"Countdown To Ecstasy" by STEELY DAN (2008 and 2011 Japan Universal SHM-CD in 5" Mini LP Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...I Detect The El Supremo..."

How do you follow a debut like "Can't Buy A Thrill" - classy, precise, rammed to the gills with tunes that still stand up a whopping 44 years? And it had two-headed sucker punch of tunes - the Farfisa organ twinkle of "Do It Again" and Elliott Randall's Guitar pyrotechnics on "Reelin' In The Years". How do you follow one of the best starts? Simple – for round two - you go one better.

Yet their second platter of brilliance "Countdown To Ecstasy" (along with 1975's "Katy Lied") always seems to lag behind - overlooked for the obvious genius of 1976's "The Royal Scam" and especially 1977's meisterwork - "Aja". Yet of all the albums I play to death from that Golden Era - it's "Countdown To Ecstasy" that amazes me the most. With the twin vocalists of Don Palmer and Donald Fagen on the debut reduced to just Donald Fagen - this record feels like the first 'real' Steely Dan album - a Becker/Fagan album - their sound - their songs - done their way. Which brings us to this gorgeous Japan-Only SHM-CD reissue...

This review is for the 25 June 2008 SHM-CD Issue of "Countdown To Ecstasy" by STEELY DAN on Universal/Geffen UICY-93518 (Barcode 4988005518309). 

It comes in 5" Mini LP Repro Artwork (the US album on ABC Records) and includes a repro of the lyric insert that came with original copies (41:13 minutes total playing time). There's an outer OBI band with reissue details, the fold-out colour booklet that came with the 1998 Becker/Fagen CD Remasters (their caustic liner notes) as well as a separate 16-page Japanese booklet in white (all details in Japanese). Please also note that this SHM-CD of "Countdown To Ecstasy" was reissued 29 December 2011 with the same catalogue number and Barcode (to confuse matters) and there's been a further Platinum SHM-CD version too from July 2014 using a new remaster.

What is a SHM-CD and does it sound better than the standard 1998 issue that's available very cheaply? Some say yes, others say it's a con. It was developed in 2008 by JVC as a brand new form of CD with far better retrieval capabilities. The problem is that they are ONLY available in JAPAN and usually at considerably higher cost. Also one of the biggest arguments put forward 'against' them is that you need a high-end player to get the best out of these CDs. I don't agree. I own about 15 of these beauties and the sound on all is more than impressive - it's in the musicality - it's in the details. I would say however that if the remaster is recent - and its on SHM - and you've a half decent player - then the combo of all 3 will produce wonderful sonic results (see my recent review for James Taylor's "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" on Japanese SHM-CD). Let's get to the album itself and the Audio on this 2008 and 2011 SHM-CD reissue...

1. Bodhisattva

2. Razor Boy

3. The Boston Rag

4. Your Gold Teeth

5. Show Biz Kids

6. My Old School

7. Pearl Of The Quarter

8. King Of The World

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd studio album "Countdown To Ecstasy" - released July 1973 in the USA on ABC Records ABCX-779 and September 1973 in the UK on Probe Records SPB 1079 (reissued October 1974 in the UK on ABC Records ABCL 5034). Produced by GARY KATZ and Engineered by ROGER NICHOLS - it peaked at No. 35 on the Pop Charts in the USA but didn't chart in the UK.

It opens with utter brilliance - "Bodhisattva". Described on their lyric insert as 'Diaz the Bebopper meets Baxter the Skunk beneath the Bo Tree in this altered Blues' - you're immediately walloped with the clarity of Jim Hodder's Drums and both Denny Dias and future Doobie Brother Jeff "Skunk" Baxter tearing it on their respective guitars. As Guitar Rock goes – it’s a stormer. The Victor Feldman Vibes and Donald Fagen Piano playing on "Razor Boy" is startling - that beautifully tight rhythm section too sailing out of your speakers with a sexy swagger. In August 1973 both ABC in the States and Probe Records in the UK put it on the B-side of “Show Biz Kids” as a 45 (ABC Records 11382 vs. Probe PRO 602). On the strength of the A-side – it peaked at No. 61 in the USA.

