"Ram: Special Edition - Paul McCartney Archive Collection" by PAUL and LINDA McCARTNEY (2012 MPL Communications/Hear Music/Concord Music Group 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Hands Across The Water..." 

Part of the on-going 'Paul McCartney Archive Collection' of CD Reissues - 1971's "Ram" was always going to be a tug on the old purse strings for Macca fans. And while I can't and won't buy any of the extortionate 'Super Deluxe' sets - I can live with this 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' because it gives me all I need. Here are the sheepish details...

UK released 21 May 2012 - "Ram: Special Edition - Paul McCartney Archive Collection" by PAUL and LINDA McCARTNEY on MPL Communications/Hear Music/Concord Music Group 888072334496 (Barcode 888072334496) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 - Special Edition Remastered Album (43:17 minutes):

1. Too Many People [Side 1]

2. 3 Legs

3. Ram On

4. Dear Boy

5. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

6. Smile Away

7. Heart Of The Country [Side 2]

8. Monkberry Moon Delight

9. Eat At Home

10. Long Haired Lady

11. Ram On

12. The Back Seat Of My Car

Tracks 1 to 12 are his second solo album "Ram" (credited to Paul and Linda McCartney) - released 21 May 1971 in the UK on Apple PAS 10003 and 17 May 1971 in the USA on Capitol SMAS-3375.  Produced by Paul McCartney - it peaked at No. 1 in the UK and No. 2 on the US LP charts.

Disc 2 - Special Edition Bonus Audio (33:08 minutes):

1. Another Day

2. Oh Woman, Oh Why

Tracks 1 and 2 are his debut UK 7" single released February 1971 on Apple R 5889 - both Tracks were non-album

3. Little Woman Love

Track 3 is the non-album B-side to "Mary Had A Little Lamb" - his 4th solo UK 7" single on Apple R 5949 released 12 May 1972

4. A Love For You (Jon Kelly Mix)

5. Hey Diddle (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)

6. Great Cock And Seagull Race (Dixon Van Winkle Mix)

7. Rode All Night

8. Sunshine Sometime (Earliest Mix)

Tracks 1 to 3 were featured as Bonus Tracks on the September 1998 Remasters

Track 5 featured as part of a song "Bip Bop/Hey Diddle" on the 2001 Greatest Hits 2CD set "Wingspan"

Tracks 6 and 8 are Instrumentals - Track 7 is 8:33 minutes long

Tracks 4 to 8 are Previously Unreleased Versions

Both as a looker and tactile thing - "Ram: Special Edition" certainly looks the part - but once you get past the lyrics in the attached 24-page booklet and the nice photos from his own personal archives - there's nothing else - no liner notes - not even the release dates of the LP or the 7" single on the Bonus Audio CD. There are no liner notes of any kind - no history and no illumination. And apart from the three single sides on Disc 2 (which we've had before many times on Remasters) - the rest are dismissible instrumentals that test the word 'Bonus' to its limits. Sure the Jon Kelly Mix of "A Love For You" and the Dixon Van Winkle Mix of "Hey Diddle" could actually constitute songs and even feel lovely at times in a small time way – but mostly this stuff just feels like he's taking the proper Michael. The near nine-minute guitar jam that is “Rode All Night” is particularly useless.

The Remaster was done at Abbey Road by the team that handled The Beatles - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKE and SIMON GIBSON - and it's excellent. I've had the 1998 version for years and those idea changes in "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" feel more alive than ever before.

I've never understood why people rave about "Ram" as an album - as if it was some kind of folksy masterpiece – it isn't. "Too Many People" and "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" have that songwriting magic for sure - but the rest of Side 1 feels like ditties trying to be songs. Also I'm hard-pressed in my later years to put up with his lyrical twaddle like "...a dog is here...a dog is there...my dog has three legs...". There's the shadow of The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" in the Ukulele-led "Ram On" - the remaster making those chunky keyboard notes and plucked strings count. The swirl of the voices in "Dear Boy" come out of your speakers from all angles - while the unlikely but beautifully produced American single "Uncle Albert/Albert Halsey" and the out-and-out rocker "Smile Away" end Side 1 with rain, strings and Paul singing about smelly feet (we're so sorry). The cleverly constructed "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" is the nearest he gets to the best parts of "Abbey Road" on Side 2 and was a deserved American No. 1.

"...I look high...I look low...looking for a home in the heart of the country..." he sings on the Side 2 opener "Heart Of The Country" - those acoustic guitar flourishes and accompanied vocals as he plays are extremely clear - sounding better than they ever have. I can't really get on with the ketchup and soup puree lyrics of "Monkberry Moon Delight" - even if Linda's vocals are better. "Eat At Home" is a sort of semi rocker about eating in bed while the domestic bliss continues with "Long Haired Lady" - a song that just seems to amble and go nowhere - even with its best-ever sound quality here. "Back Seat Of My Car" would become his second UK 7" single on Apple R 5914 in August 1971 - a really pretty melody with string arrangements that deserved better than its No. 39 placing on the British single charts. "Another Day" and "Oh Woman, Oh Why" make for a cool stand alone single too.

