"Pathfinder/Get Your Dog Off Me!" by BEGGARS OPERA (2015 Beat Goes On CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...From Shark To Haggis..." 

Ah the much-maligned Prog Rock of Vertigo Spiral – swirling labels and inner bags ahoy. Scotland's BEGGARS OPERA have had their two previous outings covered by England’s Beat Goes On in November 2014 when they reissued their rare November 1970 debut album "Act One" and its equally hard-to-find follow-up "Waters Of Change" from September 1971 – again both Vertigo releases. Beat Goes On now finish the job off with the band’s forgotten 3rd and 4th outings (their last for Vertigo) – both albums squashed onto one Remastered CD. Here are the 'turn your money green' details...

UK released Friday, 30 October 2015 (November 2015 in the USA) - "Pathfinder/Get Your Dog Off Me!" by BEGGARS OPERA on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1207 (Barcode 5017261212078) breaks down as follow (78:00 minutes):

1. Hobo

2. MacArthur Park

3. The Witch

4. Pathfinder [Side 2]

5. From Shark To Haggis

6. Stretcher

7. Madame Doubtfire

Tracks 1 to 7 are their 3rd studio album "Pathfinder" – released July 1972 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 073. All songs band originals except "MacArthur Park" which is a Jimmy Webb song first covered by Richard Harris. This album is a listed UK rarity at £120 (no USA release).

The Band was:

MARTIN GRIFFITHS – Lead Vocals

ALAN PARK – Keyboards

RICKY GARDINER – Lead Guitars and Vocals

GORDON SELLAR – Acoustic & Bass Guitar and Vocals

RAY WILSON - Drums

8. Get Your Dog Off Me

9. Freestyle Ladies

10. Open Letter

11. Morning day

12. Requiem

13. Classical Gas

14. Sweet Blossom Woman

15. Turn Your Money Green

16. La-Di-Da

17. Working Man

Tracks 8 to 17 are their 4th studio album "Get Your Dog Off Me!" – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 090. All songs are band originals except "Classical Gas" which is a Mason Williams cover version. This album is a UK listed rarity at £40 (no US release).

The Band was:

LINNIE PATERSON – Lead Vocals

RICKY GARDINER – Electric & Acoustic Guitars and Vocals

ALAN PARK – Keyboards

GORDON SELLAR – Acoustic & Bass Guitar and Vocals

COLIN FAIRLIE – Drums (Tracks 8, 9, 11, 14, 15 and 17)

RAY WILSON – Drums (Tracks 10, 12, 13 and 16)

As with all these Beat Goes On CD reissues nowadays - it comes in a tasty outer card slipcase and features a very detailed booklet (16 pages) with great liner notes by noted musicologist NEIL DANIELS. It’s famously elaborate original gatefold sleeve folded into a poster of a ‘Pathfinder’ spaceman on his horse (a listed rarity at £120) – that’s pictured in the centre pages. There are also quotes from previous interviews with Lead Guitarist Ricky Gardiner - but the big news as ever is the new 2015 remaster by ANDREW THOMPSON which reflects the accomplished Production Values of the time (Roger Wake did an exemplary job on "Get Your Dog Off Me!"). Both albums are very clean and warm and even though they’re are traces of hiss on some tracks - its neither dampened by noise reduction nor amplified to impress. This well-played Prog Rock is as it was - just better.

The sophisticated "Pathfinder" album opens with "Hobo" sounding not like Emitt Rhodes circa 1972 (Paul Griffiths' vocals are remarkably similar) – a far more pop affair than the Prog cover would have suggested. If anything it's almost Sparks or even Todd Rundgren. Things stretch out considerably with the clavinet opening to their 8-minute cover of Jim Webb's 1960’s anthem - "MacArthur Park". Beggars Opera make the song suddenly feel like ELP on a cover version bender – and although fans have slagged it off - it's beautifully played and cleverly arranged – the recognisable theme to the song not turning up until nearly two minutes in. Side 1 ends with "The Witch" – a Scott/Gardner composition that is finally Prog as we would recognise it with a heavier guitar riff and Tull flute flourishes. "From Shark To Haggis" is a seven-minute affair with ever-so-slightly Thin Lizzy guitar affectations. The instrumental "Stretcher" has beautiful piano flourishes from Alan Park complimented by Gardiner’s superlative guitar playing (so Brian May) – easily the most accomplished tune on the LP. "Madame Doubtfire" has lyrics like "...sister of Satan...your scorpion sits by your side..." and vocals that ape the worst excesses of Arthur Brown – its derisory stuff I’m afraid.

