"Nils Lofgren" by NILS LOFGREN. A Review Of His Superb 1975 Debut LP On A&M Records Now Reissued And Remastered Onto CD By Hip-O Select In 2007.

This review 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

"…It’s Got My Heart Inside…The Postage Is My Soul…"

After 3 albums with GRIN on Epic Records, Nils Lofgren finally released his first solo album on A&M Records in March 1975 in the USA (SP-4509) and April 1975 in the UK (AMLH 64509). Lofgren handled all Guitars, Lead & Backing Vocals, Keyboards and Organ on his self-titled debut, while WORNELL JONES supplied the Bass and AYNSLEY DUNBAR the Drums. And a little Seventies gem it is too…

First up though - be careful you get the right version - Amazon UK wrongly credits this October 2007 American CD reissue as being by RYKODISC – it’s not – it’s a HIP-O SELECT release. Second - neither the title on Amazon nor the outside packaging nor the rear inlay mentions the all-important REMASTER word - and Mark Omann at Universal has remastered the album and to beautiful effect.

"Nils Lofgren" has 12 tracks, 11 originals and a stunning cover of Goffin/King's "Goin' Back" - first unleashed on the world by the BYRDS on their 1968 album "The Notorious Byrd Brothers". Carole King herself did a version of it on her 1970 debut solo album "Writer: Carole King", but Lofgren's take is altogether different - a sort of funky piano version that is fantastic - making it much more up-tempo and positive (for those interested, the expanded piano version on Lofgren's 1977 live double "Night After Night" is also a stunning highlight).

For such a famously fluid guitar player capable of making the hairs on your arms stand up with his flourishes and deft touch, there’s surprisingly little guitar pyrotechnics on the album (“Keith Don’t Go” (lyrics above) and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Crook” are notable exceptions).
It’s more about the songs. The total playing time is only 35:07 minutes, so the songs are short and sweet – but man are they good…

The slightly fuzzed-up guitar opener "Be Good Tonight" gives way to the band kicking in on "Back It Up". And it’s then that you begin to notice the sonic upgrade. Tracks like "I Don’t Want To Know", "The Sun Hasn’t Set On This Boy Yet" and the pre Mink DeVille street-hustle of "Two By Two" now sound full and clear – the remaster imbibing them with real muscle.

On the downside, it’s a damn shame that the inlay is merely a gatefold slip of paper with the most rudimentary details (the original album artwork was pretty much a bare-bones affair too) - and worse – there’s no tasty outtakes or bonus tracks. An opportunity missed there.

Still - I love this album - I played it to death then and I’ll do so again now.

"Nils Lofgren" is a great Seventies LP finally given the sonic upgrade on CD it’s needed for decades. Buy this US import with confidence.

PS: see also my separate reviews for his 2nd and 3rd solo albums - "Cry Tough" (1976) and "I Came To Dance" (1977) – now also reissued by Hip-O Select on remasters

"The Lake House". A Review Of The 2006 Film On BLU RAY.

"…Dear Tenant…Welcome To Your New Home…"

PRINT/EXTRAS:
1080p High Definition Print in 16 x 9 - 2.4:1 Aspect Ratio
(will fill your screen without too much stretching).
There's "Additional Scenes And Outtakes" as a bonus and a "Theatrical Trailer"

AUDIO:
Dolby Digital English 5.1, French 5.1, German 5.1 and English 2.0 Audio Descriptive Service

SUBTITLES:
English, French and German

I had “The Lake House” on the now defunct HD-DVD format to have Alejandro Agresti’s gently persuasive film in High Definition – and it looked beautiful. This Blu Ray is the exactly the same – right down to how the menus are laid out - and there’s a superbly clear print also.

Some people have said Keanu can't act for snitz (he plays frustrated architect and suburban home-builder Alex Wyler), but I don't know if that actually matters here, because his quite effortless charm carries it off very nicely indeed. Sandra Bullock is excellent as always as the caring but lonely doctor Kate Forster who is new in town and a bit out of sorts with the world (there is a believable chemistry between them).

The support roles are nicely fleshed out too - the ever-accomplished Christopher Plummer is superb as Keanu's distant and overly-precise architect dad (who built "The Lake House") and the deeply beautiful Iranian actress Shoreh Aghdashloo plays Anna the head of ward in Kate’s hospital. The boss/doctor relationship between them is deftly handled – both in the work scenes, in the lunch-breaks and in the bars after work…

People have also poo-pooed the 'letters across time' storyline of Kate in 2006 and Alex in 2004, but I found it refreshing and a very clever angle in a romantic film that takes its time - and savours the lovely moments rather than squander them.

