"Stranger In Town" by BOB SEGER and THE SILVER BULLET BAND – May 1978 US Tenth Studio Album (Second with TSBB) on Capitol Records featuring Drew Abbott, Robyn Robbins, Alto Reed, Chris Campbell and David Teegarden (TSBB) with Guests Glenn Frey and Don Felder of Eagles, Bill Payne of Little Feat, Doug Riley of Famous People Players, with Pete Carr, Barry Beckett, Jimmie Johnson, David Hood and Roger Hawkins of The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and Backing Vocals by Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Brandye, The Waters and George Jackson (September 2001 UK Capitol Records CD Reissue with Robert Vosgien Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...We've Got Tonite..."

 

For many of us rocker-types who lived through those Classic Rock Years, we first heard of Bob Seger via Thin Lizzy's fabulous cover of their "Rosalie" - the opener of 1975's "Fighting" album on Vertigo Records. The Lizzies would return to it with aplomb when they combined it with "Jailbreak's" 1976 tune "Cowgirl Song" and did a live version which they actually released as a 45 in 1978 on the back of the huge success of the brilliant double "Live And Dangerous". 

 

Seger had been kicking around for years, the LP prior to "Stranger" called "Night Moves" making his first serious chart waves in 1976 in the USA. His "Get Out Of Denver" single from 1974 a seriously cool slice of Rock vs. The Commies Rock 'n' Roll. His "Stranger In Town" album was platter number ten - talk about the long way around. But what a way to finally arrive. Let's get to tonite of long ago...

 

US and UK released 25 September 2001 - "Stranger In Town" by BOB SEGER and THE SILVER BULLET BAND on Capitol Records 72435 35232 2 0 (Barcode 724353523220) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Remaster of his tenth studio album (second with The Silver Bullet Band) that plays out as follows (39:25 minutes):

 

1. Hollywood Nights [Side 1]

2. Still The Same

3. Old Time Rock & Roll

4. Till It Shines

5. Feel Like A Number

6. Ain't Got No Money [Side 2]

7. We've Got Tonite

8. Brave Strangers

9. The Famous Final Scene

Tracks 1 to 9 are his tenth studio album "Stranger In Town" – released May 1978 in the USA on Capitol Records SW-11698 and June 1978 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 11698. Produced by PUNCH ANDREWS and BOB SEGER – it peaked at No. 4 on the US Album Charts and No. 31 on the UK LP Charts. All songs by Bob Seger except two cover versions - "Ain't Got No Money" by Frankie Miller and "Old Time Rock & Roll" by George Jackson and Thomas Earl Jones III.

 

The Silver Bullet Band was Drew Abbott (Guitar), Robyn Robbins (Keyboards), Alto Reed (Horns), Chris Campbell (Bass) and David Teegarden (Drums) with Guests Glenn Frey and Don Felder of Eagles, Bill Payne of Little Feat, Doug Riley of Famous People Players - Pete Carr, Barry Beckett, Jimmie Johnson, David Hood and Roger Hawkins – all of The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section with Backing Vocals by Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Brandye, The Waters and George Jackson.

 

The 8-page booklet is hugely disappointing simply repeating the Inner Sleeve Recording Credits and Lyrics, but absolutely nothing else. His biggest record and a serious product-moved in 1978 deserved some kind of decent appraisal – an LP that is beloved by many. At least the 24-bit Digital Remaster by ROBERT VOSGIEN rocks - punchy and true. Sure there is hiss on "We've Got Tonite" (as there always was) but he hasn't tried to dampen it or crush it out of existence. The sound is loose but good and volume pays dividends. To the music...

 

With the album release due for 5th of May 1978, Capitol Records USA stirred up interest in the LP with the first of four cuts from it to set the mood. April 1978 saw "Still The Same" on Capitol 4581 came out with another Side 1 track as its flipside - "Feel Like A Number". And it clicked big time. With its winning acoustic guitar and piano shuffle opening, "Still The Same" was a sure fire 45-single Radio-friendly winner - the ladies muscling up the verses and chorus so sweetly. It eventually peaked at No. 4 on the US Pop charts and lasted 11 weeks.

 

Time to rock it up for single number two - the fantastic rhythmic chug of "Hollywood Nights" - a single I bought on Silver Vinyl in Ireland back in the day and used to DJ at parties. Released July 1978 on Capitol 4618 with "Brave Strangers" on the B-side - it's kind of shocking that its relentless hooky beat didn't do better than a US chart high of No. 12 (should surely have gone Top 5 like its predecessor). In the UK Capitol paired it with "Old Time Rock & Roll" on the B-side of Capitol CL 16004 in September 1978 also giving it a titled picture sleeve and silver vinyl. Gimmicky maybe, but it worked and the wicked British-paired double-act that was Capitol CL 16004 gave Bob Seger his first 45 chart-hit in Blighty albeit at a modest No. 42 high. "Stranger In Town" was also his first LP to chart in England.

