"Morning Brings The Light/John James/Sky In My Pie/Head In The Clouds" by JOHN JAMES (June 2017 Beat Goes On Reissue - 4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Through The Lanes..."

Now here's an obscuro. And once again England's Beat Goes On Label (BGO) has done our unsung hero a Welsh Guitar Picker solid (if that's not too rude).

Stretching from 1970 to 1975 – you get full four albums originally on Transatlantic Records in the UK remastered in 2017 by long-standing Audio Engineer Andrew Thompson onto 2CDs – the first two containing some vocals but the last two strictly instrumental with genres crossing between straight-up Acoustic Folk to Bluegrass, Dixieland Jazz and Ragtime (all on Acoustic Guitar). Here are the skies in the pie...

UK released 16 June 2017 (23 June 2017 in the USA) - "Morning Brings The Light/John James/Sky In My Pie/Head In The Clouds" by JOHN JAMES on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1301 (Barcode 5017261213013) offers 4 full LPs originally on Transatlantic Records (UK) in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1975 newly remastered in 2017 onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (75:05 minutes, 22 Tracks):

1. If Only I [Side 1]

2. One Long Happy Night

3. Pickles And Peppers

4. Liverpool Lullaby

5. Hogan's Alley (Black Eyed Blues)

6. Once I Lived By The Sea

7. Picture Rag [Side 2]

8. A Little Blues

9. So Long Since I Was Home

10. Ostrich Walk

11. Lampeter

12. Morning Brings The Light

Tracks 1 to 12 are his Debut album "Morning Brings The Light" – released August 1970 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 219 (produced by Chris Golby).

13. To Meet You I Hurry Down [Side 1]

14. Original Rags

15. Jazzbo's Holiday

16. Evening Comes Quickly

17. Three Through The Lanes

18. Tim E Whay

19. Song Around A Square [Side 2]

20. Rolling On Down

21. Stoptime

22. Daughter Of The Wind

Tracks 13 to 22 on Disc 1 and Track 1 on Disc 2 are his second album "John James" - released November 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 241 (produced by John Whitehead).

Disc 2 (79:56 minutes, 27 Tracks):

1. Listening To That Old Rag/Ragtime Dance

Tracks 13 to 22 on Disc 1 and Track 1 on Disc 2 are his second album "John James" - released November 1971 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 241 (produced by John Whitehead).

2. And Sam Came Too [Side 1]

3. Sailor's Farewell

4. Mammy O'Mine

5. Easy Street

6. Out On The Rolling Sea

7. Sky In My Pie

8. Conquistador

9. Bach Goes To Town [Side 2]

10. Kicking Up The Dust

11. Nola

12. Quiet Days

13. Weeping Willow

14. Blap Bam Boom

15. Be Mine Or Run

16. Turn Your Face

Tracks 2 to 16 are his third album "Sky In My Pie" (credited to JOHN JAMES and DAVE BERRYMAN) – released 1972 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 250 (produced by Stephan Grossman).

17. Georgemas Junction [Side 1]

18. Black And White Rag

19. Head In The Clouds

20. Slow Drag

21. Wormwood Tangle

22. Stranger In The World

23. Rags To Riches [Side 2]

24. Blues For Felix

25. Heliotrope Bouquet

26. Secrets In The Sky

27. Stretching Of A Young Girl’s Heart

Tracks 17 to 27 are his fourth album "Head In The Clouds" – released November 1975 in the UK on Transatlantic Records TRA 305 (produced by Ritchie Gold).

The outer card slipcase lends these BGO reissues a classy feel whilst long-time associate to the label JOHN TOBLER has penned the new 12-page liner notes and interviewed John James especially for the project. Anyone who knows the original vinyl platters – their rear sleeves had a few words but little by way of any meaty info (the 1970 and 1971 Jeremy Gilbert and Robin Denselow original liner notes are here nonetheless). I say this because James now enlightens of many of the tunes and their genesis and his collaborations with Berryman on the 3rd LP and John Renbourn on the fourth. The ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters are quietly lovely – strings pinging - sweetly done – the original tapes clearly in very good shape. To the music...

