"...Out Of The Blue..."
When I worked for Reckless Records in Islington
and Berwick Street in Soho (I was a buyer for 20 years) – Meal Ticket LPs were
strictly a no-no - bargain bin fodder that never sold - always reduced to sell.
And despite the gorgeous presentation of this lavish Lemon Records 3CD Mini Box
Set (Lemon is a part of Cherry Red of the UK) - it's easy to hear why that was
the case for this very US-influenced West London band.
That's not to say that there isn't anything
worth loving here – there most definitely is. The "Code Of The Rode"
debut album from July 1977 has some genuine melodic peaches on it (Britain's
answer to the Americana of The Eagles, America and The Band) - but the second
platter "Three Times A Day" that followed only four months later in
November 1977 is a dog and the third "Take Away" from November 1978
is not much better.
London's Meal Ticket formed in 1975 - so the
1977 debut album on EMI International/Logo Records had time to gestate and
songs like "Out Of The Blue", "Last One To Know" and the
epic sounding harmonies of "The Man From Mexico" would do any Crazy
Horse LP proud. The lyrics too are long and smart and penned by actor and
scriptwriter David Pierce. Along with Canadian singer Rick Jones – Pierce was
an integral part of Meal Ticket the band and a prime mover behind the 1975
Chrysalis Records LP "Flash Fearless Versus The Zorg Women Parts 5 &
6" (CHR 1081) – a Sci-Fi spoof album project that featured Elkie Brooks,
Alice Cooper, Jim Dandy of Black Oak Arkansas, James Dewar of Stone The Crows
and The Robin Trower Band and John Entwistle of The Who. But clearly out of
decent songs - and given the visceral musical scene of Punk and New Wave
exploding all around them - it's no wonder that the insipid soft-rock of the
second and third LPs died a death commercially (none of Meal Ticket's recorded
output disturbed the UK charts and none of it was issued Stateside). And
rehearing them now – 40 years of time has not been kind to either of the later
LPs.
But for fans who've waited decades for these
albums to be put out on CD (especially that debut) - this first-time-on-digital
in the UK 3-Disc Box Set from Lemon Records with its great Audio and classy
presentation is going to be a must buy. Here are the Bar Room details...
UK released 27 January 2017 (3 February 2017 in
the USA) - "The Albums" by MEAL TICKET on Lemon Records CDLEMBOX227
(Barcode 5013929782709) is a 3CD Mini Box Set offering their three studio
albums from 1977 and 1978 and Two Bonus Live Tracks Remastered. There are
Singular Card Repro Artwork Sleeves and a 20-page booklet and it plays out as
follows:
Disc 1 - "Code Of The Road" (46:40
minutes):
1. Out Of The Blue [Side 1]
2. Keepin' The Faith
3. OK Bar (Same Old Story)
4. Last One To Know
5. Day Job
6. The Man From Mexico [Side 2]
7. Snow
8. Golden Girl
9. Standing On The Wrong Corner
10. Georgia Syncopator
11. The Code Of The Road (Travellers Bible)
Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "Code
Of The Road" - released July 1977 in the UK on EMI International/Logo INS
3008. Produced by ALAN O'DUFFY and WILLY FINLAYSON (no US release).
Disc 2 - "Three Times A Day" (38:10
minutes):
1. This Could Be The Town [Side 1]
2. Oh Sister
3. Last Port Of Call
4. Comes The Dawn
5. River Man
6. Yesterday's Music [Side 2]
7. Rural Routes
8. I Wish I Wish
9. Laughing Daughter
10. This Dream I Have Of You
Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album
"Three Times A Day" - released November 1977 in the UK on EMI
International/Logo INS 3010. Produced by RICHIE GOLD (no US release)
Disc 3 - "Take Away" (44:11 minutes):
1. Why In The World [Side 1]
2. Down On My Knees (After Memphis)
3. Lucy
4. Lone Star Motel
5. The Shape I'm In
6. Blame [Side 2]
7. Simple
8. Bonnie Lee's Dinette
9. At The Funny Farm
10. Get On Board
Tracks 1 to 10 are their third and final studio
album "Take Away" - released November 1978 (reissued April 1979) on
Logo Records LOGO 1008. Produced by DAVID MACKAY.
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Son Of The Creature From The Black Lagoon
(Live)
12. Boogie Queen (Live)
Tracks 11 and 12 are non-album - released
November 1978 as the second single in a UK double-pack for "Simple"
on Logo Records GO(D) 330. The standard single (Disc 1 of the double-pack) on
Logo Records GO 330 contained "Simple" on the A-side and "Funny
Farm" on the B-side. There is no venue or recording date advised for the
live cuts.
You have to say that the glossy clamshell box
is pretty as are the three repro card sleeves and the 20-page booklet. New
liner notes come courtesy of MICHAEL HEATLEY and with recent interviews give a
thorough history of the band's beginnings and end. In-between the text are
photos of the many EMI International and Logo 45s that EMI tried - as well as
live photos of the band, the rear sleeve artwork on the back page (no inners)
and various press cuttings. The mastering is down to JAMES BRAGG and the Audio
on all three is excellent - especially "Code Of The Road".
You can immediately hear why EMI thought
"Out Of The Blue" would be the best lead-off single for the debut
album - it's a fantastically hooky song. EMI International INS 533 was issued
as a British 45 towards the end of May 1977 with the witty "Day Job"
as its B-side - months ahead of the album. Given the strength of the Rick
Jones, David Pierce and Steve Hammond composition - it should have been huge
really and yet I can't recall ever hearing it at the time. Other nuggets on an
album obsessed with American Highways and Mexican Haciendas are the very Crazy
Horse vibe of "Last One To Know" and the brilliant harmony breaks
that occur in the near six-minute Side 2 stunner "The Man From
Mexico".
After the relative high of the debut -
"Three Times A Day" comes as a huge disappointment. Tracks like
"This Could Be The Town" and "Rural Routes" suddenly sound
dull and derivative. EMI tried "Yesterday's Dreams" b/w "The Man
From Mexico" from the first LP in September 1977 as a 45 on EMI
International INS 539 - even awarding it the luxury of a picture sleeve (both
sides are repro'd on Pages 3 and 4 of the booklet). But fans of say Cado Belle
or Ace didn't seem to be listening as it tanked. When album number three
"Take Away" showed in November 1978 - EMI (under their Logo label
imprint) tried "Simple" as the LPs first 45 in two formats - a
standard 7" single and a double-pack with two unreleased live tracks on
Disc 2 - but no takers. March 1979 saw them try their cover of The Band's "The
Shape I'm In" as a single - Logo GO 342 with the LP opener "Why In
The World" as its B-side. But that and the last UK single
"Blame" in May 1979 on Logo GO 352 (with "At The Funny
Farm" on the flip-side) failed as well.
You have to say that re-listening to these
albums has been a mixed emotion - loving the first but I'd forgotten how
forgettable the other two really are. Still - fans will adore the quality
presentation and the sparkly audio and will need to own it. Others should try a
listen first...
