"Vertigo" by GRAHAM PARKER (and THE RUMOUR) – A 40-Track 2CD Mercury/Vertigo Records Anthology - Album And 45-Single Tracks from his April 1976 UK Debut "Howlin Wind" to his Fifth Studio Album "Squeezing Out Sparks" in March 1979 – Featuring Brinsley Schwarz, Bob Andrews, Martin Belmont, Andrew Bodnar and Steve Goulding of The Rumour with Guests Dave Edmunds, John Earle and Producer Jack Nitzsche - Includes the 1976 UK Promotional LP "Live At Marble Arch" Produced by Nick Lowe - First Time on CD Here (October 1996 UK Vertigo/Mercury 2CD 40-Track 'Chronicles' Anthology with Roger Wake Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Dodged All The Turnpikes..."

 

Tales of boozy anguish in hotel rooms with frisky chambermaids and a search the world over (well mostly in Dagenham) for that special lady. Graham Parker and his kickass band The Rumour should have been huge - what with their edgy songs that fused 60s R&B with Punk Rock lyrics about the frustrations and exhilaration of dole-ridden young life in New Wave England. And in some kind of curiously begrudging non-commercial 'stop reminding us of our predicament' way – they were. At least among my Dublin mates and I, GP & Crew were the Super Unleaded nozzle to us. 

 

I suppose as someone who lived through Punk and New Wave (and bought the safety pins and buttons) – I kind of thought that as each new record seemed to get demonstrably better than the last – the public would embrace him like they had say Elvis Costello or Nick Lowe or Hell, even Dave Edmunds. But the right worshipful Graham Parker (a gent from Chobham in Surrey) always seemed to struggle to rise above the music pulpit to be heard.

 

Still – this unwieldy CD twofer from the forgotten hills of England in 1996 (and one of those splurges the industry used to call 'A Chronicles Anthology' on the sticker) is here to remind us of our mistakes and emotional misdemeanors and offer up forty acts of suburban contrition so we can reassess and forgive ourselves for our many colored-vinyl trespasses. Here are the howlers...

 

UK released October 1996 - "Vertigo" by GRAHAM PARKER (and The Rumour) on Vertigo/Mercury 534 100-2 (Barcode 731453410022) is a 2CD 40-Track 'Chronicles' Best-Of Anthology covering his stay at Mercury and Vertigo Records between 1976 and 1979. It has Roger Wake Remasters from Original Tapes and also includes the 10-Track Promotional LP "Live At Marble Arch" (Tracks 6 to 15 on CD1) issued in 1976 in the UK and is first time on CD here. "Vertigo" plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (73:01 minutes):

1. Between You And Me

2. I'm Gonna Use It Now

3. You've Got To Be Kidding

4. Howlin' Wind

5. Back To Schooldays

6. White Honey (Live)

7. That's What They All Say (Live)

8. Back Door Love (Live)

9. Back To Schooldays (Live)

10. Silly Thing (Live)

11. Chain Of Fools (Live)

12. Don't Ask Me Questions (Live)

13. You Can't Hurry Love (Live)

14. Soul Shoes (Live)

15. Kansas City (Live)

16. Heat Treatment

17. Hotel Chambermaid

18. Black Honey

19. Fool's Gold

20. Hold Back The Night

21. (Let Me Get) Sweet On You

NOTES ON CD1:

Tracks 1, 3, 4 and 5 are from his debut album "Howlin Wind", April 1976 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 129 and Mercury SRM-1 1095. Track 5 features Dave Edmunds on Rockabilly Guitar

Track 2 is the Non-LP B-side to "Silly Thing", his UK Debut 45-single in March 1976 on Mercury 6059 135

Tracks 6 to 10 are Side 1 whilst Tracks 11 to 15 are Side 2 of the Promotional Only UK LP "Live At Marble Arch" issued in 1976 on Phonogram G.P. 1. It is issued here in its entirety for the first time on CD. Note: The two Promo-Only Live Tracks "Silly Thing (Live)" b/w "Kansas City (Live)" were offered as a FREE SINGLE with initial copies of his second British album "Heat Treatment"

