“My One And Only”. A Review of the 2009 Film Now Released On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…In Every Pack…There’s A Leader…"

In some ways "My One And Only" is a real throwback to old-fashioned filmmaking. It's a story that deliberately takes its own sweet time to unfold - characters make big mistakes, recover begrudgingly, then grow some and move on. It's about a family that's close-knit but also in turmoil - and all of this is set against a backdrop of beautiful Fifties American small town/big city scenery and socially changing times…

Renee Zellweger plays Anne Devereaux - a glamorous New York mum who leaves her feckless bandleader husband George after one too many of his on-the-road affairs and the royalties to his National hit “My One And Only” have begun to wither (a hugely likeable and capable Kevin Bacon). With wildly out-of-place optimism, she cheerfully bundles her two teenage sons (Logan Lerman and Mark Rendall) into her ludicrously flashy Coupe De Ville car (which she’s just paid $2,500 for) and hits the road for Pittsburgh - and eventually - the bigger glam of Hollywood. But of course along the way, Anne only manages to flit from one relationship disaster to another – with just her beauty, class and innate belief in herself keeping her head above water and her restless kids out of poverty (and even jail).

One of the men she meets and woos is Chris Noth who plays a nice-at-first army-man who is lonely and quickly smitten. But as the relationship unfolds, Harlan increasingly becomes Mister Rules and Regulations – eventually turning into a very nasty piece of work indeed. It’s a real departure for Noth from his Mr. Big character in Sex & The City, but man is he good at it (dialogue above).

But the film firmly belongs to Zellweger who is absolutely superlative throughout in a way she hasn't been for a long time - ably assisted by a talented supporting cast who are given material that makes everyone shine. Zellweger gives her Anne a beating heart – fun one moment - destroyed the next - digging down deep to find that inner strength to go on. You root for her – bleed for her – and eventually smile at her sheer American tenacity. This movie sees Renee as a great actress rather than just a good one.

"My One And Only" is a proper journey movie - and because it's steeped in Fifties period architecture and clothing - it looks fantastic on BLU RAY. Scene after scene is filled with that old-world grit, glamour and gorgeous detail. And on it goes to a surprising twist at the end that you genuinely don't see coming.

A bit of a 2011 sleeper on the rental and purchase market, I liked "My One And Only" a great deal and would watch it again. I'd say give this little charmer a chance...I think you'll be more than pleasantly surprised.

“The Ballads Of Charlie Rich” by CHARLIE RICH. A Review Of The 2009 Bear Family CD Compilation.

"…Time And Again…I Get Lonely…"

1. School Days (undubbed)
2. My Heart Cries For You (undubbed)
3. Apple Blossom Time
4. Time And Again
5. Who Will The Next Fool Be
6. Stay
7. It's Too Late (undubbed)
8. Now Everybody Knows
9. Unchained Melody
10. Sittin' And Thinkin'
11. Juanita (undubbed)
12. Ain't It A Shame
13. I’m Making Plans
14. I Said Baby
15. How Blue Can You Be
16. There Won't Be Anymore
17. Every Day
18. The Loneliest Days (vocal/piano only)
19. I Need Your Love
20. Don't Put No Headstone On My Grave
21. Stay
22. We Belong To Each Other
23. It Hurt Me So
24. Cloud Nine
25. River, Stay Away From My Door
26. Tomorrow Night
27. Let Me Go My Merry Way
28. Why, Oh Why
29. I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore
30. Share Your Love With Me
31. A Field Of Yellow Daisies
32. No Home
33. The Best Years

Charlie Rich was always going to be a contender for this clever Bear Family series of compilations. He not only equalled Elvis Presley when he wrapped his superb voice around a smoocher, Charlie also penned his own tunes. Besides - rocker or ballad - if ever an artist deserved serious reappraisal, then Arkansas’ “Silver Fox” is the number one contender...

But I would have to admit that even as a rabid fan of Charlie Rich and this great reissue label, "Ballads" on Bear Family BCD 16516 AR (85:40 minutes) disappointed me ever so slightly. Don't get me wrong - if you're new to the great man then there's going to be stuff on here that will make you tingle and wonder how you lived without it, but I personally found the track selections too 'ordinary' and too many made me want to reach for the fast-forward button. Why is this...

