"Original Album Series" by THE DETROIT SPINNERS [aka SPINNERS in the USA] (March 2010 UK Atlantic/Rhino Remastered 5CD Capacity Wallet) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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HIGHER GROUND 
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

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"...Mighty Love..."

Aping the success of Sony's similarly packaged 5CD box sets "Original Classic Albums" - WEA/Rhino has released a huge swath of these "Original Album Series" Box Sets since 2010 - and this dinky DETROIT SPINNERS 5CD set was amongst the first 40. And a bit of a Soul winner it is too. Here are the Mighty Love details...

UK released, Monday 1 March 2010 - "Original Album Series" by THE DETROIT SPINNERS [aka SPINNERS] on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 8 (Barcode 081227983789) is a Remastered 5CD Capacity Wallet with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (40:54 minutes):

1. Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind

2. Just You And Me Baby

3. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You

4. I Could Never (Repay Your Love)

5. I'll Be Around

6. One Of A Kind (Love Affair)

7. We Belong Together

8. Ghetto Child

9. How Could I Let You Get Away

10. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

Tracks 1 to 10 is the album "Spinners" - released April 1973 on Atlantic SD 7256 in the USA and Atlantic K 40477 in the UK [see Note re Band Name Credits]

Disc 2 (37:33 minutes):

1. Since I Been Gone

2. Ain't No Price On Happiness

3. I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life

4. I'm Coming Home

5. He'll Never Love You Like I Do

6. Love Has Gone Away

7. Love Don't Love Nobody

8. Mighty Love

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Mighty Love" - released March 1974 on Atlantic SD 7296 in the USA and Atlantic K 50030 in the UK

Disc 3 (35:17 mnutes):

1. Sittin' On Top Of The World

2. Smile, We Have Each Other

3. Then Came You

4. There's No One Like You

5. Living A Little, Laughing A Little

6. Sadie

7. Lazy Susan

8. I've Got To Make It On My Own

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "New And Improved" - released December 1974 on Atlantic SD 18118 in the USA and January 1975 on Atlantic K 50102 in the UK

Disc 4 (40:45 minutes):

1. Honest I Do

2. I Don't Want To Lose You

3. Love Or Leave

4. Sweet Love Of Mine

5. All That Glitters Ain't Gold

6. You Made A Promise To Me

7. Games People Play

8. Just As Long As We Have Love

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Pick Of The Litter" - released August 1975 on Atlantic SD 18141 in the USA and Atlantic K 50155 in the UK

Disc 5 (66:21 minutes):

1. Fascinating Rhythm

2. I've Got To Make It On My Own

3. Living A Little, Laughing A Little

4. One Of A Kind (Love Affair)

5. Then Came You

6. Sadie

7. How Could I Let You Get Away

8. Could It Be I'm Falling In Love

9. Superstar Medley: It's Not Usual/Don't Mess With Bill/Paper Doll/Stop! In The Name Of Love/If I Didn't Care/Hound Dog/Hello Dolly

10. Love Don't Love Nobody

11. Mighty Love

Tracks 1 to 11 are "Spinners Live!" - a 12-track 2LP set released December 1975 on Atlantic SD 2-910 in the USA and Atlantic K 60110 in the UK

[The CD is 11 tracks, "Love Don't Love Nobody" was spread across two sides of the original vinyl album; here it's segued into one long nine-minute plus track]

Note: on original release ALL of the US albums were credited to SPINNERS - the UK issues however were credited to THE DETROIT SPINNERS - over the years it is this longer name that the soul vocal group have become more commonly known by. None of the discs contain bonus tracks and the legendary THOM BELL was producer for all of the albums.

The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork - the split 'envelope' sleeve of "Pick Of The Litter" and the gatefold of "Spinners Live!" are not reproduced - "New And Improved" had a blue coloured sleeve in the UK and reversed the artwork - live picture on the front, baby photos on the rear - this set uses the red US artwork. Each front sleeve is also now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code (so no original label artwork reproduced). The outer card box is lightweight and therefore a little bit flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues and there's no downloadable track details either), but having said that, the card sleeves themselves still look great once out of the box.