Brilliant is the only word to describe the deceptively simple Guitar run that works its way throughout the whole of "The Boston Rag". You can now also hear those Acoustic Guitars played by guest musician Ben Benay. I’ve still no idea what the “...Lonnie was the Kingpin...” lyrics are about - but given those guitar solos and clever keyboard breaks – I get the lyric insert explanation telling us that ‘several members of The Dan get to “stretch out”’ on the song. Side one ends with the seven-minute chug and shug of "Your Gold Teeth". A wickedly groovy keyboard jaunt with Donald disdainfully sneering as he sings "...Torture is the main attraction...I don't need that kind of action..." I'd also forgotten how good the guitar flicks throughout are - that keyboard solo - and the treated backing vocals of Sherlie Matthews, Myrna Matthews, Patricia hall, David Palmer, Royce Jones, James Rolleston and Michael Fennelly - it all sounds amazing on this SHM-CD.

Probably the bitterest and most self-knowing of songs in their amazing repertoire – "Show Biz Kids" lays into self-obsessed party types and showcases the extraordinary Slide Guitar of Rick Derringer who gives the song the kind of muscle and magic Elliott Randal gave to “Reelin’ In The Years”. As the girls chant "...it's only life's wages..." and sing "...while the poor people sleepin' with the shade of the light...all the stars come out at night..." - many of them wearing Steely Dan teeshirts as they make films about themselves. The chipper "My Old School" features a four-man Brass Section arranged by Jimmie Haskell and was also chosen as an A-side on both sides of the pond in November 1973 (ABC Records 11396, Probe Records PRO 606). As it jaunt and funks along like its Tower Of Power meets Steely Dan - the lyrics tell us that Daddy is going to be "...quite surprised to find you with the working girls in the County Jail..."(nice). “My Old School” is a brilliant little bopper and an emotional upper on a largely sarcastic album.

The lovely pedal steel of "Pearl Of The Quarter" (the B-side of "Show Biz Kids" on both sides of the pond) bolsters up a gorgeous melody and the closest the album gets to an actual 'love song'. The audio on this baby perhaps impresses most. It ends on the weird yet thrilling wah-wah rhythms of "King of The World" - treated guitars and keyboards while Jim Hodder keeps it so tight on the drums. The Remaster brings out all those guitar and keyboard parts as Fagan sings "...no marigolds in the promised-land...there's a hole in the ground where they used to grow..." And that stomping break towards the end is f**king brilliant...

Even now - with a distance of 43 years - I'm gobsmacked at the musical accomplishment on "Countdown To Ecstasy". Rooted in the brilliance of their October 1972 "Can't Buy A Thrill" debut LP and yet advanced a million miles away from it in less than nine months.

You can get the 1998 CD for peanuts - but if like me you have to have the best when it comes to the best band of the Seventies - then these dinky Japanese SHM-CDs are the 'gold teeth' for you...

"Original Album Classics" by JOHNNY WINTER (AND) (2011 Columbia/Sony Legacy 5CD Mini Box Set With Repro Card Artwork and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Almost 300 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3

- Exceptional CD Remasters

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

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde, Underground

Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Country Rock and more

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

 

"…I'm Hungry…Let's Do This Fucker!"

Johnny Winter's first entry in Sony’s hugely successful "Original Album Classics" Series is a genuine nugget (there’s a 2nd box set for later albums). A 5CD Mini Box Set concentrating on his rightly celebrated Late Sixties/Early Seventies Blues-Rock output. Two of the discs even have uncredited bonus tracks and it's mid-price into the bargain. Johnny B Damn Goode on a budget. Here are the Texas White Boy Blues...