A whopping 18 of these 33 cuts come from Bear Family's own 1998 3CD box set "The Sun Years 1958 - 1962" - all 18 of which were Previously Unreleased studio outtakes at the time. This is both good and bad news. One or two are masterful - genius even - like the stunning "Time And Again" (lyrics above) - but too many are ordinary in comparison and it's easy to see why they were left in the can.

On the plus side - "Who Will The Next Fool Be" which was a 1961 7" single on Phillips International 3566 is a balladeer's gem. There's also three goodies from the 1964 Stereo LP "Charlie Rich" on Groove Records GMS 1000 (miscredited in the booklet as GMS 1001) - "River, Stay Away From My Door", "Let Me Go My Merry Way" and "Why, Oh Why". The Lonnie Johnson/LaVern Baker/Big Joe Turner hit "Tomorrow Night" is one of 2 tracks from the "That's Rich" Stereo LP from 1965 on RCA Victor LSP 3352 - the second track is "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore". Not surprisingly there's also three tracks from his lethal duo of Smash Records albums in the mid Sixties - "The Many New Faces Of..." from 1965 (track is "A Field Of Yellow Daisies") and "The Best Years" from 1966 (tracks are "The Best Years" and "No Home"). There are also rarities - a long-forgotten album track called "Share Your Love With Me" from a 1974 LP called "She Called Me Baby" on RCA Victor APL1 0686 (actually a 1965 recording) and two Previously Unissued outtakes "Juanita (Undubbed)" and "We Belong To Each Other" - both of which are exclusive to this set.

The 39-page booklet is the usual classy affair with liner notes by HANK DAVIS - the remastering is by MARCUS HEUMANN and the audio quality varies from session to session - the Sun outtakes are often just Piano & Vocal and sound good rather than great - while the Groove and Smash tracks sound incredible - full band with a full sound.

Niggles - you really have to say that a compilation called "Ballads" by Charlie Rich which does not include his two huge hits "Behind Closed Doors" and "The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" (no matter how overplayed they may be) is somehow lacking.

To sum up - I wanted to love this CD so much and even though its total playing time is extraordinary, I'm afraid I'd dock it a star for too many dullards (quality guys, not quantity).
But even with that said, I keep going back to the good tracks - and man when he was good - he was the best…

PS: I've also reviewed "Rocks" and "It Ain't Gonna Be That Way - The Complete Smash Sessions" by Charlie Rich - see separate reviews.

PPS: as of August 2011, artists in the "Ballads" series include:
1. JOHHNY BURNETTE, Bear Family BCD 17211 AR (30 Tracks)
2. JOHNNNY HORTON, Bear Family BCD 16384 AR (25 Tracks)
3. WANDA JACKSON, Bear Family BCD 16848 AR (30 Tracks)
4. CHARLIE RICH, Bear Family BCD 16516 AR (33 Tracks)
5. JACK SCOTT, Bear Family BCD 16847 AR (25 Tracks)
6. CONWAY TWITTY, Bear Family BCD 15982 AR (33 Tracks)
7. GENE VINCENT, Bear Family BCD (28 Tracks)

“Love Actually”. A Review of the 2003 Film Now Reissued on BLU RAY in 2009.

"…I’m On Shag Highway…Heading West!"

Like many people who have probably seen Richard Curtis’ "Love Actually" one-to-many times, the idea of buying it yet again on another fangled format is enough to make you yawn and turn away. But have you actually seen it on BLU RAY?
Because if you haven't, you need to...

Having reviewed so many 'oldies' transferred to Blu Ray and been elevated fifty-per-cent of the time/disappointed the other half - it's a real delight to report that here is a genuine upgrade from every previous version. Suddenly, the film feels all grown up - the print is incredibly clear - and it adds so much to your enjoyment of the movie. There isn’t a part of this rather lovely little gem that ‘doesn’t’ seem improved to me.

The extras are the same as the 2003 DVD – Deleted Scenes and Music Of (with introductions from Richard Curtis), Kelly Clarkson and Billy Mack Videos (Billy Mack is Bill Nighy’s character), a Feature Length Commentary with Director and Writer Richard Curtis and actors Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy and Thomas Sangster (Neeson’s son in the movie). The picture quality for these clips is old actually and hardly high-def, but they are informative and hugely entertaining (especially when the galaxy of stars are talking – Liam Neeson and Laura Linney so enjoying themselves).