"The Lake House" is a nice watch - and the Blu Ray print adds hugely to the cityscapes of downtown Chicago and the out-of-state location shots too. It may be a little too pat in places and even sedate for some – but I liked it – and thoroughly enjoyed watching it again.

And not a black leather suit, bug coming out of your navel or bendy bullet in sight...

Recommended.

"Crying Laughing Loving Lying" by LABI SIFFRE. A Review Of His Breakthrough 1972 Album On Pye Now Given An 2006 CD Remaster BY EMI With Bonus Tracks.

This review 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

"...I Just Want You To Be With Me...Now And Then Will Do..."

Labi's 3rd album was released in the UK on the Pye Label in October of 1972 (NSPL 28163). The gatefold sleeve complete with its lyric insert is reproduced on this EMI June 2006 CD reissue. Tracks 1-12 make up the original album, while the remaining tracks (13 to 18) are bonus unreleased material (b-sides of 7" singles and albums outtakes). All songs (including the bonus material) are written by Labi. I've bought all 5 of his Pye Label albums in this reissue series and the remastered sound is truly superb on all - amazingly clear - none of the hiss and muddiness that went with previous budget label issues.

Born in London in 1945 to a Belgian/Barbadian mum and Nigerian father, Labi had his demos sent to a music publisher in late 1969 which resulted in a publishing contract and the recording and release of his first album on Pye Records early in 1970 (Pye Records at that time was home to The Kinks and Status Quo). His style for the first 5 albums he did on Pye is more singer-songwriter than soulster, though the tracks themselves are often very soulful in their nature - sort of a Bill Withers meets Gilbert O'Sullivan vibe. Many were just him and his acoustic guitar and his high falsetto voice. He's often lumped in with easy-listening here in the UK, which does his superb song-writing talents a huge disservice - and like Gilbert O'Sullivan, he is another 'soft' songwriter of the Seventies not given nearly enough credit for his brilliance in penning a truly touching tune, but beloved still by fans and those who like their singers to be on the side of Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor.

Increasingly his songs are being name-checked and used by R'n'B soul boys of the last few years who have realized that Labi's songs offer a wealth of good source material - KAYNE WEST sampled "My Song" from "Crying Laughing Loving Lying" on his "I Wonder" track from 2007's "Graduation", while both JAY-Z and EMINEM have famously sampled the stunning bass break that happens half way through "I Got The..." (deliberately spelt that way) on "Remember My Song" from 1975.

The liner notes though are a little strange - each issue repeats the same notes from Siffre himself instead of say, an ongoing interview. I don't want the same notes 5 times! There is, however, a few extra notes on the album in hand and the nature of the bonus tracks. And the artwork inserts for all albums are as per the original LP - tasteful. One real quibble with the "Crying..." issue is the EXCLUSION of his fabulous 7"-only "Watch Me" from July of that year - which is available ONLY on the "Best Of" compilation that preceded these releases. Bit of a bummer that - there was plenty of room on the disc. Still, it's only a quibble.

Tracks like the lovely "Fool Me A Goodnight" (lyrics above), "Hotel Room Song" and "My Song" have languished in obscurity for far too long. But what most fans, however, will thrill too - is the fabulous remastering sound job EMI has done on each release (doesn't say who did what). Beautifully clear - muscular, but never too hissy. I've treasured this album for years on vinyl, and to finally hear it given this kind of sound quality is a joy. "It Must Be Love" and the beautiful title track "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" have never sounded this good. An album that's ripe for rediscovery. Each title is mid price too and can be picked up for next to nothing online.

Return to these forgotten Seventies albums, you'll be glad you did...

PS: The other original Seventies albums in this series are:
1. Labi Siffre (1970 debut LP)
2. The Singer & The Song (1971, his second album)
3. For The Children (1973, his 4th album) (see SEPARATE REVIEW)
4. Remember My Song (March 1975, his fifth album)
("Remember My Song" contains the funky track "I Got The..." sampled by EMINEM on his "My Name Is" chart hit)

There was one last album in the Seventies for EMI called "Happy?" released in November 1975 - it's 10-tracks are available on CD, but under another name. The EMI compilation that they’re on is called "The World Of..." and it also contains part of the "Remember My Song" album. Siffre retired for a few years, but then returned in 1987 with "(Something Inside) So Strong" on China Records, a magnificent Anti-Apartheid anthem and as moving a song as you're ever likely to hear.

In this re-issue campaign, there's also "The Last Songs" CD. It was recorded and released quietly in 1998, it's a live set of NEW songs and is also re-released as a Remaster - and along with the "Best Of" set that preceded the whole campaign, all 7 CDs were released in 2006.

PPS: His website is fascinating also - packed with poetry, political observations, extremely active fan exchanges etc... Check it out on www.intothelight.info

"Kelly's Heroes". A Review Of The 1970 Film Now Reissued On A June 2010 Blu Ray.