Tracks 16, 17, 18 and 19 are from his second studio album "Heat Treatment", October 1976 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 137 and in the USA on Mercury SRM-1 1095

Tracks 20 and 21 make up Side 1 of a 4-track Extended Play EP - "The Pink Parker – Hold Back The Night" released March 1977 in the UK on Vertigo PARK 001. The other two tracks on the B-side were "White Honey" and "Soul Shoes" - both of which were on the preceding "Howlin Wind" album. "Hold Back The Night" is a cover of a TRAMMPS US Soul hit originally on Buddah Records in February 1976 – the other songs are Graham Parker originals with both "Hold Back The Night" and "(Let Me Get) Sweet On You" being exclusive to the EP.

 

CD2 (69:55 minutes):

1. The New York Shuffle

2. Watch The Moon Come Down

3. The Raid

4. Lady Doctor

5. I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down

6. The Heat in Harlem

7. Gypsy Blood

8. Discovering Japan

9. Local Girls

10. Nobody Hurts You

11. You Can't Be Too Strong

12. Passion Is No Ordinary Word

13. Saturday Nite is Dead

14. Love Gets You Twisted

15. Protection

16. Waiting For The UFOs

17. Don't Get Excited

18. Mercury Poisoning

19. I Want You Back (Alive)

NOTES on CD2:

Tracks 1, 2 and 3 are from his third studio album "Stick To Me" – released October 1977 in the UK on Vertigo 9102 017

Tracks 4, 5, 6 and 7 are from his fourth album "The Parkerilla" – released May 1978 as a 2LP set on Vertigo 6641 797 – it was all recorded live in the studio

Tracks 8 to 17 are the entire album "Squeezing Out Sparks", his fifth album released March 1979 on Vertigo 9102 030

Tracks 18 and 19 are the A&B-sides of a March 1979 US-only 45-single on Arista AS-0439

 

GRAHAM PARKER – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar and Rhythm Guitar on

 

THE RUMOUR was:

BRINSLEY SCHWARZ – Guitar, Hammond Organ, Tenor Saxes and Backing Vocals

BOB ANDREWS – Lowrey And Hammond Organ, Piano and backing Vocals

MARTIN BELMONT – Guitar and backing Vocals

ANDREW BODNAR - Bass

STEVE GOULDING – Drums and backing Vocals

 

The 12-page booklet splits its details between JOHN TOBLER and GRAHAM PARKER – Tobler concentrating on the track-facts and scene-setting history while GP reminisces on his beginnings with the British Pub Rock band Brinsley Schwarz, his musical influences and where it all eventually led – to the USA on a bus hearing their latest single on American Radio and being duly impressed (not even the slightest bit repulsed). You would not say the lack of Discography or even half-decent photos or memorabilia helps (it all feels too slight even for a Chronicles twofer in 1996) – but thankfully the ROGER WAKE Remasters lift proceedings and leave it all on the page – the music. These Remasters jump and snarl - "Saturday Nite Is Dead" on the "Squeezing Out Sparks" album has huge guitars now – riffage and power galore (the whole album is included, and as many feel it his best, that is a good thing). To the tunes...

 

Choice shavings from his five albums for Vertigo Records are all here in spiffing audio - "Howlin Wind" (April 1976), "Heat Treatment" (October 1976), "Stick To Me" (October 1977), the double album "The Parkerilla" (May 1978) and finally "Squeezing Out Sparks" (March 1979). Inbetween the cracks are rare B-sides, stand-alone 45s and the big prize for diehard fans – a first-time on CD outing for the legendary "Live At Marble Arch" Promo-Only album issued by Phonogram to keep journos and industry insiders thinking about GP before the second LP of 1976. To that...

 

After the critical rave-ups and warm public response the debut album "Howlin Wind" received on release in April 1976 and before the issue of his second studio album "Heat Treatment" in October of that mercurial year – Phonogram decided to record a Live LP inbetween and release it as mock-bootleg to keep the momentum going with journalists and insiders alike. Again produced by Nick Lowe (like the debut), the resulting 10-track set "Live At Marble Arch" was probably circulated August/September of 1976 (no one seems to now its exact release date) in its stamped Bootleg-looking sleeve. It included live versions of five tracks from the "Howlin Wind" debut (Tracks 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 on CD1) whilst the second LP "Heat Treatment" (which had yet to appear at the time the live set was recorded) got two outings (Tracks 7 and 8 on CD1).

