"Something Extra Special - The Complete Volt Recordings 1968-1971" by JIMMY HUGHES (July 2010 UK Ace/Kent Soul CD Compilation with Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…I Like Everything About You…"

As a voracious lover of Sixties and Seventies Motown, Chess and Stax, I’ve probably waded through a veritable warehouse full of CD compilations in my search to find Soul goodies to listen to. And as the years pass - a few names begin to emerge as genuine class acts you didn’t know too much about before your journey started - singers like Barbara Acklin, Luther Ingram, Maxine Brown, James Carr, Doris Duke, Spencer Wiggins and many more. JIMMY HUGHES is one of those singers.

Possessed of a truly great voice, he could rasp like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, but could also caress a melody like Bobby Womack, Tyrone Davis and Brook Benton. Couple this vocal dexterity and expressiveness with superb Stax in-house songwriting (Isaac Hayes, David Porter and Homer Banks) – and you’re on a winner. And that’s where this fantastic CD reissue comes in…

UK released in July 2010 - this is the 3rd volume in a series of three dedicated to the Alabama soul man; Ace Records/Kent CDKEND 341 breaks down as follows (79:11 minutes):

1. I LIKE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU
2. LET `EM DOWN BABY
3. I'M SO GLAD
4. LAY IT ON THE LINE
5. SWEET THINGS YOU DO
6. CHAINS OF LOVE
7. I'M NOT ASHAMED TO BEG AND PLEAD
8. IT'S ALL UP TO YOU
9. LOCK ME UP
10. WHAT SIDE OF THE DOOR
11. PEEPED AROUND YONDER'S BEND
12. JUST AIN'T AS STRONG AS I USED TO BE (YOU DONE FED ME SUMPIN')
13. DID YOU FORGET
14. NO EASY WAY
15. DON'T YOU KNOW I'M ALL ALONE
16. I WAS CLOSEST AT HAND
17. I WANT YOU SO BAD
18. I WORRY ABOUT YOU
19. IT JUST AIN'T ENOUGH
20. LOOK WHAT I GOT
21. NEVER GROW OLD
22. YOUR LOVE MADE A U TURN
23. TELL HIM TONIGHT
24. TOO OLD TO PLAY
25. LEAVE US ALONE
26. YOU GOT THE POWER
27. YOUR LOVE IS IMPORTANT TO ME

Tracks 1 to 11 are the Stereo album "Something Special" issued May 1969 in the USA on Volt Records VOS-6003 (Volt was a subsidiary label of Stax Records)

Tracks 12 and 13 are "Just Ain't As Strong As I Used To Be (You Done Fed Me Sumpin')" and "Did You Forget" – the non-album A&B sides of a USA 45 (see below)

Tracks 14 to 27 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Volt Recordings

For the first time - this CD will allow fans to sequence all 5 of his rare and desirable 'Volt' 45's as follows:

1. I Like Everything About You b/w What Side Of The Door (July 1968, Volt VOA-4002)
2. Sweet Things You Do b/w Let 'Em Down Baby (February 1969, Volt VOA-4008)
3. Chains Of Love b/w I’m Not Ashamed To Beg Or Plead (April 1969, Volt VOA-4017)
4. I’m So Glad b/w Lay It On The Line (May 1969, Volt-VOA 4024)
5. Just Ain't As Strong As I Used To Be (You Done Fed Me Sumpin') b/w Did You Forget (June 1969, Volt VOA-4060)
[Note: 2 above was issued as his 1st 45 in the UK on Stax 117 in April 1969, while 3 was UK issued on Stax 126 in August 1969]

Proceedings open with an absolute killer – "I Like Everything About You" – as lovely as Sixties Soul gets (lyrics above). But you are also floored by the sound quality – it’s GORGEOUS. Remastered by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London – I’ve raved about his huge body of work before and this CD is no exception. The audio quality is clear, warm and detailed – and if there is hiss on some tracks, it isn’t compressed out of existence - nor is the treble ratcheted up to 12 to get volume for the sake of volume. It’s a really nice job done.

The 26-page booklet is the usual informative affair from Ace with superb liner notes from Soul lover and expert – TONY ROUNCE. It gives a history of Hughes' short but frustrating stay at the Stax subsidiary label and pictures all the 45’s (with label bags), some demo versions of the same, publicity photos and a repro of the rear of the rare album sleeve. Rounce’s name has been involved in a huge number of reissues covering major Soul labels like Philadelphia International, Hot Wax, Invictus and RCA Victor.

