"…What Did You Do There? I Got High!"
Monday 7 May 2012 sees the UK release of a whopping four
DELUXE EDITIONS for Small Faces fans (15 May 2012 in the USA) - and while
number 3 in the pack lacks the celebrated glory of it’s illustrious follow up
("Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake") – "Small Faces" is for many fans
'the' criminally forgotten LP on Immediate Records. This DELUXE EDITION of it
however is not without its niggles…
Here are the finite details for Universal/Sanctuary 278
134-5:
Disc 1 (52:47 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 14 are the MONO version of "Small
Faces" - their 3rd studio album released 23 June 1967 in the UK on Immediate
Records IMLP 008
BONUS TRACKS (15 to 22):
"Here Comes The Nice", "Itchycoo Park",
"I'm Only Dreaming", "Tin Soldier", "I Feel Much
Better", "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me (Alternate Mix)" (20),
"Eddie's Dreaming (Alternate Mix)" (21) and "Green Circles (Take
1: Alternate Mix 3)" (22)
[Note: 20 to 22 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED VERSIONS]
Disc 1 will also allow fans to line up the 3 x UK 7"
singles that were issued (in Mono) around the LP (track number after title):
1. Here Comes The Nice (15) b/w Talk To You (11) – released
2 June 1967 on Immediate IM 050
2. Itchycoo Park (16) b/w I'm Only Dreaming (17) – released
4 August 1967 on Immediate IM 057
3. Tin Soldier (18) b/w I Feel Much Better (19) – released 2
December 1969 on Immediate IM 062
Disc 2 (53:54 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 14 are the STEREO version of "Small
Faces" - on Immediate Records IMSP 008
BONUS TRACKS (15 to 23 – all are Stereo except 21 and 23
which are Mono):
"Just Passing", "Itchycoo Park",
"Here Comes The Nice", "Don't Burst My Bubble", "Things
Are Going To Get Better (Alternate Version)", "I Can't Make It
(Session Version)", "Green Circles (Alternate Take 2)" (21),
"Tin Soldier" and "(If You Think You're) Groovy (Backing
Track)" (23)
[Note: 21 and 23 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Versions]
UK and USA LP Differences:
The American LP was belatedly released in February 1968 as
"There Are But Four Small Faces" in Stereo (only) on Immediate Z12
52002 - and with different artwork front and rear. Also to accommodate their
lone US hit single "Itchycoo Park" (lyrics above) – the tracks were
jiggered around giving "Itchycoo Park" pride of place as Track 1 on
Side 1. Essentially the US album dropped 7 tracks of the English LP
("Something I Want To Tell You", "Feeling Lonely",
"Happy Boys Happy", "My Way Of Giving", "Become Like
You", "All Our Yesterdays" and "Eddie's Dreaming") -
took the remaining 7 and added on the 5 non-album sides of the 3 x British
7" singles mentioned above to make a 12-track LP. To sequence the AMERICAN
LP in 'both' MONO and STEREO from this 2CD DELUXE EDITION you line the tracks
up as follows:
MONO (CD 1)
Side 1:
1. "Itchycoo Park" (16)
2. "Talk To You" (11)
3. "Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire" (13)
4. "My Way Of Giving" (6)
5. "I'm Only Dreaming" (17)
6. "I Feel Much Better" (19)
Side 2:
1. "Tin Soldier" (18)
2. "Get Yourself Together" (9)
3. "Show Me The Way" (12)
4. "Here Come The Nice" (15)
5. "Green Circles" (7)
6. "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me" (1)
STEREO (CD 2 – note – see Omissions)
Side 1:
1. "Itchycoo Park" (16)
2. "Talk To You" (11)
3. "Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire" (13)
4. "My Way Of Giving" (6)
5. "I'm Only Dreaming" [see Omissions]
6. "I Feel Much Better" [see Omissions]
Side 2:
1. "Tin Soldier" (22)
2. "Get Yourself Together" (9)
3. "Show Me The Way" (12)
4. "Here Come The Nice" (17)
5. "Green Circles" (7)
6. "(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me" (1)
OMMISIONS:
Eagle-eyed collectors will notice that the 35th Anniversary
2CD set that came out in 2002 in the UK on Sanctuary has 48 tracks - while this
2012 2CD Deluxe Edition has less - 45. The three that are missing are "I
Can't Make It" and "Just Passing" – a 3 March 1967 UK
single-only release on Decca F 12565 – it's been put on the "From The
Beginning" Deluxe Edition (as befits the label). The 3rd missing track is
called "Album Sampler" on Immediate AS 1. It was a 1-sided UK-only
Promo 45 issued just prior to the album's release and contains Mono excerpts of
5 songs with 'groovy' advert dialogue about 'aware minds' – it runs to 3
minutes and rather clumsily it's been left off here. To add insult to injury
this legendary £200+ rarity is pictured on Page 10 of the booklet.
