“Message From The Country” by THE MOVE (September 2005 EMI/Harvest 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue with a Peter Mew Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…And The Message From The Country Rises Higher…”

The 2000's have been good to The Move. Their first three albums "The Move" (April 1968), "Shazam" (March 1970) and "Looking On" (December 1970) all received 2008 CD upgrades by Salvo of the UK (their debut is a 2CD set) with great sound and half-decent extras. There are also superlative 'Esoteric Recordings' reissues from 2016 (see reviews). 

But "Message From The Country" - their 4th and last studio album reissued on an expanded EMI CD some years back - seems to have become a bit of a forgotten gem. Time to rectify this oversight on your part…

Released September 2005 - "Message From The Country" by THE MOVE on EMI/Harvest 0946 3 30342 2 8 is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (76:19 minutes):

1. Message From The Country [by Jeff Lynne]

2. Ella James [by Roy Wood]

3. No Time [by Jeff Lynne]

4. Don't Mess Me Up [by Bev Bevan]

5. Until Your Moma's Gone

[Tracks 1 to 5 made up Side 1 of the original LP]

6. It Wasn't My Idea To Dance [by Roy Wood]

7. The Minister [by Jeff Lynne]

8. Ben Crawley Steel Company [by Roy Wood]

9. The Words Of Aaron [by Jeff Lynne]

10. My Marge [by Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood]

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Message From The Country" released October 1971 in the UK on Harvest Records SHSP 4013 (a gatefold sleeve) and in the USA with different artwork in a single sleeve on Capitol Records ST-811

Track 11 is "Tonight" [by Roy Wood], a non-album song released as a UK 7" single in June 1971 on Harvest HAR 5038 [it's B-side was the album track "Don't Mess Me Up"]

Track 12 is "Chinatown" [by Roy Wood]; a non-album song released as a UK 7" single in October 1971 on Harvest HAR 5043 [A]

Track 13 is "Down On The Bay" [by Jeff Lynne]; a non-album song, it's the B-side of "Chinatown"

Track 14 is "Do Ya" [by Jeff Lynne], a non-album song; it was the first of two B-sides to "California Man", a non-album track issued as a 7" single in May 1972 in the UK on Harvest HAR 5050. Its second B-side was the album track "Ella James". "Do Ya" was also re-issued in September 1974 in the UK as an A-side in its own right on Harvest HAR 5086 (it's B-side was the album track "No Time").

Track 15 is "California Man" (see 14)

Tracks 16 to 18 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED STUDIO SESSIONS - "Don't Mess Me Up" is a stripped down version newly found at Abbey Road Studios, "The Words Of Aaron" is an extended version with additional woodwind (also newly found at Abbey Road Studios) and last is "Do Ya" - a different mix prepared in Philips Studios in 1972 and originally intended for broadcast as a BBC session (see below about this one).

PETER MEW has remastered the first generation original master tapes at Abbey Road for this release and the sound quality is glorious - really clean and muscular - another great job done by him. The 20-page booklet is superbly laid out - detailed liner notes by noted band expert JOHN VAN DER KISTE, rare worldwide 7" picture sleeves reproduced for the non-album single releases, NME reviews and adverts - even snaps of the tape boxes.

“Message” has often been rated by MOVE fans as one of their best albums - in fact the opening song "Message From The Country" still sounds amazingly fresh to this day - sort of like a follow up to Thunderclap Newman's "Something In The Air" (lyrics above). But what gets me is the stunning quality of the 7" singles and their B-sides - equal to any of the better album tracks - "Down On The Day" and "Tonight" jump to mind. And then there's the three unreleased sessions which are unexpectedly cool - the first two are almost Acapella backing tracks which give fascinating insights into the quality of their great vocal harmonies, while the seven-minute "Do Ya" stops at about 4:51 minutes into the song and there's suddenly an unannounced version of "My Marge" [last track on the album and a B-side in the States] complete with studio chatter - great stuff!