Highlights include the fabulously funky "Chains Of Love" which was coupled with the aching "I’m Not Ashamed To Beg Or Plead" on its flip – a great double-header issued as a seven on both sides of the pond. I’ve had the "Chains Of Love" A-side on the 1993 9CD Box Set "The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1968-1971 (Volume 2)" for years now, but the sound quality here is much improved. The harmonica-driven slink of "What Side Of The Door" is wicked too and the album ends on the lovely Al Green soundalike - "Did You Forget". The whole record is an embarrassment of riches really…

The huge haul of 14 Previously Unreleased tracks confirms what fans have known for years – like Motown – the vaults of Stax have harboured hidden gems for decades – only now seeing the light of day thanks to dedicated reissue labels like Ace and many others.
The recording dates range from February 1968 to April 1971 and feature songs by famous soul writers like STEVE CROPPER, GEORGE JACKSON, EDDIE FLOYD, DONNA and SANDRA RHODES, AL JACKSON and CHARLES CHALMERS. Highlights include the pleading "Tell Him Tonight" (recorded April 1970 at Sun Studios) and "Don’t You Know I’m All Alone" sounding not unlike an Al Green outtake. Impressive stuff…

To sum up - in his liner notes to this CD (and being a lifetime lover and collector of Soul Music) - Tony Rounce can barely contain his glee at being involved in reissuing everything this great artist did. It’s been a labour of love for him and Ace Records - and on hearing these 27 slices of Southern goodness by Jimmy Hughes - it’s easy to hear why.

A superlative reissue – and wholeheartedly recommended.

PS: the other 2 volumes in this series are "Steal Away – The Early Fame Recordings" (Kent CDKEND 324) and "Why Not Tonight? – The Fame Recordings Vol.2" (Kent CDKEND 331)

"Come Together / 'Nuff Said" by IKE and TINA TURNER. A Review Of The 2010 Beat Goes On CD Reissue.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" 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:

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"…But When They Got To Me…I Turned It Down…"

Between June 1969 and February 1973, Ike & Tina Turner released 10 albums worth of material – a staggeringly prolific amount. But outside of R'n'B and Soul circles - barely anyone noticed. Finally, when "Nutbush City Limits" did give them a bona-fide worldwide smash in November 1973, it cruelly turned out to be a virtual one-hit wonder. Tina then found the courage to leave that musical prison and famously abusive relationship in 1974 and blossomed into a global superstar who is revered to this day over 40 years later (with more than a little help from musical friends in the industry).

Since those heady 1970's days of recording and touring slog – their 'funky-as-a-gnat's-tweeter' albums have all but disappeared – resolutely ignored really. Hopefully this superb release will change all that. There is so much on here to savour - and in brand new sparkling sound quality too. Here are the details…

Released August 2010, Beat Goes On BGOCD942 breaks down as follows (68:09 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Come Together", released May 1970 in the USA on Liberty LST-7637 and September 1970 in the UK on Liberty LBS 83350
Tracks 13 to 23 are the album "'Nuff Said", released November 1971 in the USA on United Artists UAS-5530 and March 1972 in the UK on United Artists UAG 29256

This CD comes in an outer card wrap that lends each of the Beat Goes On reissues a classy look and feel. The 12-page booklet has liner notes by DAVID WELLS and features black and white photos of the duo as well as a history of the two albums. But it’s the sound that impresses most. Remastered by ANDREW THOMPSON at Sound Mastering in London – the audio is really clear and full of detail.
Each cut now has a power that gives the predominately funk tunes a real wallop as they exit your speakers.

The first single off the "Come Together" album in the UK was the title track released on Liberty LBF 15303 in March 1970 – a fairly workmanlike cover of The Beatles "Abbey Road" opener. Far better - and featured on cool CD compilations in the last few years - was the B-side "Honky Tonk Women" – a cover of The Rolling Stones gem.
In the hands of Ike’s guitar funk and Tina’s rasping vocals – it's a very cool dancefloor filler. There then followed a second single in June 1970 on Liberty LBF 15367 where both sides absolutely rocked.
"I Want To Take You Higher" on the A is a funky cover of the Sly & The Family Stone tune from the 1969 "Stand!" LP. But even better is the drugs and abuse song on the flip - "Contact High" (written by Ike from experience) spares no punches about cocaine and its effect on people – caustically commenting on the sheer amount of narcotics involved in the music business at the time (lyrics above). The spoken words of the naughty "Doin' It" end the album on a high note – it would also become a B-side in November 1971 on United Artists.