Sporting an album cover that suggested British Rock 'n' Roll and naughty schoolgirls at pub gigs – "Get Your Dog Off Me!" feels like the band has suddenly had the spirit of Americana invade their camp. It's entirely different and opens with the happy and rhythmically upbeat title track - an acoustic ditty that turns into an Allman Brothers romp and could have been a winning single. Now it goes Rock 'n' Roll with "Freestyle Ladies" where it feels more Foghat than Gentle Giant. "Open Letter", "Turn Your Money Green" and "Working Man" offer more of the same Legend/South End rockers while their cover of Mason Williams’ "Classical Gas" is a hoot.

BEGGARS OPERA re-launched themselves in Germany and put out two albums on Jupiter Records – "Sagittary" (1974) and "Beggars Can't Be Choosers" (1976). Both albums were reissued and remastered on CD by Repertoire in 2007. But if you want to know where that Prog Rock journey started and then morphed into more straight-up British Rock 'n' Roll – this and its superb-sounding CD predecessor is the place to go...

"Mike Harrison/Smokestack Lightning/Rainbow Rider" by MIKE HARRISON [of SPOOKY TOOTH] (2016 Beat Goes On 2CD Reissue (BGO) - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Turning Over..."

Lead Vocalist with England's rockers Spooky Tooth for their first four albums between 1968 and 1970 – Mike Harrison's three solo LPs in the Seventies for Island and Goodear Records have been ignored for decades. Well on the strength of what's presented on this superb 2CD reissue/remaster that's a bit of a boo-boo on the part of us 70ts Rock Music junkies. Across three albums there are clunkers for sure and even mediocrity in places – but that's offset by the properly fab good stuff. Here are the ghostly dental details...

UK released Friday 1 April 2016 (8 April 2016 in the USA) – "Mike Harrison/Smokestack Lightning/Rainbow Rider" by MIKE HARRISON [of Spooky Tooth] on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1224 (Barcode 5017261212245) features Remasters of 3LPs onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (69:14 minutes):

1. Mother Nature

2. Call It A Day

3. Damian

4. Pain

5. Wait Until Morning [Side 2]

6. Lonely People

7. Hard Headed Woman

8. Here Comes The Queen

Tracks 1 to 8 are his debut solo album (after Spooky Tooth) "Mike Harrison" – released October 1971 in the UK on Island ILPS 9170 and in the USA on Island SMAS-9313 (with the band Junkyard Angel)

9. Tears [aka "Tears (Behind My Eyes)"]

10. Paid My Dues

11. What A Price

12. Wanna Be Free

13. Turning Over [Side 2]

14. Smokestack Lightning

Tracks 9 to 14 are his 2nd solo album "Smokestack Lightning" – released October 1972 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9209 and in the USA on Island SW-9321

Disc 2 (37:07 minutes):

1. Maverick Woman Blues

2. You And Me

3. I'll Keep It With Mine

4. Like A Road (Leading Home)

5. We Can Work It Out

6. Okay Lay Lady Lay [Side 2]

7. Easy

8. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

9. Friend

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 3rd solo album "Rainbow Rider" – released August 1975 in the UK on Goodear Records EAR 7002 and in the USA on Island Records ILPS 9359

As always with BGO - the outer card-slipcase gives the release a classy feel – the 16-page booklet with new NEIL DANIELS liner notes features full album credits, some photos and a potted history on Spooky Tooth and Harrison's solo work with references to previous interviews. But the big news is new 2016 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters that sound great – big and meaty without over-trebling it. The 2nd and 3rd albums in particular have superb audio - and in the case of the mighty "Smokestack Lightning" track itself – the Remaster really elevates proceedings a whole bunch...

