"McLemore Avenue” by BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S. A Review Of The 1970 Album Now Remastered With Bonus Tracks On A 2011 "Stax Remasters" CD.

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"...Here Comes The Sun King..."

Like "Electric Mud" by Muddy Waters, "McLemore Avenue" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s divided fans and critics alike at the time of release - and has done so ever since. Some call it a masterpiece - even visionary - while others see it as little more than an opportunistic cash-in that only half worked in Stax's otherwise impressively individualistic canon of releases.

More than 40 years after the event - I think it's fair enough to call it a bit of both - good and bad (much like this new reissue actually). Here are the details...

Released May 2011 - "McLemore Avenue" by BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S on Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072328747 (Barcode 888072328747) is an 'Expanded Edition' with Six Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (59:03 minutes):

1. Medley: Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End/Here Comes The Sun/Come Together

2. Something

3. Because/You Never Give Me Your Money

4. Medley: Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window/I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Tracks 1 to 4 are the album "McLemore Avenue" released April 1970 in the USA on Stax Records STS 2027 and July 1970 in the UK on Stax SXATS 1031

BONUS TRACKS: 

5. You Can't Do That

6. Day Tripper 

7. Michelle 

8. Eleanor Rigby

9. Lady Madonna 

10. You Can't Do That (Alternate Take)  

Tracks 5 to 10 are all Beatles covers - 5 and 6 are from the 1960 album "Soul Men" - Tracks 7 and 9 are from the 1969 album "The Booker T. Set" - Track 8 is from the 1968 album "Soul Limbo" - while track 10 is a PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That" recorded in 1960.

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ASHLEY KHAN (author of books on the recording career of John Coltrane and Miles Davis). You also get the original artwork and production credits, a collage of 2 photos on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and the disc itself pictures the group too. But it's a shame the booklet doesn't go any further - there's no new photos, no memorabilia - not even a picture of the lone 7" single of "Something" (US or UK). It makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best - even a little dull - when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND...

I bought and recently reviewed another title in this new "Stax Remasters" series - "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" by The Staples Singers and I duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on that after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. This is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes by JOE TARANTINO at Joe Tarantino Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is truly GORGEOUS - absolutely incredible clarity that will make you reassess every song. 

To the music - it probably seemed like a good idea at the time - "McLemore Avenue" would cover the recently released "Abbey Road" album by The Beatles (September 1969) and do it all in that distinctive Booker T & The M.G.'s instrumental style. They even aped the famous UK album sleeve and wittily called it after the street on which the Stax Studios resided in Memphis.  They also realigned the 17-songs of the original LP into four new tracks - three lengthy Medleys and one straight up shorter cover of "Something" (which was actually released as a 45 on both sides of the pond to some success). The problem for me is that of the four tracks only two really work - "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley. The playing and clever interpretation on each is superb. On the other two however - I feel the band sounds way too close to a poor man's Procol Harum without the vocals. But again I must reiterate that if you have any affection for these songs, you 'need' to hear them on this stunningly good new remaster.

Of the five bonus covers - the best is undoubtedly Track 5 - the first version of "You Can't Do That" (from "A Hard Day's Night") - it's really excellent. Unfortunately the cuts of "Day Tripper", "Michelle" and "Lady Madonna" don't fare so well - barely rising above a bar-band doing cheesy Lounge versions of famous Beatles songs - it's not good. The last track is an (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That" which is a lot rougher than the first and not as good either.

Too sum up - I wasn't prepared for two things on this reissue - the truly astonishingly remaster by Joe Tarantino - and secondly how it transformed the listen and made me reassess what I had formerly thought of as an anomaly - an LP on Stax best avoided.

If you're a fan of the record - this is no-brainer - it's an absolute must-own. If you're like me and aren't particularly bothered, I'd still say give "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley a try on iTunes - you'll be more than impressed...

Titles in the "STAX REMASTERS" Series are (all reviewed):

1. Green Onions - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1962) 

3 September 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072339606

2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1970)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328747

3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331778 

4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331761

5. Born Under A Bad Sign – ALBERT KING (1967)

June 2013 UK CD on Barcode 888072343344

6. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1972)

22 May 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072337169 

7. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328761

8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328754

9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331785

"Tear Down The Walls/Bleecker & MacDougal" by VINCE MARTIN & FRED NEIL/FRED NEIL (2001 Elektra/Warner Brothers 2LPs onto 1CD Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review And 100s More Like It 

Are Available In My E-Book
CLASSIC 1960s MUSIC ON CD - Exceptional Remasters 
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All Reviews From The Discs Themselves 
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"…If I Should Leave You…Try To Remember The Good Times…"

This clever reissue series first turned up in late 2001 as part of the ‘2 Classic Elektra Albums’ Series of CD Reissues with each title usually featuring the first 2 albums by an American Folk artist on the Elektra Label (with some Blues and Country Rock acts included too). Almost all of the LPs featured on these single disc reissues were Early to Mid Sixties vinyl rarities - most seeing the CD light-of-day for the first time anywhere. The ‘2 Classic Elektra Albums’ CD Series continued into August 2004 with releases by diverse American Country and Folk artists such as Paul Siebel, Harry Chapin and Earth Opera. This Fred Neil/Vince Martin set (from the first vanguard) is one of those 2LPs on 1CD gems...