The subtitles and other Audio specs are:
VIDEO: 1080p High-Definition Widescreen 2.35:1 aspect
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French, Italian, German, Spanish and Latin American Spanish DTS-Surround 5.1
SUBTITLES: English SDH, French, Canadian French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish and Dutch.

Apart from being wonderful to look at, you also forget what a great film it is – a huge upbeat pick-me-up of a thing – and hopeful in a way that seems to elude Hollywood stories so much these days. And it’s so funny too – Martin Freeman and Joanna Page (both naked) as the rehearse making out for a porn movie (…”Judy this is a real pleasure. It’s lovely to find someone I can actually chat to…”), Bill Nighy on the Ant & Dec show “…here’s an important message from your Uncle Bill. Don’t buy drugs. Become a pop star and they give you them for free!” and the ever-hopeful Colin as he embarks for the States to meet girls who will all helplessly fall for his Englishman’s accent (title above).

Great actors, clever intertwining stories, witty dialogue, genuinely funny and touching moments – even sadness and a bit of heartbreak - “Love Actually” is a bit of a British gem frankly. And on BLU RAY it’s a winner. And cheap too.

Recommended like a night in with a saucy minx in Number 10...

"Hard Candy/Prone" by NED DOHENY - 1976 and 1979 Albums on Columbia USA and CBS/Sony Japan (July 2011 UK SuperBird Records Compilation - 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 145 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

MORE THAN A FEELING 

1976

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

Just Click Below To Purchase (No Cut and Paste Crap)

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"…Get It Up For Love…"

Ned Doheny is a virtual unknown outside of certain circles – and hopefully this release with change that.

Musically think Boz Scaggs circa "Lowdown", Steely Dan doing "FM (No Static At All)" or Robbie Dupree giving it his best Michael McDonald songwriting impression on "Steal Away" – and you get the picture. The radio-friendly tunes and arrangements are very West Coast Funky-Rock-Soul and its easy to hear why tracks like "Get It Up For Love" and "To Prove My Love" have been gracing slick Seventies compilations for years now.

In fact, 2009 saw the release of these albums on CD – but in Japan only – and even they have gathered cult status and price tags stretching into three figures. So this reissue on one of Cherry Red’s subsidiary labels (SuperBird) will be welcome new to fans that never thought they’d see this stuff reissued at a reasonable price…

Released in the UK on 25 July 2011 - "Hard Candy/Prone" by NED DOHENY on SuperBird SBIRD 0048 (Barcode 5013929884823) is a Compilation that offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows (72:21 minutes):

1. Get It Up For Love
2. If You Should Fall
3. Each Time You Pray
4. When Love Hangs In The Balance
5. A Love Of Your Own
6. I've Got Your Number
7. On The Swing Shift
8. Sing To Me
9. Valentine
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Hard Candy" issued in October 1976 in the USA on Columbia PC 34259

10. To Prove My Love
11. Think Like A Lover
12. Labor Of Love
13. Thinking With My Heart
14. Guess Who's Looking For Love Again
15. The Devil In You
16. Funky Love
17. If You Only Knew
18. Sweet Friction
Tracks 10 to 18 are the album "Prone" issued in 1979 in Japan on CBS/Sony 25AP 1359

The list of contributing musicians on each album reads like a virtual who's who of the hip Rock scene in the mid Seventies – Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Don Henley and Glen Frey (on Vocals), David Foster, Graig Doerge and David Garland (on Keyboards), Tom Scott, Jim Horn, Chuck Findley and the Tower Of Power Horns (on Brass), Dennis Parker (on Bass), Gary Mallaber, John Guerin and Jeff Porcaro (on Drums), Victor Feldman and Steve Forman (on Percussion) with String and Horn Arrangements by Jimmie Haskell (on "Prone"). The remaster has been done by ROGER LOMAS at Ro-Lo Studios and the sound is superb – clear and warm. The 12-page booklet has album credits and a brief history of the man and his albums by MALCOLM DOME – it's neatly done.