The self-titled self-produced 1971 debut album "Mike Harrison" was made with local Carlisle band JUNKYARD ANGELS (credited on the rear of the cover and not on the label) – Ian Herbert on Lead & Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards and Backing Vocals, Frank Kenyon on Lead and Acoustic Guitars and Backing Vocals, Peter Batey on Bass and Percussion and Kevin Iverson on Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals. Mike Harrison does Lead Vocals, Piano, Harmonica and Organ - while Arthur Belcher does the Tenor Saxophone solo on "Hard Headed Woman" (also later co-wrote "Friend" on the "Rainbow Rider" LP in 1975 with Harrison).

Rare even in the mid Seventies – British copies of "Mike Harrison" came in a nice looking Island Records gatefold sleeve (repro'd in the booklet) but have always been scarce. As I recall Repertoire did a CD Remaster in 2011 (which I haven't heard) and outside of that – the album's been off-radar for decades. It opens with a mellow acoustic tune called "Mother Tune" penned by Bassist Peter Batey. Its short at 2:05 minutes and its languid high-string guitars deliberately emphasis a Soul feel rather than the heavy raunch of Spooky Tooth (Nice organ work too). It’s followed by "Call It A Day" which Harrison co-wrote with Batey, Herbert and Iverson. It feels like Part 2 of "Mother Tune" but at 6:27 minutes cleverly and unexpectedly fades about four minutes in into a heavenly Acapella vocal chorus that lasts until the end of the song. It's a weird but wonderful Prog Beach Boys moment. Co-written with Lead Guitarist Ian Herbert - "Damian" tries real hard – good lead vocals with clever backing patterns – but it still feels like it misses some kind of mark. Penned by Herbert, Iverson and Kenyon – "Pain" is like Jess Roden's and Robbie Blunt's Bronco – another Island Records band. "Pain" is melodic Guitar-Rock and ends Side 1 on a high note.

There is hiss on "Wait Until The Morning" opens Side 2 on another mellow piano-Rock tune. "...I'll miss you and I hope it keeps you warm..." he sings - sounding not unlike a mellow Steve Marriott (again clever vocal layers as it fades out). "Lonely People" continues the mellow Rock vibe – another pretty contribution by Bassist Peter Batey where Harrison sounds as his most Soulful. At last the album goes into coolsville – his 6:37 minute cover of "Hard Headed Woman" – originally on Cat Stevens' 1970 LP "Tea For The Tillerman". Harrison Funkifies the originally plaintive melody – then a brilliantly clever rhythm change at 2:39 minutes suddenly turns it into Heavy Guitar/Saxophone instrumental groove that wails and rocks like Free until its close. I made an edit on iTunes from 02:39 to 06:37 minutes and its fabulous stuff. The album ends on "Here Comes The Queen" – a co-write with his Spooky Tooth cohort Luther Grosvenor (who later became Aerial Bender with Mott The Hoople). Harrison gives it some great Harmonica licks as the catchy Rock tune shuffles along. Grosvenor put out his own version of "Here Comes The Queen" as a UK 45 on Bronze WIP 6109 with "Heavy Day" on the B-side in September 1971.

Relocating to the States to Muscle Shoals - for his 2nd album Harrison chose to open Side 1 with two Jimmy Stevens compositions - "Paid My Dues" and "Tears (Behind My Eyes)" (which Harrison simply calls "Tears"). They were originally released by the British keyboardist Stevens on his "Don't Freak Me Out" debut album on Atlantic Records K 40414 in 1972 (produced by Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees). Both are slinky slow bluesy type tunes but Harrison makes a crucial mistake in letting Producer Chris Blackwell (of Island Records) allow Harry Robinson to arrange and put strings onto both. The songs are utterly ruined by it – reduced to saccharine and no amount of reassessment makes the listens any better. It's a shame because both had real potential. Things finally start to cook when Harrison offers us a truly great cover of "What A Price" – a No. 7 R 'n' B hit for Fats Domino on Imperial 5723 way back in January 1961. Across its slinky 5:52 minutes – the Dan Penn-style keyboards, the Duane Allman wah-wah guitars and Clarence Clemons Saxophone are all allowed to breathe - as are his guttural vocals. "What A Price" feels like Frankie Miller firing on all sixes – Rock meets Soulful white boys R 'n' B – and should have been the album's opening salvo. The remaster too is wonderfully expressive. We're then offered Joe Tex's "I Wanna Be Free" – a hard-hitting social statement Tex put out Stateside on Dial Records 3016 back in 1963. "...All I get is a pat on my back...I wanna be free..." – it's a song about a worried father trying to feed his children and earn a decent crust without being dropped on from a height by the man.