Unlike many other titles in this series (repackaging of crappy Eighties titles that have been in the marketplace for years) these titles ARE the Atlantic/Rhino remasters of old and therefore their sound is just GORGEOUS - really lovely to listen to. Musically this is 'soft' soul and may not be to everyone's tastes, but I love it - smooth and sweet (even if the screaming girls of the live set may test your patience).

The debut album was a monster Stateside- spawning no less than three Number 1 singles on the R&B charts - "I'll Be Around", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" and "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)". Not to be outdone in chart placing - "Ghetto Child" rightly achieved a Number 4 slot (what a fabulous song). The hits kept coming with album two - "Mighty Love" again hit Number 1 while the infectious "I'm Coming Home" and "Love Don't Love Nobody" kept them in buyers hearts and on A&M radio. Smoochy album nuggets include the lovely "He'll Never Love You Like I Do" and the pull her close "I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life".

Album 3 produced a duet hit "Then Came You" with DIONNE WARWICKE that stormed to Number 2 - while the piano class of "Living A Little, Laughing A Little" and the mid-tempo talker "Sadie" gave them both a Number 7 position.  The Live album is probably the weakest link here with a vaudeville melody in the middle of it being a badly placed item. But they hit paydirt again with "Games People Play" in August 1975 - another R&B Number 1 - and rightly so. Album sleepers include the pretty ballad "I Don't Want To Lose You" (so Spinners) and "You Made A Promise To Me" - a slushy tune ala Stylistics (the shadow of Thom Bell looming over all). 

There's a whole lot of string-laden Seventies Soul here for not a whole lot of your money and some great trips down Soul Train memory lane. "Original Album Series" by The Detroit Spinners is a bit of a sweetie really...

"Loud 'N' Proud” by NAZARETH (Their 4th Album From 1973 Reissued By Salvo Records of the UK on a 2010 Remastered & Expanded CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…You've Got The Lovin' I Like…"

Like most people I was introduced to Scotland's finest rock band by way of their kick-ass 7" single "Bad Bad Boy" when it first hit the UK airwaves in July 1973 (it capitalised on their 3rd album released in March of that year - the blisteringly good "Razamanaz"). 

"Loud 'N' Proud" was their follow up LP and like its predecessor, it had plenty of Seventies rock swagger to recommend it. Here are the big hairy details…

UK released February 2010 - "Loud 'N' Proud" by NAZARETH on Salvo Records SALVOCD 033 (Barcode 698458813329) is a 'Remastered & Expanded' CD with Four Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (51:09 minutes):

1. Go Down Fighting

2. Not Faking It

3. Turn On Your Receiver

4. Teenage Nervous Breakdown

5. Freewheeler [Side 2]

6. This Flight Tonight

7. Child In The Sun

8. The Ballad Of Hollis Brown

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Loud 'N' Proud" released November 1973 in the UK on Mooncrest Records CREST 4 and March 1974 on A&M Records SP-3609 in the USA. As with "Razamanaz", it featured the same band line-up (Dan McCafferty on Lead Vocals, Manny Charlton on Guitars & Vocals, Pete Agnew on Bass & Vocals and Darrell Sweet on Drums & Vocals) with ROGER GLOVER of DEEP PURPLE fame producing the album to great effect.

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Turn On Your Receiver

10. Too Bad Too Sad

11. Razamanaz

12. Bad Bad Boy

Tracks 9 to 12 are BBC SESSIONS recorded live-in-the-studio for The BOB HARRIS Show on the UK's Radio 1 - first broadcast 13 August 1973.

Each of these Salvo issues comes in a Tri-Gatefold card sleeve with the 'Loud, Proud & Remastered' logo on the front cover. When folded out, you get a repro of the original UK LP artwork and live shots from the period (the disc is in the right flap, the booklet in the left). The 16-page colour booklet is superb, liner notes by band expert JOEL McIVER, pictures of rare European picture sleeves, a USA A&M white-label promo of "This Flight Tonight", centred by a black and white snap of the band looking suitably liquored up on the steps of a snazzy jet - all of it very nicely done.

But the really big news for the fans (as it is on the other Salvo CDs) is the fantastic new SOUND. TIM TURAN at Turan Audio has remastered the original tapes and a truly fabulous job has been done - loud, clear, and ballsy - without ever being overbearing.