 

The other three cuts (Tracks 11, 13 and 15 on CD1) were covers from his first passion – American R&B and Soul artists - "Chain Of Fools" originally done by Aretha Franklin on Atlantic Records in 1967, "You Can't Hurry Love" by the Supremes on Motown in 1966 and the old Fifties Rhythm and Blues stalwart "Kansas City". The remastered Audio does its best with what Nick Lowe produced – get it down and stack it loud. Personally I love his tighter-than-tight Rumour band as they trash through one of my faves - "Back To Schooldays" (dig that twanging guitar solo while the old Joanna boogies along). The same can be said of a fantastic "Soul Shoes" and "Kansas City". Saxophone and sheer bombast carries the single "Silly Thing" to. In fact the overall impression is not of an angry young man or even a Punk/New Waver about town scowling at the powers that be – but that of a great band having a Pub Gig blast.

 

But the key to a 40-track spurge like this is the deep dives (or if you are new to GP, the discoveries). You could argue that the album "Squeezing Out Sparks" from 1978 (included on CD2 in its entirety) warrants serious rediscovery – stunners like the riffage of "Protection" and the aching real-world ballad "You Can't Be Too Strong" being genuine standouts. Spit and snarl and a certain world-weariness course through the veins of tunes like "Watch The Moon Come Down" and his rant at his American record label in "Mercury Poisoning" not doing him a solid – but I could honestly do without that cover of The Jackson 5 that ends CD2 on a bit of a too frivolous note.

 

Rhino had issued their superlative goody two shoes in 1993 called after a track on "Squeezing Out Sparks" – "Passion is No Ordinary Word: The Graham Parker Anthology 1976-1991" which also explored the Stiff Records and RCA 1980s albums that followed (personally I dug those even more) – so that compilation is worth seeking out too although in 2023 – it is deleted decades and has become pricey.

 

But in the meantime get dizzy on "Vertigo" – visually it may not look like much – but content/audio-wise – Graham Parker and The Rumour will tickle your inner gyro mechanisms as any good British Petrol Pump Attendant and his oily rags should...

"Love & Affection" by JOAN ARMATRADING - Album and Single Tracks from November 1972 to June 1992 – Guest Musicians Include Ray Cooper and Davey Johnstone of Elton John's Band, Graham Lyle of Gallagher & Lyle, Bryn Haworth of Fleur De Lys, Jake Jewell of Jake & The Family Jewels, Jerry Donahue of Fairport Convention, Georgie Fame, John 'Rabbit' Bundrick of Free, Tim Hinkley of The Bo Street Runners, Jody Grind and Snafu, Kenney Jones of Faces and The Who, Mel Collins of King Crimson and Kokomo with Henry Spinetti of The Herd and Chris Stainton's Tundra, Phil Palmer and more (September 1996 UK A&M Records 2CD Anthology with Roger Wake Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry....

 

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**** 

 

"...Clear The Deck...Let Me Touch Your Soul..."

 

What sets this twofer apart from so many compilations covering the career of British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading - is its bold jumping from period to period that literally takes no chronological prisoners.

 

1996's "Love & Affection" stretches from her November 1972 UK debut album "Whatever's For Us" on Cube Records and then deep dives into fifteen further studio albums, Mini LPs and Singles all the way up to her June 1992 set "Square The Circle" on A&M Records. In fact Herb Albert's world-famous label A&M Records has being her spiritual home for decades (her self-titled album from 1976 contained the huge song "Love & Affection" - a eureka moment which titles this comp).

 

So musically you get 1992 one moment, then 1986, itself followed by 1977. And yet it works. Couple that with some gorgeous not-overdone Remasters by Roger Wake and this forgotten and frankly dirt-cheap (in 2023) 2CD 39-Track Anthology starts to look like one of those bargains you need in your life. And it is. Time to show some emotion, details Maestro please...