To sum up - this is another blindingly good reissue from EMI for a band that deserved the accolades. Top stuff all round really…

“Original Album Series” by THE DRIFTERS [featuring CLYDE McPHATTER]. A Review of the 2010 5CD Mini Box Set on Atlantic/Rhino.

"…It Really Was…Such A Night…”

Aping the success of Sony's similarly packaged 5CD box sets, WEA/Rhino has released over FORTY x 5CD "Original Album Series" mini box sets of their own. Issued in the UK and Europe only, the artists featured stretch from rhythm 'n' blues and soul icons of the 1950s and 1960s (Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin) 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 below (some are superb, some are not).

Here's the fine-detail for THE DRIFTERS set - released Monday 1 March 2010 in the UK on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 3, "Original Album Series" 5CD box set breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 is "Rock & Rock" [aka “Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters”], 14-tracks, released 1956 on Atlantic LP 8003 in the USA (37:05 minutes, MONO)

Disc 2 is "Rockin’ & Driftin’", 14-tracks, released 1958 on Atlantic LP 8022 in the USA (33:23 minutes, MONO)

Disc 3 is "Save The Last Dance For Me", 12-tracks, released 1962 on Atlantic SD-8059 in the USA (30:13 minutes, STEREO, Produced by Leiber & Stoller)

Disc 4 is "Under The Boardwalk", 12-tracks, released 1964 on Atlantic SD-8099 in the USA (30:50 minutes, STEREO)

Disc 5 is "I’ll Take You Where The Music’s Playing", 12-tracks, released 1966 on Atlantic SD-8113 in the USA (32:59 minutes, STEREO)

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:
All five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork and as you can see from the track numbers above, there are no bonuses, just straightforward Repros of the original American albums. Also 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. Once out of the box though, those cool Atlantic rear sleeves are just so lovely to look at - and even though the type is very small given the 5” size - the original liner notes are readable too. Very tastily done.

SOUND:
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. Also – stripped of their bonus tracks – you really get the ‘feel’ of the original album as first produced – combined with the original art on both sides of the card sleeve, they’re very evocative of the period.

This box is really a tale of two worlds – the first two albums “Rock & Roll” and “Rockin’ & Driftin’” are Fifties Rhythm ‘n’ Blues (Clyde McPhatter period) while the next three are really early Sixties soul – so you essentially get great listens on two musical fronts

This little box set is a gem – one of my favourites in the series so far – and an awful lot of great music for not a whole lot of money.

Recommended.

PS: With regard to sound - so far the Little Feat, Bread, Los Lobos, Chris Rea, Dr. John, Echo & The Bunnymen and Rickie Lee Jones sets are disappointingly reported as NON REMASTERS. Rhino have been contacted about this – and Rhino say they are simply repackaging of discs that are already out there – hence some are remasters – some are not.

PPS: I've also done The Cars, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Spinners and Little Feat sets in this series - see separate reviews.

“Ain’t No Saint” by JOHN MARTYN. A Review of the 2008 Universal 4CD Box Set.

"…It’s All For The Love Of You…”

September 2008’s “Ain’t No Saint” 4CD box set offers up 61 tracks across a 40-year career (over 30 are previously unreleased). The 36-page booklet is a bit slapdash with regard to exacting details – so I’ve deciphered all the info contained within and without - and can now provide the following detailed breakdown for Universal-Island 530 798-7:

Disc 1 (75:51 minutes):