The opening track "Get It Up For Love" is genius – a fantastically catchy tune that regularly has customers coming to the counter asking after it when I place it on a "70's Fest" compilation. Hamish Stuart (of the Average White Band) co-wrote and sang on the lovely "A Love Of Your Own". If the title seems familiar it’s because it was a hit for the AWB in their own right (Stuart and Doheny also went on to wrote "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me" – a big hit for Chaka Khan). Bonnie Raitt sings backing vocals with Rosemary Butler on the very popular "To Prove My Love", Steve Perry adds vocals to the funky "Sweet Friction" - while both of the albums benefited from the high production values of Steve Cropper from Booker T. & The MG's (he also played and sang on many tracks).

I wish I could say it's all as good as "Get It Up For Love" but as you can imagine it falls into the schlocky lurve song too many times – still – "Each Time You Play" and "Guess Who's Looking For Love" are excellent and remind me of the melodious Stephen Bishop at his best.

Doheny went on to make sporadic albums in the Eighties and Nineties, but his cult reputation falls on these two rare and pricey albums – and it’s nice to finally seem them get a domestic issue at a reasonable price. A very clever reissue indeed.

Recommended like a Babylon Sister shaking it...

"The Atlantic Years – Whole Oats/Abandoned Luncheonette/War Babies…Plus" by HALL & OATES (July 2011 UK Edsel Compilation - 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks) - A Review Of The 2011 Edsel/Rhino 2CD Reissue.

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"…It’ll Be All Right…When The Morning Comes..."

For an album as beloved and as famous as "Abandoned Luncheonette" to not be on a straightforward CD remaster somewhere in the world at a reasonable price is downright odd. Up until now Hall & Oates fans have had to put up with bits of it on a 'Best Of' or 'Live Versions' on a pricey Box Set. But this superb two-disc reissue from Edsel of the UK which gathers up their first 3 albums on Atlantic (including "Abandoned Luncheonette") - puts an end to that – and how. All three LPs are remastered to great effect and you even get 4 bonus tracks from 2 compilations covering the period. Here are the details…

UK released 25 July 2011 (August 2011 in the USA) – "The Atlantic Albums: Whole Oats/Abandoned Luncheonette/War Babies…Plus" by HALL & OATES on Edsel EDSD2103 (Barcode 740155210335) offers 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (75:35 minutes):

1. I'm Sorry

2. All Our Love

3. Georgie

4. Fall In Philadelphia

5. Waterwheel

6. Lazyman

7. Goodnight And Goodmorning

8. They Needed Each Other

9. Southeast City Window

10. Thank You Are

11. Lily (Are You Happy)

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "Whole Oats", released November 1972 in the USA on Atlantic SD-7242. It was eventually released in the UK on Atlantic K 50306 in September 1976

 

12. When The Morning Comes

13. Had I Known You Better Then

14. Las Vegas Turnaround

15. She's Gone

16. I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)

17. Abandoned Luncheonette

18. Lady Rain

19. Laughing Boy

20. Everytime I Look At You

Tracks 12 to 20 are their 2nd album "Abandoned Luncheonette", released November 1973 in the USA on Atlantic SD-7269 and January 1974 in the UK on Atlantic K 40534

 

Disc 2 (57:14 minutes):

1. Past Times Behind - first released on "The Atlantic Collection" CD in 1996 (it's an outtake from the "Whole Oats" sessions from April 1972)

 

2. It's Uncanny

3. I Want To Know You For A Long Time

4. Love You Like A Brother - tracks 2 to 4 were three new songs on the "No Goodbyes" compilation album released March 1977 in the USA on Atlantic SD-18213 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50347

 

5. Can't Stop The Music

6. Is It A Star?

7. Beanie G And The Rose Tattoo

8. You're Much Too Soon

9. 70’s Scenario

10. War Baby Son Of Zorro

11. I'm Watching You (A Mutant Romance)

12. Better Watch Your back

13. Screaming Through December

14. Johnny Gore And The C Eaters

Tracks 5 to 14 are their 3rd album "War Babies", released October 1974 in the USA on Atlantic SD-18109 and November 1974 on Atlantic K 50086