 

UK released September 1996 - "Love & Affection" by JOAN ARMATRADING on A&M Records 540 405-2 (Barcode 731454040525) is a 2CD 39-Track Career Anthology (to 1995) that breaks down as follows:

 

CD1 (79:22 minutes):

1. Down To Zero

2. True Love

3. Talking To The Wall

4. Show Some Emotion

5. I'm Lucky

6. One More Chance

7. Did I Make You Up

8. All A Woman Needs

9. Square The Circle

10. Somebody Who Loves You

11. It Could Have Been Better

12. Alice

13. No Love

14. Tall In The Saddle

15. Turn Out The Light

16. The Shouting Stage

17. One Night

18. Save Me

NOTES for CD1

Tracks 1, 10, 14 and 18 from her third studio album "Joan Armatrading", August 1976

Tracks 2 and 9 from the album "Square The Circle", June 1992

Tracks 3 and 17 from the album "Secret Secrets", February 1985

Tracks 4 and from her fourth UK studio album "Show Some Emotion", September 1977

Tracks 5 and 13 are from "Walk Under Ladders", May 1981

Track 6 from the album "Sleight Of Hand", May 1986

Tracks 7, 8 and 16 from the album "The Shouting Stage", July 1988

Tracks 11 and 12 from her UK debut album "Whatever's For Us", November 1972

Track 15 is from the album "Me Myself I", May 1980

 

CD2 (77:58 minutes):

1. My Family

2. City Girl

3. Warm Love

4. The Power Of Dreams

5. Love By You

6. The Weakness In Me

7. More Than One Kind Of Love

8. Love And Affection

9. Rosie

10. Bottom To The Top

11. Drop The Pilot

12. Me Myself I

13. Cool Blue Stole My Heart

14. Water With The Wine

15. Flight Of The Wild Geese

16. Dry Land

17. Always

18. Promise Land

19. Can't Get Over (How I Broke Your Heart)

20. All The Way From America

21. Willow

NOTES on CD2:

Tracks 1 and 2 from her UK debut album "Whatever's For Us", November 1972

Tracks 3 and 21 from her fourth UK studio album "Show Some Emotion", September 1977

Tracks 4, 7, 17 and 18 are from the album "Hearts And Flowers", June 1990

Track 5 from the album "Secret Secrets", May 1986

Track 6 is from "Walk Under Ladders", May 1981

Tracks 8 and 14 from her third studio album "Joan Armatrading", August 1976

Track 9 is from the 4-Track Mini-LP "How Cruel", December 1979

Tracks 10 from the album "To The Limit", September 1978

Track 11 from the album "The Key", March 1983

Tracks 12 and 20 are from the album "Me Myself I", May 1980

Track 13 is from the Live Album " Steppin' Out", August 1979

Track 15 is the Non-LP A-side to a June 1978 UK 45-single on A&M Records AMS 7365 (Theme Music to the film "Flight Of The Wild Geese")

Track 16 is from her second studio album "Back To The Night", April 1975

Tracks 19 from the album "Square The Circle", June 1992

 

ROGER WAKE did the Remasters (as he has for other A&M artists – Joe Jackson and The Strawbs jump to mind) and the sound is uniformly lovely and clear. The Seventies stuff is fabulous with much of the 80ts and 90s not needing too much to Remaster. But as I said earlier, the song-by-song feel is excellent so when you get to the later material like "Square The Circle" (Track 9 on CD1), her music in 1992 just sounds like a more updated classy reading of her songs of old. The 12-page booklet with liner notes by noted journalist CHRIS WHITE does her career proud describing Joan Armatrading as one of Rock's unsung superstars.