Released 24 January 2011 in the UK (1 Feb 2011 in the USA) - "Original Album Classics" by JOHNNY WINTER on Columbia/Sony Legacy 886976561727 (Barcode is the same) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with each CD housed in a singular card sleeve which repro's in miniature the back and front artwork of the original vinyl LP. 

Although there’s no booklet (and with the card details being almost illegible) – Sony provides downloadable recording info, production credits etc via the Net from their website. Let's get to the nitty gritty...

Disc 1 - "Johnny Winter" (34:14 minutes):

1. I'm Yours And I'm Hers

2. Be Careful With A Fool

3. Dallas

4. Mean Mistreater

5. Lean Mississippi Blues [Side 2]

6. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

7. When You Got A Good Friend

8. I'll Drown In My Own Tears

9. Back Door Friend

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 2nd studio album "Johnny Winter" - released on vinyl in the USA in May 1969 on Columbia CS 9826 and July 1969 in the UK on CBS Records S 63619

Disc 2 - "Second Winter" (46:57 minutes):

1. Memory Pain

2. I'm Not So Sure

3. The Good Love

4. Slippin' And Slidin' [Side 2]

5. Miss Ann

6. Johnny B. Goode

7. Highway 61 Revisited

8. I Love Everybody [Side 3]

9. Hustled Down In Texas

10. I Hate Everybody

11. Fast Life Rider

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 3rd studio album "Second Winter" - released as a 3-sided 2LP set in November 1969 on Columbia K2S 9947 in the USA and May 1970 in the UK on CBS S 66321 (Side 4 was left blank)

Disc 3 - "Live/Johnny Winter And" (40:12 minutes):

1. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

2. It's my Own Fault

3. Jumpin Jack Flash

4. Rock & Roll Medley:

(a) Great Balls Of Fire (b) Long Tall Sally (c) Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On [Side 2]

5. Mean Town Blues

6. Johnny B. Goode

Tracks 1 to 6 are the live LP "Live/Johnny Winter And" by JOHNNY WINTER AND - released March 1971 in the USA on Columbia CS PC 30475 and in the UK on CBS S 64289

Disc 4 - "Still Alive And Well" (44:32 minutes):

1. Rock Me Baby

2. Can You Feel It

3. Cheap Tequila

4. All Tore Down

5. Rock & Roll

6. Silver Train [Side 2]

7. Ain't Nothing To Me

8. Still Alive And Well

9. Too Much Seconal

10. Let It Bleed

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 4th studio album "Still Alive And Well" - released April 1973 on Columbia KC 32188 in the USA and in the UK on CBS S 65484

[NOTE: Tracks 11 and 12 "Lucille" and "From A Buick Six" are uncredited bonus tracks]

Disc 5 - "Saints & Sinners" (41:48 minutes):

1. Stone County

2. Blinded By Love

3. Thirty Days

4. Stray Cat Blues

5. Bad Luck Situation

6. Rollin' 'Cross The Country [Side 2]

7. Riot In Cell Block No. 9

8. Hurtin' So Bad

9. Boney Maronie

10. Feedback On Highway 101

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Saints & Sinners" - released February 1974 in the USA on Columbia KC 32715 in the USA and in the UK on CBS S 65842

[NOTE: Track 11 "Dirty" is an uncredited bonus track]

Winter's debut LP "The Progressive Blues Experiment" was released on Imperial Records in the States in April 1969 - so the first disc on here "Johnny Winter" is actually his 2nd album and his debut for Columbia Records. Along with its impossibly cool follow-up "Second Winter" (a 3-sided 2LP set where Side 4 was blank) - they are vinyl treasures I've had on my turntables for over 45 years.

Highlights from both include the twin guitar boogie of "I'm Yours And I'm Hers" along with the stunning National Steel slide of "Dallas". And as if to stamp his credentials on the genre, the cover of the Muddy Waters staple "Mean Mistreater" features two huge Blues Legends - Willie Dixon on Bass and Walter "Shakey" Horton on Blues Harp. Speaking of mean harmonica warblers – Johnny Winter's own Harp playing on "Back Door Friend" makes him sound like some 70-year old veteran. The immediately impressive "I Love Everybody" track from "Second Winter" 2LP set turned up on those CBS sampler LPs in 1970 and 1971 while his cover of Percy Mayfield's "Memory Pain" sounded so Hard Rock - a great opening salvo and a clever reading of the changing sounds of the time.

