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"...Land Of Make Believe..."
This superb-sounding SILVER CONVENTION CD from Big Break Records of the UK features an Expanded CD version of the Euro-Disco group's third and most adventurous album - "Madhouse". It may have been a commercially disastrous move at the time - but BBR thinks it's worth looking at again. And as there have been some crappy CD bootlegs on the market of late - an official remaster will be more than welcome by fans. Here are the party people's details...
UK released 3 October 2014 - "Madhouse" by SILVER CONVENTION is on Big Break Records CDBBR 0279 (Barcode 5013939057937) and breaks down as follows (49:24 minutes):
1. Madhouse
2. Plastic People
3. I'm Not A Slot Machine
4. Fancy Party
5. Dancing In The Aisle
6. Everybody's Talking 'Bout Love
7. Magic Mountain
8. Midnight Lady
9. Land Of Make Believe
10. Madhouse (Finale)
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd album "Madhouse" released October 1976 in the UK on Magnet Records MAG 5013 and in the USA on Midland International Records BKL1-1824
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Fancy Party (Single Version) - German Single released October 1976 on Jupiter Records 16-617-AT
12. Dancing In The Aisles (Take Me Higher) (Single Version) - USA Single released November 1976 on Midland International Records MB-10849
The 16-page booklet is packed with photos of the three girls - Rhonda Heath, Penny McLean and Romana Wulf - who were the front of Silver Convention and its Disco Vocal sound. There's a short essay on the album by Stephen Schnee (Orange County, USA) and detailed recording info. But the big news for fans is a stunning NICK ROBBINS and WAYNE A. DICKSON remaster - crystal clear slap bass, funky synths and those trademark swirling strings.
Schnee's liner notes loosely (very loosely) suggest that "Madhouse" is some kind of Disco concept album - aimed at the head and the feet - and in some respects he's probably right. And therein lay its downfall. But for me the real problem with the whole Silver Convention sound is the battle of two camps - the amazing backing musicians and songwriters (Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay) - fronted by insipid and not very inspiring vocalists. The girls have the looks but not the voices. You get amazing almost Steely Dan arrangements on tracks like "I'm Not A Slot Machine" - then those uninspiring vocals kick in - and let's face it - they could be anyone. The musicianship and ideas on "Dancing In The Aisle" is great - but then it's drowned in cheesy lyrics and nondescript vocals.
An amazing sounding CD then - and a must-buy if you're a fan...
PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I've reviewed:
1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)
2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)
3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)
4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)
5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)
6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)
7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)
8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)
9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)
10. Let Me Be Your Angel – STACY LATTISAW (1980)
11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)
12. I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]
13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)
14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)
15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)
16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)
17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)
18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)
19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)
20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)
21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)
22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)
23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)
24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)
25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)
26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)
27. Live: Stompin' At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)
28. Madhouse – SILVER CONVENTION (1976)
29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)
30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)
31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)
32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)
33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)
34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)
35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)
36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)
37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)