 

Across fifteen to sixteen studio albums, EPs and Singles, as you can imagine the (largely uncredited) guest musicians list is huge – they include Ray Cooper and Davey Johnstone of Elton John's Band, Graham Lyle of Gallagher & Lyle, Bryn Haworth of Fleur De Lys, Jake Jewell of Jake & The Family Jewels, Jerry Donahue of Fairport Convention, Georgie Fame, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick of Free, Tim Hinkley of The Bo Street Runners, Jody Grind and Snafu, Kenney Jones of Faces and The Who, Mel Collins of King Crimson and Kokomo with Henry Spinetti of The Herd and Chris Stainton’s Tundra, Guitarist Phil Palmer and loads more (too many to mention).

 

But what a compilation like this allows listeners and fans alike is those deep dive discoveries - tracks like the Soulful take on "Cold Blue Stole My Heart" from the forgotten "Stepping Out" live LP (Richard Hirsh of Wet Willie doing a stunner on Guitar) - or the lovely Waterboys-sounding acoustic guitars of "Promise Land" and "All The Way From America" – the compilation neatly mixing in 1990 with 1980 as if they made for each other. CD1 opens with "Down to Zero" from the 1976 breakthrough album "Joan Armatrading" and it's hardly surprising to find that six of its 10 tracks are represented across both discs.

 

I would admit that the big synth sound of "I'm Lucky" from the "Walk Under Ladders" album might grate some ears in 2023 – but it allows the bombastic "One More Change" to sit comfortably after it as a follow through. Far better is the pick-me-up Soulful Dire Straits-type guitar flicking of "Did I Make You Up" where our Joan sounds like Beverley Knight meeting Tracy Chapman on some warm night dance-floor for a shimmy. How gorgeous is "Somebody Who Loves You" with its 'I-want-to-see-you-fan-the-fire' lyrics underpinned by Mandolin from Bryn Haworth (such a great sessionman). Sadness permeates "It Could Have Been Better" whereas a strange defiant joy fills "No Love" – surely one of her best songs and a bit of a 1981 masterpiece (that floating guitar and the song build – great – I used to play this to death back in the turntable days of yore).

 

I would agree that not everything here has stood the test of time and it's disappointing that their never seems to be enough from the rather excellent "To The Limit" LP from 1978 (so a four-star rating then) - but it would be a hard-heart indeed that wasn't impressed or even moved by three-quarters of what's on here - and that's 39 tracks only up to 1992. 

 

Joan Armatrading has always been a class act and 1996's "Love & Affection" brings that home to our cabbage patches with aplomb. Joan's showed some emotion to us and I for one would like to return the favour (as long as I don't have to walk under any ladders). Buy this, discover and enjoy...

"This Is It: The A&M Years 1979-1989" by JOE JACKSON – Featuring Albums Tracks from "Look Sharp!" and "I'm The Man" (both 1979), "Beat Crazy" (1980), "Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive" (1981), "Night And Day" (1982), "Body And Soul" (1984), "Big World" (1986), "Live 1980/1986" (1988), "Blaze Of Glory" (1989) and more (February 1997 UK A&M 2CD 37-Track Artists Chosen Anthology with Roger Wake Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Always Someone Breaking Us In Two..."

 

When you cop the 78-minute-plus playing times for each CD offered in "This Is It: The A&M Years 1979-1989" by JOE JACKSON – you realize that’s TWO double-albums worth of quality songs across both discs – and for often under a fiver in the secondhand market place – six or seven quid at the most. Wow!

 

A bit of a songwriting barnstormer in my book – my pubescent mates and hairy-self fell immediately for Joe Jackson and that stunner debut LP "Look Sharp!" His debut was a razor-tie pinpointed winkelpicker shoes snarling observation on New-Wave England and the dating scene in 1978 and 1979. Sassy lyrics, catchy tunes and angular beats that smacked of Dagenham Dave behind a microphone doing you an emotional favour sunshine. And like Sting with his band The Police, Joe Jackson's albums kept progressing and zigzagging genre wise, so always felt like something to get excited about.

 

And so it is here. This unassuming but stunning 2CD goody two shoes Anthology for his first decade with A&M Records...delivers. You and me against the world...here are the details...