But like Rory Gallagher with his 1972 meisterpiece "Live In Europe" (another genuine guitar hero) - it wasn't until 1971 that you heard the full power of Johnny Winter and his band on the now legendary "Live" album (credited as Johnny Winter And). There are versions of the Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" that are arguably definitive - blistering stuff. I'm afraid I threw many a guitar shape to these tracks in my living room as a teenager...oh dear. "Mean Town Blues" only showed how deeply he was DNA'd to the Blues - truly amazing stuff...

The final two albums featured here – 1973's "Still Alive And Well" and 1974's "Saints And Sinners" - saw RICK DERRINGER both join the ranks and produce. The Canned Heat/ZZ Top boogie of "Rock & Roll" (lyrics above) and the Slide Blues of "Too Much Seconal" showed that the magic was still there (even if the drugs seemed to be getting the better of him). His version of the Stones "Silver Train" from 1973's "Goat's Head Soup" sounds so much like them that it might very well have been an outtake from that 1973 session with Winter singing lead vocal instead of Mick Jagger. His funky spoken intro of "I'm hungry...Let's do this f****er..." to "Still Alive And Well" raises a laugh to this day and his raucous version of Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days" is great fun too. Todd Rundgren provided Mellotron on the Rick Derringer written "Cheap Tequila" while future Disco buff Dan Hartman penned "Can You Feel It".

Despite personal health problems - the "Saints And Sinners" album still rocked. It opening with the hard-hitting "Stone Canyon" (penned by Richard Supa from the American East-Coast 'Man' band - not to be confused with the Welsh group) – all riffing guitars backed up some Lynyrd Skynyrd type girly vocals. He gives Allen Toussaint's "Blinded By Love" a Funky Rock tint and just about succeeds. Back to more familiar territory with Chuck Berry's "Thirty Days" but the production is murky and the take way too frantic. Far better is the Jagger-Richards cover of "Stray Cat Blues" – great playing and a big meaty Bluesy Rock sound from the clearly enthusiastic band. Side 1 ends on his own "Bad Luck Situation" – a good guitar tune even if his vocals seem lost in some echo room. Dan Hartman and his brother Edgar Winter provide "Rollin' 'Cross The County" – a very commercial rock single for the time not unlike BTO firing on all sixes. His own "Hurtin' So Bad" is good but best of all is the surprise Dobro/Flute Blues of "Dirty" – a sort of unannounced bonus track – what a cool, trippy addition...

To sum up - nearly 6 albums worth of great Blues-Rock for roughly two quid a record is a bit of a no-brainer really. No Johnny Winter of discontent here folks...

PS: If you want more check out his late Seventies collaborations with MUDDY WATERS on Blue Sky Records which feature Winter producing and playing on all (see the 3CD "Original Album Classics" box set). There is also a LEGACY Double of "Second Winter" and a "Woodstock Experience" version of "Johnny Winter" - both have superb bonus discs of period live material (see reviews)...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 250 entries and 2100 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). 

______________________________________________________

PPS: below is a list of titles in the "Original Classic Albums" Series
5CD and 3CD sets up to and including January 2012