As a follow-up album, "Loud 'N' Proud" had a lot to live up to - and the general consensus is that it only 'kind-of' delivered. It was a rushed effort. Three of its songs were cover versions - "Teenage Nervous Breakdown" by Little Feat, "This Flight Tonight" by Joni Mitchell (lyrics above and a hit single) and "The Ballad Of Hollis Brown" by Bob Dylan. That left only 5 originals dashed off in only 1 week in the studio. Yet "Turn On Your Receiver" and the funky guitar workout of "Freewheeler" were cracking great rock tracks and still are. The speedy "Not Faking It" is typically catchy rocking Nazareth fare, while the slow "Child In The Sun" stretched the band out across is its bluesy length. Overall - it was good album rather than a great one.

The BBC stuff is fantastic though - rough and rocking, but still so tight - the band were clearly on fire and had truly found their boogie stride. They make for genuinely superb extra tracks. A great reissue then of a really good Seventies rock album. And it's cheap too… 

“Original Album Series” by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND (March 2010 UK Rhino/Elektra 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

Quite possibly one of the best Blues-Rock CD Mini Box Sets I have in my fine household (can’t tell the wife how many there are lest I suffer serious physical injury – after the mental torture that is) – Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band is a very definite jewel in the erratic crown of WEA’s “Original Album Series” reissues.

When the 5-disc series began in 2009  – ‘some’ of the first vanguard of 40 or so titles featured remasters (many unfortunately didn’t). This beauty is one that does – and from the second the opening track “Born In Chicago” on their incendiary debut hits your speakers – it rocks like a madman on Blues Boogie acid and doesn’t let up. Here are the harmonica wails, guitar licks and chooglin’ white boys doing the blues details…

UK released March 2010 - "Original Album Series" by THE PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND on Elektra/Rhino 8122 79834 0 (Barcode 081227983406) is a 5CD Mini Box Set and breaks down as follows (all are Stereo mixes):

Disc 1 (38:09 minutes):

1. Born In Chicago

2. Shake Your Money-Maker

3. Blues With A Feeling

4. Thank You Mr. Poobah

5. I Got My Mojo Working

6. Mellow Down Easy

7. Screamin’

8. Our Love Is Drifting

9. Mystery Train

10. Last Night

11. Look Over Yonders Wall

Tracks 1 to 11 are the LP "The Paul Butterfield Blues Band" - their debut album released December 1965 on Elektra EKS 7294 in the USA (May 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 2 (44:47 minutes):

1. Walkin’ Blues

2. Get Out Of My Life, Woman

3. I Got A Mind To Give Up Everything

4. All These Blues

5. Work Song

6. Mary, Mary

7. Two Trains Running

8. Never say No

9. East-West

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "East-West" - released September 1966 on Elektra EKS 7315 in the USA (December 1966 in the UK same no.)

Disc 3 (45:45 minutes):

1. One More Heartache

2. Driftin’ And Driftin’

3. Pity The Fool

4. Born Under A Bad Sign

5. Run Out Of Time

6. Double Trouble

7. Drivin’ Wheel

8. Droppin’ Out

9. Tollin’ Blues

Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw" - released January 1968 on Elektra EKS 74015 in the USA (February 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 4 (34:30 minutes):

1. Last Hope’s Gone

2. Mine To Love

3. Get Yourself Together

4. Just To Be With You

5. Morning Blues

6. Drunk Again

7. In My Own Dream

Tracks 1 to 7 are the LP “In My Own Dream" - released August 1968 on Elektra EKS 74025 in the USA (September 1968 in the UK same no.)

Disc 5 (42:11 minutes):

1. Love March

2. No Amount Of Loving

3. Morning Sunrise

4. Losing Hand

5. Walking By Myself

6. Except You

7. Love Disease

8. Where Did My Baby Go

9. All In A Day

10. So Far So Good

11. Buddy’s Advice

12. Keep Moving

Tracks 1 to 12 is the LP "Keep On Moving" - released October 1969 on Elektra EKS 74053 in the USA (November 1969 in the UK same no.)