 

UK released February 1997 - "This Is It: The A&M Years 1979-1989" by JOE JACKSON on A&M 540 402-2 (Barcode 731454040228) is a 37-Track 2CD Career Anthology (Tracks Chosen by the Artists) of Remasters that plays out as follows (reissued as "Gold" in 2008):

 

CD1 (78:16 minutes):

1. Is She Really Going Out With Him?

2. Fools In Love

3. One More Time

4. Sunday Papers

5. Look Sharp!

6. Got The Time (Live)

7. On Your Radio

8. It's Different For Girls

9. Don't Wanna Be Like That

10. Amateur Hour

11. I'm The Man

12. Tilt

13. Someone Up There

14. One To One

15. Beat Crazy

16. Biology

17. Jumpin' Jive

18. What's The Use Of Getting Sober, When You're Gonna Get Drunk Again

19. Is She Really Going out With Him? (Live)

20. Another World

NOTES on CD1:

Tracks 1 to 6 are from his debut LP "Look Sharp!" released January 1979 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64743

Tracks 7 and 19 are from "Live 1980/1986" released May 1988 in the UK on A&M Records AMA 6706 (2LPs) and A&M Records CDA 6706 (2CDs)

Tracks 8 to 11 are from his 2nd album "I'm The Man" released October 1979 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64794

Track 12 is a Non-LP B-side to "The Harder They Come", a June 1980 UK 45-Single on A&M Records AMS 7536. The A-side is a Jimmy Cliff cover – the B-side (the track featured on this compilation) is a Joe Jackson original

Tracks 13 to 16 are from his 3rd studio album "Beat Crazy" released October 1980 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64837

Tracks 17 and 18 are from 4th studio album "Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive" released June 1981 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 65830. The whole album is cover versions of Forties and Fifties Louis Jordan Rhythm 'n' Blues hits

Track 20 is from his 5th studio album "Night And Day" released June 1982 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64906

 

CD2 (78:18 minutes):

1. Breaking Us In Two

2. Chinatown

3. Real Men

4. Steppin' Out

5. A Slow Song

6. You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)

7. Not Here, Not Now

8. Be My Number Two

9. Happy Ending (Duet with Elaine Caswell)

10. Wild West (Live)

11. Right And Wrong (Live)

12. Home Town (Live)

13. Precious Time (Live)

14. Me And You (Against The World)

15. Down To London (Duet with Joy Askew)

16. Nineteen Forever

17. The Human Touch

NOTES on CD2:

Tracks 1 to 5 are from his 5th studio album "Night And Day" released June 1982 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64906

Tracks 6 to 9 are from his album "Body And Soul" released March 1984 in the UK on A&M Records AMLX 65000

Tracks 10 to 13 are from his double live set "Big World" released March 1986 in the UK on A&M Records JWA 3 – all new material recorded in front of a live audience

Tracks 14 to 17 are from his album "Blaze Of Glory" released April 1989 on A&M Records AMA 5249

 

The 12-page booklet features new liner notes from RICHARD SMITH and AMY SCHEIBE on his 10-year career with Herb Alpert's record label (highs and lows). A self-professed seeker of better songs and artistic fulfilment – his albums were good but often infuriated fans and critics – one of whom described him as having "...gone completely mad..." And yet song after song shows a songwriter able to move your heart and your hips. There is a Source Discography on the back pages, three photos of our hero and really superb ROGER WAKE Remasters from original tapes. To the music...

 

It will come as no surprise to fans to see that the kick-ass debut album "Look Sharp!" from January 1979 is represented here by five tunes – the big hit of course being "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" - the song that broke him everywhere. But jagged edge social HP Sauce songs like "Fools In Love" and "Sunday Papers" immediately clumped Joe Jackson into the angry-young-man filing cabinet at GCHQ alongside his country compatriots Graham Parker, Ian Dury and Elvis Costello. While the hit "It's Different For Girls" grabbed all the airplay, the second album offered more of what made the debut so smart. And yet I wager most have forgotten how good ballsy stuff like "Don't Wanna Be Like That" is (the Remaster bass is likely to bust your speaker cones) - or the so-New-Wave hurt in "Amateur Hour" where she is moving up and so moving out. Drums whack your living room like a wet kipper – Kung Fu, Skateboards and Hula Hoops all made respectable in "I'm The Man" (wanna buy a watch).