1. Fairy Tale Lullaby (from “London Conversation”, 1967)
2. Sing A Song Of Summer (from “The Tumbler”, 1968)
3. Stormbringer (from “Stormbringer”, 1970) John and Beverley Martyn
4. Tree Green (from “The Road To Ruin”, 1970) John and Beverley Martyn
5. Head And Heart (from “Solid Air”, 1973)
6. In The Evening (a “Solid Air outtake, also on the 2009 2CD DELUXE EDITION)
7. Solid Air (an Alternate version, also on the 2009 2CD DELUXE EDITION)
8. Keep On (a “Solid Air outtake, also on the 2009 2CD DELUXE EDITION)
9. The Glory Of Love (a “Solid Air outtake, also on the 2009 2CD DELUXE EDITION)
10. Go Down Easy (from “Solid Air”, 1973)
11. Ain’t No Saint (an “Inside Out” outtake, an instrumental)
12. Fine Lines (from “Inside Out”, 1973)
13. Eight More Miles (a “Sunday’s Child” outtake)
14. Call Me Crazy (from “Sunday’s Child”, 1975)
15. Black Man At The Shoulder (a “One World” outtake)
16. All For The Love Of You (a “One World” outtake)
17. Working It Out (a “One World” outtake)
18. Couldn’t Love You More (from “One World”, 1977)
6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 to 17 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 2 (79:29 minutes):

1. Advertisement (30-second Radio Spot for the March 1977 ‘Best Of’ Island Records compilation “So Far So Good”)
2. Small Hours – Instrumental [originally known as “Space Peace”] (a 10:18 minutes Alternate version, also on the 2004 2CD DELUXE EDITION of “One World”]
3. In Search Of Anna [credited on the box as “Anna”] (a 1979 Australian-only 7” single on Island Records K7450. Theme to a movie of the same name)
4. Lookin’ On (from “Grace And Danger”, 1980)
5. Amsterdam (from “Glorious Fool”, 1981)
6. Hung Up (from “Well Kept Secret”, 1982)
7. Acid Rain (from “Sapphire”, 1984)
8. Who Believes In Angels (from “Piece By Piece”, 1986)
9. The Apprentice (from “The Apprentice”, 1990)
10. Hole In The Rain (from “Cooltide”, 1991)
11. One World (alternate version from the re-recordings compilation “Couldn’t Love You More”, 1992)
12. Sunday’s Child (a 1992 re-recording, an Alternate version)
13. Carmine (from “And.”, 1996)
14. The Sky Is Crying (an Elmore James cover from “The Church With One Bell”, 1998)
15. So Sweet (from “Glasgow Walker”, 2000)
16. Back To Marseilles (from “On The Cobbles”, 2004)
1 to 3 and 12 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 3 (77:37 minutes):

1. Bless The Weather (Live at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh, 22 August 1973)
2. Make No Mistake (Live at the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh, 22 August 1973)
3. So Much In Love With You (Live at Leeds University, 13 February 1975)
4. Spencer The Rover (Live at Leeds University, 13 February 1975)
5. My Baby Girl (Live at Leeds University, 13 February 1975)
6. You Can Deliver (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 16 March 1975)
7. Solid Air (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 16 March 1975)
8. I’d Rather Be The Devil (Devil Got My Woman) (a Skip James cover, Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 16 March 1975)
9. Outside In (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 16 March 1975)
10. Advertisement (18-second Radio Spot for a Sunday Night concert in Birmingham)
11. Big Muff (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 21 November 1977)
12. One Day Without You (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 21 November 1977)
1 to 12 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 4 (79:44 minutes):

1. Dealer (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 21 November 1977)
2. Smiling Stranger (Live at The Rainbow Theatre, London, 21 November 1977)
3. Johnny Too Bad (Live at BBC Bristol for “A Little Night Music” Television Show, 12 August 1981)
4. Hurt In Your Heart (Live at BBC Bristol for “A Little Night Music” Television Show, 12 August 1981)
5. John Wayne (Live at The Montreaux Jazz Festival, 18 July 1986)
6. Angeline (Live at The Montreaux Jazz Festival, 18 July 1986)
7. Mad Dog Days (Live at The Montreaux Jazz Festival, 18 July 1986)
8. The Moment (Live at The Town & Country Club, London, 12 November 1986)
9. Fisherman’s Dream (Live at The Town & Country Club, London, 12 November 1986)
10. Sweet Little Mystery (Live at BBC Television Show “Later With Jools Holland”, 5 November 1992)
11. May You Never (Live at the BBC Television Show “Later With Jools Holland”, 5 November 1992)
12. Step It Up (Live at the BBC Television Show “Later With Jools Holland”, 1 June 1996)
13. Sunshine’s Better (Live at the “Andy Kershaw Show” for BBC Radio 1, 12 August 1996)
14. On For The Road (Live at BBC Television Show “Later With Jools Holland”, 14 May 2004)
15. Over The Hill (Live at the BBC’s “Radio 2 Folk Awards” Show, 6 February 2008)
1 to 15 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED; 15 features JOHN PAUL JONES of LED ZEPPELIN on Mandolin

