"C.C.S." by C.C.S. [feat Alexis Korner] (2000 Repertoire 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster in Artwork-Repro Digipak) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Spin Your Threads…Spider Of Forgetfulness…"

C.C.S. (short for COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS SOCIETY) made 3 studio albums and 7 singles for Mickie Most's RAK Records in the early Seventies, before the band finally split up in late 1973.

This fantastically clear-sounding Repertoire CD is the first of those three - their self-titled debut album remastered and supplemented with four relevant bonus tracks. The Digipak on this 'Expanded Edition' Reissue/Remaster CD mimics the album's original laminate gatefold artwork (a nice touch) and has an 8-page booklet with a CHRIS WELCH essay on the LP and the band's history. Here's a 'whole lotta love'...

Released April 2000 (reissued June 2002) - "C.C.S." by C.C.S on Repertoire REP 4851 (Barcode 4009910485125) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster in a Card Digipak and plays out as follows (54:34 minutes):

1. Boom Boom

2. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

3. Waiting Song

4. Looking For Fun

5. Whole Lotta Love

6. Living In The Past [Side 2]

7. Sunrise

8. Dos Cantos

9. Wade In The Water

Tracks 1 to 9 are the debut album "C.C.S." by C.C.S. - originally released October 1970 on Rak Records SRAK 6751 in the UK and issued later as "Whole Lotta Love" in the USA on Rak 30559 in April 1971

BONUS TRACKS (Non-Album Singles):

10. Walking

11. Salome

Tracks 10 and 11 UK issued February 1971 on RAK Records RAK 109 as a stand-alone 7" single. "Walking" is a DONOVAN cover version while "Salome" is a John Cameron and Alexis Korner original.

12. Tap Turns On The Water

13. Save The World

Tracks 12 and 13 UK issued August 1971 on RAK Records RAK 119 as a stand-alone 7" single. Both songs are Korner/Cameron originals.

The huge ensemble group was the brain-child of British Blues Boom Godfather ALEXIS KORNER who along with Danish singer PETER THORUP and British arranger JOHN CAMERON pulled together the cream of brass/flute-playing session-men of the time and went after the BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS market for funked-up rock. Mickie Most's timing couldn't have been better. Deciding right from the start to include cover versions ala B, S & T, they did a fantastic brassed-up take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" that not only complimented the original, but also defined that "CCS" sound. So when the new BBC pop program "Top Of The Pops" needed a cool new theme song, they took this winner, dropped the flute intro and the vocal middle and end - and a theme song legend was born.

Even now, I can remember vividly as a budding teenager watching Top Of The Pops on a Thursday night (for what seemed literally like years) and when that theme came on, a rush went through your veins! I dare say that experience was repeated all across the land and it's probably one of the reasons why CCS is held in such affection to this day. "Whole Lotta Love" came before "Walking" as their 1st 7" single issued in October 1970 on RAK 104 with their cover of John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" on the B-side (both tracks are on the debut LP).

But the best bit is the SOUND. Repertoire re-issues are always good in my book, but this licensed-from-EMI remaster is exceptional. I'd expected wads of hiss, but the transfers are very clean - and given the amount of brass coming at you, muscular to a point where you have to sometimes reach for the volume control! Plus what also impresses is that there are a lot of quiet patches in between all the musical bluster in the songs and they sound lovely too - a really great job done.

Musically the album itself has been a treasure trove to me - the structure of the songs being complicated and therefore bear repeated listening and discovery. While I'm not overly mad about Thorup's vocals to be truthful, the gravel voice-over wonder that was Alexis Korner's larynx will always send a chill up my spine. A sadly, sadly missed man and God bless him wherever he may be. Their stabs at covers of Jethro Tull's "Living In The Past", The Stones' "Satisfaction" and John Lee Hooker's magical stop-start "Boom Boom" all impress - as does the swagger of the Traditional "Wade In The Water". Originals like "Waiting Song" "Lookin' For Fun" and "Sunrise" are superb too. But I've always loved "Dos Cantos" - an 8-minutes passage of pure C.C.S. melodrama and fun (lyrics from it title this review) - Korner's lyrics and menacing voice rattling around the speakers like some uncle you both love and don't trust!

When C.C.S folded, both Korner and Thorup teamed up with King Crimson's BOZ BURRELL and IAN WALLACE to form SNAPE who issued some albums in Europe. But my heart is with the fab C.C.S. on RAK Records. I’m biased of course because I've loved their albums since I was knee-high and I can say with certainty that this re-issue and its great remaster is superlative and highly recommended to those who love their Seventies Rock with a bit of balls and a sense of humour…

PS:

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For those who want more, their second album from 1972 also called "C.C.S." on the original vinyl (CCS II for CD purposes) is also available in this series - as is their 3rd and last album from 1973, "The Best Band In The Land". I've bought the other two also - and remastered with bonus tracks - they're the business too. I've also extensively reviewed Esoteric Recordings "Tap Turns On The Water: The C.C.S. Story" 2CD Anthology from 2013 which has equally stupendous audio quality...