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:

The five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork (the gatefolds are unfortunately not reproduced). Also each front sleeve is now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code - Green for Disc 1, Light Blue for 2, Orange for 3, Dark Blue for 4 and Brown for 5. It would have been more appropriate to have the original label colour configurations - maybe even the Elektra inner bags (like they did on the Doors albums in the Complete Studio Recordings box set), but alas... The track list is to the left on the CD label with band members with recording credits listed on the right (as there's no booklet nor site to download details from - as there is on the Sony issues - this is some compensation to the lack of readable details).

It has to be said that the outer card box is lightweight and therefore disappointingly flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues). Having said that the card sleeves still look cool once out of the box and it's nice to see the original artwork used - which in these cases are very sweet to look at (it really makes such a big difference on the Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Drifters and Clyde McPhatter rear sleeves too - beautiful original album artwork). As you can see from the timings - there are no bonus tracks.

SOUND:

The music is incredibly bluesy and ballsy –truly stunning Paul Rothchild Sixties Production values coming at you on every disc. The instrumental “Thank You Mr. Poobah” for instance will probably have your speakers for breakfast. The opening guitars on “Walkin’ Blues” are the same – back in the mix – but still powerful. Don’t get me wrong – these CDs aren’t amped up for effect – they’re just beautifully handled – and it’s sonically obvious that the original master tapes are in tip-top condition. And throughout the records - you get Butterfield’s deep and muscular harmonica slaying all in its path.

Highlights are many and varied – their Soulful and Brassy cover of Marvin Gaye’s “One More Headache”, the wailing Blues of Otis Rush’s “Double Trouble” and the huge Albert King power of “Born Under A Bad Sign”. I love the slinky “Come Together” (Beatles) bass line that opens the slightly jazzy “Last Hope’s Gone” – a sort of precursor to Blood, Sweat & Tears debut album “Child Is The Father To The Man:”. Elvin Bishop provides the witty “Drunk Again” (“ain’t got a dime and smellin’ like a brewery…”) while “No Amount Of Loving” on “Keep On Moving” is a tremendous chugger.

If you want a slice of Sixties Blues-Rock - then you can't go much wrong with these albums (although for me the quality really tapers off on Disc 5). Fans who already own these treasured LPs on previous CD incarnations may balk at acquiring this box set just to have those dinky little card sleeves – but everyone else should just get with the beat, crank up that stereo and annoy the neighbours right away...

"The Singles Volume 8: 1972-1973" by JAMES BROWN - featuring Lyn Collins, Fred Wesley & The JB's (November 2009 USA Hip-O Select 2CD Anthology of Remasters (March 2010 UK Issue) - 8 in a Series of 11 - Seth Foster Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…I'm Gonna Have To Get In Deep…" 

I've been diligently collecting this series of 2CD sets since they started in 2006, but this 8th instalment has me literally chomping at the review-bit, because if you ever required categorical proof of the Godlike genius of James Brown and his fantastically funky backing band The JB's - then this beautifully presented compilation is it. Genuinely - I've not been in awe of a reissue like this for a very long time indeed. 

But to the details first... All tracks are credited to JAMES BROWN except where noted and the pairing of numbers below are the A & B-sides of US 7" singles. 

Released 21 December 2009 in the USA (November 2009 from Hip-O's own site), but delayed to 1 March 2010 in the UK - "The Singles Volume 8: 1972-1973" by JAMES BROWN on Hip-O Select/Polydor B0013349-02 (Barcode 602527163338) is a 2CD set of Remasters that breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (69:07 minutes):

1 and 2 are Nothing Beats A Try But A Fail and Hot Pants Road (Vocal)

- Polydor PD-14110 scheduled for release January 1972 but withdrawn

3 and 4 are King Heroin and Theme From King Heroin - Polydor PD-14116, released February 1972

5 is Pass The Peas by THE J.B.’s - People PE-607, A-side only, released April 1972 [B-side is a non JB track, therefore not included]

6 and 7 are There Is It Part 1 and There Is It Part 2 - Polydor PD-14125, released April 1972

8 and 9 are Honky Tonk - Part 1 and Honky Tonk - Part 2 by JAMES BROWN and THE SOUL TRAIN - Polydor PD-14129, released May 1972

10 and 11 are Giving Up Food For Funk Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 by THE J.B.'s - People PE-610, released July 1972 [credited to "The JB's"]

12 and 13 are Get On The Good Foot Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 - Polydor PD-14139, released July 1972 