Edsel have been at this reissue game for a very long time so it’s no surprise that even at this price, the 32-page booklet being offered here is superlative – Pages 2 to 7 deal with "Whole Oats", Pages 8 to 13 with "Abandoned Luncheonette" and Pages 14 to 23 with the bonus tracks and "War Babies". Pages 24 to 31 give you a history and appreciation of the albums and that period in their career by noted writer ALAN ROBINSON and in between are pictures of 7” singles, album labels, full-colour artwork and promo stuff. The text even references Ken Sharp’s fantastic work on the 2009 4CD Hall & Oates Box Set "Be What You Want, Be Who You Are" (which I’ve extensively reviewed elsewhere). As I say – it’s impressive stuff. But the real fireworks lie in the sound…

Remastered by PHIL KINRADE at the Alchemy Studios in London, the sound quality is superb. The first album suffers a tiny bit from hiss, but by the time you get to the ARIF MARDIN production values of "Abandoned Luncheonette" and the expertise of TODD RUNDGREN on "War Babies" – the audio quality is gorgeous.

Highlights include "Lilly (Are You Happy)" which even in 1972 showed their soulfulness in a rock context, while it’s easy to see why "Goodnight And Goodmorning" was chosen as their debut 7” single on Atlantic – it’s very upbeat if not a little lightweight. "I'm Sorry" was the follow up 45 in the USA and really should have gotten them noticed - but it tanked (amazingly they didn’t reach the US charts until 1976).

 But what did get them attention was the quantum leap in song-writing and production quality on album number 2 – "Abandoned Luncheonette". Even now its opener "When The Morning Comes" sounds as fresh as a daisy and still brings a smile to many a face – the remaster of it is just lovely (lyrics above). It’s followed by the acoustic guitar opening of "Had I Known You Better Then" which is now very clear - as is its slinky bassline. But that's trumped by the punch of the gambling song "Las Vegas Turnaround…" – its incredibly good and again still sounds bright-as-a-button after all these years. Then there’s the big one and their real breakthrough – "She’s Gone" – the audio here is truly gorgeous – with Chris Bond’s Mellotron even more to the fore (the strings too). It’s also a treat to get the lesser-heard and completely forgotten "Laughing Boy" in great sound – it features Hall on a piano only with a solitary Flugelhorn backing him up (provided by Marvin Stamm) – very nice indeed. 

 Disc 2 opens with 4 lesser-heard sides including the excellent outtake "Past Times Behind" – an acoustic ditty as pretty as anything on the debut album. The upbeat "It's Uncanny" was released as a 7” single in late 1977. The "War Babies" album had Todd Rundgren at the controls and you can hear his influence on the trippy "Is It A Star?" and "Beanie G And The Rose Tattoo" which sounds like a "Hermit At Mink Hollow" outtake. But the air-raid sirens that open "War Baby Son Of Zorro" still sound like they belong to some other band - as does the metal jaggedness of "Johnny Gore And The C Eaters". "70's Scenario" is more melodic and "Better Watch Your Back" is good too, but little gets you away from the feeling that the vast majority of the album is a badly misguided mistake at trying a new direction. They would get their more natural soulfulness back when they signed to RCA in 1975 and released stuff like "Sara Smile".

To sum up – 3 full albums and more, great sound quality, superbly annotated booklet, tunes you love and some worth getting to know…and it’s cheap too. Even if it isn't all genius - "The Atlantic Albums...Plus" by HALL & OATES is a very good 2CD deal indeed...

 

HALL & OATES Discography - this 2CD set will allow Hall & Oates fans to sequence their initial USA and UK 45's as follows:

1. Goodnight And Good Morning b/w All Our Love

(November 1972 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2922)

Credited to WHOLE OATS

 

2. I'm Sorry b/w Lilly (Are You Happy)

(January 1973 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2939)

Credited to DARYL HALL and JOHN OATES with WHOLE OATS

(Remainder credited to DARYL HALL and JOHN OATES)

 

3. Las Vegas Turnaround b/w I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)

(January 1974 UK 7" single on Atlantic K 19422)

 

4. She's Gone b/w I’m Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)

(February 1974 USA 7" single on Atlantic 2993 – charted at Number 60

September 1974 UK 7" single on Atlantic K 10502 with "Abandoned Luncheonette" as the B-side.

