"Original Album Series" by BONNIE RAITT (2011 Warner Brothers/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Your Good Thing..." 

Although this cool 5CD mini Box Set in WEA's "Original Album Series" misses out on Bonnie Raitt's fabulous first three albums – "Bonnie Raitt" (1971), "Give It Up" (1972) and "Takin My Time" (1973) – what you do get are the five that followed from 1974 to 1982. And what a humdinger it is too – Rock, Ballad, Country, Blues and Soul – Bonnie Raitt does the lot – and well. Here are the 'Lady Sings The Blues' details...

UK released August 2011 – "Original Album Series" by BONNIE RAITT on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122797629 (Barcode 081227976293) is a 5CD Mini Box set and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Streetlights" (37:03 minutes):
1. That Song About The Midway [Joni Mitchell]
2. Rainy Day Man [James Taylor]
3. Angel From Montgomery [John Prine]
4. I Got Plenty [Jim Carroll & Joey Levine]
5. Streetlights [Bill Payne]
6. What Is Success [Allen Toussaint] – Side 2
7. Ain't Nobody Home [Jerry Ragovoy]
8. Everything That Touches You [Michael Kamen]
9. Got You On My Mind [Alley Willis and David Lasley]
10. You Got To Be Ready For Love (If You Wanna Be Mine) [Lou Courtney]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 4th album "Streetlights" – released October 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2818 and November 1974 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56075

Disc 2 "Home Plate" (32:25 minutes):
1. What Do You Want The Boy To Do? [Allen Toussaint]
2. Good Enough [John and Johanna Hall]
3. Run Like A Thief [J.D. Souther]
4. Fool Yourself [Fred Tackett]
5. My First Night Alone Without You [Kin Vassy]
6. Walk Out The Front Door [Mark T. Jordan and Rip Stock] - Side 2
7. Sugar Mama [Glen Clark]
8. Pleasin' Each Other [Bill Payne and Fran Tate]
9. I'm Blowin' Away [Eric Kaz]
10. Sweet And Shiny Eyes [Nan O'Byrne]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 5th album "Home Plate" – released October 1975 on Warner Brothers BS 2864 and December 1975 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56160

Disc 3 "Sweet Forgiveness" (38:12 minutes):
1. About To Make Me Leave Home [Earl Randall]
2. Runaway [Del Shannon]
3. Two Lives [Mark Jordan]
4. Louise [Paul Siebel]
5. Gamblin' Man [Eric Kaz]
6. Sweet Forgiveness [Daniel Moore] – Side 2
7. My Opening Farewell [Jackson Browne]
8. Three Time Loser [Don Covay]
9. Takin' My Time [Bill Payne]
10. Home [Karla Bonoff]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 6th album "Sweet Forgiveness" – released April 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2990 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56323.

Disc 4 "The Glow" (37:39 minutes):
1. I Thank You [Isaac Hayes & David Porter song, Sam & Dave cover]
2. Your Good Thing (Is About To End) [Isaac Hayes and David Porter song, Mable John cover]
3. Standin' By The Same Old Love [Bonnie Raitt]
4. Sleep's Dark And Silent Gate [Jackson Browne]
5. The Glow [Veyler Hildebrand]
6. Bye Bye Baby [Mary Wells] – Side 2
7. The Boy Can't Help It [Bobby Troup song, Little Richard cover]
8. (I Could Have Been Your) Best Old Friend [Tracy Nelson]
9. You're Gonna Get What's Coming [Robert Palmer]
10. (Goin') Wild For You Baby [David Batteau, Tom Snow]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 7th album "The Glow" – released October 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers HS 3369 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56706

Disc 5 "Green Light" (35:06 minutes):
1. Keep This Heart Of Mine In Mind [Fred Marrone, Steve Holsapple]
2. River Of Tears [Eric Kaz]
3. Can't Get Enough [Bonnie Raitt, Walt Richmond]
4. Wilya Wontcha [Johnny Lee Schell]
5. Let's Keep It Between Us [Bob Dylan]
6. Me And The Boys [Terry Adams (of NRBQ), Dave Edmunds cover] – Side 2
7. I Can't Help Myself [Ricky Fataar, Ray O'Hara, Bonnie Raitt & Johnny Lee Schell]
8. Baby Come Back [Eddy Grant song, The Equals cover]
9. Talk To Me [Jerry Lynn Williams]
10. Green Lights [Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato (both of NRBQ)]
Tracks 1 to 10 are her 8th album "Green Light" – released March 1982 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3630 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56980

Most will know that these boxes come with single sleeve 5" card repros – back and front artwork of the original American LP with details you can't read even with a magnifying glass. It looks cute for sure but there's no booklet so I've provided track-by-track songwriting credits above. It looks like most are the 2002 and 2003 Gregg Geller Remasters – sounding funky and spunky in all the right places (some of these have become difficult to find as individual titles so this box set represents great value for money).