"…It’s A Beautiful Tank…"

Released in US cinemas in March 1970, “M.A.S.H.” had already made both Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould huge stars among the young audiences of the day – so June 1970 saw two more irreverent Second World War movies follow suit - “Catch-22” and the hugely entertaining “Kelly’s Heroes” (also starring Sutherland in another scene-stealing role).

The story goes like this - in a retreat from a German advance in France, Lieutenant Kelly (Eastwood) stumbles on a German Officer carrying a briefcase - and on getting him drunk on brandy in a barn during a bombing barrage – he unwittingly tells of a vast shipment of bullion. And better still his papers provide the location of the booty and the military protection allocated to it. Kelly twigs the opportunity immediately - and goes back to camp the next morning to recruit a squad of grubby reprobates to go after the 14,000 crates in a German-occupied town containing $1.6 million dollars worth of gold bars. And on it goes to a bank in a town and a standoff with a German Tank officer with squinty eyes who may or may not be as ‘gold-struck’ as his American counterparts. It’s all highly implausible of course, but who cares when you’re having this much fun…

As the movie opens to the horribly dated "Burning Bridges" theme song (the rest of Lalo Schifrin’s score is excellent) – the first 20 minutes are entirely shot at night and a lesser Blu Ray would have fallen down badly at this point (see my reviews for "Ronin" and "2010 - The Year We Make Contact"). But thankfully "Kelly's Heroes" doesn’t. Even as the credits roll in red German lettering, it’s very obvious that the whole print has been restored and while it isn’t state-of-the-art picture quality (the focus is often very loose) - at times it does looks glorious. For the most part it’s a huge improvement and really adds to your enjoyment of the movie.

Directed by Brian D. Hutton (who had done "Where Eagles Dare" with Eastwood in 1968) and wittily written by Troy Kennedy-Martin, the MGM casting also featured some genius choices. And while Clint is undoubtedly the leading man and the big-league Hollywood star here – his crown was firmly stolen by the rest of his misfit squad. Donald Sutherland effortlessly grabs the badge of cool for his portrayal of Oddball the wisest hippy in Normandy (dialogue above). Then there’s the loud-mouthed hard-on Telly Savalas (Kojak was a short stop away) as Staff Sergeant Big Joe trying to keep his boys from being killed by keeping them loose (“Where’s the booze! Where’s the broads! Where’s the action!”). There’s the mechanical Sherman tank magician Gavin MacLeod as Moriarty (Oddball’s sidekick with his ‘negative vibes’) and the canny trickster Don Rickles as Crapgame – the procurer of all things illegal. Carroll O’Connor as the naïve General Colt who overhears Kelly’s radio transmissions and thinks his boys are being brave and spearheading an advance behind enemy lines. Throw in the rest of the grunts (even Harry Dean Stanton has a notable minor role – “My hair’s in curlers!”) and you’re on a winner.

You also forget how many funny scenes there were in it – Telly’s brother George Savalas rant as Mulligan - the man who constantly drops bombs on his own troops - losing his head with Kelly when he asks him for an illegal barrage - the wasted crews of Oddball’s three Sherman tanks sunning themselves under makeshift canopies as one of them does the rounds and pours out coffee into their cups to sober them up – Telly Savalas telling his men to do up a bombed-out house to look like a nightclub – Oddball arriving at the bridge – “It’s still up!” Then a US fighter flies in low and blows it up. “No it ain’t!” Karl-Otto Alberty as the SS Tank Officer in the town of Clermont who finally open his eyes when he hears what his men and machines have been unwittingly guarding in the bank behind him…

This isn’t “Band Of Brothers” or “Pacific” where every GI seems like a model with dirt strategically applied to their cheeks – these actors aren’t pretty – their faces and bodies are drawn from the real world – they’re full of character and oddity - and their consistent irreverence for authority gives the whole thing a gritty realism throughout. You root for these guys and their cheeky opportunism…

The really big let down is the complete lack of extras – no commentaries, no making of, no post interviews – it’s a real shame because they would have added so much to what has always been a perennial favourite among film fans. But as it’s pitched at a tenner – and given that the print is looking the business, I still think its great value for money.

The League Of Decency will poo-poo it, the Vatican will excommunicate it, but any movie that has characters called Oddball and Crapgame in its ranks gets my vote.

“Kelly’s Heroes” is a blast on Blu Ray - and its recommended like a Sherman shell up the ass of a Tiger Tank…

PRINT/EXTRAS:
1080p High Definition 16x9 2.4:1 Aspect Ratio. Theatrical Trailer (no other extras).