The "'Nuff Said" album relied a lot on brassy arrangements which gave the tunes an almost Blood, Sweat & Tears feel to them with Ike’s trademark choppy guitar licks holding up the rhythm section. One such example is the excellent "What You Don’t See (Is Better Yet)". The title track is a driving instrumental that sounds like a studio jam - Ike ripping through guitar flicks as the keyboards and brass punch in and out. "Tell The Truth" gets back to funky business - catchy as a rash in a Bangkok knocking shop - it's a highlight on here and is presented in pumping great sound too. "Part II" of the title track ends the record - bringing the rocking instrumental down to a slow grooving finish – very nice.

To sum up - I’ve enjoyed these albums a lot. And while not all of the tracks are undiluted Soul/Funk genius, when Ike & Tina hit that groove – man were they good.

Recommended like a gin-soaked Honky Tonk Woman…

PS:
Beat Goes On has also issued "Workin' Together" (1971) and "Let Me Touch Your Mind" (1974) on a single CD in August 2011
Raven of Australia reissued "Nutbush City Limits" (1973) and "Feel Good" (1972) on a single CD in 2006
Blue Moon reissued "The Hunter" (1970) and "Outta Season" (1969) on a single CD also in 2006

"Mars Attacks!" A Review Of The 2010 BLU RAY Reissue.

"…Ack Ack! Don’t Run! We Are Your Friends! Ack Ack!"

I hadn't looked at my DVD of Tim Burton's ridiculously over-the-top homage to Fifties Sci-Fi movies in years – and I was stunned at two things when I popped this 2010 BLU RAY reissue in my Sony – first - the massive improvement in picture quality - and second – just how ball-breakingly funny "Mars Attacks!" actually is.

At times the great picture quality is a shock after the dull DVD I’ve been used to since 1996 - there's tremendous clarity on offer on almost all of the internal scenes. And the upgrade has somehow made the film seem all grown-up all of a sudden - a genuine contender for an all-time comedy classic too easily dismissed as fluff when it was released.

Genuinely anarchic in a way so few movies are these days, you also forget how good and varied the cast was… Glenn Close plays the President’s fussy uptight wife Marsha Dale ("…they’re not eating off the bone china, I can tell you that…"), Pierce Brosnan is brilliant as the pipe-smoking Professor Donald Kessler forever with a reasonable explanation about 'cultural misunderstandings' and why the Martians are delighting in ray-gunning everything in sight. Donald also has the hots for airhead news reporter Natalie Lake played deftly by Sarah Jessica-Parker (she and her irritating Chihuahua dog end up closer than they should at one point). Martin Short plays the permanently randy White House Press Secretary Jerry Ross (Lisa Marie does a great turn as a alien prostitute), Annette Bening as a dizzy hippy-chick saving her glass pyramid in her handbag as the Aliens wreck Vegas and Rod Steiger is just fabulously tacky as General Decker - the military dinosaur whose battle cry of "Kill! Kill! Kill!" turns out to be right all along.

There’s Danny DeVito as a gross gambler, Lukas Haas as the only sane kid in a trailer-trash family ("…they ain’t getting the TV…") trying to protect his wheelchair bound aunt (played with relish by Sylvia Stalwart). We get Blaxsploitation stars Jim Brown and Pam Grier as a couple trying to keep their family together (their kids gaming skills come in handy when the aliens attack the Whitehouse). There are even early roles for Jack Black and Natalie Portman before global fame consumed them both – and Tom Jones gives it a bit of swivel-hip as he belts out the irrepressibly brill "It's Not Unusual".
Danny Elfman’s score is suitably throwback and brilliantly woven into every scene – it even pays respects to the films Tim Burton so loved by taking the ray gun sound from the 1953 Sci-Fi classic "War Of The Worlds". And by the time you get to the end - you’ve enjoyed enough fried doves of peace, bowling balls taking out Easter Island and splattered alien brain matter in glass-dome helmets to keep any customer satisfied.