Reissued in August 1976, USA 7" single on Atlantic 3332 – charted at No. 7

Reissued in the UK as a 4-track EP in September 1976 on Atlantic K 10828

A1. She's Gone A2. When The Morning Comes

B1. War Baby Son Of Zorro B2. Lazyman

Reissued again in July 1981, UK 7" single on Atlantic K 11597 with “When The Morning Comes” on the B-side

 

5. When The Morning Comes b/w Lady Rain

(July 1974 UK 7” single on Atlantic K 10459)

 

6. Can't Stop The Music (He Played It Much Too Long) b/w 70's Scenario

(November 1974 USA 7" single on Atlantic 3239)

 

7. Las Vegas Turnaround b/w Had I Known Better Then

(January 1977 UK 7" single on Atlantic K 10887)

 

8. It's Uncanny b/w Beanie G & The Rose Tattoo

(April 1977 UK 7" single on Atlantic K 10915

The A-side is one of 3 new tracks on the compilation "No Goodbyes" - the B-side is on "War Babies")

“A.I. - Artificial Intelligence”. A Review of the 2011 BLU RAY Reissue.

"…Are You 'The Blue Fairy'?”

I remember the highly respected Empire magazine giving a big spread to "A.I. – Artificial Intelligence" when it was first released in 2001 and duly awarding it their coveted 5-star rating. It was a movie of vision they said – and at the time - I thought they were right. But my oh my - how a decade and a new format can change things…

Re-watching "A.I." on BLU RAY in 2011 is a painful and frustrating experience – not just because the film hasn’t dated at all well - but mostly because for a very large part of the movie the print on this reissue is awful…

Why is the case? Anyone who’s purchased “Minority Report” and especially "Saving Private Ryan" on BLU RAY will know of the 'saturation' technique Spielberg uses sometimes to get a certain look – a gritty, slightly smoked effect. Visually this means that the picture is full of shading and speckles – and 50 to 70% of "A.I." is inflicted with this technique too. And while this may have been ok on DVD (hidden even), the heightening of BLU RAY has made many scenes unwatchable as far as I’m concerned.

Instead of making the picture better - the BLU RAY has only accentuated the speckles and haze and made things worse. At times it feels like you’re looking at a badly transferred video and not a state-of-the-art Sci-Fi film. Combine this with Haley Joel Osment’s now irritating performance as the childlike Mecca David who wants his mother’s love back (Francis O’Connor) and goes ceaselessly searching for a character in Pinocchio (dialogue above), the terrible circus-cum-torture scenes in the middle section with Brendan Gleeson looking like he’s going to break into laughter at any minute and the dreadful sappy ending with Ben Kingsley’s saccharine voiceover – and the whole thing reeks of scripted mess and confused vision. Some sympathy has to go to Spielberg who inherited Stanley Kubrick’s story and had to viably bring his 20-year 'baby' to the screen. But whatever your feelings towards how Kubrick would have done it versus Spielberg's outcome - it is NOT going to be enhanced by this reissue.

Don’t get me wrong – there are sequences that look good – even great – entering the futuristic city at night in the car through the huge heads with open mouths – flying out to Manhattan with the pleasure robot Gigalo Joe (Jude Law) in the flying/amphibious Police car – the discussion William Hurt has at the beginning with his students about making a robot that 'loves' for real – but these are few and far between. As most of the film takes place in the Swinton home (David’s parents) and the headquarters of Cybertronics (the company that makes robots for all sorts of tasks), there seems to be no escaping the washed-out look of the film. The extras are good (the 2DVD set) but if the movie’s unwatchable – then what’s the point.

I liked "A.I." then and still think it has its very definite moments to this day - but let’s be blunt about this – I just spent good money on a BLU RAY reissue of a film that is available on the DVD format for a pittance – and its not better – its worse - and absolutely not worth owning.

It is of course a matter of personal taste and choice, but it has to be said - even if you’re a rabid fan of "A.I." - I’d say hire it first to see what it actually looks like 'before' forking out any money on it.

Another huge disappointment on this increasingly frustrating format…

"Studio Outtakes" by THE EVERLY BROTHERS (February 2006 Bear Family 1CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…All These Many Years…Kept It Locked Inside…"

Bear Family of West Germany have serviced Everly Brothers fans across two decades with three extensive and sumptuous CD Box Sets – "Classic" was the first in 1991 and it covered their Fifties Cadence Label period (3CDs), "The Price Of Fame 1960-1965" came in January 2006 and covered the first part of the Warner Brothers years (7CDs) - while "Chained To A Memory 1966-1972" came in June 2006 and covered the remaining WB period (8CDs+1DVD). Huge hauls for two artists who thoroughly deserved every bit of it - but this 1CD mini box set seems to have gone unnoticed – and unfairly so...