AUDIO:
DTS-HD Master Audio, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Castilian Spanish 2.0 Mono, French 1.0. German 1.0, Italian 1.0

SUBTITLES:
English, Castilian Spanish, Danish, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin Spanish, Norwegian, Portuguese and Swedish

“Intolerable Cruelty”. A Review Of The 2003 Film Now Reissued On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…It’s A Challenge…"

As Donovan Donaly (Geoffrey Rush) drives along a sun-drenched palm-tree-lined avenue in suburban California in his Jaguar Coupe, ponytail bobbing in the gentle breeze, he is smugly singing along to Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Boxer”. The lyrics speak of loose ladies on Seventh Avenue in New York and the broke fighter partaking of their flesh in weaker moments. When he gets into his house, he finds his wife Bonnie (Stacey Travis) is doing just that - having it off with Ollie the pool man - a stoner with erection problems who says ‘man’ all the time. A fight ensues and Donovan has the spikes of his Daytime Television Lifetime Achievement Award rammed into his fleshy backside. Gunshots are fired…the guilty parties speed off…and as he giggles manically, Donovan takes Polaroids of his bloody posterior for divorce-battle evidence. It then goes into the opening credits - cartoon cupids tying each other to trees and behaving very badly indeed - as the cautionary words of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” counter the cheesy yet somehow romantic Valentine’s Day visuals.
It’s very witty stuff…it’s very Coens.

And now in early 2011, “Intolerable Cruelty” arrives on a Universal Blu Ray - and I for one am loving it.

George Clooney plays Miles Massey, a legendarily effective but bored divorce lawyer - and Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Marilyn Rexroth – a beautiful and skilled socialite who marries rich older-men - and not necessarily for their conversational skills. When Miles encounters Marilyn in his offices with another divorce lawyer Freddy Bender (a superb Richard Jenkins - the father in Six Feet Under), there is an obvious fascination and attraction between them. Miles then exposes her scam with Rex Rexroth, Marilyn starts another one – and then ensues a game of mental cat and mouse. But in the ultimate game of 'life and love' - who is actually winning what?

Despite the mixed reviews it received at the time (and it still divides fans now), I’ve always liked “Intolerable Cruelty”. Even if you don’t think it works as a cohesive whole, there’s a lot to enjoy in the spaces in-between. To start with there’s rare and genuine chemistry between Clooney and Jones who both manage to be attractive, sappy, witty and ruthless all at the same time. Clooney in particular is fantastic. In his scenes with Stacey Travis and Edward Herrmann (dialogue above), he shows superlative comedic acting chops. When George is given good material like this, he’s just ‘so’ good at it - very Cary Grant.

The lesser roles too are many and brilliant. There’s a scene-stealing Cedric The Entertainer as Gus Petch (“I’m gonna nail yo’ ass!”), Edward Herrmann as Rex Rexroth the elderly executive who has a passion for women in underwear mimicking the sound of Choo Choo trains, Billy Bob Thornton as Howard D. Doyle the ah-shucks oil tycoon who eats a cast-iron marriage contract to prove his love to Marilyn (her next victim), Jonathan Hadary as the wonderfully camp Heinz, The Baron Von Espy (“is that silly man in this courtroom today…”) and Tom Aldredge as the truly grotesque Herb Myerson - owner of the law-firm Miles works for – who is on a life–support machine and still spluttering on about ‘billable hours’ through a voice box (what Miles fears he will become).

The dialogue is so cleverly choreographed too. Take the scene where Miles is sat beside a client in a courtroom with his long-suffering law associate Wrigley sat at the other end of the table (Paul Adelstein). While another lawyer cross-examines the stone-faced elderly wife of their client (a brilliantly cast Judith Drake), Miles is twittering on about boredom creeping into his life. The dialogue ping-pongs between his list of material wealth and its vacuous trappings back to her hilarious statements about claiming to be her husband’s “…sexual slave for 36 years…” The lawyer presses for more details, she replies ”…he made a gizmo out of the vacuum-cleaner called “The Intruder”…the vacuum-cleaner was unavailable to me for several months…” The other lawyer shakes his head in mock shock “… several months without the appliance…” It’s ball-breakingly funny stuff and very Joel and Ethan Coen.

Which brings us to the print – which I’m glad to say is a massive improvement over the DVD. It’s in 1.85:1 aspect so it immediately fills the screen (no stretching) and right from the opening shots of the sunlight glinting on Donovan’s front windscreen, the clarity takes you aback. Even when Clooney and Jones are having dinner in a restaurant at night (indoor night scenes are notorious for shading and blocking), the clarity is spot-on - and Catherine looks truly beautiful. The real shame is the complete lack of extras – but as it’s pitched at less than a tenner brand new – I’m still pleased with the purchase.

“Intolerable Cruelty” is a Coen Brothers movie you should ‘rediscover’ – and the new Blu Ray format is the place to do it.