After three pretty straightforward Blues-Rock LPs – 1974's "Streetlights" saw Bonnie in a very mellow mood. It opens with her gorgeous acoustic take on Joni Mitchell's "That Song About The Midway" singing "...I found you in a trailer in some camping ground..." and you know both Joni & Bonnie have this degenerate gambler down. I've always loved her Funky choices of songs too – the rock-slink of Allen Toussaint's "What Is Success" – a low-down groove with top session players like keyboardist Leon Pendarvis laying down licks throughout that add so much to the overall (he was once with Lonnie Liston Smith's Cosmic Echoes). Again the players add top class to Michael Kamen's "Everything That Touches You" – Jeff Minirov and John Tropea playing so sweet on those guitars. And a forgotten nugget is "Got You On My Mind" – a pretty lilting tune with Jerry Ragovoy arrangements that sound almost Burt Bacharach at times. Ace sessionman Steve Gadd on drums throughout too...

The influences of funky Little Feat ("Sugar Mama" and "Fool Yourself") and Countrified Emmylou Harris ("My First Night Without You") permeates much of "Home Plate" - and like "Streetlights" – is a decidedly commercial affair. Both Allen Toussaint's "What Do You Want The Boy To Do?" and John Hall's plucky "Good Enough" features the swing of Fred Tackett and Bill Payne from Little Feat. John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful plays Autoharp on the truly lovely smoocher "Run Like A Thief" – a quality John David Souther song that layers on the heartbreak with an astonishing quartet of backing singers - Jackson Browne, J.D. Souther, Rosemary Butler and England’s Terry Reid. And not for the first time does she reach for the songwriting talent of Eric Kaz who offers "I'm Blowin' Away". The almost drunken "Sweet And Shiny Eyes" once again features a properly stellar set of pipes in the background - Emmylou Harris, J.D. Souther, Jackson Browne and Tom Waits...

After two albums of mopey lovelorn – the Paul A. Rothchild produced "Sweet Forgiveness" from 1977 comes as a Funky Rocking relief (and the Audio Remaster is stunning too). Her wickedly good Slide Guitar leads off the nasty "About To Make Me Leave Home" where it sounds like she's literally channelling Lowell George (Bill Payne of Little Feat is in there too on the keys). Her boogied-up cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway" has annoyed and thrilled purists – I can understand why but I still like it. Michael McDonald and Rosemary Butler provide their sweet-as-a-nut backing vocals but its Norton Buffalo's wicked Harmonica warble that saves it. Mark Jordan's emotional and touching love song "Two Lives" is an album highlight – once again McDonald and Butler floating in over the pain. Her cover of Paul Siebel's "Louise" reminds you of what a great song it is and what a criminally forgotten talent he was (sent me rushing back to 1970's "Woodsmoke And Oranges" by Siebel – see my separate review). Love her rocking slide cover of Don Covay's "Three Time Loser" too (Asylum tried it as a 7" single in the UK in April 1977 with the pretty "Louise" on the flipside).  And another emerging female songwriter Karla Bonoff gets her moment with the gorgeous album finisher "Home" (beautiful Audio on this) – Bonoff being a talent Linda Ronstadt would tap too for "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me".

1979's "The Glow" opens with her updated Soul-Rock boogie of "I Thank You" – an Isaac Hayes and David Porter song that Sam & Dave made a hit on Stax in 1968. But there then follows possibly my favourite cover ever by Bonnie Raitt – "You Good Thing (Is About To End)". Again it was written by that Stax dynamic duo of Hayes & Porter - but this time the long forgotten MABLE JOHN had the song on Stax 192 in May 1966. It's a torch ballad and a brilliant choice by Bonnie – backed up by Bill Payne of Little Feat on Keyboards and a wonderful flourish of a Saxophone Solo by David Sanborn. Her own "Standin' By The Same Love" is a slider while Paul Butterfield adds his Harmonica talent to the cover of Mary Wells' "Bye Bye Baby". Smart choice is the choppy guitar Rock of Robert Palmer's "You're Gonna Get What's Comin'"...