The remaster is superb - but that half-hearted packaging and equally dodgy set of extras - lose a star in my book. He would of course go onto the huge "Band On The Run" in 1973 and "Venus And Mars" in 1975...

"The Beatles In MONO" by THE BEATLES (2009 EMI/Apple 11CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Is There Anyone Wants To Hear My Story…" 

In truth - when the Beatles 15-strong album catalogue finally went on worldwide sale in properly remastered form on the 9th of September 2009 - the Stereo box set not only looked flimsy and naff - it containing little inside to aesthetically please once opened. Inside a matt black and red lanky card wrapper - you got the 15 piddly gatefold sleeves of the albums (as per the individual releases - no repro artwork) and a booklet. For the money it always felt to me like a presentation let down. But the smaller hard-card MONO variant was an all-together different beast - not just sonically - but especially visually. Here are the one-channel details...

Released 9 September on Apple 5099969945120 - "The Beatles In MONO" by THE BEATLES contains the following 11 CDs (one is a double):

1. "Please Please Me" - March 1963 UK debut LP on Parlophone PMC 1202 (33:19 minutes)

1. I Saw Her Standing There

2. Misery

3. Anna (Go To Him)

4. Chains

5. Boys

6. Ask Me Why

7. Please Please Me

8. Love Me Do [Side 2]

9. P.S. I love You

10. Baby It’s You

11. Do You Want To Know A Secret

12. A Taste Of Honey

13. There’s A Place

14. Twist & Shout

2. "With The Beatles" - November 1963 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 1206 (33:55 minutes)

1. It Won’t Be Long

2. All I’ve Got To Do

3. All My Loving

4. Don’t Bother Me

5. Little Child

6. Till There Was You

7. Please Mister Postman

8. Roll Over Beethoven [Side 2]

9. Hold Me Tight

10. You Really Got A Hold On Me

11. I Wanna Be Your Man

12. Devil In Her Heart

13. Not A Second Time

14. Money

3. "A Hard Day's Night" - July 1964 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 1230 (31:01 minutes)

1. A Hard Day’s Night

2. I Should Have Known Better

3. If I Fell

4. I’m Happy Just To Dance With You

5. And I Love Her

6. Tell Me Why

7. Can’t Buy Me Love

8. Any Time At All [Side 2]

9. I’ll Cry Instead

10. Things We Said Today

11. When I Get Home

12. You Can’t Do That

13. I’ll Be Back

4. "Beatles For Sale" - December 1964 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 1240 (35:09 minutes)

1. No Reply

2. I’m A Loser

3. Baby’s In Black

4. Rock And Roll Music

5. I’ll Follow The Sun

6. Mr. Moonlight

7. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey

8. Eight Days A Week [Side 2]

9. Words Of Love

10. Honey Don’t

11. Every Little Thing

12. I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party

13. What You’re Doing

14. Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby

5. "Help!" - August 1965 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 1255 (with Stereo PCS 3071) (69:14 minutes)

1. Help!

2. The Night Before

3. You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away

4. I Need You

5. Another Girl

6. You’re Going To Lose That Girl

7. Ticket To Ride

8. Act Naturally [Side 2]

9. It’s Only Love

10. You Like Me Too Much

11. Tell Me What You See

12. I’ve Just Seen A Face

13. Yesterday

14. Dizzy Miss Lizzy

6. "Rubber Soul" - December 1965 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 1267 (Stereo PCS 3075) (72:50 minutes)

1. Drive My Car

2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

3. You Won’t See Me

4. Nowhere Man

5. Think For Yourself

6. The Word

7. Michelle

8. What Goes On [Side 2]

9. Girl

10. I’m Looking Through You

11. In My Life

12. Wait

13. If I Needed Someone

14. Run For Your Life

Tracks 15 to 28 are the 1965 STEREO MIX of 1 to 14

7. "Revolver" - August 1966 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 7009 (35:33 minute)

1. Taxman

2. Eleanor Rigby

3. I’m Only Sleeping

4. Love You To

5. Here, There And Everywhere

6. Yellow Submarine

7. She Said, She Said

8. Good Day Sunshine [Side 2]

9. And Your Bird Can Sing

10. For No One

11. Dr. Robert

12. I Want To Tell You

13. Got To Get You Into My Life

14. Tomorrow Never Knows

8. "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" - June 1967 UK LP on Parlophone PMC 7027 (39:50 minutes)

1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

2. With A Little Help From My Friends

3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

4. Getting Better

5. Fixing A Hole

6. She’s Leaving Home

7. Being The Benefit Of Mr. Kite

8. Within You, Without You [Side 2]

9. When I’m Sixty-Four

10. Lovely Rita

11. Good Morning, Good Morning

12. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)

13. A Day In The Life

9. "Magical Mystery Tour" - first released as a 10-track album ONLY in the USA in November 1967 on Capitol MAL 2835. It was a Mono and Stereo double 7" single 'EP' in the UK released in December 1967 with only 6 tracks. "Magical Mystery Tour" finally made it onto a 10-track album in November 1976 in the UK (37:07 minutes)