The first of the "Smokestack Lightning" album's real highlights comes in the shape of the only original on there – "Turning Over" – a fantastic piano/guitar groover Harrison co-wrote with his Spooky Tooth cohort Luther Grosvenor. This is where the Muscle Shoals players shine (and on the next track too) – Beckett and Clayton laying down a fabulous Allen Toussaint rhythm on piano and organ while the slink is sporadically interrupted by funky guitar chops from Pete Carr. By the time the beautifully complimentary brass sneaks in at 3:29 minutes – you’re done – it’s a 6:32 minute winner (and the remaster rocks too). But then I'm stung with my real poison – a truly stunning and lengthy cover version of the Howlin' Wolf’s signature song "Smokestack Lightning" (Chester Burnett's original 45 was 1956 on Chess 1618). At 12:30 minutes long and taking up almost all of Side 2 – it's been accused of being six minutes too long. Absolute knob. I love this rocking blasting sucker to death. The session players get to let rip in a way that would be the envy of a great Stones session. Barry Beckett and Clayton Ivey play the keys, Pete Carr, Jimmy Johnson and Wayne Perkins get to tear up the guitars while a posse of five bring in the brass. Harrison's growl finally sounds real and connected – and the re-emergence of that most famous of riffs two or three times throughout the song make for a rocking winner. Genius...

Pure supposition here – but If Harrison had lined up "What A Price", "Wanna Be Free", "Turning Over" and "Smokestack Lightning" as Side 1 and recorded an equally quality Side 2 in the same vein (covers and originals) – we would have been looking at one hell of an album – an Eddie Hinton Soul/R&B-type forgotten masterpiece. "Smokestack Lightning" has always seemed short to me as an album and is definitely docked a star by those two ruined Stevens covers on Side 1 – but don't get me wrong - the rest of it for my money is infinitely better than its rather weedy predecessor. I've always thought of the album as a bit of an unsung hero frankly...

"Rainbow Rider" saw him signing to Goodear Records – a label distributed by Pye and CBS with a very varied roster - Chris Stainton's Tundra, Carol Grimes, Viola Wills, The Grease Band, The Rats and his own Spooky Tooth. The album even had a different cover in the USA - pictured on Page 5 of the booklet beneath the British sleeve. Sessionmen for the album included Micky Jones on Guitar (ex The Bystanders, The Attack and Man), Morgan Fisher on Keyboards who would later join the British Lions and Norbert Putnam on Bass from Area Code 615. Del Newman arranged the strings and The Memphis Horns provided brass accompaniment. Kirk Lorange plays slide guitar on the Beatles cover "We Can Work It Out". Harrison sings and plays harmonica.