 

A clever inclusion of a live version of "Tilt" means that the listen lines up for a foursome of angry rants from the "Beat Crazy" LP. Sounding amazing, "One On One" comes at you with that Piano and Organ intro all guns blazing – as does The Stranglers-type Bass of "Biology". But at this point, the first three albums are beginning to show songwriting stagnation (and I'm sure he knew it), so it was time for a change. So you immediately go into the Louis Jordan Forties and Fifties Rhythm & Blues of "Jumpin' Jive" – the clarity of the Remaster will make you fell nine foot tall when you're four foot five (I like my eggs on the Jersey side). Blindingly great fun comes in the drunken lurch that is "What's The Use Of Getting Sober, When You're Gonna Get Drunk Again" where dear old pappy is about to blow his wig. There comes something you don't expect – a near Acapella live version of "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" which really works (its Jeannie with her new boyfriend) and breaks up the listen before the drums and keyboard wallop of sophistication that is "Another World" - the opening track on the near audiophile-sounding "Body And Soul" album.  

 

The "Body And Soul" album (complete with natty gatefold sleeve) blew everyone away with its leap into sophistication. We did indeed step into another world. Five tracks from it open CD2 with a fantastic run of songs – the Rock-Funk of "Steppin' Out" catching the ear of American Radio too. Even now songs like "Breaking Us In Two" and "Real Men" have stood the test of songwriting time – forty-one years on and still sounding contemporary to the point of prophetic. When the 2LP set "Big World" was released and both fans and critics realized Jackson had done the entire set of new songs in front of a live audience in order to get freshness into the final performances – most flipped out – and unfortunately not in a good way. 

 

Hearing them now in 2023 – and even though they are so damn clean and polished etc – they are oddly sterile. You can so hear that the fab four presented on here (Tracks 10 to 13 on CD2) would have been so much stronger had they been properly recorded studio cuts with the appropriate Production Values they cried out for. But all is forgiven as we romp home with a fantastic trio from his much praised and beloved "Blaze Of Glory" album – his last for A&M Records in 1989 – the brass, the licks, the catchy choruses that sway – brilliant.

 

A dynamite twofer and proof that quantity and quality can last into two double-album's worth and still leaving you jiving for me. Fools In Love given The Human Touch – and I for one have always been Steppin' Out Down To London for that...

"Deceptive Bends" by 10cc – May 1977 UK Fifth Studio Album on Mercury Records (USA also) featuring Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman with Guests Paul Burgess on Drums and Del Newman on String Arrangements (July 1997 UK Mercury 'Digitally Remastered' CD Reissue – Expanded Edition with Three Non-LP B-sides as Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Will Feel The Benefit..."

 

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After the January 1976 release of their fourth studio album - "How Dare You!" – the original fab-foursome of 10cc split into two – Kevin Godley and Lol Crème exploring the Gizmo Guitar and their experimental October 1977 3LP Box Set "Consequences" - while Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman kept the 10cc moniker and the band going.

 

Much was muted in the press at the time about a supergroup splitting up (Beatles comparisons abounded) – but the overall winning comerciality of "Deceptive Bends" shocked many in May 1977 – the 10cc sound still fresh and inventive – and all of it handled by the dynamic remaining duo (with help from Drummer Paul Burgess and Strings Arranger Del Newman). Fans even got three singles out of "Bends" – the hooky-as-it-gets "Good Morning Judge" and "The Things We Do For Love" that open the LP and the lesser rather-sappy 45 "People In Love".

 

And then there was the brilliance of the eleven-and-a-half minute three-part "Feel The Benefit" – an absolute showstopper that finished the LP over on Side 2. I've seen 10cc do it live in the 80s and it tears up the crowd every time – reminding you of the melodies chopping and changing and flitting in and out (there is even a Prog Rock element to it). "Deceptive Bends" even came in cool Storm Thorgerson Hipgnosis gatefold sleeve artwork. So it's hardly surprising that with Three Bonuses – this old but great-sounding CD Remaster offers a punter loads to nibble on. Lots to discuss...