1. Magical Mystery Tour

2. The Fool On The Hill

3. Flying

4. Blue Jay Way

5. Your Mother Should Know

6. I Am The Walrus

7. Hello Goodbye [Side 2]

8. Strawberry Fields Forever

9. Penny Lane

10. Baby You’re A Rich Man

10. "The Beatles" [aka "The White Album"] - November 1968 Double-Album on Apple PMC 7067-8 (Disc 1: 46:20 minutes/Disc 2: 46:37 minutes)

1. Back In The U.S.S.R. [Side 1]

2. Dear Prudence

3. Glass Onion

4. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

5. Wild Honey Pie

6. The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill

7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

8. Happiness Is A Warm Gun

9. Martha My Dear [Side 2]

10. I’m So Tired

11. Blackbird

12. Piggies

13. Rocky Racoon

14. Don’t Pass Me By

15. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?

16. I Will

17. Julia

1. Birthday [Side 3]

2. Yer Blues

3. Mother Nature’s Son

4. Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey

5. Sexy Sadie

6. Helter Skelter

7. Long, Long, Long

8. Revolution 1 [Side 4]

9. Honey Pie

10. Savoy Truffle

11. Cry Baby Cry

12. Revolution 9

13. Good Night

What's missing? Although issued in MONO in the UK - only 4 tracks from the "Yellow Submarine" album are included (see 9, 10, 11 and 12 on Disc 2 of "Past Masters" listed below) because the other mixes were essentially a 'fold-down' of the Stereo version (not true mono in other words). Both "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" were only ever issued in STEREO - hence their exclusion. Fans will also notice that the "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" CDs listed above also feature (as bonuses) the 1965 George Martin STEREO MIX of those albums - mixed presumably from Mono sources. The "Past Masters" double CD compilation mops up the British 7" single and EP sides and any other stragglers and is laid out as follows...

11. "Past Masters"

Disc 1: 42:39 minutes (black and yellow Parlophone label on the CD)

1. Love Me Do (Original Single Version)

2. From Me To You

3. Thank You Girl

4. She Loves You

5. I'll Get You

6. I Want To Hold Your Hand

7. This Boy

8. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand (German sung "I Want To Hold Your Hand")

9. She Liebt Dich (German sung "She Loves You")

10. Long Tall Sally

11. I Call Your Name

12. Slow Down

13. Matchbox

14. I Feel Fine

15. She's A Woman

16. Bad Boy

17. Yes It Is

18. I'm Down

Disc 2: 56:26 minutes (Apple label on the CD):

1. Day Tripper

2. We Can Work It Out

3. Paperback Writer

4. Rain

5. Lady Madonna

6. The Inner Light

7. Hey Jude

8. Revolution

9. Only A Northern Song

10. All Together Now

11. Hey Bulldog

12. It's All Too Much

13. Get Back [with BILLY PRESTON]

14. Don't Let Me Down [with BILLY PRESTON]

15. Across The Universe

16. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

Some rumours have said that the box is a limited edition of 10,000 - but EMI has never confirmed this - and in 2014 - it's still available to buy. The beautiful card repro sleeves contained within ape the British original vinyl albums with tasty details like inner EMITEX bags, black and yellow Parlophone Records labels, flip-back laminate sleeves and the full 'white album' compliment of fold-out lyric poster and the four gorgeous photos. The 44-page booklet explains how The Beatles recorded in MONO and why (their preferred sound) - it's a sweet read. The sturdy hard card white box was done in Japan so the attention to detail is magnificent. GUY MASSEY, PAUL HICKS and SEAN MAGEE - Grammy nominees for their beautiful and sensitive handing of such a precious catalogue - carried out the remasters at Abbey Road from original master tapes - and what a job they've done...

Right from the opening bars of "I Saw Here Standing There" - the raw power and central channelling of the MONO mix slams in the solar plexus. It's like hearing these overly familiar gems anew. It continues that way to a point where "Taxman" on Revolver and "Getting Better" on "Sgt. Peppers" are almost different animals to their Stereo counterparts. In fact to my ears it's "Revolver", "Peppers" and especially "The Beatles" that benefit the most. The White Album always had a 'weedy' weakassed mix in Stereo - here "Back In The U.S.S.R" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" come at you with unbelievable power. Particular favourites of mine are the delicate and lovely melodies of "Mother Nature's Son" and "Blackbird" and the sheer balls-to-the-wall menace of "Revolution" (released as a single around the album). Not to be outdone by the later years - the three-part harmony vocals on those gorgeous B-sides "This Boy" and "Yes It Is" are so direct too and the jangly guitar on "Ticket To Ride" sounds so clear. "Yesterday" and " Norwegian Wood" are startling in MONO too. And what a tune "Don't Let Me Down" is (B-side or not)...

A wonderful listen, beautifully presented and finally in 2014 - we got the sensational VINYL equivalent that has been rightly heaped with praise. What a band and what a great way to celebrate their enduring legacy...