Songs like on "Once I Loved By The Sea" and "A Little Blues" are like pretty John Renbourn or Bert Jansch vignettes - plaintive, lovely and peaceful on the ear and head. Scott Joplin is never far from James' thoughts either - his own "Picture Rag" a beautifully gut-string-picked nod to the great Ragtime man - whilst "Ostrich Walk" is another instrumental but this time more in the Dixieland style. On the second self-titled album his then wife Jo James joins him on two tunes in duet vocals - the awful hippy claptrap of "Rolling On Down" which is rescued by "Daughter Of The Wind" - a James original Ralph McTell might have looked at with envy. Pete Berryman who would share a credit on the third album "Sky In My Pie" turns up on album two having written the playful travelling song "Jazzbo’s Holiday".

The third LP "Sky In My Pie" is a co-credit with another guitarist – PETE BERRYMAN (don’t you just love that gorgeous John Ashcroft artwork). JOHN RENBOURN of Pentangle guests as Second Guitarist on three songs (all instrumentals) – two by James called "Georgemas Junction" and "Stranger In The World" and a Renbourn original called "Wormwood Tangle". Parts of the melody in the fab "Stranger In The World" almost come across as Acoustic Prog while the Charlie Byrd cover of "Blues For Felix" feels very Leon Redbone without the voice. Scott Joplin turns up once again in the lazy afternoon mint-juleps-on-the-lawn feel to "Hellotrope Bouquet" – the very accomplished fourth album then ending in four and half minutes of "Stretching Of A Young Girl’s Heart" where some of the playing actually mimics such young hurt.

So hard to find on original vinyl now and unlikely to see reissue on the format (even in these vinyl is cool days of 2019) – this BGO 2CD twofer is a superb reissue and welcome too. John James will probably never be a household name – but this is a sweetly stacked reminder of what we all missed first time around...

"Living/True Stories And Other Dreams/Judith" by JUDY COLLINS - 1971, 1973 and 1975 US Albums on Elektra (October 2018 UK Beat Goes On Records (BGO) Compilation - 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Send In The Clowns..." 

This gorgeous-sounding 2018 twofer from Beat Goes On of the UK offers Judy Collins fans a tasty triple whammy - three of her most popular albums from the first half of the Seventies remastered onto 2CDs in proper style after years languishing in the Nineties and Naughties digital dust.

First up is, "Living", released late 1971 on Elektra Records which peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Top 100, then "True Stories And Other Dreams" from early 1973 (peaked at No. 27 and was called just "True Stories" in the UK) and the one she’s probably most remembered for – the "Send In The Clowns" album simply called "Judith" from 1975.

Bolstered up by that mammoth-selling single – the album "Judith" was a real seller for her peaking at No. 17 in the USA but marking her biggest chart presence in the UK since "Amazing Grace" went to No. 3 in November 1970 – an impressive No. 7 on the UK LP charts. I can remember the power of that almost spiritual ballad in 1975 – its pained sadness seemed to be literally everywhere (Radio and TV) and many were moved to cover it for years to come. Here are the living details...

UK released Friday, 12 October 2018 - "Living/True Stories And Other Dreams/Judith" by JUDY COLLINS on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1352 (Barcode 5017261213525) offers 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD 1 (64:03 minutes):

1. Joan Of Arc [Side 1]

2. Four Strong Winds

3. Vietnam Love Song

4. Innisfree

5. Song For Judith (Open The Door)

6. All Things Are Quite Silent [Side 2]

7. Easy Times

8. Chelsea Morning

9. Famous Blue Raincoat

10. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues

Tracks 1 to 10 are her album "Living" - released November 1971 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75014 and January 1972 in the UK on Elektra K 42102.

11. Cook With Honey [Side 1]

12. So Begins The Task

13. Fisherman Song

14. The Dealer (Down And Losin')

15. Secret Gardens

Tracks 11 to 15 are Side 1 of the album "True Stories And Other Dreams" - released January 1973 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75053 and February 1973 in the UK on Elektra K 42132 as "True Stories".