1. The Allman Brothers Band
2. Argent (see REVIEW)
3. Jeff Beck (Box 1)
4. Jeff Beck (Box 2)
5. Tony Bennett
6. George Benson
7. Big Audio Dynamite
8. Blood, Sweat & Tears
9. Blue Oyster Cult
10. Boney M
11. Pierre Boulez
12. The Brecker Brothers
13. Dave Brubeck Quartet
14. Jeff Buckley
15. The Byrds
16. Johnny Cash
17. Cheap Trick
18. Stanley Clarke
19. Harry Connick Jr.
20. Cypress Hill
21. Miles Davis (Box 1)
22. Miles Davis (Box 2)
23. Duke Ellington
24. Earth, Wind & Fire
25. Electric Light Orchestra
26. Agnetha Faltskog [Frida of Abba]
27. Dan Fogelberg
28. Aretha Franklin (see also 3CD list)
29. Rory Gallagher
30. Glenn Gould
31. Hall & Oates
32. Hot Tuna
33. The Isley Brothers (see REVIEW)
34. The Jacksons
35. Etta James
36. Jefferson Airplane
37. Jefferson Starship
38. Waylon Jennings
39. Journey
40. Judas Priest
41. Kansas
42. Carole King
43. Kris Kristofferson
44. Mario Lanza
45. Cyndi Lauper
46. The Lovin’ Spoonful
47. The Mahavishnu Orchestra
48. Henri Mancini
49. John McLaughlin
50. Al Di Meola
51. Molly Hatchet
52. Thelonious Monk (Box 1)
53. Thelonious Monk (Box 2) (see also 3CD sets)
54. Mott The Hoople
55. Mountain
56. Willie Nelson
57. Harry Nilsson
58. Ted Nugent
59. Laura Nyro
60. The Alan Parsons Project
61. Dolly Parton
62. Murray Perahia
63. Michel Petrucciani
64. Poco
65. Prefab Sprout
66. Preservation Hall Jazz band
67. Elvis Presley (Box 1)
68. Elvis Presley (Box 2)
69. Leontyne Price
70. The Psychedelic Furs
71. Lou Reed (Box 1)
72. Lou Reed (Box 2)
73. REO Speedwagon
74. Sonny Rollins
75. Artur Rubinstein
76. Run DMC
77. Santana (Box 1)
78. Santana (Box 2) (see also 3CD list)
79. Joe Satriani
80. Boz Scaggs
81. Nina Simone
82. Sly & The Family Stone
83. Lonnie Liston Smith
84. Patti Smith
85. Smokie
86. Soft Machine
87. Spirit
88. Isaac Stern
89. The Stranglers
90. Ivor Stravinsky
91. Suicidal Tendencies
92. James Taylor
93. Steve Vai
94. Various - Carols For Christmas
95. Various – The Joys Of Christmas
96. Weather Report (Box 1)
97. Weather Report (Box 2)
98. John Williams
99. The Edgar Winter Group
100. Johnny Winter (And) (see REVIEW)
101. Johnny Winter (second 5CD set)
102. Paul Young
103. Sophie Zelmani


PS: 01/02/2010 saw the introduction of THREE DISC SETS in the “Original Album Classics” Series and releases are ongoing. Here is a list as of January 2012…