There are minor artwork niggles too. The 2002 CD had a card
wrap with the UK artwork on the outside (which is right and proper), but rather
cleverly the foldout inlay inside featured 5" artwork for the US
"There Are But Four Small Faces" LP as its lead page with the rear LP
artwork on the back page. This new booklet relegates the American front cover
to a snap shot on Page 21 and the rear sleeve has disappeared altogether. Worse
than that however is the missing STEREO versions of "I Feel Much
Better" and "I'm Only Dreaming" (on the 2002 2CD set) which
would have allowed American fans to sequence their version of the album
complete. All these exclusions are a tad sloppy to say the least. Music wise –
the point would be that if you want "Album Sampler" and especially
those 2 Stereo versions – then don't throw away that old Sanctuary issue just
yet.
UNRELEASED:
As already highlighted above there are 5 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED
VERSIONS - unfortunately the liner notes don’t make any reference to them. In
fairness to Mark Paytress – he probably didn’t have access to what was being
lined up for the release as he composed his appraisals – but again – it
short-changes the fans info-wise. What is here however is very good. The
"Green Circles" outakes are excellent and the mythical
"Groovy" track now appears as a 'backing track' when some thought it
didn't exist at all.
PACKAGING:
The first thing you notice about this Deluxe Edition is the
quality of the reproduction. The album sleeve pictured on the 2002 Sanctuary
double had slightly faded colours – no such mistake here. The
front sleeve repro is really crisp - beautifully done - as are the superb
images in the booklet. The inner flaps of the foldout digipak have Melody Maker
and Record Mirror reviews from 1967, the original mono LP label is reproduced
beneath the see-through plastic trays and each CD is a different picture disc.
The 24-page booklet is gorgeous – rare European picture sleeves for "Tin
Soldier" and "Here Comes The Nice" (the German issue of this is
a belter), pictures of ultra-rare Emidisc Acetates, publicity shots of The
Small faces with Immediate label notables like PP Arnold, Chris Farlowe and
Twice As Nice - and even an Olympia Sound Studios master-tape box. The new
liner notes are by respected writer MARK PAYTRESS and are filled with facts and
recent interviews with Jones and McLagan. It’s a lovely thing to look at and a
solid read.
SOUND:
But the real meat for fans will be the NEW REMASTERS from
best-ever sources and overseen by surviving members of the band - KENNEY JONES
and IAN McLAGAN. Tape Research and Recovery is by ROB CAIGER, Tape Restoration
and Transfer from Analogue is by ROB KAYLACH and Mastering by NICK ROBBINS. The
punch is fantastic especially on fan favourites like "Get Yourself
Together", that great guitar opening on "Talk To You" and the
psychedelic swirl of "Green Circles". I find the sonic difference
between the MONO and STEREO mixes is marked – I thought "My Way Of
Giving" in Mono is fabulous - while the opening "Darlings Of
Wapping…" dialogue and brass of "All Our Yesterdays" is HUGE in
Stereo. The drums, bass and acoustic guitars on "Up The Wooden
Hills…" sound amazing - as does the piano-happy intro to the album
finisher "Eddie's Dreaming". Fans will love the clarity on the
brilliant singles – gems like "Tin Soldier" and "Here Comes The
Nice".
To sum up – part of me feels I should dock a star for those
sloppy exclusions – but I've been enjoying the listen too much (the sound and
overall presentation just 'so' good). This double also made be bite the bullet
and acquire the first two Deluxe Editions as well – the Decca sets "Small
Faces" and "From The Beginning" - and I can report that they’re
truly gorgeous too.
Will we ever know their like again – I doubt it. In fact the
dialogue in the "Album Sampler" promo bragged that the Small Faces
were "small of stature, but great of music…" – and on the strength of
these reissues – you have to say that the Immediate Records motormouth was
absolutely on the money. It really is "all too beautiful…"
