"River" by TERRY REID (September 2014 Beat Goes On CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…I've Had A Thousand Dreams About You…"

Joe Walsh's "Barnstorm", Roy Harper's "Stormcock", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Stephen Stills' "Manassas", Donny Hathaway's "Extension Of A Man", Joni Mitchell's "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns", The Jam's "All Mod Cons", Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness On The Edge Of Town", Tom Waits' "Blue Valentine"…

There are some records you simply can’t be rational about. You love them to distraction – year after year - decade after decade. In fact your affection for them only grows with their passing seasons and your receding hairline. Terry Reid’s wonderfully ethereal “River” (from 1973) is one of those albums. Any excuse to buy it again is fine by me. Well BGO of the UK have made that smart move and reissued it in 2014 – and this time with real style…

1. Dean [Side 1]

2. Avenue

3. Things To Try

4. Live Life

5. River [Side 2]

6. Dream

7. Milestones

UK released September 2014 – Beat Goes On BGOCD 1165 (Barcode 5017261211651) is a straightforward transfer of his 3rd vinyl LP "River" originally released March 1973 in the USA on Atlantic SD-7259 and April 1973 on Atlantic Records K 40340 in the UK. The last CD incarnation I had of this was the excellent ‘Water’ label issue from America released 2002 that had a chunky booklet and a good remaster. But I’d have to say that this is even better – especially sonically.

ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the remaster with tapes licensed from WEA – and it’s gorgeous. The seven tracks (36:35 minutes) are soft, almost acoustic vocal rambles in places and need a deftness of touch in the transfer. Others are funky even soulful Rock and need a bit of muscle – he’s achieved both. I love the way this CD remaster sounds.  The outer card wrap slipcase gives the release a feeling of class and event and the 12-page booklet features liner notes from noted writer JOHN O'REGAN (could have done with more photos though).

Reid famously turned down the Led Zeppelin gig – suggesting Robert Plant to Jimmy Page and Ian Gillan as Rod Evans replacement in Deep Purple – so in those terms you could say he did British Rock and our world a bit of a favour. His own career’s blistering success however has been erratic if not at all. His debut album "Bang Bang You're Terry Reid" was released October 1968 on Epic in the States only – his 2nd self-titled LP "Terry Reid" came out in November 1969 and was his first in the UK on Columbia Records. Both were critically acclaimed in certain circles but neither did chart business despite quality singles off of each. So a new signing with the spiritual home of Led Zeppelin on Atlantic Records must have seen like a break at the time. But "River" peeled back the raspy guttural rawk songs of the first two records and went for a more 'down by the river contemplating life' vibe – and again it received praise but despite touring with a stellar band both Stateside and here in Blighty - precious little record sales. And in some respects the album has remained a bit of an underground classic ever since.

EDDIE OFFORD (long-time associated with Yes) produced "Dream" and "Milestones" in England while Atlantic's resident producing genius TOM DOWD did the other five in America. REID played guitar and sang, DAVID LINDLEY played Steel, Slide and Electric guitar on all selections with LEE MILES on Bass and CONRAD ISADORE drumming on 4 tracks. WILLIE BOBO supplies Percussion on "River". Having relocated to California in 1972 while legal wrangles were being sorted out – the laid-back groove of that lifestyle permeates every song. The opener "Dean" is a little trippy, a little bluesy and yes even Soulful and Funky. His voice is just amazing. "Avenue" features Lindley's distinctive playing to the fore and has some strange choppy rhythms while acoustic Rock-Funk follows in "Things To Try" – a cool little tune and surprising Atlantic didn’t consider it as a single.

Side 2 opens with "Live Life" settling into a sort of Tony Joe White groove – sexy and infectious – letting his fantastic voice rip in the second half. It gets all jazzy and smoking-room with the languid title track "River" where Willie Bobo shuffles on Percussion in the background. In fact I'm reminded of Dire Straits' debut album "Water Of Love" (also produced by Dowd). "Dream" has always been my favourite (lyrics from it title this review). Acoustic sloppy – it just sort of lingers like a old melody – maybe I'll stay – maybe I'll go – playful and sweet. It ends on the Nick Drake gentleness and peace of "Milestones" – as delicate and as a lovely a tune as you've ever heard - with superb layered Reid vocal flourishes throughout.

