"Alone Together" by DAVE MASON of Traffic [featuring Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Delaney & Bonnie and Eric Clapton] (2008 Rev-Ola CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Only You Know And I Know..."

A founder member of Traffic (who'd worked with Kim Fowley and The Spencer Davis Group prior to that) – the man who penned their fabulous "Feelin’ Alright" hit was the first to jump ship due to that internal hairyman virus bands seem to suffer perennially from - 'musical differences'.

Ensconced in the USA with a huge cast of key players – Mason went at his first solo LP with the help of Traffic’s Drummer Jim Capaldi and cool contributions from the likes of Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Chris Etheridge, Jim Keltner, Rita Coolidge, Claudia Lennear and the Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett band (to name but a few) – producing a humdinger in the process. And that’s where this superb 2008 Rev-Ola CD Reissue and Remaster comes in...

UK released 28 May 2008 (June 2008 in the USA) - "Alone Together" by DAVE MASON on Rev-Ola CD REV 251 (Barcode 5013929455122) is a straightforward CD Remaster of his 8-Track 1970 debut solo LP and plays out as follows (34:54 minutes):

1. Only You Know And I Know

2. Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving

3. Waitin' On You

4. Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave

5. World In Changes [Side 2]

6. Sad And Deep As You

7. Just A Song

8. Look At You, Look At Me

Tracks 1 to 8 are his debut solo LP "Alone Together" – released July 1970 in the USA on Blue Thumb BTS 19 and October 1970 in the UK on Harvest SHTC 251. Produced by DAVE MASON and TOMMY LIPUMA (engineered by Bruce Botnik of The Doors fame) - the US issue famously came in two forms – a triple gatefold sleeve with black vinyl and some copies came with die-cut 'kangaroo-pac' triple gatefold sleeve with a splatter–coloured Vinyl LP inside (both had BTS 19 as their catalogue numbers).

But the big news here is the 'Sound Recreation' Remaster by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER done at Studio 3 in Glasgow. This CD sounds glorious - beautiful sound on every track...

Harvest Records took their sweet time in the UK - releasing "World In Changes" b/w "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving" in April 1970 on Harvest HAR 5017. But as the album proper didn’t show until October 1970 in the UK - months of waiting killed any momentum. In-between that they'd issued another 7" single in the shape of the superb "Only You Know And I Know" b/w "Sad And Deep As You" in August 1970 on Harvest HAR 5024 – but again it tanked. Considering how good the four songs were – and how radio catchy too – it's amazing now to think that DJs didn't pick up on either. Mason also contributed to the George Harrison colossus "All Things Must Pass" which saw his work on the 3LP Box Set released late November 1970 - this should have given Dave Mason more profile to the October 1970 UK release of the "Alone Together" LP - but naught happened. In fact when I now replay killers like "Only You Know And I Know" and "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" - it's hard to understand why Joe Public in Blighty didn't pay any attention to their native son. "Only You Know And I Know" in particular is one of those songs that gets covered to buggery precisely because its so damn catchy - Rita Coolidge did it on her 1971 A&M Records LP "Nice Feelin'" - Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett tapped it in October 1971 as a 45 in the UK on Atco 2091 151 - then again on their March 1972 LP on CBS Records "D & B Together" - and as recently as 2002 American R&B lover Joan Osbourne did a stunning Funk version of it for her "How Sweet It Is" covers CD album.

The "...best friend I have is me..." lyrics of "Waitin' On You" threaten to derail a great little rock song and Eric Clapton famously puts in what many feel is his best ever 'guitar solo' on the near eight-minute Side 2 finisher "Look At You, Look At Me". Mason's brilliant "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" was a featured track on the Harvest Records 4CD expansion of the 1970 2LP label sampler "Picnic: A Breath Of Fresh Air" in 2007 - and check out the superb cover of "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving" by Steve Ellis of The Love Affair (and Ellis) on Disc 3 of the June 2015 "Time Has Changed Us" 3CD retrospective on RPM Records (see separate review). The hurting "Sad And Deep As You" is a piano ballad that is so pretty while "Just A Song" could almost be America or even acoustic Supertramp. I’m finding all I need in this great little album...

Since the advent of CD the album "Alone Together" has become something a darling with audiophile reissue companies like Mobile Fidelity and regularly shown up on Japanese SHM-CD versions with that famous 'head and top-hat' die-cut artwork - each falling over themselves to get out a CD variant out there that will easily trounce the dreadful quality of the original splatter-vinyl LPs. Many are deleted now and cost a hefty chunk of change – but the Rev-Ola reissue and remaster offers superb audio for a reasonable sum and makes accessible a truly great album you will want in your CD player. I'll tip my top hat to that...