The first 2 CDs provide a career retrospective of at least one song from all 22 of his studio albums (1967 to 2004) while Discs 3 and 4 are entirely made up of live and unreleased performances (1973 to 2008). The whole set has been remastered by PASCHAL BYRNE who did such a beautiful job on 2009’s DELUXE EDITION of “Solid Air” (see separate review) – and the audio quality here is equal to that gem – especially on the earlier more folky tunes – warm and airy – just a gorgeous listen.

JOHN HILLARBY, long-time archivist and friend of Martyn has written the liner notes and cherry-picked the tracks. And while some of the choices are inspired (the rarely heard “Hung Up” from Well Kept Secret), others left me cold – even baffled. Why the ordinary “Back To Marseilles” from 2004’s “On The Cobbles” when you could have ended disc 2 with “Goodnight Irene” with Mavis Staples. And do we need yet another 1992 alternate take of “Solid Air” (even if it is previously unreleased) when the live version of it on 1981’s “Philanthropy” trashes it so completely. And why not decent tracks off “Piece By Piece” like “Lonely Love” or the title track or even a remaster of “Tight Connection To My Heart” – a rare non-album Dylan cover version on the “Angeline” CD single from 1986? Box sets are made for these sorts of things.

But there are gobsmacking gems on here to entice even the most hardened cynic; the ultra-rare and excellent “In Search Of Anna” – an Australian-only 7” single from 1979 finally gets a CD release - while “In The Evening” and “All For The Love Of You” (lyrics above) represent truly beautiful outtakes from “Solid Air” and “One World” respectively. And I never tire of “Hole In The Rain”, “Carmine” or “So Sweet”. His Nineties and 2000’s stuff is superlative and never given enough room to shine.

Disc 3 and 4 are a mixed bag of the lovely (deliciously delicate versions of “Angeline” and “Sunshine’s Better”) running alongside the indulgent (13 minutes of “Inside Out”) and the manic, but strangely powerful “John Wayne”. And these live tracks also show a side to Martyn that needed serious acknowledgment – his ability with a full band to morph his older folk-acoustic songs into full-on modernized soulful versions which were often just as good as the originals – just updated in a fashion. It ends with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin joining him on Mandolin on “Over The Hill” at the BBC’s Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2008 – you can feel the audience’s affection.

So there you have it – although “Ain’t No Saint” is sometimes sloppy and disappointing in places, it’s utterly captivating and life affirming too. And with his sad passing in early 2009, you’ll be glad you invested in it – and left after the last joyful track with a terrible feeling of true greatness lost...

Rest in peace you lovely man.

“No Little Boy” by JOHN MARTYN. A Review of his 1993 Re-Recordings Compilation Now Given A New Lease Of Life in 2008 by One World Records.

JOHN MARTYN is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…What A Time We Had…”

The 1993 compilation “No Little Boy” has a convoluted history and this 2008 reissue of it requires some explanation too.

After the well-received but relative commercial failure of the “Piece By Piece” album in 1986, John Martyn found himself dropped by Island Records and without a contract. He then signed to a new UK label - Permanent Records - who issued two albums of new material - “The Apprentice” in 1990 and the wonderful “Cooltide” in 1991.

However, away in the USA at the time (and without his knowledge or permission), Permanent took a swathe of in-progress re-recordings of his old Island year’s material and naughtily released it as the compilation “Couldn’t Love You More” in October 1992 on PERM 9. Martyn was understandably furious and denounced it. But in a strange quirk of fate, the public largely embraced it (charted at 65) - and the album even opened up a whole new audience for him.