Released October 2001 - "Tear Down The Walls/Bleecker & MacDougal" by VINCE MARTIN & FRED NEIL and FRED NEIL on Elektra/Warner Strategic Marketing 8122 73563-2 (Barcode 081227356323) offers 2LPs on 1CD and plays out as follows (74:35 minutes):

1. I Know You Rider

2. Red Flowers

3. Tear Down The Walls

4. Weary Blues

5. Toy Balloon

6. Baby

7. Morning Dew

8. I’m A Drifter

9. Linin’ Track

10. Wild Child In A World Of Trouble

11. Dade County Jail

12. I Got ‘Em

13. Lonesome Valley

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Tear Down The Walls" by VINCE MARTIN and FRED NEIL issued 1964 in the USA on Elektra Records EKL-248 [Mono] and EKS-7248 [Stereo] - Stereo Mix Used

14. Bleecker And MacDougal

15. Blues On The Ceiling

16. Sweet Mama

17. Little Bit Of Rain

18. Country Boy

19. Other Side Of This Life

20. Mississippi Train

21. Travellin’ Shoes

22. Water Is Wide

23. Yonder Comes The Blues

24. Candy Man

25. Handful Of Gimme

26. Gone Again

Tracks 14 to 26 are the album "Bleecker & MacDougal" by FRED NEIL issued June 1965 in the USA on Elektra Records EKL-293 [Mono] and EKS-7293 [Stereo] - Stereo Mix Used

By the time Florida-born Fred Neil had teamed up with folky Vince Martin (real name Vincent Marcellino) to record their debut album in 1964, Neil was 27 and had been on the New York folk scene for 3 years. In 1961 in Greenwich Village he'd sparred with many players who would later shape American music to an almost ludicrous degree - Karen Dalton, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and a young whippersnapper from Minnesota called Bob Dylan. Dylan later recounted his memories of Neil's deep tonal voice and cited him as a major influence - while Stills openly called him a 'hero' and has name-checked his guitar tunings. Neil had tasted minor chart success with a tune he'd co-written with Brill-building veteran Beverly Ross called "Candy Man" - it was a Top Twenty hit for Roy Orbison on Monument Records in late 1961. Which history lesson brings us to what's on offer here...

Both albums are firmly in the USA Folk vein with some Bluesy acoustic elements thrown in. "Tear Down The Walls" features an impressive six originals by Neil (2, 3, 6, 10, 11 and 12) with "Toy Balloon" by Martin and the six others being covers of contemporary artists and Old Time Traditionals. Martin and Neil played 6 and 12-string guitars alongside each other and shared the vocals on almost all the songs. Guests included Felix Pappalardi on an instrument called a 'Guitarron' (sounds like an Acoustic Bass) while John Sebastian providing Mouth Harp on certain tracks and guitar on "I Got 'Em". Pappalardi later produced and featured on Cream's "Disraeli Gears" and went on to be in Mountain - while Sebastian of course formed The Lovin' Spoonful.

"Bleecker & MacDougal" was 'all' Fred Neil except the aforementioned "Candy Man" and a cover of the lovely Gospel standard "The Water is Wide". In fact the title of the album name-checks the intersection of two New York streets - in particular the "Café Wha?" on MacDougal Street where he played for so many nights in the early Sixties.

The sound quality on both albums is gorgeous –Stereo remasters by Rhino's long-time engineer and tape handler DAN HERSCH (the Mono mixes remain unreleased on CD). The superb and hugely informative liner notes are written by PETER DOGGETT - a long time contributor to England's famous 'Record Collector' magazine and author of the acclaimed books - "There's A Riot Going On: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars and The Rise and Fall of the 60's Counter Culture", "You Never Give Me Your Money - The Battle For The Soul Of The Beatles" and "The Man Who Sold The World - David Bowie And The 1970's".

Highlights on the first album include the Traditional "Weary Blues", the lovely Vince Martin original "Toy Balloon" and two excellent cover versions - a rendition of Bonnie Dobson's slightly sinister "Morning Dew" and Travis Edmonson's country tune "I'm A Drifter".  The "Wild Child..." track in particular is powerfully emotive Folk with Sebastian expertly warbling on the harmonica alongside the acoustic guitar and deep voice of Neil. "I Got 'Em" and "Lonesome Valley" end the album on a high too.