PS: Rev-ola have also reissued and remastered his 2nd LP with Mama Cass Elliot called "Dave Mason and Cass Elliot" in 2008 on Rev-ola CD REV 255 (Barcode 5013929455528) – use the Barcode on Amazon to locate my review of this equally good Audio delight.

"Dave Mason & Cass Elliot" by DAVE MASON & CASS ELLIOT (2008 Rev-Ola CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Walk To The Point Of No Return..."

Sometimes an album is misunderstood - and the harmony pairing of Traffic's Dave Mason (the Englishman) with one quarter of The Mama's And The Papa's vocal powerhouse Cass Elliot (the American Lady) is a case in point.

I had a British copy of the 1971 album on the pink Probe label in its cool stippled gatefold sleeve and used to play "Walk To The Point" - but not much else. In no time I got rid of it and haven’t played the whole thing for the guts of 40 years. But this 2008 CD by 'Rev-Ola' - resplendent with truly amazing Audio quality - has changed my duo tune. Here are the factoids first...

UK released June 2008 - "Dave Mason And Cass Elliot" by DAVE MASON and CASS ELLIOT on Rev-Ola CD REV 255 (Barcode 5013929455528) is a straightforward CD Remaster of their 1971 10-track LP and plays out as follows (34:10 minutes):

1. Walk To The Point

2. On And On

3. To Be Free

4. Here We Go Again

5. Pleasing You

6. Sit And Wonder [Side 2]

7. Something To Make You Happy

8. Too Much Truth, Too Much Love

9. Next To You

10. Glittering Facade

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd solo LP "Dave Mason & Cass Elliot" - released February 1971 in the USA on Blue Thumb BTS-8825 and May 1971 in the UK on Probe Records SPBA 6259. Produced by DAVE MASON and CASS ELLIOT - it peaked at No. 49 on the USA LP charts (didn't chart in the UK).

The foldout inlay spreads into six squares on either side – one whole side taken up with the American ABC-Dunhill/Blue Thumb advert for the LP which also plugs the "Waitin' On You" 45 on Blue Thumb 7122 (with "Just A Song" from the 1970 "Alone Together" LP as its B-side). DUGLAS T STEWART provides the April 2006 liner notes that explain how their pairing arrived (Mama Cass had just put up new mum Leah Kunkel (her sister) in her California apartment when Mason and Elliot were introduced - playing songs together thereafter). But the big news here is the 'Sound Recreation' Remaster by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER done at Studio 3 in Glasgow. This CD sounds glorious - beautiful sound on every track...

Instead of leading off with the brilliant and touching "Walk To The Point" (a Dave Mason original) - Blue Thumb decided instead on the rather sappy Mama's & Papa's identikit pop of "Something To Make You Happy" as the album's first 7" single in late December 1970. There's a rare Promo-Only titled sleeve for the American 45 where Dave and Cass are announced as 'newly married' - shame Rev-Ola didn't use it in the inlay (the album cut "Next To You" was on the flip-side). Funky-Soulful songwriter Ned Doheny would make solo album inroads himself in 1976 with his own "Hard Candy" LP that contained the wicked "Get It Up For Love" track (see separate review) - here Doheny gets an early writer's credit for the very CSNY-sounding "On And On" - a quality song. Dave Mason throws in composition number two with "To Be Free" - a typically upbeat 'in love with love' summery song. Better is the Bryan Garo (Bassist on the sessions) and Cass Elliot penned "Here We Go Again" - an album highlight with great vocals and string arrangements that work rather than overload. Side 1 ends with "Pleasing You" where Paul Harris and that chunky organ sound of his (later with Stephen Stills' Manassas) add a lot to the song.

Side 2 opens with a lovely melody - "Sit And Wonder" - a searching for meaning song. One of the album's prettier melodies "Too Much Truth, Too Much Love" was chosen as a Blue Thumb 45 with the equally good "Walk To The Point" on the flipside - but the 'i want everyone to feel fine' melody didn't chart. The impressive axe work on "Next To You" tries hard to move your feet but doesn't quite convince. But the album does end on the excellent "Glittering Facade" - a sort of mid-tempo keyboard and acoustic guitar funk where Mason lets fly up and down the frets while once again Paul Harris adds hugely to proceedings with those keyboard fills.

Is this Dave Mason and Mama Cass Elliot duet album as good as the preceding "Alone Together" set with the mighty trio of "Only You And I Know" (covered by Rita Coolidge and Joan Osbourne), "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Living" (covered by Steve Ellis of The Love Affair) and "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" - the answer is unfortunately no.