1. ADAM & THE ANTS (26/09/2011)
[Dirk Wears White Sox/Kings Of The Wild Frontier/Prince Charming]
2. AMERIE (01/02/2010)
(All I Have/Touch/Because I Love It)
3. ANATHEMA (26/09/2011)
[Judgement/A Fine Day To Exit/A Natural Disaster]
4. BLONDIE (26/09/2011)
[No Exit/Livid/The Curse Of Blondie]
5. COLIN BLUNSTONE (26/07/2010)
[One Year/Ennismore/Journey]
6. DAVID BOWIE (09/01/2012)
[Outside/Earthling/Hours…]
7. JOHNNY CASH (09/01/2012)
[Hello, I’m Johnny Cash/The Johnny Cash Show/Man In Black]
8. CLANNAD (24/01/2011)
[Magical Ring/Macalla/Sirius]
9. SHAWN COLVIN (08/02/2010)
[Steady On/Fat City/Cover Girl]
10. ALICE COOPER (26/09/2011)
[Trash/Hey Stoopid/The Last Temptation]
11. MILES DAVIS (26/07/2010)
[Nefertiti/Socerer/Filles De Kilimanjaro]
12. DEEP PURPLE (26/09/2011)
[Slaves And Masters/The Battle Rages On/Purpendicular]
13. DONOVAN (22/07/2010)
[Mellow Yellow/Hurdy Gurdy Man/Barabajagal]
14. BOB DYLAN (26/07/2010)
[Empire Burlesque/Down In The Groove/Under The Red Sky]
15. BOB DYLAN (09/01/2012)
[Good As I Been To You/World Gone Wrong/MTV Unplugged]
16. EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER (28/03/2011)
[Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970/Live At The Royal Albert Hall/Live In Poland]
17. AGNETHA FALTSKOG [FRIDA of ABBA] (01/02/2010)
[Agnetha Faltskog/Nar En Vacker Tanke Blirsang/Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus]
18. (PETER GREEN’S) FLEETWOOD MAC (01/02/2010)
[Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac/Mr. Wonderful/The Pious Bird of Good Omen – The Original UK Album Track Lists – No Extras]
19. ARETHA FRANKLYN (01/02/2010)
[The Electrifying/The Tender The Moving The Swinging/Soul Sister]
20. THE JEFF HEALEY BAND (09/01/2012)
[See The Light/Hell To Pay/Feel This]
21. JAPAN (28/03/2011)
[Adolescent Sex/Obscure Alternatives/Quiet Life]
22. JEFFERSON AIRPLANE (28/03/2011)
[Volunteers/Bark/Long John Silver]
23. JOURNEY (01/02/2010)
[Departure/Escape/Frontiers]
24. TAJ MAHAL (24/01/2011)
[Taj Mahal/The Natch’l Blues/Mo’ Roots]
25. CHARLES MINGUS (26/07/2010)
[Mingus Ah Um/Mingus Dynasty/Tijuana Moods]
26. WILLIE NELSON (01/02/2010)
[Yesterday’s Wine/Red Headed Stranger/Stardust]
27. THE ONLY ONES (09/01/2012)
[The Only Ones/Even Serpents Shine/Baby’s Got A Gun]
28. SHUGGIE OTIS (09/01/2012)
[Here Comes Shuggie Otis/Freedom Flight/Inspiration Information]
29. DOLLY PARTON (8/02/2010)
[Eagle When She Flies/Slow Dancing With The Moon/White Limozeen]
30. IGGY POP (28/03/2011)
[New Values/Soldier/Party]
31. ELVIS PRESLEY (26/09/2011)
[Today/From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis Tennessee/Moody Blue]
32. PRIMAL SCREAM (26/09/2011)
[Vanishing Point/Echo Dek/XTRMNTR]
33. SANTANA (08/02/2010)
[Illuminations/Oneness/The Swing of Delight]
34. SANTANA (26/09/2011)
[Havana Moon/Beyond Appearances/Spirits Dancing In The Flesh]
35. SCORPIONS (01/02/2010)
[In Trance/Virgin Killer/Taken By Force]
36. GIL SCOTT-HERON (24/01/2011)
[Real Eyes/Reflections/Moving Target]
37. SIMON and GARFUNKEL (01/02/2010)
[Sounds Of Silence/Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme/Bookends]
38. PATTI SMITH (26/07/2010)
[Gone Again/Peace And Noise/Gung Ho]
39. THE STRANGLERS (28/03/2011)
[Feline/Aural Sculpture/Dreamtime]
40. TOTO (08/02/2010)
[Toto/Hydra/Turn Back]
41. LUTHER VANDROSS (01/02/2010)
(Never Too Much/Give Me The Reason/The Power of Love)
42. VANGELIS (26/09/2011)
[Heaven And Hell/Albedo 0.39/Spiral]
43. THE WALKER BROTHERS (01/02/2010)
[No Regrets/Lines/Nite Flights]
44. MUDDY WATERS (24/01/2011)
[Hard Again/I’m Ready/King Bee]
45. BOBBY WOMACK (09/01/2012)
[Home Is Where The Heart Is/Pieces/Roads Of Life]