Back in the UK and determined to do it ‘properly’, he put out this 2nd compilation of re-recordings on PERM 14 in July 1993 and called it “No Little Boy” (a lyric from “Ways To Cry”). Seven of its 13 songs were NOT on the “Couldn’t Love You More” compilation and some of the other ‘duplicate’ titles turned out to be radically different versions too (even though it didn’t say this on the artwork)…

Which brings us to this March 2008 reissue; One World OW128CD is the original 13-track compilation upped by three bonus songs, the music is newly remastered and the booklet expanded and annotated better. It breaks down as follows (78:35 minutes)

1. Solid Air (originally on "Solid Air", February 1973)
2. Ways To Cry (originally on "Inside Out", October 1973)
3. Could've Been Me (originally on "Well Kept Secret", 1982)
4. Don’t Want To Know (originally on "Solid Air", February 1973)
5. Just Now (originally on "Bless The Weather", 1971)
6. One Day Without You (originally on "Sunday's Child", 1975)
7. Sweet Little Mystery (originally on "Grace & Danger", 1980)
8. Pascanel (originally on “Glorious Fool”, 1981)
9. Sunday’s Child (originally on "Sunday's Child", 1975)
10. Head & Heart (originally on "Bless The Weather", 1971)
11. Fine Lines (originally on "Inside Out", October 1973)
12. Bless The Weather (originally on "Bless The Weather", 1971)
13. Man In The Station (originally on "Solid Air", February 1973)

BONUS TRACKS
14. One World (originally on “One World”, 1977)
15. Rock, Salt And Nails (see Notes below)
16. Hole In The Rain (a REMIX of a track originally on “Cooltide”, 1991)

Notes: 2, 3 and 7 feature PHIL COLLINS on duet vocals, 2, 3 and 14 feature DAVID GILMOUR of PINK FLOYD on Guitar while LEVON HELM of THE BAND provides duet vocals on “Rock, Salt & Nails” (a cover version written by BRUCE ‘UTAH’ PHILLIPS)

Although the booklet doesn't advise who remastered the tapes, the website seems to say it was done by DALLAS SIMPSON – it’s far better than the 1993 version I’ve had all these years.

As you imagine, some of the re-recordings work and some don't. Some to my ears – are incredible – just as lovely as the originals, but more soulful (even if they are a bit over produced in places). Special mention should also go to PHIL COLLINS for his heartfelt vocal contributions - especially on "Ways To Cry" - it's a track where both their hurting personal lives seem to seep through their voices.

I derided the versions of "Head & Heart" and "Man In The Station" on the “Couldn’t Love You More” compilation, but the versions here are much better. “Fine Lines” is truly beautiful – my personal favorite - a fabulous version, while “Pascanel” gets a superb update with the girly vocals of Shaun Christopher and Rene Stewart and the piano work of Fred Nelson. The bonuses are exceptional too – the new version of “One World” is wicked as is the remix of a song I never tire of - “Hole In The Rain”. But ‘the’ piece is “Rock, Salt & Nails”, a cover version, which sees Martyn duet with Levon Helm of The Band to amazing effect – so, so good.

Both collections have been re-packaged to buggery by other labels since then - which hasn't helped - so fans have all but ignored them or forgotten them entirely. Personally - John Martyn could fart in a bottle - and I'd still want to hear it. Which is one of the reasons for this review - this lovely and muscular 2008 REMASTER of that 2nd set has finally brought out just how good many of these re-recordings were and still are. And I would urge fans and newcomers to give these re-makes another chance.

Recommended.

PS: see also reviews for the 2007 One World remasters of "The Apprentice" (1990) and "Cooltide" (1991), “Couldn't Love You More" (compilation from 1992), “Solid Air” DELUXE EDITION from 2009 and the live set "The Simmer Dim" (2008)

"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...

This Review Along With 284 Others Is Available In My

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

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

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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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CLASSIC 1970s ROCK On CD - Exception Remasters  

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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…