"Leaving It All Behind/Move Along/Alotta' Mileage Plus Bonus Tracks" by THE GRASS ROOTS – Featuring Their Fifth, Sixth and Seventh US LPs from 1969 (1970 UK), 1972 and 1973 on ABC Dunhill Records in the USA and Stateside and Probe Records in the UK - Plus Bonus Tracks – Fifteen Non-LP 45-Single Sides from 1966 to 1973 (November 2023 UK Beat Goes on (BGO) Compilation – 3LPs Plus Fourteen 45-Single-Sides onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Leaving-Behind-Along-Alotta-Mileage/dp/B0CHPQP724?crid=1SAXOA9Z1L925&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uI245PCKZt1ibNdQaKZ2gw.VjMMtkBeTD0r3Zu1ZpdedzTpb9ptKt9cA9UoWR3HBAw&dib_tag=se&keywords=5017261215109&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1729363091&sprefix=5017261215109%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=0088a60a3941e2554326d9342ba3409a&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

RATINGS:

Material *** to ****

Audio **** to *****

Presentation: *****

"…Leaving It All Behind…"

Back in April 2022, reissue specialists Beat Goes On Records (BGO) of the UK put out the first four American albums by popular Billboard chart-act The Grass Roots. The 1966 debut was "Where Were You When I Needed You" followed by "Let's Live For Today" in 1967 - "Feelings" came in 1968 and "Lovin' Things" in early 1969. With 4 whole LPs Remastered onto 2CDs – BGOCD1478 (Barcode 5017261214782) representing serious value for money (and still does – see separate review).

Well, here in November 2023, BGO continues that exploration with another foursome compilation onto two discs – their fifth, sixth and seventh studio platters plus a whopping Fourteen 45-single sides (Non-LP A & B-sides) as Bonuses - all but making up a fourth album. Leaving it all behind indeed.

As with so much of their material, there are reasons why their vinyl does not go for money some 50-plus-years after the events. It is not all genus for damn sure, not by a long shot to my ears, but genre fans will love it and period curious hunters of Pop, Garage and Rock nuggets have much to rediscover. And those rare single-sides are a brilliant move by BGO. Lot to get through, so onwards to the moving along…

UK released 3 November 2023 - "Leaving It All Behind/Move Along/Alotta' Mileage Plus Bonus Tracks" by THE GRASS ROOTS on Beat Goes on BGOCD1510 (Barcode 5017261215109) is a Compilation of 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs Plus 15 Bonus 45-Single A&B Sides (on CD2) that plays out as follows: 

CD1 (68:12 minutes):
1. I'm Livin' For You Girl [Side 1]
2. Back To Dreamin' Again
3. Out Of This World
4. Melinda Love
5. Don’t Remind Me
6. Take Him While You Can
7. Heaven Knows [Side 2]
8. Walking Through The Country
9. Something's Comin' Over Me
10. Truck Drivin' Man
11. Wait A Million Years
Tracks 1 to 11 are their fifth album "Leaving It All Behind" – released December 1969 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill DS 50067 and March 1970 in the UK on Stateside SSL 5012 in Stereo. Produced by STEVE BARRI (Engineered by Roger Nichols, Strings by Jimmie Haskell) – the band featured Warren Entner on Vocals and Guitar, Rob Grill on Bass and Vocals with Guitarist Terry Furlong, Keyboardist Dennis Provisor and Drummer Rick Coonce.

12. The Runway [Side 1]
13. Monday Love
14. Anyway The Wind Blows
15. Runnin' Just To Get Her Home Again
16. Two Divided By Love
17. Someone To Love
18. Face The Music [Side 2]
19. Move Along
20. One Word 
21. Only One
22. Glory Bound
Tracks 12 to 22 are their sixth album "Move Along" – released June 1972 in the USA on Dunhill/ABC Records DSX-50112 – ABC SW-94786 and August 1972 in the UK on Probe SPB 1058. Produced by STEVE BARRI (Engineers Roger Nichols and Phil Kaye, String Arrangements Jimmie Haskell) - the band featured Warren Entner on Vocals and Guitar, "Uncle" Virgil Webber on Keyboards, Reed Kailing on Guitar, Rob Grill on Bass and Vocals with Joel Larson on Drums. 