Terry Adams and Joey Spampinato (both of NRBQ) gave Bonnie the title song to her final offering here – 1982's "Green Light" album. Terry Adams also stumped up the rocking "Me And The Boys" – a song Dave Edmunds had covered on his excellent "D.E. 7th" album on Arista Records that same year. In fact both Edmunds and Raitt released the 'boys in the band' 7" single of "Me And The Boys" in the same month (April 1982) on both sides of the pond. Bob Dylan's support of the great lady continued with the excellent Bluesy slouch of "Let's Keep It Between Us" – a song that to my knowledge has yet to turn up on a Bobster album. The song-writing team of Ricky Fataar and Johnny Lee Schell gave her "I Can't Help Myself" and "Wilya Wontcha" and were later very much instrumental in songs on her Don Was produced breakthrough album "Nick Of Time" on Capitol Records in 1989.

In truth I'd like to see Rhino do a "Complete Warner Brothers Years" 10-album CD Box Set (including 1986's "Nine Lives") for BONNIE RAITT and newly remaster the whole damn lot with a (10th) disc of rarities thrown in (what'd ya say boys). But in the meantime - at roughly two-quid per record there's a whole lotta bang for your buck here and this dinky little peach will do nicely...

“Original Album Series” by BRINSLEY SCHWARZ [featuring Nick Lowe, Ian Gomm and Bob Andrews] (2015 Parlophone/Warners Music Group 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Home In My Hand..."

Named after their Guitarist 'Brinsley Ernest Schwarz' (even though almost all their tunes were penned by Nick Lowe) – Britain’s BRINSLEY SCHWARZ have had one remastered CD compilation to their name (to my knowledge) called "Surrender To The Rhythm" in 1991 on EMI. And that’s been it for decades. So this five-album haul is a welcome inclusion in the increasingly impressive "Original Album Series".

And even though each CD is listed as a 2011 master and doesn’t say where or who remastered them – they are remastered. I’m thrilled to say that these CDs sound wonderful – really clear and full of presence (sounds like Peter Mew’s handy work or they could be the versions prepared for the Japanese reissues in 2013?). Whatever is the truth - there's an awful lot of sublime Seventies music on offer here that you've probably not heard - and should. And for Nick Lowe fans – it’s a motherlode they will need. Here are the Silver Pistol details...

UK released Monday 27 April 2015 (May 2015 in the USA) - "Original Album Series" by BRINSLEY SCHWARZ on Parlophone/Warner Music Group 2564622174 (Barcode 825646221745) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with 5" Card Repro Sleeves and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (39:44 minutes):

1. Hymn To Me

2. Shining Brightly

3. Rock And Roll Women

4. Lady Constant

5. What Do You Suggest [Side 2]

6. Mayfly

7. Ballad Of A Has Been Beauty Queen

Tracks 1 to 7 are their debut album "Brinsley Schwarz". Produced by guitarist Brinsley Schwarz and Dave Robinson - it was released April 1970 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29111 and in the USA on Capitol ST-589. All tracks are NICK LOWE originals except "Hymn To Me" which was written by all four members of the band – NICK LOWE on Guitars, Bass and Lead Vocals, BRINSLEY SCHWARZ on Guitars and Vocals, BOB ANDREWS on Keyboards, Bass and Vocals and BILL RANKIN on Drums. The CD master is dated 2011.

Disc 2 (38:42 minutes):

1. Country Girl

2. The Slow One

3. Funk Angel

4. Piece Of Home

5. Love Song [Side 2]

6. Starship

7. Ebury Down

8. Old Jarrow

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd LP "Despite It All". Like the first album it was Produced by guitarist Brinsley Schwarz and Dave Robinson and released November 1971 in the UK on Liberty Records LBG 83427 and in the USA on Capitol ST-744. All songs are Nick Lowe originals except "Piece Of Home" which was written by Bob Andrews.

