"A Tale Untold: The Chrysalis Years 1973 - 1976" by ROBIN TROWER featuring James Dewar of Stone The Crows (July 2010 UK EMI 3CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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1976

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"...We Were Spellbound..."

Procol Harum’s ace axeman ROBIN TROWER has been thrilling my turntables and CD players for decades now - and this fabulous 3-disc nugget from those old muckers at EMI only hammers home why. You get album after album of Hard Rock, Blues, Boogie and yes - funky as fuck quality. Here are the Fender Bender details...

UK released 26 July 2010 - "A Tale Untold: The Chrysalis Years 1973-1976" by ROBIN TROWER on EMI/Chrysalis 642 1542 (Barcode 50999652154226) is the mega label's first anthology for the guitar virtuoso (3CDs) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (63:06 minutes):

1. I Can’t Wait Much Longer

2. Daydream

3. Hannah

4. Man Of The World

5. I Can’t Stand It

6. Rock Me Baby

7. Twice Removed From Yesterday

8. Sinner’s Song

9. Ballerina

Tracks 1 to 9 are his debut solo album "Twice Removed From Yesterday" released March 1973 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1039.

Track 10 is "Take A First Train" – the non-album B-side to "Man Of The World" issued March 1973 as his Debut Solo 7" single in the UK on Chrysalis CHS 2009.

11. Day Of The Eagle

12. Bridge Of Sighs

13. In This Place

14. The Fool And Me

Tracks 11 to 14 are Side 1 of the album "Bridge Of Sighs" released April 1974 on Chrysalis CHR 1057.

Disc 2 (78:39 minutes):

1. Too Rolling Stoned

2. About To Begin

3. Lady Love

4. Little Bit Of Sympathy

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of the LP "Bridge Of Sighs".

5. Day Of The Eagle (7" Single Edit)

6. Shame The Devil

7. It's Only Money

8. Confessin' Midnight

9. Fine Day

10. Alethea

11. A Tale Untold

12. Gonna Be More Suspicious

13. For Earth Below

Tracks 6 to 13 are the album "For Earth Below" released February 1975 on Chrysalis CHR 1057.

14. Too Rolling Stoned

15. Daydream

16. Rock Me Baby

Tracks 14 to 16 are Side 1 of the LP "Robin Trower Live!" – released March 1976 on Chrysalis CHR 1089.

Disc 3 (64:51 minutes):

1. Lady Love

2. I Can't Wait Much Longer

3. Alethea

4. Little Bit Of Sympathy

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of the album "Robin Trower Live!"

5. Same Rain Falls

6. Long Misty Days

7. Hole Me

8. Caledonia

9. Pride

10. Sailing

11. S.M.O.

12. I Can't Live Without You

13. Messin The Blues

Tracks 5 to 13 are the album "Long Misty Days" – released October 1976 on Chrysalis CHR 1107.

14. Long Misty Days (Single Edit) - 1976 German 7" on Chrysalis 6155 073 - B-side of "Caledonia"

15. Let Me Be The One – Previously Unreleased Outtake

To get 5 albums of primo Seventies guitar Rock, three rare 7" single edits and 1 genuinely excellent previously unreleased track for just over twelve quid is pretty amazing value for money (including a free MP3 rip to your PC or Mac).

The 8-page booklet pictures the albums and has a center two-page spread of live photos – but little else. It's miniscule and really disappointing. At least with 2012's second Chrysalis Anthology "Farther On Up The Road" (1977 to 1983) – the booklet increased to 12-pages. But packaging niggles aside - the great remasters and the sheer value-for-money on offer here more than make up for it. In fact this entire EMI series (I've reviewed the Barclay James Harvest, Frankie Miller and Ten Years After 3CD sets) is exemplary.

But the big deal here is the 2010 PETER MEW REMASTER (done at Abbey Road). I've raved about this guy's touch at the tape before - even set a tag of his remastered issues for those interested in quality sound (there's hundreds) - and this double jewel-case set is no different. The sound is truly fantastic - full and clear without being over-hyped or amped up for the sake of it. Each is a new remaster excepting "Bridge Of Sighs" which Mew had already revisited in 2007.

First port of call for fans is the amazing previously unreleased song "Let Me Be The One" (a "Long Misty Days" outtake). It's a properly brill slowy that reeks of Thin Lizzy mid Seventies bars and drowning your sorrows in whiskey. I’m genuinely shocked at how good it is – with James Dewar’s soulful vocals added real pain and pathos to the lovely guitar melody.

Then of course there’s the jewel in the LP crown – the entire "Bridge Of Sighs" album that is a vast improvement over the good rather than great debut "Twice Removed From Yesterday". Speaking of soulful (and even Lizzy) – the beautiful “Daydream” from 1973 sounds glorious (lyrics above). But in truth there are so many goodies on here – and not all of it is straight-up rocking. I love it when the band move out of the guitar pyrotechnics and get funky – the opening track "Shame The Devil" from "For Earth Below" or the Side 2 ender "Messin' The Blues" from "Long Misty Days" are good examples.

On the rocking and funky "Lady Love" (from "Bridge Of Sighs") James Dewar sings, "…A simple truth…and it moves me…" Indeed it does. A 5-star winner if ever there was one...

PS: see also my review for Volume 2 "Farther On Up The Road..."

