoke" is fantastic and his vocals just 'there' like never before. The same applies to the instrumental "Alice In Blunderland" with that manic Winged Eel Fingerling guitar solo. And I've waited near four decades to hear the harmonica/piano/guitar battle of "Click Clack" sound this good - and that harmonica wailing on "Grow Fins" ("I'm gonna take up with a mermaid...") - wowser!

Then it's on to my favourite album of his and one of the great-unsung masterpieces of the Seventies - the fabulous "Clear Spot". "Nowadays..." sounds amazing - full of life - while you see why people like Everything But The Girl covered the beautiful "My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains". The title track rocks and Zoot Horn Rollo's guitar on "Big Eyed Beans From Venus" slides across your speakers like a snake with a Gibson strapped on (lyrics from it title this review). The lovely vibe "Too Much Time" has is now amplified and not over trebled for the sake of it. Great.

The "Out-Takes 1970 to 1972" disc opens strongly with a kicking version of the instrumental "Alice In Blunderland" - wonderful clarity too (no crappy demo feel). He then gets tender on "Harry Irene" and Harmonica Boogie on the short but cool "obscene cookie Sam" song "I Can't Do This..." There's fantastic opening guitar riffing on "Pompadour Stomp" while we get some "right on" dialogue at the beginning of mid-paced instrumental "The Witch Doctor Life". It's Tom Waits time again with "Two Rips In A Haystack" which features his trademark growl vocals sounding not unlike a white Howlin' Wolf. Because I'm so familiar with the realised song - the early mix of "Nowadays A Woman's Gotta Hit A Man" is utterly brilliant to me - that chug of the brass and guitars have subtle differences - so damn cool. The instrumental "Kiss Where I Kain't" is a fast boogie number that could so easily have been on either "Spotlight" or "Clear Spot". In fact listening the whole of Disc 4 - it feels like the album that should have maybe followed "Clear Spot".

The word genius is liberally bandied about in music - but in truth there's only been a few out-and-out genuine contenders - and the mighty Don Van Vliet was/is one of them. And isn’t it so good to see Rhino return to reissue form and give Captain Beefheart's recorded legacy such a tasty makeover. "Dawned on me man..." - what a winner - and for me a clear reissue of the year 2014.

Rest with the angels and your paintbrushes you anarchic peach...