Disc 3 (41:10 minutes):

1. Dry Land

2. Merry Go Round

3. One More Day

4. Nightingale

5. Silver Pistol

6. Last Time I Was Fooled

7. Unknown Number [Side 2]

8. Range War

9. Egypt

10. Niki Hoeke Speedway

11. Ju Ju Man

12. Rockin' Chair

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 3rd album "Silver Pistol". Like the first and second album it was Produced by guitarist Brinsley Schwarz and Dave Robinson and released October 1971 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29217 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5566. Tracks 1, 3, 8, 9 and 12 are IAN GOMM originals (who joined the band for this album and replaces Brinsley Schwarz) while tracks 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are Nick Lowe originals. "Nicky Hoeke Speedway" and "Ju Ju Man" are Jim Ford cover versions. The CD master is dated 2011.

Disc 4 (39:20 minutes):

1. It’s Been So Long

2. Happy Doing What We’re Doing

3. Surrender To The Rhythm

4. Don’t Loose Your Grip On Love

5. Nervous On The Road (But Can't Stay At Home)

6. Feel A Little Funky [Side 2]

7. I Like It Like That

8. Brand New You, Brand New Me

9. Home In My Hand

10. Why, Why, Why, Why, Why

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 4th album "Nervous On The Road" - released September 1972 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29374 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5647. Produced by Brinsley Schwarz, Dave Robinson and Kingsley Ward – track 1 is by Ian Gomm, track 2 is a co-write between Bob Andrews and Nick Lowe, tracks 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 are Nick Lowe originals while "I Like It Like That" is a Chris Kenner cover version (co-written by Kenner with Allen Toussaint) and "Home In My Hand" is a cover version of a Ronnie Self rockabilly tune. The CD master is dated 2011.

Disc 5 (36:35 minutes):

1. Hooked On Love

2. Why Do We Hurt The One We Love?

3. I Worry ('Bout You Baby)

4. Don’t Ever Change

5. Home In My Hand (Live)

6. Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)

7. I Won't Make It Without You

8. Down In Mexico

9. Speedoo

10. The Version (Hypocrite)

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 5th album "Please Don't Ever Change" - released October 1973 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29489 (no USA release). Produced by Brinsley Schwarz and Vic Maile. Track 1 is an Ian Gomm song, tracks 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 are Nick Lowe originals, the Ronnie Self cover "Home In My Hand" is a 'live' version recorded at The Hope & Anchor Pub in London’s Islington. "Speedoo" is a cover of the Cadillacs vocal group hit, "Don't Ever Change" is a Goffin/King song recorded by The Crickets and "The Version (Hypocrite)" is a Bob Marley cover. The CD master is dated 2011

As is mostly the norm with this series - none of these discs have any extras and are straightforward transfers of the original vinyl LPs (with repro artwork front and rear). Each CD label lists the tracks along with Writer and Producer credits - a good idea because the 5” Repro Sleeves (although they look nice) are hard if not impossible to read. As I’ve already pointed out above – there is no real indication as to who remastered these albums only that 2011 is the date for all five titles.

The first album offers strong contenders like "Hymn To Me", "What Do You Suggest?" and the epic rocking ten minutes of "Ballad Of A Has Been Beauty Queen" that finishes Side 2. The second platter for 1970 offers the Soulful Blues of "The Slow One" while the boys go all Country on “Starship” (BJ Cole on the Pedal Steel). The audio quality on the largely acoustic "Edbury Down" is really clean while the seven-minute "Old Jarrow" feels like the band has been listening to Matthews Southern Comfort and Fairport Convention's "Liege & Lief" for an entire week.

Ian Gomm joined the band for "Silver Pistol" contributed three songs to the mix including the Shadows-like instrumental "Rockin' Chair". While "Merry Go Round" sounds great (audiowise) - "Egypt" is very hissy unfortunately. Top sound though on Gomm's "Range War" and Lowe's "The Last Time I Was Fooled".

Nick Lowe's writing began to improve big time by the time the band reached the superb "Nervous On The Road" – cracking Rock 'n' Roller tunes like "Surrender To The Rhythm" and the title track "Nervous On The Road (But Can't Stay At Home)" - while their choices of cover versions were inspired – Chris Kenner's "I Like It Like That" and the brill Rockabilly of Ronnie Self's cool "Home In My Hand". In fact Dave Edmunds would plunder "Home In My Hand" and Jim Ford's "Ju Ju Man" for his own albums.