14 and 15 are I Got A Bag Of My Own and Public Enemy #1 - Polydor PD-14153, released October 1972 

16 is I Know It's True - Polydor 2066-285, the British B-side to 14, released October 1972

17 and 18 are I Got Ants In My Pants - Pt. 1 Mono Version and Pt. 15 & 16 Mono Version - Polydor PD-14162-DJ, Promo-Only MONO Versions, released December 1972

19 and 20 are I Got Ants In My Pants - Pt. 1 Reverb Version and Pt. 15 & 16 Reverb Version - Polydor PD-14162, Stock Copy REVERB Versions, released December 1972

Disc 2 (75:03 minutes):

1 and 2 are What My Baby Needs Now Is A Little More Lovin’ and This Guy - This Girl's In Love With You by JAMES BROWN and LYN COLLINS - Polydor PD 14157, released December 1972

3 is Watermelon Man by FRED WESLEY & THE JB’S - People PE-612, released December 1972

4 and 5 are Down And Out In New York City and Mama's Dead - Polydor PD-14168, released February 1973 

6 and 7 are The Sportin' Life and Dirty Harri by FRED WESLEY & THE JB’S - People PE-619, released February 1973

8 and 9 are The Boss and Like It Is, Like It Was - it was to be Polydor PD-14169, but the release was cancelled

10 and 11 are Doing It To Death and Everybody Got Soul by FRED WESLEY & THE JB’S - People PE-621, released March 1973

12 and 13 are Think Version 1 and Something - Polydor PD-14177, released April 1973

14  is Think Version 2 - a reissue of 12 (Version 1) on Polydor PD-14185, released June 1973

15 and 16 are Woman Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 - it was to be Polydor PD-14193, but the US release was cancelled. However, they were issued in the UK on Polydor 2066-370 in August 1973

17 and 18 are If You Don't Get It The Fist Time (Back Up And Try Again) and You Can Have Watergate, But Gimme Money And I'll Be Straight by FRED WESLEY & THE JB’S - People PE-627, released August 1973

19 and 20 are Sexy Sexy Sexy and Slaughter Theme - Polydor PD-14194, released August 1973

The 28-page booklet by noted JB expert and former tour manager ALAN LEEDS is a joy to look at, a hugely informative read and is packed to the gills with track histories and recording session details. The first generation master tapes for the single mixes have been transferred by SETH FOSTER and a typically superlative job done - warm, clear and fabulously detailed. And "Limited Edition" is embossed in gold lettering on the rear inlay (it's 6,500 copies worldwide). 

Disc 1 opens (uncharacteristically) with a ballad "Nothing Beats A Try But A Fail" (the withdrawn single) and it's shockingly lovely - followed of course by more familiar territory - the kicking vocal version of "Hot Pants Road". The 3 socially conscious songs dotted across the 2 discs are musically and lyrically sensational - and (unfortunately) still relevant to this day - they are "King Heroin", "Public Enemy No.1" and "Down & Out In New York City".  The utterly irresistible beat of "Doing It To Death" (lyrics above) compliments Disc 2 while the almost Crusaders smooth funk instrumental "Sportin' Life" from " Black Caesar" is just sooo cool!

Downsides - when the songs get into a great groove, you do wish they went on longer, but of course it's the nature of the edited single to cut them short. There is also the B-sides that are 'missing' because there's no JB involvement in them - their presence would have been better for those who want the complete picture, but these are minor niggles. 

When you think of the mind-blowing excellence of the albums "There It Is", "Get On The Good Foot" (a 1972 double) and "Black Caesar" (a 1973 single soundtrack) with both the doubles of "Hell" and "The Payback" coming in late 1973 and mid 1974 - it was an absolutely extraordinary time for James Brown and everyone around him. 

If you want to know why he got the title "The Godfather of Soul" in the first place - and especially why funk fans dig him so much - then buy this superbly featured reissue. The only problem is that you'll want all the previous numbers too. 

Genius baby - it really is. And what a loss to music...

“Original Album Series” by LITTLE FEAT (March 2010 Warner Brothers/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set of NON-REMASTERS) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Give Me Missing Persons…They Say…What is It That You Need?..."