And remember boys, the absence of a prenuptial agreement in a divorce settlement - is the gift that just keeps on giving…ouch!

PRINT:
1080p High Definition Widescreen, Aspect 1.85:1 (fills the screen immediately on play)
AUDIO:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1
SUBTITLES:
English SDH (Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing), French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, Greek, Korean, Latin American Spanish, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish and Traditional Mandarin

"Shuggie’s Boogie: Shuggie Otis Plays The Blues" [aka "Roots N' Blues" from 1994] by SHUGGIE OTIS (March 2009 SPV/Blue Label 'Expanded Edition' CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...We Had A Cooking Little Band...We Had A Lot Of Fun..."

Like most people I came across this superlative guitar player in a roundabout kind of a way – via The Brothers Johnson and their huge Funk/Soul hit of 1977 "Strawberry Letter No. 23" (which Otis wrote). I remember looking at the A&M Records label credit at the time on the BJ album and wondering - who the hell is the funky-sounding Shuggie Otis?

And while this mid-priced UK reissue doesn’t feature Shuggie’s 1971 original of "Strawberry Letter No. 23" (it’s on his 1971 "Freedom Flight" LP – see my review for the "Original Album Classics" 3CD Mini Box Set) – don't let that put you off for a nanosecond. "Shuggie's Boogie: Shuggie Otis Plays The Blues" is a truly stunning CD compilation of his rare and desirable funky blues output in the early Seventies - a proper big daddy bargain at twice the price. There’s a lot to wade through - so let’s get to the jammy details…

UK released March 2009 - "Shuggie's Boogie: Shuggie Otis Plays The Blues" by SHUGGIE OTIS on SPV Records/Blue Label SPV 306422 CD (Barcode 693723064222) is a reissue CD of a 1994 USA Columbia "Roots N' Blues" compilation. It uses the same front-cover artwork and name (though this time it’s in a card digipak rather than a jewel case) - but has had its original quota of 12-tracks bumped up by 2 - meaning that Tracks 13 and 14 here are Bonuses on this 'Extended Edition' reissue. It breaks down as follows (65:16 minutes)

1. 12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues

2. Shuggie's Boogie

3. Gospel Groove

4. The Hawks

5. Me And My Woman

6. I Can Stand To See You Die

7. I Got The Walkin' Blues

8. Purple

9. Cold Shot

10. Sweet Thang

11. Bootie Cooler

12. Shuggie's Old Time Slide Boogie

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Shuggie's Shuffle

14. Oxford Gray

Tracks 1, 12 and 13 are from the AL KOOPER LP "Kooper Session – Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis" released January 1970 in the USA on Columbia Records CS 9951 and in the UK on CBS Records S 63797

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 11 and 14 are from Shuggie Otis' debut solo album "Here Comes Shuggie Otis" released February 1970 on Columbia BN 26511 in the USA and in the UK on CBS Records S 63996

Tracks 6 and 7 are from the JOHNNY OTIS LP (credited as The Johnny Otis Show) "Cuttin' Up" released 1970 in the USA on Epic Records BN 26524. "I Can Stand To See You Die" features Shuggie Otis on Guitar, Bass, Harmonica, Organ and Piano with SUGARCANE HARRIS on solo Lead Vocals. "I Got Walkin' Blues" has the same instrumentation but features duet vocals between Johnny Otis and Sugarcane Harris.

Tracks 5, 8 and 10 are from Shuggie’s 2nd solo LP "Freedom Flight" released September 1971 in the USA on Epic Records KE 30572 [produced by Johnny Otis]

Track 9 is an October 1970 recording featuring Johnny & Shuggie Otis and had remained unreleased until the 1994 "Roots N' Blues" CD compilation

Originally mastered for Columbia by Roger Lomax at Ro-Lo Studios in the USA, the sound quality is uniformly excellent and at times 'so' sweet. But it’s the material that blows you away. His debut "Here Comes Shuggie Otis" is the very definition of lost classic and 'cool album' you must hear before you die.

Musically it’s a little instrumental B.B. King ("Purple") meets trippy Albert King on Stax ("Sweet Thang") meets the straight-up blues workout ("12:15 Slow Goonbash Blues") – it’s hugely impressive stuff and strangely diverse too. The fantastic soulful organ shuffle of "Bootie Cooler" – an instrumental I regularly put on a 70’s Fest CD - always brings customers to the counter asking after the 'cool' tune that’s playing. The false 78" crackle put on "Shuggie’s Old Time Slide Boogie" by Al Kooper in 1970 now sounds a tad gimmicky (even if the old-time National Steel blues guitar feel of the track is great), but it’s quickly sorted out by the organ-guitar driven "Shuggie’s Shuffle" – great stuff.