While Ian Gomm's opener "Hooked On Love" is a great Brinsley tune - Lowe's vignettes again sail above the others on the underrated and criminally forgotten "Please Don't Ever Change" album (in fact for me both it and "Nervous On The Road" are the best albums in here). Songs like the jerky New Wave shuffle of "Why Do We Hurt The One We Love?" and the party boogie of "Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)" give more than a nod to his "Jesus Of Cool" debut solo LP in 1978. "I Won't Make It Without You" gives a real indication of his romantic troubadour years to come also – all cool stuff...

So there you have it - cool band and a very zippy little reissue. Terry Reid, Brinsley Schwarz and Jimmy Webb are all new 27 April 2015 additions in this "Original Album Series" and what winners all three are. Between these and the superlative "Greenwich Village FOLK SCENE" 5CD installment (also in the "Original Album Series") – I'm a very happy bunny indeed (see reviews for the lot).

Buy this cheap-as-chips gift to your inner Nick and Play That Fast Thing (One More Time)...

"The Greenwich Village FOLK SCENE - Original Album Series" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (2015 Warners Music Group/Elektra 5CD Box) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Bleecker and MacDougal..." 

A genius release in many ways - with the big prize for Acoustic Folk Blues lovers and collectors being the first-time-on-CD reissue of the hugely influential "The Blues Project" album on Elektra Records from 1964 (and what a winner it is). There's a sea of goodies on offer here and many illustrious guests - so let's get to the gory details...

UK released Monday 23 February 2015 (March 2015 in the USA) - "The Greenwich Village FOLK SCENE" in the Original Album Series (by Various Artists) on Warner Music Group/Elektra 8122795661 (Barcode 081227956615) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with 5" Card Repro Sleeves and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (37:33 minutes):
1. Take Your Fingers Off Of It
2. Come On In
3. Mandolin King Rag
4. Overseas Stomp
5. Evolution Mama
6. The Even Dozens
7. I Don't Love Nobody
8. Rag Mama [Side 2]
9. France Blues
10. On The Road Again
11. Original Colossal Drag Rag
12. All Worn Out
13. Lonely One In This Town
14. Sadie Green
Tracks 1 to 14 are the album "The Even Dozen Jug Band" by THE EVEN DOZEN JUG BAND released 1964 in the USA on Elektra EKL 246 (Mono) and EKS 7246 (Stereo). It was also belatedly issued in the UK on Bounty BY 6023 in 1966 (Stereo only). The Stereo mix is used for the CD and the master is probably the 2001 Rhino/Collector's Choice Music remaster. Produced by Paul A Rothchild - the Americana group contained Pete Jacobson, John Sebastian (credited as John Benson) who formed The Loving Spoonful, Steve Katz who went on form Blood, Sweat & Tears with Al Kooper, virtuoso guitarist Stefan Grossman, keyboardist and conductor Joshua Rifkin and Maria Muldaur (then Maria D'Amato - she's visible on the album sleeve sat on the wall to the far left with a guitar).
MUSICIANS:
Pete Jacobson plays Guitar on 3, 5, 10 and 13 and sings Lead Vocals on 5, 8 and 12
Pete Siegel plays Guitar on 1 and 14, Banjo on 1, 4 and 14 and sings Lead Vocals on 1, 7, 10 and 13
Stefan Grossman plays Guitar on 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 14, Banjo on 3, 5 and 11 and sings Lead Vocals with Bob Gurland on 1
John Sebastian plays Harmonica on 9, 10 and 13 and plays Kazoo on 11
Steve Katz sings on 2, 4, 9, 10 and 14 and plays Washboard on 1, 3 and 13
Josh Rifkin plays Piano on 5, 6, 8, 11 and 14 and sings backing Vocals on 5 and 12
Maria Muldaur (as Maria D'Amato) sings Backing Vocals on 2, 4 and 9
Bob Gurland plays Trumpet on 1, 5, 7, 8 and 11 and sings Lead Vocals on 1