But the real shame of this Blu Ray reissue is the complete lack of any bonus material (not even a trailer for God's sake), when this release screamed out for an orgy of it (definitely docked a star for that).

My son Sean watched this with me (he’s 14) and we then spent a good hour afterwards going around the TV room squawking "Ack Ack!" like giggling mayhem-inducing aliens. Buy this and do the same peopleoids.

Nice one Mr. Burton - and a bit of a wee gem frankly...

AUDIO:
Spoken Languages: English, French, Dutch, Italian, Castellano, Czech and Arabic
Subtitles: English (SDH), French, German, Italian, Castellano, Dutch, Chinese, Spanish, Czech, Danish, Greek, Hebrew, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian and Indonesian

"The United Artists Collection" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT (1993 USA EMI - 4LPs Remastered Onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

                                                                   

                                  "…A Long Way From Home…Miss My Loved Ones So…"

Canada’s Gordon Lightfoot has always seemed to ‘bubble’ under – never given the credit he’s due as a tunesmith. While he scored big in the early Seventies when he signed to Reprise Records – this set concentrates on the first part of his career in the Sixties with America’s United Artists. And like Nilsson on RCA or even Neil Diamond on Uni Records – there are truly superb nuggets to be had here - too often thrown into that much-maligned category-horror called ‘easy listening’. 

In fact this stunning 2CD retrospective containing 4 full album’s worth hardly entices with its barely passable artwork (front or rear). But it nails a damn good argument on two fronts that matter – songs and great remastering of them. Here are the early mornings, the way he feels and the names she didn’t mention:

Released October 1993 in the USA - "The United Artists Collection" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT on EMI Records USA E2-27015 (Barcode 724382701521) offers 4 x 60ts STEREO LPs Remastered onto 2CDs and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (77:32 minutes):

1. Rich Man’s Spiritual

2. Long River

3. The Way I Feel (Version 1)

4. For Lovin’ Me

5. The First Time Ever I Saw Her Face

6. Changes

7. Early Mornin’ Rain

8. Steel Rail Blues

9. Sixteen Miles (To Seven Lakes)

10. I’m Not Sayin’

11. Pride Of Man

12. Ribbon Of Darkness

13. Oh, Linda

14. Peaceful Waters

Tracks 1 to 14 are his debut LP "Lightfoot!" - released March 1966 in the USA on United Artists UAL-3487 [Mono] and UAS-6487 [Stereo]

15. Walls

16. If You Got It

17. Softly

18. Crossroads

19. A Minor Ballad

20. Go-Go Round

21. Rosanna

22. Home From The Forest

23. I’ll Be Alright

24. Song For A Winter’s Night

25. Canadian Railroad Trilogy

26. The Way I Feel (Version 2 – Re-Record of Version 1)

Tracks 15 to 26 are his 2nd LP "The Way I Feel" - released April 1967 in the USA on United Artists UAL-3587 [Mono] and UAS-6587 [Stereo]

Stereo used in both cases

Disc 2 (73:53 minutes):

1. Wherefor And Why

2. The Last Time I Saw Her

3. Black Day In July

4. May I

5. Magnificent Outpouring

6. Does Your Mother Know

7. The Mountain And Maryann

8. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails

9. I Want To Hear It From You

10. Something Very Special

11. Boss Man

12. Did She Mention My Name?

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 3rd LP "Did She Mention My Name?" – released January 1968 in the USA on United Artists UAL-3649 [Mono] and UAS-6649 [Stereo]

13. Long Way Back Home

14. Unsettled Ways

15. Long Thin Dawn

16. Bitter Green

17. The Circle Is Small (I Can See It In Your Eyes)

18. Marie Christine

19. Cool Hands From New York

20. Affair On 8th Avenue

21. Don’t Beat Me Down

22. The Gypsy

23. If I Could

Tracks 13 to 23 are his 4th LP "Back Here On Earth" – released November 1968 in the USA on United Artists UAS-6672 [Stereo Only]

KEVIN REEVES carried out the remastering (Stereo used in all cases) and his work here is gorgeous. There’s a truly lovely sound on these discs – particularly on the first two albums. I’ve reviewed his excellent work several times before and watch out for any reissues he’s put a hand to. The 12-page booklet is a foldout inlay and has knowledgeable and informative liner notes by noted musicologist COLIN ESCOTT.