His 'talking about his influences and past' song "Shuggie's Boogie" (lyrics above) features him name-checking every great Blues player and then imitating their licks for about two minutes before the band kicks in. The track sung by Sugarcane Harris “I Can Stand To See You Die” and the unreleased instrumental cover of “Cold Shot” are more indicative of the Fifties/Sixties Rhythm'n'Blues stuff he would play with his Dad in the mid to late Seventies. Those tracks were issued by Johnny Otis on his own US label and featured huge R'n'B and Blues stars of old (that period is covered extensively on another superb CD called "In Session" from 2002 on the Goldenlane label). "Gospel Groove" sounds like Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac on a churchy tip – a slow-paced Blues groove with organ – 'so' good. And we should make special mention of Otis' incredibly accomplished guitar playing throughout which completely belied his 20 to 21 year’s old age when it was all recorded.

"Shuggie’s Boogie: Shuggie Otis Plays The Blues" is the kind of superlative little reissue that might pass you by – don’t let it. It’s a genuine voyage of discovery for lovers of Seventies Blues – especially those who like their particular poison with a slightly soulful tint. 

Recommended like a preacher feeling the groove on a Sunday morning...

"Sweet Inspiration – The Songs Of Dan Penn And Spooner Oldham" by VARIOUS ARTISTS. A Review Of The 2011 Ace Records CD Compilation.

"…I’m Yours…To Have And To Hold…"

You know you’re in the presence of a great compilation when the compilers put Dionne Warwick and Charlie Rich on a 'soul' CD – clever choices and class acts. And this latest issue in Ace’s 'Songwriters' series is a real class act - a bit of a masterpiece frankly.
But to the details first…

Released Monday 31 January 2011 in the UK (15 February 2011 in the USA), Ace Records CDCHD 1284 breaks down as follows (66:52 minutes):

1. Out Of Left Field by PERCY SLEDGE (1967, Atlantic 2396)
2. I’m Your Puppet by DIONNE WARWICK (1968, Scepter 12352)
3. Sweet Inspiration by THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS
(1968, Atlantic 2476)
4. A Woman Left Lonely by CHARLIE RICH (1971, Epic 10745)
5. I Worship The Ground You Walk On by ETTA JAMES
(1968, Cadet 5606)
6. I’m Living Good by THE OVATIONS (1969, Goldwax 342)
7. Take Me (Just As I Am) by SOLOMON BURKE (1967, Atlantic 2416)
8. Cry Like A Baby by ARTHUR ALEXANDER (1969, Sound Stage 7 2652)
9. It Tears Me Up by JEANNE NEWMAN
(Previously Unreleased Goldwax Recording From 1966)
10. Slippin’ Around With You by ART FREEMAN (1966, Fame 1008)
11. I Met Her In Church by TONY BORDERS (1969, Revue 11040)
12. Are You Never Coming Home by SANDY POSEY (1967, MGM 13824)
13. Let It Happen by JAMES CARR
(Previously Unissued Alternate Version of Goldwax 323)
14. Everything I Am by THE BOX TOPS (1967, Mala 580)
15. Feed The Flame by TED TAYLOR (1967, Atco 6481)
16. Watching The Trains Go by TONY JOE WHITE
(1968, Monument 1053)
17. In The Same Old Way by ARTHUR CONLEY (1966, Fame 1007)
18. Denver by RONNIE MILSAP (1969, Scepter 12246)
19. Dreamer by PATTI LaBELLE And THE BLUEBELLES
(1967, Atlantic 2408)
20. Good Things Don’t Come Easy by IRMA THOMAS
(Originally Unissued Chess Recording From 1967 Put Out In 1988)
21. I Need Someone by THE WALLACE BROTHERS (1968, Jewel 792)
22. He Ain’t Gonna Do Right by BARBARA LYNN (1968, Atlantic 2585)
23. Wish You Didn’t Have To Go by TOMMY ROE (1965, ABC 10706)
24. Let’s Do It Over by JOE SIMON (1965, Vee-Jay 694)

The mastering has been done by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London and the extensive 28-page booklet features a 10,000-word exploration of every track by noted soul aficionados TONY ROUNCE and BOB DUNHAM. I’ve raved about the Bear Family CD compilations “Sweet Soul Music” from 1961 to 1970 (reviewed all 10) and their great sound and packaging (regularly hitting 70 pages and beyond in each booklet) – well Ace are on the same tip here because their booklet is a truly fabulous read – and beautifully laid out. There isn’t a wasted page – photos of the artists, 7” US singles in their label bags (some demos), trade adverts – it’s just a feast of informative and enthusiastic detail that enhances your enjoyment of these deeply Southern Soul sides. Even the inlay under the see-through plastic tray advertises other Ace releases with Penn/Oldham songs on them – and after hearing this peach - imminent purchase of all seven advertised CDs may become a priority – credit-crunch or no…