Goodear tried two 45s in the UK – "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" b/w "Easy" on Goodear EAR 603 in May 1975 and "We Can Work It Out" b/w "Maverick Woman Blues" on Goodear EAR 611 in August 1975 – neither did any business. The album opens with "Maverick Woman Blues" – a Don Nix cover version that was released as a single in Germany on Goodear BF 18355 with "You And Me" on the B-side (a Troy Seals and Will Jennings composition). Nix would later record his version of "Maverick Woman Blues" on his "Skyrider" LP on Cream Records CR 1011 in 1979. "Maverick Woman Blues" opens with grungy guitars and Harrison's trademark 'rawk' vocals – its ZZ Top meets Bad Company meets Foghat – a wicked and gritty boogie number. Things switch into a Funky Rock mode with "You And Me" written by Troy Seals with lyricist Will Jennings. Brother to Jim Seals (of Seals and Crofts) and Dan Seals (of England Dan and John Ford Coley) – Troy Seals would record the song as "You And Me, Me And You" on his own self-titled debut LP "Troy Seals" on Columbia KC 34271 in 1976. Will Jennings would later go on to do huge collaborative lyric projects with Steve Winwood on his solo LPs "Arc Of A Diver" (1981) and "Talking Back To The Night" (1982). Time for Harrison to go all balladeer and for track 3 we get a cover of Bob Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine" – a non-album song the Bobster originally gave to Judy Collins way back in 1965 which she released as a stand-alone 45 on Elektra Records. Harrison completely changes the whimsy upbeat vibe of the Collins version and makes it a more Soulful Rock ballad – a slow bruising beat backed up with great vocals and organ playing. Of all the truly great artists of our time - Dylan is surely the most overdone when it comes to covers – but Mike Harrison's take on "I'll Keep It With Mine" is like a quality Joe Cocker interpretation – different yet wonderfully complimentary.

Penned by the dynamic songwriting duo of Southern boys Don Nix and Dan Penn - "Like A Road (Leading Home)" was initially given to Albert King in 1971 to end his "Lovejoy" album on Stax Records. Harrison gives his cover a slow Southern Soul feel with brass and strings – it's a good version even if his vocals feel at times strained and ever so slightly off-key. At 3:27 minutes – his mandolin Rock-Funk cover of The Beatles "We Can Work It Out" was an obvious but not very successful single. There's interesting synth stuff going on in the 'try to see it my way' centre passage for sure - but it just feels dated and ill-chosen. Things improve immeasurably with "Okay Lay Lady Lay" – 6:35 minutes of wickedly groovy voicebox boogie – another co-write with fellow Spooky Tooth band member Luther Grosvenor. The '20th Century Choir' provide girly vocals to counterpoint Harrison's strangulated Eddie Hinton vocals. "Easy" is a lush ballad that just about gets away with the heavy-on-the-sauce strings – but after all that preceding Southern Boogie funk sounds out of place (its written by Mike Harrison with Aitkin and Brown – two names that elude me). Quite what Harrison or Goodear were thinking when they recorded an iffy version (complete with syrup strings) of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" – the Edgar Harburg and Harold Arlen classic from "The Wizard Of Oz" – is anybody's guess! But that they tried it as a leadoff 45 is unbelievably dumb (best left in the hands of capable interpreters like Nilsson). The side is just about salvaged by the smoochy finisher "Friend" co-written by Mike Harrison with Tenor Saxophonist Arthur Belcher (he puts in the solo on "Hard Headed Woman" on "Mike Harrison"). It's a nice vocal but hardly a great tune (nice bass and keyboards on the remaster).

So there you have it. Re-listening to the three albums in a row and it quickly becomes obvious why each failed to make any real impact on release – they lacked cohesion and needed stronger material too. But despite their patchy nature - as a junkie for Classic 70ts Rock - the good stuff is more than worth the price of admission. Once again well done to Beat Goes On (BGO) for another quality and timely reissue...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 260 entries and 2450 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap). 

"Going Back To Colorado/Sunset Ride" by ZEPHYR (featuring Tommy Bolin and Candy Givens). 2015 Beat Goes On (of the UK) 2CD Reissue – Andrew Thompson Remasters - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Take My Love..."

Denver's ZEPHYR made three albums – two of which featuring the mercurial talents of guitarist Tommy Bolin (later with The James Gang and Deep Purple) - while all three had the Janis Joplin gutbucket vocals of Candy Givens and the songwriting talent of her Jazz-Rock hubby David Givens.

This superb 2CD reissue from England's Beat Goes On Records brings together their 2nd and 3rd platters for Warner Brothers – both of which are very different beasts. 1971's "Going Back To Colorado" feels like a Boogie Rock LP trying to get out from under too many styles and influences while its 1972 follow up "Sunset Ride" is far funkier affair with Soft Soul Rock and even Jazz Fusion in places (Tommy Bolin is only on "Going Back To Colorado"). Here are the fret-bending chime-tinkering details for each digital platter...