Highlights include the wonderful "Early Morning Rain" (lyrics above) – the kind of 60’s tune that never dates (like say Nilsson's "Everybody’s Talkin'"). Paul Weller covered it on his excellent "Studio 150" album in 2004. "Go-Go Round" from his 2nd album is a winner too – a jaunty little number about a nightclub 'go-go' dancer who falls for a punter. It was issued as the A-side of a 45 in the USA in November 1966 and showed both his lyrical brilliance as well as his way with a hooky melody. "Ribbon Of Darkness" from the 1st LP is another nugget too - Bruce Cockburn did a superbly sparse cover version of it on the Gordon Lightfoot tribute CD album “Beautiful - A Tribute To…” in 2003.

There are two versions of "The Way I Feel" – the first on "Lightfoot!" is commonly known as Version 1 – the one on "The Way I Feel" LP is a remake with more instruments and is known as Version 2 (I much prefer the prettier Version 1). It was this second attempt at the track that was issued as a 45 in the USA on United Artists UA 50152 in March 1967 (with “Peaceful Waters” as its B-side). Two other peaches are "I'm Not Sayin'" and the truly lovely "Softly" – the latter belatedly put out as a B-side to "If I Could" in February 1971 (his last 45 for UA) even though it was a 1967 track. Some of the stuff on the 3rd and 4th LPs show him struggling to maintain the excellence of the first two records - but mostly at 49-tracks - the whole 2CD set is an embarrassment of riches.

Omissions – the first 3 albums were issued in both MONO and STEREO – not surprisingly the MONO mixes are a no-show here and as far as I know are not available on CD anywhere. There was also another album – a live set called "Sunday Concert" on United Artists UAS-6714 [Stereo] released in October 1969 in the USA - not on here no doubt due to space restrictions. Two 7” singles are missing as well – "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" on United Artists UA 929 from August 1965 and "Spin, Spin" on United Artists UA 50055 from July 1966 – both these early A-sides were non-album at the time and it’s a shame they weren’t added onto Disc 2 – especially when there was room…

He went on of course to have huge success with “If You Could Read My Mind” and "Sundown” - even garnishing the ultimate tribute - a compilation of CD covers attributed to him in 2003 called “Beautiful” (a track on his "Don Quixote" album from 1972) featuring a crew of contemporary Americana fans like Cowboy Junkies, Ron Sexsmith and Bruce Cockburn. His Seventies stuff on Reprise is equally sweet material too but this set is where that craft started. There’s a lot on here that’s lovely and you can hear why Bob Dylan name-checked him in the liner notes to his own "Biograph" retrospective in 1985.

Less than six-quid online - it's a bargain at twice the price. Big time recommended... 

"The Best Of" by ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE (featuring Eric Clapton, George Harrison and Stan Webb of Chicken Shack). A Review Of The 1999 Repertoire CD Compilation - Reissued In 2010...

(2010 Reissue CD Sleeve Above)

(1999 Original CD Sleeve)

"…Advocating Love….But You Don’t Know Why…"

In 1964 THE REMO FOUR managed two UK 7" singles on the Pye offshoot label Piccadilly and a further attempt at stardom in 1967 on Fontana - each are sought after 45's now. The band included Keyboard Player and Lead Vocalist TONY ASHTON and Drummer ROY DYKE. Not getting anywhere for 4 years (they never got an album out) - in 1968 the duo then teamed up with Bass Player KIM GARDNER of THE CREATION and formed - ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE. And that's where this rather cool little CD compilation comes in…

Originally released in 1999 on Repertoire 4835-WG (Barcode 4009910483527) - this is a March 2010 CD Reissue of “The Best Of Ashton, Gardner & Dyke” on Repertoire REP 5141 (Barcode 4009910514122). It comes with different ‘band and a gramophone’ artwork (the original had a red side-profile photo - see above) and breaks down as follows (75:52 minutes):

1. The Resurrection Shuffle

2. Ballad Of The Remo Four

3. Let It Roll

4. Billy And His Piano With...

5. I'm Your Spiritual Breadman

6. Hymn To Everyone

7. Maiden Voyage

8. Why Did You Go

9. New York Mining Disaster

10. The Falling Song

11. Oh Mathilda

12. Momma's Getting Married

13. What A Bloody Long Day It's Been

14. Rolling Home

15. Can You Get It

16. I'm Dying For You

17. Paper Head, Paper Mind

18. You, Me And A Friend Of Mine

19. It's Gonna Be High Tonight

20. Picture Sliding Down The Wall

Track 1 is "The Resurrection Shuffle" - their 2nd UK single and their most famous hit. It's a non-album track and was released on Capitol CL 15665 in January 1971. Its B-side is Track 6 - "Hymn To Everyone" from "The Worst Of" album.