The sound quality varies from the merely good (“Out Of Left Field”) to the stupendous (“Take Me (Just As I Am)”, “Dreamer” and “I Need Someone” - and back again. Mostly it just sounds great throughout. These are big American labels and rarely does the quality dip. But what overrides all of that is the awesome material itself and how it’s been sequenced…

Take “I’m Your Puppet” (lyrics above) – the version everyone knows and loves is by James And Bobby Purify – Ace has craftily chosen a lesser-heard but equally sweet Dionne Warwick version from her 1969 US album “Soulful”. When I put this CD in our shop play shuffle on Saturday, this track immediately brought soul customers to the counter asking after it. The intense Percy Sledge version of “It Tears Me Up” is another – the compilers know that as good as it may be, Percy’s version has been heard one too many times – so it’s been replaced with a countrified-soul version by Bobby Gentry soundalike Jeanne Newman – and it’s just brilliant. And a major previously unreleased coup occurs with the James Carr track – Ace have uncovered an alternate take of the slow and majestic “Let It Happen” where the background vocals are removed - it even features him talking a little as the track plays out – wow!

Then there’s the picture on Page 17 of the ultra-rare Tony Borders Fame 7” single “I Met Her In Church” – it’s a Northern Soul monster and will have NS fans weak at the knees and stroking their debit cards with an evil glint in their eye - already forming a great excuse for the wife when she gets to see the bank statements at the end of the month. It all ends of a lethal triple-whammy – Barbara Lynn and Joe Simon versions to die for - even the “Dizzy” Tommy Roe gets a moment to shine on “Wish You Didn’t Have To Go”.

Niggles - I suppose looking at the 66 minute plus playing time - you could argue that more tracks should have been included, but actually I think the lack of overkill is perfect – quality and not quantity.

To sum up - both Penn and Oldham have been underground white-boy songwriters for Black Soul music for decades – and finally this disc does them justice. I’m more than impressed – easily one the hippest and best reissues to date in 2011. Well-done boys and roll on Volume 2…

PS: if you want to hear Dan Penn cover his own huge hits – check out his own solo outing on CD from 1991 called “Do Right Man” – it’s brilliant and he’s possessed of the loveliest Tony Joe White type voice and warmth.

“Stargate The Movie – Ultimate Edition”. A Review Of The 1994 Film Now Reissued On A 2010 BLU RAY.

"…What A Rush!..."

This March 2010 Blu Ray reissue (15th Anniversary) of Roland Emmerich’s 1994 Sci-Fi blockbuster is a bit of a mixed bag.
At least it has 4 hours of NEW extra content (on top of previously released features) and both the Extended Director’s Cut and the Theatrical versions of the film - but its print is gorgeous one moment and awful the next...

There’s a lot on here, so let’s get to the spec details first:
• 1080p High Definition Print in 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
• Opening Menu Offers – German, French and English
• Theatrical Version (121 minutes)
• Director’s Cut (130 minutes)
• New 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio for English
• 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio for both French and German
• Subtitles English, German and French
• New “Deciphering The Gate: Concepts And Casting” Featurette
• New “Opening The Gate: The Making Of The Movie” Featurette
• New “Passing Through The Gate: The Legacy” Featurette
• New “Never-Before-Seen Gag Reel”
• New “Picture-In-Picture STARGATE Ultimate Knowledge” Feature
• “Is There A Stargate?” Featurette
• “The Making Of Stargate” Documentary
• Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Roland Emmerich and Writer/Producer Dean Devlin
• Original Stargate Previews
• B-Roll Footage
• BD Live

As you can clearly see from the impressive list above, this Optimum Releasing/Studio Canal reissue isn’t blindly throwing the film out there – there’s really great new extras on here – and fan-orientated too. But having said that, the whole shebang is let down somewhat by the actual print itself.

Primarily because of how the movie was originally filmed and the mercilessness of the Blu Ray format – the outdoor sequences are beautiful to look at – but anything ‘indoors’ – inside the secret American site where the circle of stones is held – the Stargate device sequence – arriving at the entrance of the new world – in the slaves sand-filled shacks – in fact anything involving ‘indoors’ is full of bad lighting and blocking. So while you are impressed with the beauty of the opening Indiana Jones 'desert' sequence at the beginning of the Theatrical version and the car pulling to Kurt Russell’s home to get him on board the project – you are sent in the opposite direction by how bad the wedding sequence is between James Spader and the lovely Israeli actress Mili Avital – the spaceship landing on the pyramid when 'Ra' returns and Russell’s soldiers are trapped underneath – and so on. In short, if you’re looking for pristine picture quality all the way through, then this Blu Ray print will disappoint…

Having said that and all things considered – this release is being pitched at less than ten quid, it has great sound and genuinely superb extras – and when the print sparkles, it really does.