"Farther On Up The Road: The Chrysalis Years 1977-1983" by ROBIN TROWER [feat James Dewar] (2012 EMI 3CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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CLASSIC 1970s ROCK On CD - Exception Remasters  

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"…Tasting The Charms…"

For years Procol Harum's Robin Trower seemed locked into those Hendrix comparisons - pumping out album after album of Hard Rock Riffage - simple no-nonsense guitar classics like "Bridge Of Sighs" and "For Earth Below" in 1974 and 1975. Then come the late Seventies and his inner Bernard Edwards and Chic seemed to grab him by the short and curlies and the man went for it. And I for one - loved it to bits.

I've always thought his "In The City" and "Caravan To Midnight" LPs from 1977 and 1978 (with the mighty James Dewar on vocals) to be Funky Rock meisterworks where Trower and his Flange Pedal got real familiar (it helped that the Bass player Rustee Allen used to ply his plank with Sly & The Family Stone). And that's where this 3CD set comes in. Here are the fret-flicking details...

UK released 27 Feb 2012 - "Father On Up The Road: The Chrysalis Years 1977-1983" by ROBIN TROWER on EMI/Chrysalis 301 3862 (Barcode 5099930138629) is the mega label's second anthology for guitar virtuoso Robin Trower ("A Tale Untold" was the first) and the 3CD set breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (79:30 minutes):

1. Somebody Calling

2. Sweet Wine Of Love

3. Bluebird

4. Falling Star

5. Farther On Up The Road

6. Smile

7. Little Girl

8. Love's Gonna Bring You Round

9. In City Dreams

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "In City Dreams" released September 1977 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1148.

10. Bluebird (7" Edit) - a non-album version

11. My Love (Burning Love)

12. Caravan To Midnight

13. I'm Out To Get You

14. Lost In Love

15. Fool

16. It's For You

17. Birthday Boy

18. King Of The Dance

19. Sail On

Tracks 11 to 19 are the album "Caravan To Midnight" released August 1978 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1189.

Disc 2 (73:07 minutes):

1. Jack And Jill

2. Roads To Freedom

3. Victims Of The Fury

4. The Ring

5. Only Time

6. Into The Flame

7. The Shout

8. Mad House

9. Ready For The Taking

10. Fly Low

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Victims Of The Fury" released January 1980 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1215.

Track 11 is "One In A Million" - the non-album B-side to the 7" single "Victims Of The Fury" released January 1980 on Chrysalis CHS 2402.

12. Into Money

13. What It Is

14. Won't Let You Down

15. No Island Lost

16. It's Too Late

17. Life On Earth

18. Once The Bird Has Flown

19. Carmen

20. Feel The Heat

21. End Game

Tracks 12 to 21 are the album "B.L.T." released February 1981 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1324. The B.L.T. refers to the Guitarist, Bass and Drummer - Robin Trower, Bill Lordan and Jack Bruce.

Disc 3 (71:26 minutes):

1. Gonna Shut You Down

2. Gone Too Far

3. Thin Ice

4. Last Train To The Stars

5. Take Good Care Of Yourself

6. Fall In Love

7. Fat Gut

8. Shadows Touching

9. Little Boy Lost

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Truce" released January 1982 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1352 (credited to Robin Trower and Jack Bruce).

10. Back It Up

11. River

12. Black To Red

13. Benny Dancer

14. Time Is Short

15. Islands

16. None But The Brave

17. Captain Midnight

18. Settling The Score

Tracks 10 to 18 are the album "Back It Up" released September 1983 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1420 and FV 41420 respectively.

To get 6 albums and two 7" single sides thrown in for just over twelve quid is pretty amazing value for money (including a free rip to your PC or Mac). But the big deal here is the 2012 PETER MEW REMASTER. I've raved about this guy's touch at the tape before - even set a tag of his remastered issues for those interested in quality sound (there's hundreds) - and this double jewel-case set is no different. The sound is truly fantastic - full and clear without being over-hyped or amped up for the sake of it.

I've always thought "In City Dreams" to have been an overlooked funky nugget in his catalogue. Often associated with Hendrix in terms of guitar sound and technique - people are amazed at the sweetness of Trower's playing on lullabies like "Bluebird" and "Little Girl". But my bomb is the funky-rock of "Somebody's Calling" with its hooks and flange effect - I've often included in on my 70's Fest CD Shop Plays and it always brings a customer hustling to the counter wanting to know who this fantastic track is by (lyrics from it title this review).

The single "It's For You" was a purchase of mine on red vinyl back in the day when we devoured 45s for breakfast. There are so many goodies on here. A major highlight on the "Caravan To Midnight" LP is the stunning "I'm Out To Get You" where pinging guitar notes build and build until it reaches a Funk-Rock chug that keeps impressive as he adds layers of brilliant solos. It helps that the Bass Player was Rustee Allen - ex Sly & The family Stone. The spacey almost-Hawkwind-in-places title track instrumental "Caravan To Midnight" is another nugget on an overlooked album - sort of England's answer to Santana's Caravanserai only the guitar is a hundred times grungier. "Back It Up" was only issued on CD in 1999 and the other albums have been either unissued or released on long deleted titles. And apart from Bill Lordan and Jack Bruce who brought so much the table - the other unsung hero in the line-up is vocalist JAMES DEWAR (ex Stone The Crows) whose tones and lyrics brought the touch Trower needed to the songs (sadly missed).

The 12-page booklet pictures the albums and has a brief history on them by noted writer MALCOLM DOME whose name has graced many a quality reissue. In fact this entire EMI series is exemplary.

On the rocking "My Love (Burning Love)" James Dewar sings, "My love is a burning love...and its yours 'til the end of time..." Indeed it is.

I've also reviewed "Taking Some Time On..." by BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST, "That's Who!..." by FRANKIE MILLER and "Think About The Time..." by TEN YEARS AFTER in this 3CD series.

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