Tracks 2, 13 and 19 are from their 3rd album "What A Bloody Long Day It's Been" - released February 1972 in the UK on Capitol Records EA-ST 22862. 

Tracks 3, 5, 6, 12 and 17 are from their 2nd album "The Worst Of" - released February 1971 in the UK on Capitol Records E-ST 563. Produced in part by JON LORD of Deep Purple. Track 5 “I’m Your Spiritual Breadman” features both ERIC CLAPTON and GEORGE HARRISON under pseudonyms. 

Tracks 4, 8, 9, 10, 14 and 20 are from their debut album "Ashton, Gardner & Dyke" - released 1969 in the UK on Polydor Records 583 081.

Track 7 is "Maiden Voyage (Single Version)", their debut 7" single released 1969 in the UK on Polydor 56306 (it's B-side "The Sun In My Eyes" is not included on here). It's a genuine rarity on vinyl and currently listed at £80+ in value.

Tracks 11, 16 and 18 are from their 4th and last album "The Last Rebel", a soundtrack released on Capitol Records 1C 062-80964 in Holland in 1973. Tracks 18 and 16 were also the A&B sides of a Dutch 7" single on Capitol Records 1C 006-81012.

Track 15 is "Can You Get It" - a non-album track issued as the A-side of a UK 7" single on Capitol CL 15684 in May 1971 (failed to chart). Its B-side was "Delirium" (not included here either).

The problem with A, G & D was "The Resurrection Shuffle" (lyrics above) - an absolutely storming upbeat pop single that peaked at Number 3 in the UK charts in early 1971 after huge radio-play. To say it was popular at the time is an understatement. Like Thunderclap Newman's "Something In The Air" in 1969 - it was beloved - an instant classic that's remembered with huge affection even to this day (Clarence Clemons - Springsteen's sadly passed saxophonist - did a fab cover of it on his "Rescue" album in 1983). But it had the effect of obliterating everything else in its path because all after that seemed like a disappointment - especially the lame follow-up "Can You Get It" which was essentially a poor man's rethread of RS. Worse - in common practice with the times Shuffle was a non-album track - so even if you went out and bought the "The Worst Of" LP that surrounded the single - it wasn't on there. Throw in the fact that nothing on the LP matched it or even sounded similar - then it's easy to see why the group failed to capitalize on that initial firestorm. The end result for A, G & D is that are now remembered as a one-hit wonder - yet they managed 4 albums - most of which are very hard to find - and more than deserve a bit of a reappraisal. A big (uncredited) draw for fans of the album track “I’m Your Spiritual Breadman” from “The Worst Of” LP (used as the B-side to the American 45 of “Resurrection Shuffle on Capitol 3060) was the twin guitars by Sir Cedric Clayton and George O’Hara Smith – ERIC CLAPTON and GEORGE HARRISON under pseudonyms. 

The first album sounds very Procol Harum circa "A Salty Dog" and their superb cover version of The Bee Gees' "New York Mining Disaster 1941" has echoes of "Everyday" by Yes - it's a very cool track in a trippy Sixties kind of way. The instrumental "Billy And His Piano With" rollicks along very nicely while the funky rock of "Let It Roll" is a very Juicy Lucy album track kind of listen. I also like the live "Momma's Getting Married" which bombs along with great vocals from the gruff-sounding Ashton. “Let It Roll” features STAN WEBB from Chicken Shack on Guest Guitar with Rolling Stones favourite Jim Price on Trumpets. “Paper Head, Paper Mind” features MICK LIBER (spelt Lieber on the cover) from Medicine Head and Third Army on Guitar with the hugely experienced CHRIS BARBER on Trumpets. JON LORD of Deep Purple fame produced the lovely string arrangements of “The Falling Song”. Lord (accompanied by The Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra) appears again as songwriting partner with Tony Ashton on “Oh Mathilda & The Pool Game (The Brothel)” and the instrumental “You, Me And A Friend Of Mine” from the rare “Last Rebel” soundtrack album (I’ve never seen the film starring Joe Namath in the title role). 