CD2 (65:30 minutes):

1. Holly Ann

2. The Hostage

3. Song For Martin

4. Che

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of the album "True Stories And Other Dreams" - released January 1973 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75053 and February 1973 in the UK on Elektra K 42132 as "True Stories".

5. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress [Side 1]

6. Angel, Spread Your Wings

7. Houses

8. The Lovin' Of The Game

9. Song For Duke

10. Send In The Clowns

11. Salt Of The Earth [Side 2]

12. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime

13. City Of New Orleans

14. I'll Be Seeing You

15. Pirate Ships

16. Born To The Breed

Tracks 5 to 16 are the album "Judith" - released March 1975 in the USA on Elektra Records 7E-1032 and May 1975 in the UK on Elektra Records K 52019.

The card slipcase gives these BGO reissues a classy and luxurious feel whilst the 24-page booklet repro's all the album artwork including the lyrics for the "Judith" LP alongside new liner notes from noted writer and Music historian JOHN TOBLER. Releasing sixteen albums that reached the US charts between 1964 and 1982 alone (her career started in 1961) - Tobler is right to call Collins that most overused word - a legend. His notes go into her entire career so you don't actually get to the albums on hand until the last few pages, but its a fascinating read potted with loads of great observations and details.

But the big news has to be the new 2018 ANDREW THOMPSON remasters which make these already beautifully produced platters shine better than ever before. 

Her own tunes like "Fishermen Song" or "Secret Gardens" or the November 1971 single "Open The Door (Song For Judith)" flipped with her adaptation of a W.B. Yates poem put to music in "Innisfree" show her skills of a songwriter (it preceded the "Living" album on both sides of the pond). And as I rehear Joni's "Chelsea Morning", Jim Webb's "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", Leonard Cohen's "Joan Of Arc" and "Famous Blue Raincoat" or Stephen Stills' "So Begins The Task" - all sat alongside Tom Paxton's "The Hostage", Danny O'Keefe's "Angel, Spread Your Wings" and even The Stones in "Salt Of The Earth" - you're also reminded of her uncanny ear for a tune - Judy Collins with her nose to the ground - covering contemporary songs of the day that would have legs long past their recent release dates. The three albums all sound great, lively and full of instrumentation filling your speakers - a very nice job done...

Beat Goes On have gotten awfully good at this sort of release and outside of an all-encompassing Rhino box set of her entire Elektra Records catalogue (something WEA artists like Joni Mitchell, Ry Cooder, Little Feat and America have all enjoyed) - BGO of England has provided Judy Collins fans with a steady stream of decent Remasters in quality presentation - and this you have to say is another winner. Tasty and then some...

"East Of Midnight/Waiting For You/A Painter Passing Through" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT (February 2018 Beat Goes On 2CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...A Painter Of Songs Passing Through..."  

Typically classy BGO reissue that grabs three from the later part of Gordon Lightfoot's huge career – three albums of Country and Folk Rock that most passed by - 1986's "East Of Midnight" (a co-write with David Foster on "Anything For Love"), 1993's "Waiting For You" (covers Dylan's "Ring Them Bells") and finally 1998's "A Painter Passing Through".

Each of these three albums has long been deleted (the first was originally on Warner Brothers on LP and CD and the other two on Reprise CD only) and they're now made available again here via BGO of the UK. Details...

UK released February 2018 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1325 (Barcode 5017261213259) offers three albums remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows...