Disc 2 (48:08 minutes):
1. Fixin' To Die - DAVE RAY (Bukka White cover)
2. Blow Whistle Blow - ERIC VON SCHMIDT (Margaret Johnson cover)
3. My Little Woman - (SPIDER) JOHN KOERNER (Koerner song)
4. Ginger Man - GEOFF MULDAUR (Geoff Muldaur song)
5. Bad Dream Blues - DAVE VAN RONK (Van Ronk song)
6. Winding Boy - IAN BUCHANAN (Jelly Roll Morton cover)
7. I'm Troubled - DANNY KALB (a Muddy Waters cover)
8. France Blues - MARK SPOELSTRA (Spoelstra song)
9. Don't You Leave Me - DAVE VAN RONK (Jelly Roll Morton cover) [Side 2]
10. Devil Got My Woman - GEOFF MULDAUR (Skip James cover)
11. Southbound Train - (SPIDER) JOHN KOERNER (Big Bill Broonzy cover)
12. Downtown Blues - GEOFF MULDAUR (Vera Hall Ward cover)
13. Leavin' Here Blues - DAVE RAY (Dave Ray song)
14. Hello Baby Blues - DANNY KALB (Kalb song)
15. She's Gone - MARK SPOELSTRA (Jim Jackson cover)
16. Slappin' On My Black Cat Bone - DAVE RAY (John Koerner song)
Tracks 1 to 16 are the LP "The Blues Project - A Compendium Of The Very Best On The Urban Blues Scene" by VARIOUS ARTISTS released 1964 in the USA on Elektra EKL 264 (mono) and EKS 7264 (Stereo). John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful plays Harmonica on "Blow Whistle Blow", "I'm Troubled" and "Downtown Blues". Eric Von Schmidt plays Mandolin on "Devil Got My Woman" and Piano on "Downtown Blues". BOB DYLAN is credited as the fictitious Bob Landy and plays Treble Piano on "Downtown Blues". "Blow Whistle Blow" is a re-working of Margaret Johnson's "When A Gator Holler, Folks Say It's A Sign Of Rain". First time on CD for this rare and influential album (Stereo mix used) - the master from the disc is dated 2014 and is definitely remastered to a very high quality.

Disc 3 (50:47 minutes):
1. I Ain't Marching Anymore
2. In The Heat Of The Summer
3. Draft Dodger Rag
4. That's What I want To Hear
5. That Was The President
6. Iron Lady
7. The Highwayman
8. Links On The Chain [Side 2]
9. Hills Of West Virginia
10. The Men Behind The Guns
11. Talking Birmingham Jam
12. Ballad Of The Carpenter
13. Days Of Decision
14. Here's To The State Of Mississippi
Tracks 1 to 14 are the album "I Ain't Marching Anymore" by PHIL OCHS released 1965 in the USA on Elektra EKL 287 (Mono) and EKS 7287 (Stereo). Originally Produced by JAC HOLZMAN - all songs are written by Ochs except "The Highwayman" (a co-write with Alfred Noyce), "The Men Behind The Guns" (uses the words of John Rooney) and "Ballad Of The Carpenter" (a Ewan MacColl cover). The CD uses the 2001 Rhino/Elektra Bill Inglot/Dan Hersch Remaster of the Stereo mix and sounds beautiful.

Disc 4 (34:12 minutes):
1. Bleecker And MacDougal
2. Blues On The Ceiling
3. Sweet Mama
4. Little Bit Of Rain
5. Country Boy
6. Other Side To This Life
7. Mississippi Train
8. Travelin' Shoes [Side 2]
9. The Water Is Wide
10. Yonder Comes The Blues
11. Candy Man
12. Handful of Gimme
13. Gone Again
Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Bleecker And MacDougal" by FRED NEIL  - released 1965 in the USA on Elektra EKL 293 (Mono) and EKS 7293 (Stereo). It was reissued Stateside in 1970 as "Little Bit Of Rain" on Elektra EKS 74073 in Stereo only and with a different cover. Originally Produced by PAUL A. ROTHCHILD - all songs are Fred Neil originals except the Traditional "The Water is Wide" and "Candy Man" which is a co-write with Beverley Ross and was made famous by Roy Orbison. John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful plays Harmonica and Felix Pappalardi (later with Mountain and Joe Walsh's Barnstorm) plays Bass on many tracks. The CD uses the 2001 Rhino/Elektra Bill Inglot/Dan Hersch Remaster of the Stereo mix and sounds beautiful.