UK released August 2015 (no US release date as yet) – "Going Back To Colorado/Sunset Ride" by ZEPHYR on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1196 (Barcode 5017261211965) features 2LPs on 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (41:19 minutes):

1. Going Back To Colorado

2. Miss Libertine

3. Night Fades Softly

4. The Radio Song

5.  See My People Come Together

6. Showbizzy [Side 2]

7. Keep Me

8. Take My Love

9. I'll Be Right Here

10. At This Very Moment

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd studio album "Going Back To Colorado" – released March 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1897 (no UK release). Tiny-framed powerhouse Lead Singer Candy Givens penned "At This Very Moment" - Tommy Bolin co-wrote "Going Back To Colorado", "Keep Me" and "I'll Be There" with lyricist John Tesar (Cathy Givens also had a hand in "Going Back To Colorado") and Bolin solo penned "See My People Come Together" and "Showbizzy". Keyboardist John Faris wrote "Take My Love" – Bassist David Givens wrote "Night Fades Softly" and "The Radio Song" as well as co-writing "Miss Libertine" with his wife Candy Givens.

Disc 2 (41:57 minutes):

1. I'm Not Surprised

2. Someone To Chew

3. High Flying Bird

4. No Time Lonesome

5. Moving Too Fast

6. Sold My Heart

7. Sierra Cowgirl

8. Chasing Clouds

9. Sunset Ride

10. Winter Always Finds Me

Tracks 10 to 10 are their 3rd and last studio album "Sunset Ride" – released 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2603 (no UK release)

There is the now standard card slipcase on the outside lending the whole package a classy feel - while ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the 2015 remasters at Sound Mastering in London. The 16-page booklet has full album credits (including reproducing the lyric insert that came with US copies of “Sunset Ride”) as well as new liner notes by noted Rock Writer NEIL DANIELS. His excellent and informative paragraphs go into the band’s haphazard history with genres and record companies and how Bolin would go onto guitar-god fame with The James Gang and Deep Purple. Both CDs sound brilliant to me - especially the 2nd CD. Now to the music...

"Going Back To Colorado" was the 2nd and last Zephyr album Tommy Bolin played on – their self-titled debut came out in the USA in December 1969 on Probe CPLP-4510 and May 1970 in the UK on Probe SPB 1006. While it charted at a lowly 48 in the USA – the debut was met with complete indifference in the UK - hence the non-release of the following two albums on Warner Brothers (the original 1970 British Probe Records LP on the Pink Label is a £60+ rarity and is notoriously difficult to find). Although often derided as being a mash-up of too many conflicting styles – for me "Going Back To Colorado" still has many great moments on it – least not of all Bolin's inventive axework and the Janis Joplin-like vocals of Candy Givens (John Faris has his one croaky moment too).

Producer by "Electric Ladyland" Engineer helmsman Eddie Kramer - Side 1 opens with the Bluesy title track and after hearing Bolin's fab slide playing - you begin to think that maybe you've stumbled on a long-lost Boogie and Blues masterpiece. But the neither here-nor-there "Miss Libertine" soon puts a damper on that with its earnest "...all the animals have been killed..." hippy Rock that is seeking a tune but never quite finds it. The unlistenable backwards effects and voices of “Night Fades Softly” only make matters worse – irritating rather than innovating. We get a bit 'shoo-waddy-waddy' Rock 'n' Roll with the "The Radio Song" but things improve with the six-minutes of "See My People Come Together" where Zephyr let Bolin rip on the guitar effects before he goes into a great Rock-Funk groove. Along with Candy Givens' voice and that chugging rhythm section – this track in particular makes me think of the all-girl group FANNY at their best (were on Reprise Records in 1971).