CD1: 
"East Of Midnight" (1986) 
1. Stay Loose [Side 1]
2. Morning Glory 
3. East Of Midnight
4. A Lesson In Love
5. Anything For Love 
6. Let It Ride [Side 2]
7. Ecstasy Made Easy 
8. You Just Gotta Be
9. A Passing Ship
10. I'll Tag Along 

"Waiting For You" (1993)
11. Restless
12. Ring Them Bells
13. Fading Away 
14. Only Love Would Know
15. Welcome To Try
16. I'll Prove My Love
17. Waiting For You
18. Wild Strawberries
19. I'd Rather Press On
20. Drink Yer Glasses Empty 

CD2:
"A Painter Passing Through" (1998)
1. Drifters
2. My Little Love 
3. Ringneck Loon
4. I Used To Be A Country Singer 
5. Boathouse
6. Much To My Surprise
7. A Painter Passing Through 
8. On Yonge Street 
9. Red Velvet
10. Uncle Toad Said 

There's the usual card slipcase, a detailed 20-page booklet from noted writer JOHN TOBLER and best of all - fabulous audio remasters from ANDREW THOMPSON. These were good then but they’re better now.

Highlights for me are "Morning Glory", "Fading Away" and a cover of Ian Tyson's "Red Velvet". For sure there are lacklustre moments on these albums, but there's also magic and more often than not as you listen - you're left with an abiding sense of admiration for his sheer songwriting capabilities long praised by many within his own ranks of troubadours (and you can so hear why).

A rather tasty little reissue actually. Recommended...

"One More Song/Randy Meisner" by RANDY MEISNER [ex Poco/Eagles] (June 2018 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs onto 1CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Trouble Ahead..."

Originally to be UK released 2 Dec 2016 but delayed 'indefinitely' - "One More Song/Randy Meisner" featuring two of the ex Poco/Eagles songwriter's LPs from 1980 and 1982 finally gets Remastered onto 1CD and an airing in 2018. Here come the Hearts On Fire...

UK released 8 June 2018 - "One More Song/Randy Meisner" by RANDY MEISNER on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1265 (Barcode 5017261212658) offers two albums Remastered onto 1 CD and plays out as follows (72:43 minutes):

1. Hearts On Fire [Side 1]

2. Gotta Get Away

3. Come Back To Me

4. Deep Inside My Heart

5. I Need You Bad [Side 2]

6. One More Song

7. Trouble Ahead

8. White Shoes

9. Anyway Bye Bye

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 2nd solo album "One More Song" - released November 1980 in the USA on Epic JE 36748 and in the UK on Epic EPC 84531. Produced by VAL GARAY - it peaked at No. 50 on the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

10. Never Been In Love [Side 1]

11. Darkness Of The Heart

12. Jealousy

13. Tonight

14. Playin' In The Deep End [Side 2]

15. Strangers

16. Still Runnin'

17. Nothing Is Said ('Til The Artist Is Dead)

18. Doin' It For Delilah

Tracks 10 to 18 are his 3rd solo album "Randy Meisner" - released August 1982 in the USA on Epic FE 38121 and in the UK on Epic EPC 85913. Produced by MIKE FLICKER - it peaked at No. 94 in the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

The outer card slipcase and 24-page inlay (with lyrics, photos and new notes from noted writer JOHN TOBLER) lend this reissue the usual BGO classy look - while the new 2018 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters amp up those Eighties sounds (licensed from Sony).

I had these vinyl albums back on Epic Records in the day (during my Eagles obsessions) and remember them as being patchy. Some famous guests include Kim Carnes singing backing vocals on "Deep Inside My Heart" - Don Henley and Glenn Frey of The Eagles sing backing vocals on "One More Song" – Craig Hull of The Hate Boys plays all guitars.

On the self-titled third LP there are even more - Brian Smith of Trooper who plays Guitar on "Never Been In Love", "Darkness Of The Heart" and "Tonight" - Dixon House of The Dixon House Band plays Piano, Organ and Backing Vocals on all songs - Nicky Hopkins plays Piano on "Jealousy", "Doin' It For Delilah" and "Still Runnin'" - Ann Wilson of Heart sings Lead Duet Vocals on "Strangers" while Nancy Wilson of Heart sings Backing Vocals on "Strangers", "Tonight", "Never Been In Love" and "Playin' In The Deep End" - Tower Of Power horns on "Jealousy", "Playin' In The Deep End" and "Doin' It For Delilah".

So not a lot's changed musically (some good, some badly dated) - but the Audio offered here is a winner and fans who've been waiting years for affordable versions of these forgotten platters will love this CD...