CD2 (75:59 minutes):
1. Where There's Smoke There's Fire [Side 1]
2. Pick Up Your Feet
3. You've Got To Bend With The Breeze
4. Just A Little Tear
5. Ain't No Way To Go Home
6. Claudia
7. Love Is What You Make It [Side 2]
8. Look But Don't Touch
9. Ballad Of Billy Joe
10. We Almost Made It Together
11. Little Bit Of Love
Tracks 1 to 11 are their seventh album "Alotta' Mileage" – released May 1973 in the USA on Dunhill DSX-50137 (no UK issue). Produced by STEVE BARRI - the band featured Warren Entner on Vocals and Guitar, "Uncle" Virgil Webber on Keyboards, Reed Kailing on Guitar, Rob Grill on Bass and Vocals with Joel Larson on Drums. 

BONUS TRACKS (Exclusive 45-Single Sides): 
12. You're A Lonely Girl – September 1965 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4013, Non-LP B-side to "Mr. Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man)"

13. (These Are) Bad Times – April 1966 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4029, Non-LP B-side to "Where Were You When I Needed You"

14. Depressed Feeling – April 1967 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4048, Non-LP B-side of "Let's Live For Today"

15. Midnight Confessions – June 1968 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4144, A-side

16. Bella Linda – November 1968 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4162, A-side

17. I'd Wait A Million Years – June 1969 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4198, A

18. Baby Hold On
19. Get It Together – Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of an April 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4237

20. Come On And Say It – September 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4249, A-side ("Something's Comin' Over Me" from the "Leaving It All Behind" album is the B-side)

21. Temptation Eyes
22. Keepin' Me Down – Tracks 21 and 22 are the A&B-sides of a December 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4263

23. Sooner Or Later
24. I Can Turn Off The Rain – Tracks 23 and 24 are the A&B-sides of a May 1971 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4279

25. We Can't Dance To Your Music – September 1973 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4371, A-side ("Look But Don't Touch" from the "Alotta' Mileage" album is the B-side)

As with all these Beat Goes On 2CD compilations – the outer card slipcase looks classy while the 20-page booklet is a properly chunky affair – repro artwork at the start – all those rare US and Euro picture sleeves forming a montage on the back page – and all of it centred by liner notes from Mojo contributor CHARLES WARING that goes deep into the history. UK fans will probably look at these album covers and squint because The Grass Roots were never anything in Blighty – but they charted in the USA. Waring documents 45-by-45, chart positions, the albums, the band personnel that stuck together album-after-album.

Our compilation opens with their second album in a busy 1969 - "Leaving It All Behind". Many months prior, Dunhill took a shorter cut of the LP track "Wait A Million Years" (called "I'd Wait A Million Years" on the initial 45) and coupled it with a song that finished Side 2 of the previous album "Lovin' Things" (March 1969) called "Fly Me To Havana". It did well, rising to No.15 on the Billboard charts. A couple of months before the album hit the shops in December – Dunhill tested the US market again but this time with two from the new LP - "Heaven Knows" b/w "Don't Remind Me". It made No.24. 

You could call these Rob Grill-voiced stabs at Motownesque dancefloor sensibility almost White Boys Soul. To that end, Dunhill staff-writer Kenny Nolan (soon to have a career of his own) composed "Back To Dreamin' Again" for The Grass Roots – but his real ear for Soulfulness would show as co-author of two mid-Seventies classics - "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle and "My Eyes Adored You" for Frankie Valli. Another tasty period morsel on the "Leaving It All Behind" album is the Beatle-ish harmonies of "Melinda Love" – a co-write between singer Entner and Producer Barri. Overall - I would call "Leaving..." a 3-star album (Steely Dan nerds might want to note the Roger Nichols credit as Engineer - whilst Arrangement hounds will immediately know the name Jimmie Haskell).