Rhino ENCORE Series - A LIST. 2008 CD Reissues Of Classic Albums From The Vast WEA Catalogue

Rhino Records of the USA (one of the world's leading re-issue labels) has had a long-standing relationship with the WEA catalogue. Its legendary archives span over 60 years of recorded music - the Atlantic label, Warner Brothers, Elektra, Asylum and all points distributed by WEA in between.

All titles listed below were issued Monday 11 August 2008 in the UK (there are others in the USA) and there's more promised in the forthcoming months. Each release is based on the American version of the album - and I've provided year of release and original label for your reference.

Each has an "Encore" sticker on the outer jewel case to identify them. They're priced cheaply, £5 in London stores and although not stated as such on the packaging, being Rhino, they're remasters. But being so cheap, the trade off is the inlay - which is a gatefold slip of paper in almost all cases with barely a track list and nothing else.

Still - as you can see, while some of them are simply re-releases, there's plenty of great titles seeing the light of day for the first time...

1. Solid Bond by GRAHAM BOND [1970 on Warner Brothers, a 2LP set on 1CD)
2. Byrds by BYRDS (1973 on Asylum)
3. Bobby Charles by BOBBY CHARLES (1972 debut on Bearsville)
4. 3614 Jackson Highway by CHER (1969 on Atco)
5. Pretties For You by ALICE COOPER (1969 debut on Straight)
6. Easy Action by ALICE COOPER (1970 on Straight)
7. Air Conditioning by CURVED AIR (1970 debut on Warner Brothers)
8. Second Album by CURVED AIR (1971 on Warner Brothers)
9. Hand It Over by DINOSAUR JR. (1997 on Blanco Y Negro)
10. A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die by THE FLESH EATERS (1981 on Initial)
11. Aretha Arrives by ARETHA FRANKLIN (1967 on Atlantic)
12 Let Me In Your Life by ARETHA FRANKLIN (1974 on Atlantic)
13. The J. Geils Band by THE J. GEILS BAND (1971 debut on Atlantic)
14. All To Bring You Morning by JOHNNY HARRIS (1973 on Warner Brothers)
15. The Living End by HUSKER DU (Live, 1994 on Warner Brothers)
16. Jobriath by JOBRIATH (1973 debut on Elektra)
17. Jo Jo Gunne by JO JO GUNNE (1972 debut on Asylum)
18. Glorious Fool by JOHN MARTYN (1981 on WEA)
19. Well Kept Secret by JOHN MARTYN (1982 on WEA)
20. Kate & Anna McGarrigle by KATE & ANNA McGARRIGLE (1975 on Warner Brothers)
21. Graham Nash and David Crosby by GRAHAM NASH & DAVID CROSBY (1972 on Atlantic)
22. Innocent Eyes by GRAHAM NASH (1986 on Atlantic)
23. GP by GRAM PARSONS (1973 on Reprise)
24. Grievous Angel by GRAM PARSONS (1974 on Reprise)
25. Third Eye by REDD KROSS (1990 on Atlantic)
26. Love Man by OTIS REDDING (1969 on Atlantic)
27. Doug Sahm And Band by DOUG SAHM and BAND (1973 on Atlantic)
28. Tarzana Kid by JOHN SEBASTIAN [of The Lovin' Spoonful] (1974 on Reprise)
29. John David Souther by JOHN DAVID SOUTHER (1972 on Asylum)
30. Sparks by SPARKS
(This is their 1971 "Halfnelson" debut album - re-issued as "Sparks" in 1972 on Bearsville under their new name, Sparks)
31. A Woofer In Tweeter's Clothing by SPARKS (1973 2nd LP on Bearsville)
32. God Bless Tiny Tim by TINY TIM (1968 on Reprise)
33. Zero Time by TONTO'S EXPANDING HEAD BAND (1971 on Atlantic)
34. Orange Crate Art by BRIAN WILSON and VAN DYKE PARKS (1995 on Warner Bros)
35. I've Got My Own Album To Do by RONNIE WOOD [Faces & The Rolling Stones]
(1974 on Warner Brothers)
36. Now Look by RONNIE WOOD (1975 on Warner Brothers)
37. Mr. Bad Example by WARREN ZEVON (1991 on Giant)

"Room To Roam: Collector's Edition" by THE WATERBOYS (August 2008 EMI/Chrysalis 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…In Search Of Rose…"

The Waterboys much-loved and acclaimed fifth album from 1990 gets a proper overhaul on this 2008 2CD ‘Collector’s Edition’ - and typically this superb reissue yields just as much goodies in the outtakes on Disc 2 - with the original album given a much-needed Audio upgrade on Disc 1. Here are the Raggle Taggle details…

UK and EUROPE released 11 August 2008 - "Room To Roam: Collector’s Edition" by THE WATERBOYS on EMI/Chrysalis 228 4092 (Barcode 5099922840929) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster with Seventeen Previously Unreleased Additional Recordings that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 - Original Album (42:43 minutes):