"Captured Angel/Nether Lands" by DAN FOGELBERG (July 2007 Beat Goes On 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 2 of 3 - Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

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"...Oil On Canvas…Couplets And Stanzas..."

I have to say that Beat Goes On of the UK have done a solid by Dan Fogelberg’s excellent recorded output – their remasters of his Seventies classics have been utterly superb – and this 2nd volume in that series is no different.

UK released July 2007 - "Captured Angel/Nether Lands" by DAN FOGELBERG on Beat Goes On BGOCD 764 (Barcode 5017261207647) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster that comes in a card slipcase and features Dan Fogelberg's third and fourth studio albums from the Seventies "Captured Angel" (1975) and "Nether Lands" (1977). It plays out as follows...

Disc 1 (38:04 minutes):

1. Aspen/These Days [Side 1]

2. Come And Goes

3. Captured Angel

4. Old Tennessee

5. Next Time [Side 2]

6. Man In The Mirror

7. Below The Surface

8. Crow

9. The Last Nail

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 3rd album “Captured Angel” first issued in the USA in September 1975 on Full Moon PE 33499 and November 1975 in the UK on Epic S EPC 69189.

Disc 2 (45:31 minutes):

1. Nether Lands [Side 1]

2. Once Upon A Time

3. Dancing Shoes

4. Lessons Learned

5. Loose Ends

6. Love Gone By [Side 2]

7. Promises Made

8. Give Me Some Time

9. Scarecrow’s Dream

10. Sketches

11. False Faces

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 4th LP released May 1977 in the USA on Full Moon Records PE 34185 and June 1977 in the UK on Epic EPC 81574.

The 20-page booklet is excellent – all artwork reproduced, lyrics to both albums, full credits and liner notes by noted writer JOHN TOBLER. With the outer card wrap – it’s a classy presentation. But the big news for fans is the fabulous remasters. ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Mastering in London has done the deed (he’s handled large numbers of BGO’s reissues) and his transfers on this 2CD set are beautifully handled. But to the music…

Following the stunning Joe Walsh produced “Souvenirs” in 1974 was always going to be hard (it charted at 17 in the States) and in some ways I still remember “Captured Angel” as being a disappointment when I bought it as a teenager (it reached Number 23). It opens however with a strong double – the strings of "Aspen" segueing into the Country Rock of "These Days" which is followed by the very pretty "Comes And Goes" (a firm fan fave). The title track and its Side 1 finisher "Old Tennessee" sound nice but lack any real killer melody for me.

Things pick up with the piano and Al Perkins Pedal Steel of “Next Time” which could have been an Eagles song. Both “Man In The Mirror” and “Below The Surface” go down the countrified route again - while “Crow” really benefits from the remaster with slide guitars beautifully alive in the mix all of a sudden. “The Last Nail” goes all Eagles again and the remaster brings his stunning multi-instrumental prowess out of the mud – very good indeed.

Things got very melodramatic with 1977’s “Nether Lands” – and not in a good way. The opening title track is swamped with huge strings and orchestral stuff that just feels heavy handed. Things improve with the Country Rock of “Once Upon A Time” now sounding so good and the pretty accordion piece “Dancing Shoes”. Again the shadow of the Eagles surfaces with “Lessons Learned” which sounds like “The Best Of My Love” (fabulous remaster too). “Love Gone By” is trying too hard with its pseudo Rock and Roll franticness - but “Promises Made” which sounds ‘so’ Dan Fogelberg redeems things. It ends with the echoed piano of “Sketches” and the excellent big finisher “False Faces” (a true nugget in his song catalogue – lyrics from it title this review). 

He would hit paydirt with 1979’s “Phoenix” and really open out with “The Innocent Age” double in 1981 (featuring a rare duet vocal appearance by Joni Mitchell on the track "Nexus").

I posted a note on Fogelberg’s website when he sadly succumbed to cancer in December 2007 - yet another teenage hero of mine gone to the great gig in the sky.

Well - now Dan is free - and this beautiful-sounding 2CD reissue does his musical legacy proud...