Album number six "Move Along" from June 1972 (number two in the collection) saw the line-up drop Guitarist Terry Furlong, Keyboardist Dennis Provisor and Drummer Rick Coonce - replaced with Reed Kailing (Guitars), 'Uncle' Virgil Webber (Keyboards) with new Drummer Joel Larson (an early member of the band back in 1965-1966). "Move Along" opens with the big and brassy Soul-Rock stomp that is "The Runway" - an airport runway being the only way to get back to his baby. Both Entner and Grill sharing lead vocals. The well-produced Soulified-feel continues with the I'm-in-love "Monday Love" - the whole thing sounding like an updated Sixties vibe with the other foot in the early 70ts. As far back as October 1971, Dunhill paired the Motownesque "Two Divided By Love" with "Let It Go" on Dunhill D-4289 and that managed a respectable No. 15 on the Billboard Pop charts. 

Before the "Move Along" LP appeared in shops in June 1972, two from it were paired - the piano-pounding dancer "Glory Bound" b/w the syrupy ballad "Only One" in January 1972 - but that 45 didn't do as well as its predecessor as it stalled at No.34. As if to hammer home the album as an event - Dunhill took stab number three linking the catchy opener "The Runway" with the LP's title track "Move Along" in June 1972 (Dunhill D-4316) but despite 'Runway' having excellent grooves and radio-friendly vibes - it too failed to meet expectations by falling at No.39. Tracks like "One Word" too are very obvious hit-searchers - the whole shebang ending on the upbeat five-o'clock in the morning but its a sunny day bop of "Glory Bound".

"Alotta' Mileage" used the same line-up as "Move Along" but replaced Veteran Arranger Jimmie Haskell with wunder-kid Michael Omartian - a name many liner-note hounds will know turned up on serious albums in the mid-to-late Seventies - stuff like Billy Joel's "Piano Man", Christopher Cross's debut "Christopher Cross" and mighty-of-mighties - Steely Dan's "Pretzel Logic and "Aja". In fact his class act chops have amassed a staggering 2000-plus credits to date. But as a band that previously shifted product, their number seemed up. "Alotta' Mileage" was just another album in 1973 and didn't break Billboard's top 200. Which is a shame - you can immediately hear the Production and Arrangement values have increased - the jaunty "Where's There's Smoke There's Fire" being a perfectly danceable 45 for '73.

But the supposed vocal sincerity and positivity-lyrics in "Pick Up Your Feet" feel forced and reaching despite the riffing and laidback harmonies. Before the album hit the shops, Dunhill paired "Love Is What You Make It" with "Someone To Love" from the previous LP "Move Along" but again the single failed to break. The album is also notable for some clever cover version choices - the Mann/Weil penned "Just A Little Tear" turned into Pop and Charlie Rich's "Ballad Of Billy Joe" given a very Eagles strummed Acoustic Guitars take. But best of all is the only moment The Grass Roots seem to rock out - their cover of Free's "Little Bit of Love" ending a patch album on a very definite high point. It isn't Free for damn sure (no band gets close to them really) - but it's a great stab at a great song that maintains the riffage and upbeat vibe in Paul Rodgers' lyrics (I do believe Rodger). Crank its fantastic production values and enthusiastic axe chiming and you might just be there (surely a contender for a movie insertion any day now). 

The fourteen single-sides are a ragbag good-and-bad bunch ranging (release date wise) from 1966 to 1973 - a huge number on Non-LP sides. Garage fans will love the fuzzed up broken-heart frenzy of "You're A Lonely Girl" - clear and punching guitar. Cool and Bluesy 60ts comes chopping in with the fab quarrel song "(These Are) Bad Times" - again another film inclusion beckons methinks. The Grass Roots sound starts to emerge with "Depressed Feelings" - another state-of-confusion Garage bopper that hurries along at a frantic pace will distorted guitars express the angst (at ease boys). Production values leap upwards with "Midnight Confessions" - an excellent Pop tune that could easily have been an A. Of the remainder I like the Guitar chugging Funk and Punk of "Get It Together" - everybody in the land reaching out to their fellow man - happy and alive - oh yeah baby. And on it goes...

Grass Roots albums are not what you would call collectable – often available for a pound or less on auction sites – if you can sell them at all. As I recall when I worked at Reckless in Islington and Soho – they were a no-no in terms of sales. 

And yet, there was reasons why they consistently charted in their native America. And a huge slab of them are on offer here. 

"Leaving It All Behind/Move Along/Alotta' Mileage Plus Bonus Tracks" by The Grass Roots is another stellar compilation in all areas from Beat Goes On…