1. In Search Of Rose [Side 1]

2. Song From The End of The World

3. A Man In Love

4. Kaliope House

5. Bigger Picture

6. Natural Bridge Blues

7. Something That Is Gone

8. The Star And The Sea

9. A Life Of Sundays

10. Islandman [Side 2]

11. The Raggle Taggle Gypsy

12. How Long Will I Love You?

13. Upon The Wind And Waves

14. Spring Comes To Spiddal

15. The Trip To Broadford

16. Further Up, Further In

17. Room To Roam

Tracks 1 to 17 are the album "Room To Roam" released September 1990 in the UK on Ensign Records CHEN 16

Disc 2 - Additional Recordings (49:03 minutes):

1. In Search Of A Rose (Full Band)

2. My Morag (The Exile’s Dream)

3. A Man In Love (including Calliope House) (Alternate)

4. The Wyndy Wyndy Road

5. Three Ships

6. Sunny Sailor Boy

7. Sponsored Pedal Pusher’s Blues

8. The Wayward Wind

9. Danny Murphy/Florence

10. The Raggle Taggle Gypsy (Live)

11. Custer’s Blues (Live)

12. TWA Recruitin’ Sergeants (Live)

13. A Reel And A Stomp In The Kitchen

14. Down By The Sally Gardens

15. A Strathspey In The Rain At Dawn

16. A Song For The Life

17. The Kings Of Kerry (Outdoors)

Tracks 1 to 17 include 14 studio outtakes and 3 live recordings

Mike Scott has overseen the booklet, the first half produces the original album credits, lyrics etc - the second half does the same for Disc 2 - including full session details and lyrics - a nice touch. A well thought out re-issue.

The WATERBOYS Band and Session Players for the LP were:

MIKE SCOTT on Lead Vocals, Guitars & Keyboards (principal songwriter)

ANTO THISLETHWAITE on Baritone Saxophone, Mandolin

COLIN BLAKEY on Whistle, Flute, Hammond Organ and Piano

STEVE WICKHAM on Fiddle, Hammond Organ and Backing Vocals

TREVOR HUTCHINSON on Double Bass and Bouzouki

NOEL BRIDGEMAN on Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals

SHARON SHANNON guest player on Accordion and Fiddle

Recorded in Galway in the West of Ireland over many months, "Room..." follows on from the `Traditional Irish Folk Meets Rock' of "Fisherman's Blues" in 1988; it's simply more of the same. But what's improved most here is the SOUND. The remaster is beautiful, clean and clear - loads of space and warmth around the instruments - my 1990 original CD is a bit haggard compared to this. Steve Wickham's lovely fiddle playing on "A Man Is In Love" sails out of the speakers. The bass on all tracks is warm and backdrops everything with a real sweetness. A team has attacked the tapes – PHILIP TENNANT, TIM CHACKSFIELD, ROBBIE ADAMS and DICK BEETHAM.

Many of the songs are now LOUD too, but not in that overbearing way, more live-in-your-living-room - and wonderful for it. Improvements would include the fiddle jaunt of "Natural Bridge Blues" which is now so clear - the sax break on "Something That I Lost" - the whack of the drums on the Traditional Irish Air made famous by Planxty, "The Raggle Taggle Gypsy" - all fabulous work done with the master tapes. And the album's best track "A Life Of Sundays" with Noel Bridgeman's great backing vocals is now just HUGE - a wow!

But the biggest surprise is DISC 2, which I feared would be rammed full of worthy but dull filler. It isn't. It does of course have some clinkers - the 3 live tracks are ok, but full of drunken crowd shouts that detract too much and could have been dropped, while the cassette quality of "Florence" in "Danny Murphy/Florence" is unlistenable. But the rest of it is excellent - proper studio out-takes - and some that would make you wonder why they didn't make the finished album. "Three Ships" sounds like something that came off "This Is The Sea" - a trippy instrumental jaunt with Celtic overtones - excellent stuff. "Sunny Sailor Boy" is gorgeous - a genuine bonus track. "A Strathspey In The Rain At Dawn" is simply SHARON SHANNON and her accordion with Irish rainfall and birds tweeting as her backdrop - very pretty. A real rarity, however, is the lovely Irish-Only 1989 single release of "Down By The Sally Gardens" which features the wizened and emotive lead vocals of TOMAS MacEOIN. And as the slow air of "A Song For The Life" draws Disc 2 to a close, it's hard not to be moved.

MIKE SCOTT has always been a magical songwriter to me - an artist who pens a tune that nails you - moves you impossibly - and then you find yourself backtracking - buying up everything that he and his band have ever done and waiting for the new stuff with the thrill of a child running into Daddy's arms as he comes up the driveway from work!

To sum up, I've come back to this album not expecting much, but this great re-issue is making me love it all over again. Sure with a bit of judicious pruning on Disc 2, it would have made an excellent single CD and saved us punters a few bob, but I won't begrudge THE WATERBOYS a sausage- anything new by them is good news in my book and worth paying for.

"Room To Roam" COLLECTOR'S EDITION is a nice album made a whole lot better - and a top REMASTER too. Highly, highly recommended...