"Studio Outtakes" was released February 2006 on Bear Family BCD 15931 AR (in Germany) and breaks down as follows (79:42 minutes):

Tracks:
1. Bye Bye Love (Take 1)
2. I Wonder If I Care As Much (Take 3)
3. Wake Up, Little Susie (Take 1)
4. Hey, Doll Baby (Take 4)
5. Brand New Heartache (Take 2)
6. Keep-A-Knockin’ (Take 5)
7. Love Of My Life (Take 1)
8. Leave My Woman Alone (Take 1)
9. Rip It Up (Take 4)
10. Maybe Tomorrow (Take 3)
11. Claudette (Take 1)
12. Poor Jenny [One O’clock Version] (Take 7)
13. Problems (Alternate Take)
14. All I Have To Do Is Dream (Take 5)
15. Take A Message To Mary (Take 7)
16. Bird Dog (Take 1)
17. Oh, What A Feeling (Take 4)
18. (‘Til) I Kissed You (Take 3)
19. Poor Jenny [Ten O’clock Version] (Take 3)
20. This Little Girl Of Mine (Take 2)
21. Be Bop A Lula (Long False Start) (Take 4)
22. Claudette (Take 7)
23. Wake Up, Little Susie (Take 6)
24. Hey, Doll Baby (Take 1)
25. All I Have To Do Is Dream (Take 1)
26. Poor Jenny [One O’clock Version] (Take 5)
27. That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine (Take 2)
28. Down In The Willow Garden (Take 3)
29. Long Time Gone (Take 3)
30. Oh, So Many Years (Take 4)
31. Rockin’ Alone (In An Old Rocking Chair) (Take 12)
32. Kentucky (Take 7)
33. Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet (Take 15)
34. I’m Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail (Take 2)

It’s packaged in a 5” mini card box, which apes the 'Scotch Tape' boxes of old used as Master Tapes in the Fifties. Inside is a single card sleeve which repros the reel-to-reel tape box (inside is a similarly themed CD). A nice touch is the reproduction of original adverts on all parts of the inner box that inform us of the SCOTCH 'magnetic tape' and its 'frequency response'. As well as the great music is the other big prize in a Bear Family release - a fat and beautifully laid out 64-page booklet with fabulously detailed notes by ANDREW SANDOVAL (see the 6 Kinks ‘Deluxe Editions’ issued in 2011 for more of his work). His track-by-track analysis goes from Page 3 to Page 39 while 40 to 57 is a discography referencing all 34 outtakes. It shows that Tracks 1-8, 11, 13-14, 16, 20-25 and 27-34 are ‘Previously Unreleased’ and ‘not’ on the "Classic" 3CD box set from 1991.

Sound - I’ve raved about JURGEN CRASSER and his remasters before - and these are no exception – beautifully rendered sound – clear, warm and detailed – but never without being overbearing. Highlights include the extraordinary harmonies on Take 3 of "Maybe Tomorrow" while Take 1 of their most famous song "All I Have To Do Is Dream" is like eavesdropping on the making of musical history; even at this early stage, their first take is so ridiculously accomplished.
The different versions of classics like "Wake Up Little Susie" and "Bye Bye Love" are nice if not a little 'too' familiar. But for me it’s the lesser-heard tracks that really shine – "Long Time Gone" and "Oh, So Many Years" (lyrics above) are just lovely – and it’s a proper treat to hear these gems (locked away in a box somewhere for over 50 years) in such beautiful clarity today – saved for posterity by a reissue label that genuinely gives a damn.

Bear Family have done Janis Martin (1 CD), Johnny Cash (3 CDs), Billy Riley (2 CDs), Johnny Tilllotson (2 CDs) and Gene Vincent (6 CDs) in the “Outtakes” series – but with the multiple disc sets in particular, the repetition can become a listening chore instead of joy. This one disc set isn’t like that.

A fabulous reissue - and once again, the mighty Bear Family delivers the goodies.