In August 2011 I did a Listmania List on Amazon UK and USA called "Obscure Albums That Shouldn't Be…" and Terry Reid's "River" is on both. Get this gorgeous record in your life and well done to all at BGO for doing it justice one more time…

"Seed Of Memory" by TERRY REID. A Review Of His 4th Album From 1976 Now Remastered Onto CD In 2004 (Reissued 2013) by Beat Goes On.

This review 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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Originally released on CD in May 2004 - this September 2013 reissue (again on the excellent Beat Goes On label) gives me a damn good excuse to review this cool and overlooked nugget of an album.

The vinyl LP was originally released June 1976 in the UK on ABC Records ABCL 5162 (ABCD-935 in the USA) and was his 4th label outing. His 1968 US debut LP on Epic "Bang Bang You're Terry Reid" and the UK follow up on Columbia "Terry Reid" from 1969 marked his more rocking side - while the mellow and slinky "River" from 1973 on Atlantic is more akin to what you get here.

Living in the USA at the time - his buddy GRAHAM NASH produced and brought on board an array of West Coast top players for "Seed Of Memory". Names like DAVID LINDLEY, AL PERKINS and TIM WEISBERG give the proceedings a very Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young feel with a little Boz Scaggs "Silk Degrees" and Neil Young's "On The Beach" thrown in for good measure (if that makes sense).

Reid famously turned down the lead vocalist spot in both Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple - and why they wanted him is in evidence here - his raspy pipes in full-on Eddie Hinton/Frankie Miller mode. All tracks are self-penned and it's mellow one moment, sexy the next and so on. The languid acoustic strumming of "Brave Awakening" feels like a mid-Seventies CSYN or Graham Nash song while "The Way You Walk" is the lone rocker - feeling like Neil Young let loose in the studio (great stuff). And his ability to pen a moving and plaintive ballad goes all the way back to his first US 45 "Mayday" (off "Terry Reid") on Epic 10498 which is fabulous stuff - that skill reappears on one of the album's undoubted highlights "To Be Treated Rite". Silly spelling of 'right' notwithstanding - it feels huge even now - acoustics and strings swirling around with a lonesome Bob Dylan harmonica refrain too (lyrics from it title this review).

ABC tried a 7" single by issuing the wonderfully funky Rock/Soul/Reggae vibe of "Ooh Baby (Make Me Feel So Young)" backed with "Brave Awakening" on the B in August 1976 on ABC 4137 - but it tanked despite being such a good track and as commercial as anything around at the time. "The Frame" is slinky Steely Dan/Boz Scaggs territory with lovely brass fills. At first the 7:21 minutes of the album finisher "Fooling You" feels overly long and slightly schmoozy but it works it ways into you - especially the gorgeous harmony vocals with Nash and James Brown's main man Fred Wesley floating in on some lovely horn. So why don't you know about this record? ABC ran into financial difficulties soon after the album was released and "Seed" never received the due plug it deserved (the terrible cover artwork didn't help either). And its been kind of underground ever since..

It doesn't say who remastered this Beat Goes On CD on BGOCD619 (43:15 minutes) - but the sound is really great - so well done - full of power and never compressed. It was superbly produced in 1976 anyway - but the remaster has brought that out big time.

Reid made another album for Capitol in 1979 called "Rogue Waves" (also re-issued in 2004 by BGO) and then a WEA album in 1991 called "The Driver" (which features a storming cover of the old Sixties fave "Gimme Some Loving"). Since then its been occasional live appearances to adoring audiences.

A cracking good album that you will return to again and again and make you want to track down everything he's ever done.
This is a good place to start that journey...