 

UK released June 1997 - "Deceptive Bends" by 10cc on Mercury 534 974-2 (Barcode 731453497429) is a 'Digitally Remastered' Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Three Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (51:33 minutes):

 

1. Good Morning Judge [Side 1]

2. The Things We Do For Love

3. Marriage Bureau Rendezvous

4. People In Love

5. Modern Man Blues

6. Honeymoon With B Troop [Side 2]

7. I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor

8. You've Got A Cold

9. Feel The Benefit (Parts 1, 2 & 3)

(i) Reminisce And Speculation

(ii) A Latin Break

(iii) Feel The Benefit

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fifth studio album "Deceptive Bends" - released May 1977 in the UK on Mercury Records 9102 502 and May 1977 in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-3702. Produced by 10cc - it peaked at No. 3 in the UK and No. 31 in the US LP charts.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Hot To Trot

Track 9 is the 3 December 1976 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 022, Non-LP B-side of "The Things We Do For Love" (Dec 1976 USA on Mercury 73875)

 

10. Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste

Track 10 is the 1 April 1977 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 025, Non-LP B-side of "Good Morning Judge" (May 1977 USA on Mercury 73917 with "People In Love" as the A-side)

 

11. I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out

Track 11 is the 8 July 1977 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 028, Non-LP B-side of "People In Love" (July 1977 USA on Mercury 73943 with "Good Morning Judge" on the A-side)

 

The 8-page booklet is both good and bad, but you can' help feel that it's functional at best. Only the front and rear cover of the LP is represented with the inner gatefold and the hugely detailed lyric inner-sleeve both AWOL (no tasty foreigh picture sleeves either). In their place is a new set of liner notes from CHRIS WHITE that convincingly covers their surprisingly good fifth LP for Mercury Records with archival interview quotes from Stewart and Gouldman (first time on CD Remaster too). And the three Non-LP B-sides will allow US and UK fans sequence the 45s – properly good additions for those who've waited decades for them.

 

ROGER WAKE who did all the Strawbs and Joan Armatrading CD Remasters on A&M Records – handles the Remaster here and it's an audio winner. Fans will go for deep LP cuts like the quietly gorgeous "Marriage Bureau Department" and the R&B chug of "Modern Man Blues" and find hugely improved sonic details (guitar soloing) – clear as a bell. After the "Art For Art's Sake" muffle on the decidedly mixed sound to "How Dare You!" – Bends is a welcome uplift. And again, crank it! To the music...

 

With every song written by Stewart and Gouldman – and both playing a huge array of instruments (leaving the Drums to Jethro Tull sessionman Paul Burgess) – the album is essentially theirs completely. Engineered by Eric Stewart, it also sounds so damn good. And as I said before – the Remaster has really brought out those discoveries - "Marriage Bureau Department" and the R&B chug of "Modern Man Blues". You could almost hear five 45s in its clever-clogs run.

 

After the general excellence of Side 1, the opening duo of Side 2 are very disappointing – neither "Honeymoon In B Troop" or "I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor". Even if it is a tad B-side-ish, at least the hot toddy jaunt of "You've Got A Cold" feels like that cool 10cc of old – great guitar work too that's brought out by the speaker-to-speaker remaster. But the side is dominated by the three-parts of "Feel The Benefit" – a very One Night In Paris affair with an equal amount of melody changes and wild lyric runs. The Latin Break is still a hoot and that dual guitar battle in Part 3 is utterly brilliant and cranked with those strings too.

 

Bonuses: released a full five months ahead of its parent LP - "The Things We Do For Love" had the suggestive "Hot To Trot" – a very 10cc B-side – good not brill enough to be on the LP (she was smiling at me). The putty in my hands "Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste" is OK too, but again never rises too much else. But hell, it sounds great in Remastered form. Best of the three is "I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out" – a tune I would have replaced the Guitar Tutor LP track with.

 

Once again, I'm taken aback at the last-ability of 10cc's Seventies Music – goodies galore and a few gems worthy of re-discovery into the cheap-as-chips CD reissue bargain. Time to feel that benefit once again...