Side 2 opens with a manic drum intro for Bolin's "Showbizzy" – the band sounding like Janis Joplin's Big Brother and The Holding Company having a rock out. "Showbizzy" has some tremendous Bolin axework in the funky/chunky James Gang backing riffs and as he Solos from speaker to speaker. The beautifully structured "Keep Me" feels almost like one of those Charles Stepney arrangements he did with Rotary Connection and Minnie Riperton. The Candy Givens vocal is more laid back and therefore expressive, John Faris giving it some Flute while backing singers Albertine Robinson, Eileen Gilbert and Tasha Thomas make it a more Soulful song. Sounding like lesser Dr. John – John Faris takes his only Lead Vocal on the album for his own composition "Take My Love". This is fabulous stuff – funky accomplished Soul-Rock with the whole band gelling (Faris also plays Saxophone on the song while David Givens plucks sexy Bass lines and Bobby Berge whacks those drums with pleasure). This is the kind of cool Funky Rock track that Soul Boys love - Bolin's Joe Walsh-like guitar flourishes giving the whole sexy swaggering thing aural meat and potatoes. We then get a terrible let down with "I'll Be Right Here" with lyrics about "...crops failing..." and the "...land being blighted..." It’s all very earnest for sure but its melodrama and big backing vocals date the whole song terribly - and somehow it just doesn’t move you - even though its trying its hardest to do so.

You would think with the departure of such a key element to their sound (Bolin's guitar) – that Zephyr would fall apart – yet their 3rd album is better in many ways that the patchy 2nd (Bolin famously replaced Joe Walsh in The James Gang for "Bang" and "Miami" on Atlantic Records in 1973 and 1974 – and then Deep Purple for "Come Taste The Band" in 1975). With Bolin gone – David Givens stepped up to the plate as the principal songwriter giving the album an altogether Funkier Soul-Rock feel (hence the jet and palm-tree Miami look). John Bartley replaced Bolin on Guitars (also sings on "Sold My Heart" and "Winter Always Finds Me") and the Organ and Piano of Dan Smyth replaced Keyboardist John Faris. P. M. Wooten hits the Drums anew while Candy's hubby David Givens remained as Bass.

Both "I Am Not Surprised" and "Someone To Chew" hammer home that Fanny comparison – Candy's vocals deeper in the mix and not so vitriolic while both Smyth and Bartley lay down the funkiest of rhythms – especially on the impressive "Someone To Chew". Opening like an upbeat Van Morrison song - their wistful cover of Billie Ed Wheeler's "High Flying Bird" retains the same Soulful feel Richie Havens gave it when he made the song famous on his "Mixed Bag" LP from 1967. Again Van's shadow is cast over the straight up admiration song "No Time Lonesome" with David and Candy sharing the mike in a husband and wife love-in. Equally lovely is "Sold My Heart" - a very accomplished little ditty that works its happy way into your heart (complete with Little Feat keyboard flourishes).

Neil Daniels is right to get a little overexcited in his liner notes about the brilliant 5:19 minutes of "Moving Too Fast" which features a hair-raisingly great Harmonica solo from Candy - rocking it out with impressive abandon as the slow builder nears its Funky-Rock end. They sound more America than Fanny on "Sierra Cowgirl" where they share vocals as the riding-a-rocking-horse rhythm builds in speed (good lyrics too and a lovely solo on Piano from Candy). "Chasing Clouds" is a co-write between David Givens and Dan Smyth – it sounds nice but steadfastly refuses to take off as a song. “Sunset Ride” is the jazziest piece on the album with crashing Santana cymbals ("Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" on Abraxas) and high backing vocals like an angel’s choir – it's cool in that Rotary Connection way. It ends on the spacey instrumental chimes and treated keyboards of "Winter Always Finds Me" where they sound like a cross between Googie's Air and Weather Report. The vocals arrive after the "Riders On The Storm" pace settles down into its sexy groove – very cool stuff and a bit of a groovy winner frankly...

To sum up - both albums are hugely different – 1971's "Going Back To Colorado" sounding like a Blues Bar Band trying to find its musical feet and occasionally winning – while the Funkier and more Rock-mellow "Sunset Ride" LP from 1972 is musical eons away – and even contains a few undiscovered gems Jazz Funkers the world over will need to own. Either way I'm big-time digging the good bits on both. Sadly both Tommy Bolin and Candy Givens lost their young and talented lives to sloppy drug-related incidents – Bolin aged 26 in 1976 and Candy aged 37 in 1984. What a waste...

At least this rather cool little double-CD set remembers their legacy with style and affection. Well done to Beat Goes On for re-educating us...check this reissue out...