It’s not a masterpiece for sure - but of Seventies Rock and CSYN/America type harmonies – then that good stuff is more than worth checking out (and the Audio will impress too).

PS: I have the Rev-Ola June 2008 CD Remaster of his solo debut LP from 1970 "Alone Together" and it sounds just as awesome too...

“Wonderful Deeds And Adventures” by SUSAN CARTER [featuring BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS] - 2008 Rev-ola CD Remaster - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Young Girl Blues…"

Susan Carter's first album was released in the USA in 1970 on Epic BN 26510 and is subtitled "A Collection Of Stirring Scenes and Moving Accidents". It featuring heavy involvement from members of BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS. 

This UK-released 25 August 2008 Remastered CD Reissue (September 2008 in the USA) on Rev-ola CR REV 260 (Barcode 5013929456020) is a straightforward transfer of that very rare and unfairly forgotten Californian curio.

Duglus T Stewart's informative and honest liner notes admit to the excessive hippy claptrap that infuses some of the album's Laurel Canyon vibe (it's very much of its time). But he also quite rightly raves about the collaborative brilliance that permeates through other tracks (it's jazzed up with Blood, Sweat & Tears presence) - and happily the goodies outweigh the naff stuff. There really is so much on here to enjoy.

Here's the breakdown (40:13 minutes):

1. Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield/Stephen Stills cover)

2. Young Girl Blues (Donovan cover)

3. Temptation ‘Bout To Get Me (The Knight Brothers cover, 1965)

4. Medley For Billie Holiday 

(a) Billy's Blues (Laura Nyro cover)

(b) Lady Sings The Blues (Billie Holiday cover)

(c) Lonely Women (Laura Nyro cover)

5. Brighten Your Night With My Day (James Taylor cover)

6. I Need A Good Man Bad (Les and Susan Carter original)

7. I'm So Tired (Beatles cover)

8. Old Country (Nat Adderley cover)

9. Illinois (Randy Newman cover)

10. Jam Session: Cruising With The Blues (Les & Susan Carter original)

Stylistically, Carter sounds like Laura Nyro meets Bonnie Dobson meets a hint of Joni Mitchell with LAURA NYRO winning out. If you then superimpose that vocal onto the second Blood, Sweat and Tears album, you get a pretty good idea of how this record sounds. RANDY BRECKER features on Trumpet, FRED LIPSIUS on Saxophone and DICK HALLIGAN on Trombone (all from BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS) with Halligan overseeing all of the arrangements, which are uniformly fabulous and elevate the album's better tracks into something special more than a few times. TERRY PLUMERI plays really tasteful upright bass on the album's straight-up jazz piece, Nat Adderley's "Old Country" with Randy Brecker blowing sweetly throughout - very nice indeed. And the sound quality is FANTASTIC throughout. 

As you can see from the list above, there are 8 cover versions and only two originals and their quality range from the sublimely soulful and jazzy "Medley For Billie Holiday" to the awful - the White Album's sinister "I'm So Tired" turned into a sub Bacharach smooze fest with wild guitar at the end just so that you know they're "with it man". It's almost funny how awful the guitar bit is that ends it! Her version of James Taylor's "Brighten Your Night With My Day" fares better - it's lovely - so Laura Nyro circa "Christmas & The Beads Of Sweat".  ELLIOTT RANDALL puts in superb guitar work on her excellent original "I Need A Good Man Bad" with Dick Halligan's brass arrangements delivering a killer punch too. (Two years later, Randall would supply the stunning guitar work on Steely Dan's "Reelin' In The Years"). The album closer is a kind of funky, jazz, rock workout and I love it - it sounds a little like C.C.S. circa 1970. 

Special mention must be made of the sound - the remaster quality is EXCEPTIONAL - beautiful work done by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER at Studio 3 in Glasgow. The opening track has a 30 second acapella passage and Carter's voice is clear, warm, and has very little hiss surrounding it - and when the instrumentation does kick in, you feel all of it - great stuff. It's like a really good Blood, Sweat & Tears transfer - fans of the album will be thrilled and Revola have done the lady justice.

I've seen the vinyl version of this rare and long-forgotten Laurel Canyon period album maybe once in 30 years - so for those who love their Californian ladies and their 1970s records, this is very sweet re-issue indeed. 

A job well done Revola and highly recommended…

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is 1960s and 1970s VOLUME 2 - ROCK & POP, FOLK ROCK and PUNK, NEW WAVE and REGGAE - an E-Book with over 200 entries and 2000 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).