Aping the success of Sony’s similarly packaged 5CD box sets, WEA is releasing over FORTY x 5CD “Original Album Series” mini box sets of their own. Issued only in the UK and Europe, the artists featured stretch from rhythm ‘n’ blues icons of the 1950s (Ray Charles and Clyde McPhatter with The Drifters) all the way through to Metal And Indie bands of the 2000s (Dokken and Echo & The Bunnymen). For those interested, I’ve compiled a full listing of titles in the series in the ‘comment’ section attached to this review (some are superb, some are not).

Here’s the detail for the "Original Album Series" by LITTLE FEAT - released Monday 1 March 2010 on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122 79835 9 in a 5CD Mini Box Set with five singular card repro sleeves. It breaks breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 is "Little Feat" their 11-track debut album released January 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1890 and March 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46072 (33:30 minutes)

Disc 2 is "Sailin' Shoes" their 11-track 2nd album released May 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2600 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46156 (38:02 minutes)

Disc 3 is "Dixie Chicken" their 10-track 3rd album released February 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2686 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46200 (36:48 minutes)

Disc 4 is "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" their 8-track 4th album released September 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2784 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56030 (34:30 minutes)

Disc 5 is "The Last Record Album" their 8-track 5th album released November 1975 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2884 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56156. This CD also includes the 9th, 10th and 11th bonus tracks that are on the Eighties CD issue hence the playing time of 39:39 minutes. The tracks are “Bonus Announcement”, “Don’t Bogart That Joint [Live] and “A Apolitical Blues [Live]”.

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:
The five single card sleeves reflect the ‘original’ front and rear US LP artwork (the gatefold of “Sailin’ Shoes” is unfortunately not reproduced). However, there is an odd addition to the way these card sleeves have been presented that seems to go right across the entire series. Each front sleeve is now ‘bordered’ with a colour – in this issue its brown for “Little Feat”, orange for “Sailin’ Shoes” (and so on) and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code. I mention this because Rhino are usually sticklers for detail and would in the past have used the original vinyl label designs like they did in the ‘Encore’ series (a green Warner Brothers label for “Dixie Chicken”, the Burbank Trees label for “The Last Record Album” and so on), but alas not here…

There’s no inserts or booklet either and the outer card box is disappointingly flimsy too (the Sony ones are chunky and glossy – they’re stronger). Worse, there appears to be no site to download track details from (as there is with the Sony issues). Having said all that, the card sleeves still look cool once out of the box and it’s nice to see the original artwork used (it makes a big difference on the Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Paul Butterfield rear sleeves – beautiful original album artwork). But that’s small compensation, because the really bad news is the opportunity missed in the sound department…

SOUND:
Some CD sites selling these sets seemed to have automatically ‘presumed’ that each is “digitally remastered”, but it categorically does not state that on the outer box or any of the card sleeves or discs – and rather too conveniently - neither website for Rhino USA or UK has any info on the series. But what’s not hard to discern is what your ears are telling you.

Like most fans I have the crappy Eighties CD issues just to have the music and these 2010 versions seem to be pretty much the same. To put this into a song context, when you compare the 2000 “Hotcakes” genuine remasters of say “Two Trains”, “Willin’”, “Roll Um Easy”, “Rock And Roll Doctor” and especially “Long Distance Love” (lyrics above), the sound quality is infinitely better on the Box Set versions – truly gorgeous stuff. The sound quality here is merely good at best (maybe better in some places), but it’s absolutely not the upgrade fans were hoping for on ‘all’ of the albums.

With Rhino announcing redundancies in their reissue departments (everything’s going away from hard copy to digital downloads) and the slightly slapdash feel of these boxes, you can’t help but field a depressing thought – this is a truly great reissue label just chucking stuff at the wall to sell it. A musical maverick going out with a whimper rather than a bang – flogging us what they ‘know’ is more of the same old crud just with a prettier lick of paint. Only a few years ago, Rhino could be relied upon to deliver us superlative reissues every time – with these and the rubbish “Flashback” series - not anymore it seems…

If the Rickie Lee Jones, Chaka Khan, Chris Rea and George Benson titles are the same, then I’ll not bother at all with any more in this series…and that’s just plain depressing.

Three stars out of five – at a pinch. Very, very disappointing…