 

With the big-ballad picking up plays, it wasn't long before Capitol Records latched onto to the gorgeous "We've Got Tonite" as 45-single number three. Paired with their cool boogie of "Ain't Got No Money" on Capitol 4653 in October 1978 (a cover version of a Frankie Miller song - England's vocal answer to Bob Seger) - again I think it's odd that such a moving tune coupled up with such a first class rocker on the flip only managed a high on the US charts of No. 13. Capitol UK didn't even try any other tracks off the album and in the case of the sentiment in "We've Got Tonite" - I think they missed a trick there. 

 

Single number four in America is probably one of his most beloved - the such-fun "Old Time Rock & Roll" paired with a track from the preceding "Night Moves" of 1976 called "Sunspot Baby". Capitol 4702 hit the US charts in early May 1979, but with interest waning, it only made No. 28. And on it went to the piano bop of "Brave Strangers" and the epic ballad finisher "The Famous Final Scene" – guitar to the fore – bridges burned. 

 

I am definitely of the school of thought that thinks Side 1 of "Stranger In Town" is stronger than Side 2 - despite two containing the tremendous boogie of "Ain't Got No Money" sided with the nostalgia-touching "We've Got Tonite". But whatever way you look at it - Seger deserved his win and until a deeper CD reissue emerges - here in October 2022 - this 2001 CD Remaster will do nicely...

"Document: 25th Anniversary 2CD Edition" by R.E.M. - September 1987 US LP on IRS Records (September 2012 UK Capitol 2CD Mini Box Set Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Try To Tell Us Something We Don't Know…" 

The last of the 5 studio albums R.E.M. recorded for IRS Records finally gets the DELUXE EDITION CD treatment in 2012 and like the others before it - "Reckoning" (1983), "Murmur" (1983), "Fables Of The Reconstruction" (1985) and "Life's Rich Pageant" (1986) – it's a mixed bag of vastly improved sound quality offset by hollow extras you're never going to play, infuriating packaging and a far-too-steep price tag.

Released Monday 24 September 2012 in the UK (25 Sept 2012 in the USA) - "Document" by R.E.M. on Capitol 5099997200628 (Barcode 5099997200628) is a 2CD '25th Anniversary' Mini Box Set Remaster and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (39:49 minutes):

1. Finest Worksong

2. Welcome To The Occupation

3. Exhuming McCarthy

4. Disturbance At The Heron House

5. Strange

6. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

7. The One I Love

8. Fireplace

9. Lightnin' Hopkins

10. King Of Birds

11. Oddfellows Local 151

Tracks 1to 11 are the studio album "Document" first released on vinyl in early September 1987 on IRS 42059 in the USA and on IRS MIRG 1025 in the UK.

Disc 2 "Live At Muziekcentrum Vredenburg, Utrecht, Holland 14 September 1987" (79:37 minutes):

1. Finest Worksong

2. These Days

3. Lightnin' Hopkins

4. Welcome To The Occupation

5. Driver 8

6. Feeling Gravity's Pull

7. I Believe

8. The One I Love

9. Exhuming McCarty

10. Wolves, Lower

11. Fall On Me

12. Just A Touch

13. Oddfellows Local 151

14. Little America

15. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

16. Begin The Begin

17. Disturbance At The Heron House

18. Moral Kiosk

19. Life And How To Live It

20. So. Central Rain

Disc 2 is a 20-track PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED live concert (title above) and was recorded for Vara Radio in Holland in 1987

The first thing that hits you is the power of the REMASTERED album which has been done by ROBERT VOSGIEN in the USA – never too showy or trebled up – it's impressive to say the least. The drums and bass are so sweet now and the guitars finally heard – making lesser-heard nuggets like "Disturbance At The Heron House" (lyrics above) and "King Of Birds" suddenly feel alive. The treated guitar and drum opening of "Oddfellows Local 151" is HUGE – not overdone – just meaty in all the right ways. "Strange" is the same - great rocking stuff…

The live set with its 20-tracks and near 80 minutes playing time is certainly value for money – but I found after 4 songs its unlistenable – same tune – over and over again. The sound quality is excellent though – great presence.

The 10-page booklet has some new liner notes by David Daley describing the US political landscape that so influenced the songs (Reagan, Iran etc) - there's a large black and white fold-out poster and 4 x Lobby Cards of the band. But you can't help but feel that non-album B-sides should be here instead of tedious live stuff – the lyrics aren't reproduced – neither is the inner sleeve to the UK LP - it's the typically oblique artwork that isn't artwork.

The overall feel is this – a really great remaster of the album that truly makes you reassess just how good the record was – but the rest is superfluous to requirements – and you're being charged for the privilege.

These guys used to be the biggest band in the world – and the excellent remaster of this forgotten album will go some way to explaining why.

But I doubt the rest will do anyone any favours...especially long suffering fans...