Disc 5 (37:18 minutes):
1. Ain't That News
2. The Willing Conscript
3. Lyndon Johnson Told The Nation
4. Hold On To Me Babe
5. The Name Of The Game Is Stud
6. Bottle Of Wine
7. The Natural Girl For Me
8. Goodman, Schwerner And Chaney [Side 2]
9. We Didn't Know
10. Buy A Gun For Your Son
11. Every Time
12. Georgie On The Freeways
13. Sully's Pail
14. I'm The Man Who Built The Bridges
Tracks 1 to 14 are the album "Ain't That News" by TOM PAXTON - released 1965 in the USA on Elektra Records EKL 298 (Mono) and EKS 7298 (Stereo). Produced by JAC HOLZMAN - all songs are written by Tom Paxton. Barry Kornfeld (of The Artie Kornfeld Tree) plays 2nd Guitar and Banjo with Felix Pappalardi on Bass. The CD uses the 2001 Rhino/Elektra Bill Inglot/Dan Hersch Remaster of the Stereo mix and sounds beautiful.

As is mostly the norm with this series - none of these discs have any extras and are straightforward transfers of the original vinyl LPs (with repro artwork front and rear). Each CD label lists the tracks along with Writer and Producer credits - a good idea because the 5" Repro Sleeves (although they look nice) are hard if not impossible to read. The Fred Neil, Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton albums turned up in October 2001 on the Rhino/Elektra "2 Elektra Classics" series of CD reissues with gorgeous Bill Inglot/Dan Hersch Remasters from original tapes - and to my ears those lovely transfers of the Stereo mixes have been used here. The Even Dozen Jug Band is probably the 2001 Rhino/Collector's Choice Music remaster and the Various Artists compilation "The Blues Project" is new - both of which are perfectly complimentary to the other three and both boasting wonderfully clear and full audio too.

Happy-wappy Jug Band Music arrives in the shape The Even Dozen Jug Band - all washboards, kazoos, banjos, mandolins and plucked acoustic guitars telling us tales of Tennessee Mamas talking about Evolution and "...gals after my money..." in "I Don't Love Nobody". It's blindingly great fun and sounds incredible given its vintage. But it gets quickly set aside for the real prize on here - "The Blues Project" album from 1964. This is sensational stuff - clued-up white singers keeping black Blues alive with a passion and a real sense of history changing. Each track features voices and acoustic guitars that have become legend in Folk Blues circles - Eric Von Schmidt, "Spider" John Koerner, Geoff Muldaur and Dave Von Ronk. None other than Bob Dylan hides behind the moniker of Bob Landy as he enters a piano duet with Eric Von Schmidt on "Downtown Blues" (the song also features John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful on harmonica). Brilliant stuff. "The Blues Project" is the kind of CD that gives Americana a good name and will be a huge draw for enthusiasts.

"I must have killed a million men...now they want me back again..." - Phil Ochs sings on the brilliant "I Ain't Marching Anymore" where he documents with just his voice, his guitar and his acidic words the senseless waste of war, the US military and the hated draft in a fractured Sixties America. Every track is simple and while he doesn't possess the most powerful of voices - his conviction and wit hammers through each tale of disillusioned youth riling against the man.

I can't be rational about Fred Neil (who can) - his "Bleecker & MacDougal" album is a masterpiece and the remaster on tracks like "Gone Again", "Handful Of Gimme" and "Travellin' Shoes" is just stupendous (each features John Sebastian on Harmonica and Felix Pappalardi of Mountain and Joe Walsh's Barnstorm on Bass). His cover of the Traditional "The Water Is Wide" is about as lovely as Sixties US Folk gets - again with Sebastian warbling so beautifully in the background on his Harmonica lending the song a genuine beauty.

The politically loaded Tom Paxton album tells us about "...people opening up their eyes..." as the US President sends him a letter telling him it's "...time to put your khaki trousers on...we are sending you to Vietnam..." Relationships come into play on the lovely "Hold On To Me Babe" and the pure Folk of "Ev'ry Time (When We Are Gone)" both sounding like early Leonard Cohen. He ends it with the banjo dance of "I'm The Man That Builds Bridges" where he talks of the men who cut timber, laid track and built America - a proud song that counters the hurt of the anti-war songs that preceded it.

"...I'll never get out of these blues alive..." Fred Neil sang in 1965 - and he wasn't just singing about a state of mind but the State of the USA - as each of these superb snippets of Americana inform. A fantastic addition to an increasingly impressive series...buy it and I envy you the journey...

PS: see also 2015 reviews for 5CD Mini Box sets from Terry Reid, Jimmy Webb and Brinsley Schwarz in the "Original Album Series"