To sum up - this Blu Ray is probably the best were going to get by way of presentation for the hugely entertaining and eminently re-watchable “Stargate – The Movie”. Just be prepared to accept and forgive the less-than-great bits in between…

"Shakespeare In Love". A Review Of The 1998 Film Now Reissued On Blu Ray In 2011.

"…Love Triumphant…And A Bit With A Dog…"

In 2003 (and at considerable expense) I bought the 'Superbit' DVD of this wonderful film to get the best picture quality I could and it was far better than the standard DVD version (even though it didn't have the extras the standard DVD did). But this January 2011 BLU RAY reissue with its superlative picture quality AND nicely complimentary extras - trumps all previous formats. And at less than ten quid, it’s reasonably priced too. But to the details first…

PRINT/FEATURES:
Full 1080p High Definition Widescreen Transfer – 2:35 Aspect
The "My Scenes" function allows the viewer to pinpoint a part of the movie you particularly like by pressing the Green button on your remote for the start and the Blue button to end it (only as it is playing). It will create a library of scenes for you to re-watch later…

BONUS MATERIAL:
• Making Of Documentary: "Shakespeare In Love And On Film"
• Feature Length Commentary by Director John Madden
• Feature Length Commentary by Cast And Crew
• Theatrical Trailer
• 21 TV Spots
• Academy Award Winning Costumes
• Deleted Scenes

AUDIO:
• English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• French, Italian, German, Spanish (Castellano) and Japanese DTS-HD 5.1

SUBTITLES:
English SDH (Deaf and Hard-Of-Hearing), French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Icelandic, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish and Traditional Mandarin

Originally released into cinemas in early 1999, "Shakespeare In Love" was nominated for a whopping 13 Academy Awards and went on to win 7 - Best Picture, Best Leading and Supporting Actress, Screenplay, Set Design, Costumes and Music. So many things came together on this film – the inspired casting of Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes as Viola De Lessops and William Shakespeare, Geoffrey Rush as the permanently living-on-the-edge theatre owner Philip Henslowe (his dialogue titles this review), Colin Firth as the dastardly and arrogant Lord Wessex (wittily refers to life in 1593 as “Dallas in frocks”), right down to the ordinary-people emotion of Imelda Staunton who is superb as Viola’s nurse. In fact the entire ensemble cast (Tom Wilkinson, Martin Clunes, Rupert Everett, Jim Carter and Simon Callow) are all superlative and add hugely to its overall classy feel. There’s John Madden’s assured direction (he did “Mrs. Brown”), the beautifully evocative score by Steven Warbeck, the 17 fully reconstructed buildings and two theatres created by the Production teams and of course the movie’s true ace-in-the-hole – the stunning screenplay by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman which successfully emulates the bard's genius while at the same time making him real and human to us. Back in late 2007 I posted a List in Listmania on Amazon UK called “25 Movie Dialogues You Must Hear Before You Die” – and number 6 is the scene where Paltrow talks of love to her nursemaid as she readies for bed ("...love that will overthrow mountains...come ruin or rapture...") – it’s sensational stuff and in modern-day speak equal to the bard himself (no mean feat).

ASPECT/PICTURE QUALITY:
This Blu Ray's default setting is 2:35 aspect (puts borders on the top and bottomof the screen automatically), but I found taking it to full-screen on my Sony didn’t distort or stretch the image too much - if at all. But the real deal here is the picture quality itself - which is never less than brilliant and at times truly beautiful. The most obvious and immediately noticeable thing is the costumes. There’s a scene where the 'players' are finally staging “Romeo And Juliet” in front of a rapt audience at 'The Curtain' – it cuts to Colin Firth hanging from the rafters watching his new wife play Juliet and then cuts to Joseph Fiennes as Romeo on the stage opposite Paltrow – the colours in their clothes is just awesome. Even on the indoor scenes, the lighting is fabulous – little or no blocking – a hugely enjoyable experience.

Niggles – the extras are essentially the same as the DVD - the 20-minute 'Making Of' is particularly good and includes interviews with all the key people behind the camera and in front of it (as well as other actors already mentioned, Judy Dench and Ben Affleck are also included) – but it’s a shame there wasn’t more dug out for his reissue. It deserved it. A minor point, but one worth making…

This BLU RAY reissue of “Shakespeare In Love” is a triumph - a romantic, funny and hugely uplifting film finally given a chance to shine - and with a gorgeous print.

In the words of the great man himself (from Sonnet 18):
“So long as men can breathe or eyes can see
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee…”