It doesn't say who remastered what, but the songs are licensed from Tony Ashton so we can presume he has his own masters - the sound quality is uniformly great and the playing time generous. The dull artwork does it no favours and the 3-way foldout 6-page inlay is basic to say the least, but it's the sound I'm after - and its real good. It's not all brilliant by any means, but there are goodies on here worth rediscovering. 

Tony Ashton spent time with Medicine Head and Family and then joined up with Jon Lord of Deep Purple and Ian Paice in the mid Seventies to some success on Polydor. Kim Gardner went into Badger while Ron Dyke recorded with several bands in Germany...

This is not a CD you see every day of the week, but I’d urge you to seek it out...

ASHTON, GARDNER & DYKE and bands like them are part of my e-Book:

"SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1960s annd 1970s Volume 1" 

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:

                       

"American Graffiti". A Review Of The 1973 Film Now Reissued On A 2011 BLU RAY.

"…We’re Gonna Rock'n'Roll Ourselves To Death Baby!"

George Lucas' "American Graffiti" is remembered (and quite rightly so) with great affection - a five-star masterpiece that’s almost unique in its vision of growing up in 1962 America listening to music on the radio in your car, getting up to no good and generally enjoying the sheer blast of ‘boss’ Saturday night on the town. It also has one of the most atmospheric and brilliantly woven-in soundtracks 'ever' - an MCA 2LP set released with the movie in August 1973 that the public adored and kept on buying for decades after (it peaked at Number 10). It’s also forgotten now, but “American Graffiti” virtually kick-started the massive Rock'n'Roll revival of the early Seventies that saw every major label reissue R'n'B, Doo Wop and R'n'R LPs to beat the band – much to the delight of music fans. And who among us wouldn’t have wanted to spend the night in the company of the awesome Wolfman Jack (dialogue above).

I say all of this as a preamble, because I have no beef with the movie or what surrounds it. BUT - I have very real misgivings about the quality of the print on this 2011 BLU RAY reissue (hence the 2-star rating). It’s not great at all, and in places, it’s truly awful.

The opening Universal Logo looks ancient and scratched to bits, but as the movie credits begin to roll the picture-quality looks more promising if not a little blurry. You also see that we’re in the early part of an evening still bathed in fading daylight, but as the movie quickly progresses, every shot becomes a night time scene – and the blocking and terrible grain of the original print just gets worse and worse. It’s infuriating, because one moment the print quality is lovely – full of colour and depth – the next it’s like a bad videotape – grainy to a point where the fuzzy picture is ‘all’ you see. The real bad news is that as the movie progresses to the Harrison Ford/Paul Le Mat car race showdown – there are scenes where the print is appalling – as bad as “The French Connection” (and anyone who has bought that turkey of a Blu Ray will know what I mean).

This is how Lucas filmed it I know – but the point is that this BLU RAY affords you a better picture only in ‘certain’ places - but for the majority of the time it gives you an accentuated version of wildly haphazard cinematography – and it makes for a very disappointing watch indeed. The DVD was always ‘good’ rather than great, but this 2011 BLU RAY is not a ‘full on’ upgrade as some have suggested – nor does it have the beautifully cleaned-up and restored stills that are suddenly peppering the net at the time of release. Anybody claiming this is a GLORIOUS transfer is talking absolute knob.

Fans may be unable to resist replacing their DVD with this – fair enough – but anyone else considering buying it – I would advise a rental first to 'see' what I mean.

I hate doing negative reviews, but sometimes you need to. I wish someone had told me how bad this looked 'before' I wasted my money on it and had to sit through one of my favourite Seventies movies looking worse rather than better. What a disappointment…

Credits:
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition Widescreen, 2.35:1 Aspect
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, French, Italian, German, Spanish DTS 2.0 Mono, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese DTS 2.0 Stereo
SUBTITLES: English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Icelandic, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish and Traditional Mandarin

EXTRAS:
PIP Commentary with Director George Lucas
U-Control: The Music Of American Graffiti
Screen Tests
The Making Of American Graffiti
Theatrical Trailer

“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.