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Amazon UK Purchase Link for "Collected"
https://link.amazon/B012XwMly
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"…Get It Right Next Time…"
I've noticed a rather odd phenomenon that's taking place with Universal out of Europe (in this case I think it's Germany). Their compilations seem to be remastered when they don't say so - or just better mastered than those in the UK, USA and even (dare we say it) - Japan. So I took a £10/$15 chance on their STEELY DAN "Collected" 3CD set (see separate review) - and lo and behold - it sounds better.
Now I'm onto another fave rave of mine – GERRY RAFFERTY – and I'm digging big time what I'm hearing on "Collected". As you can see from the detailed track-lists provided below - each of these three jam-packed CDs is a mishmash of time frames and bands (56 songs in total). But actually that only makes the listens on each a bit more diverse and interesting. And the Audio is better than anything I've heard before. So, here are the details...
EU released February 2011 - "Collected" by GERRY RAFFERTY and STEALERS WHEEL (and THE HUMBLEBUMS) on Universal 533 279-4 (Barcode 600753327944) is a 3-Disc 56-Track Compilation of Remasters (1969 to 1995) that plays out as follows:
Disc 1 (76:44 minutes):
1. Late Again
2. Stuck In The Middle With You
Tracks 1 and 2 are from their debut album "Stealers Wheel" (1972)
3. Everything Will Turn Out Fine
4. Star
Tracks 3 and 4 are from their 2nd LP "Ferguslie Park" (1973)
5. Found My Way To You
6. Go As You Please
7. Right or Wrong
Tracks 5 to 7 are from their 3rd and final album "Right Or Wrong" (1975)
8. The Ark
9. Baker Street
10. Right Down The Line
11 City To City
12. Stealin' Time
13. Whatever's Written In Your Heart
Tracks 8 to 13 are from his 2nd Solo LP "City To City" (1978)
14. Night Owl
15. Get It Right Next Time
Tracks 14 and 15 are from his 3rd LP "Night Owl" (1978)
16. Bring It All Home
17. The Garden Of England
Tracks 16 and 17 are from his 4th LP "Snakes And Ladders" (1980)
NOTES: Tracks 1 to 7 by STEALERS WHEEL featuring Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan.
Tracks 8 to 17 by GERRY RAFFERTY.
Disc 2 (79:01 minutes):
1. Sleepwalking
2. As Wise As A Serpent
Tracks 1 and 2 are from his 5th album “Sleepwalking" (1982)
3. The Way It Always Starts
Track 3 is by MARK KNOPFLER from his Soundtrack Album "Local Hero" (1983)
4. Hearts Run Dry
5. A Dangerous Age
6. On A Night Like This
7. Moonlight And Gold
8. Shipyard Town
9. Tired Of Talking
Tracks 4 to 9 are from his 6th album "North And South" (1988)
10. Love And Affection
11. Don't Give Up On Me
12. Time's Caught Up On You
Tracks 10 to 12 are from 7th album "On A Wing And A Prayer" (1993)
13. The Girl's Got No Confidence
14. Over My Head
15. Down And Out
16. A New Beginning
Tracks 13 to 16 are from his 8th album "Over My Head" (1995)
NOTES: all tracks by GERRY RAFFERTY except "The Way It Always Starts" by GERRY RAFFERTY and MARK KNOPFLER
Disc 3 (70:00 minutes):
1. Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway
2. Rick Rack
3. Look Over The Hills And Far Away
4. Please Sing A Song For Us
Tracks 1 to 4 from the album "The New Humblebums" (1969) by THE HUMBLEBUMS
5. Shoe Shine Boy
6. Steamboat Row
Tracks 5 to 6 are from their album "Open Up The Door" (1970)
7. Mary Skeffington
8. Can I Have My Money Back?
9. Didn't I
10. New Street Blues
11. Don't Count Me Out
12. To Teach And Everyone
13. One Drink Down
Tracks 7 to 13 are from his debut Solo album "Can I Have My Money Back Please" (1971)
14. Johnny's Song
15. You Put Something Better Inside Me
16. Gets So Lonely
17. Next To Me
Tracks 14 to 17 are from their debut album "Stealers Wheel” (1972)
18. Blind Faith
19. Who Cares
20. Good Businessman
Tracks 18 to 20 are from their 2nd LP "Ferguslie Park" (1973)
21. Benediction
Track 21 is from their 3rd and final album "Right Or Wrong" (1975)
NOTES: Tracks 1 to 6 by THE HUMBLEBUMS featuring Gerry Rafferty and Billy Connolly.
Tracks 7 to 13 by GERRY RAFFERTY and Tracks 14 to 21 by STEALERS WHEEL featuring Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan
The 3-way foldout card digipak houses an inlay in the left wallet with the 3 CDs spread across the other flaps. It doesn't say who wrote the liner notes in the rather tasteful 12-page mini booklet and the only reference to sound is 'Mastering: QS Sound Lab'. However, listening to my old EMI versions – the sonic upgrade is noticeably better on the "Night Owl" tracks – especially the fabulous slink of "Get It Right Next Time". The "Baker Street" version is the full "City To City" album cut at six-minutes plus (so the edited single mix remains a tad elusive) and the Stealers Wheel tracks have great muscle in them too (lovely clarity on the classic "Stuck In The Middle With You").
Fans will also notice that the set is 'not' chronologically lined-up and I'd argue that it’s so much the better for it. All 3 discs cleverly offer up what feels like mini compilations – with Disc 3 being the oddest as it features the stuff he did with Billy Connolly when they were comedy folk duo The Humblebums. And while the October 1971 Transatlantic Records debut album "Can I Have My Money Back Please" is interesting – I would have much preferred remastered tracks from the "City To City" 1979 follow up "Night Owl". There's the underrated brilliance of 1982's "Sleepwalking" (just how good is "As Wise As A Serpent") and lesser-heard later stuff like the lovely "Over My Head" title track.
What a songwriter and what a loss. Give this Euro 3CD set a go – it contains that rare double whammy - quality and quantity…
PS: Artists in this Universal Euro Series are:
The Allman Brothers, The Band, J.J. Cale, The Carpenters, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Cuby + Blizzards, Fairport Convention, Golden Earring, John Hiatt, Joe Jackson, The Moody Blues, Gerry Rafferty Stealers Wheel and The Humblebums, Shocking Blue, Steely Dan, Cat Stevens, 10cc., Thin Lizzy and Gino Vannelli.
I've bought the 10cc set which just sounds like the 1997 remasters and is filled out with a lot of crap solo stuff - but I hear the J.J. Cale triple has great sound too...