If "Tear Down The Walls" was a four-star starter, then "Bleecker & MacDougal" was the 5-star next step. The track "Little Bit Of Rain" in particular showed Fred Neil's full potential - pretty as anything - his voice deep and monumental (lyrics above). It was later used as the title to "Bleecker & MacDougal" when it was reissued in 1970 with different artwork on the back of Neil's success with Nilsson covering his gorgeous "Everybody's Talkin'" in the movie "Midnight Cowboy". The album once again benefited from John Sebastian and Felix Pappalardi on Harmonica and Bass - they shine on the lyrically pissed-off "Travelin' Shoes" and "Handful Of Gimme". The slide guitar on the album finisher "Gone Again" always sends me - the strings cleverly being made to warble like his vocals. Brilliant stuff indeed...

Neil famously withdrew from the music business in the early Seventies to take care of Dolphins - creatures he spent the next 35 years loving and nurturing. He died in Florida after a long battle with cancer in 2001 - an enigma to the end - leaving reviewers and music lovers like me reaching for adjectives to do him and his lovely musical legacy justice.

At less than a fiver online - this is one of those bargains that beggar's belief and cries out for your credit card.

Answer the call - lovers of music and musical heroes... 

PS: collectors should note there are also beautiful Sundazed remasters of each album on HIGH-QUALITY VINYL - "Tear Down The Walls" on Sundazed LP 5142 (issued 2006) and "Bleecker & MacDougal" on Sundazed LP 5107 (issued 2001)

PPS: other titles listed in the '2 Classic Elektra Albums' CD series are:

1. David Blue (1966) / Singer Songwriter Project (1965) - DAVID BLUE

2. Tim Buckley (1966) / Goodbye And Hello (1967) - TIM BUCKLEY

3. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965) / East West (1967) - THE BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND

4. The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw (January 1968) / In My Own Dream (August 1968) - THE BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND

5. Heads & Tails (March 1972) / Sniper And Other Love Songs (October 1972) – HARRY CHAPIN

6. A Maid Of Constant Sorrow (1961) / Golden Apples Of The Sun (1962) - JUDY COLLINS

7. Judy Collins No. 3 (1963) / The Judy Collins Concert (1964) - JUDY COLLINS

8. Wildflowers (1967) / Who Knows Where The Time Goes (1968) - JUDY COLLINS

9. Back Porch Bluegrass (1963) / Live!!!! Almost!!!! (1964) - THE DILLARDS

10. Earth Opera (1968) / The Great American Eagle Tragedy (1969) – EARTH OPERA

11. Judy Henske [Live] (1963) / High Flying Bird (1964) - JUDY HENSKE

12. The Incredible String Band (1966) / The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of Onions (1967) – THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND

13. Blues, Rags & Hollers (1963) / Lots More Blues, Rags & Hollers (1964) – "SPIDER" JOHN KOERNER, DAVE "SNAKE" RAY & TONY "LITTLE SON" GLOVER

14. All The News That's Fit To Sing (1964) / I Ain't Marching Anymore (1965) - PHIL OCHS

15. Ramblin' Boy (1964) / Ain't That News (1965) - TOM PAXTON

16. Outward Bound (1966) / Morning Again (1968) - TOM PAXTON

17. Tom Rush (1965) / Talk A Little Walk With Me (1966) - TOM RUSH
18. Woodsmoke And Oranges (1970) / Jack-Knife Gypsy (1971) - PAUL SIEBEL

"After Hours The Collection – Northern Soul Masters". A Review Of The 2011 3CD Digipak Reissue.

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

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

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"…Don't You Know I'm Glad I Found You…I'll Dedicate My Life To You…"

Eagle-eyed collectors will notice something similar about this new August 2011 3CD set – it’s a repackaging of 3 Volumes already released in the 2000’s. I bought them then and they were fantastic (I also bought the 2LP vinyl versions). But there are changes on all three on these new discs that need pointing out – here are the details…

The original 2002 "After Hours" (1965 to 1973) had 24 tracks - the new version in this set has 25 – the running order is exactly the same except that Track 17 "Call On Me" by The Dynells is an addition (it’s been moved from Track 26 on the original "After Hours 3").

The original 2003 "After Hours 2" (1964 to 1972) had 26 tracks, but this 2011 version has 25 – and there is also some alteration of the track line up. Tracks 4 and 19 from the original CD have been dropped – "Lil Ole Man (Uptight – Everything's Alright)" by Bill Cosby and "That's What You Do To Me" by Deon Jackson. "Yes To The Lord" by The Stovell Sisters was Track 26 on the original CD, but has been moved to Track 18. Track 25 is "West 4th Street" by Valerie & Bobby Capers (it’s been moved from Track 29 on the original "After Hours 3"). Outside of these changes, the track running order remains the same as the original.

The original 2005 "After Hours 3" (1965 to 1974) had 29 tracks – the new version has 25. Tracks 1 to 18 remain the same running order – "Frantic Escape" by The Innocent Bystanders was Track 28 on the original CD and is now moved to Track 19. Tracks 20 to 25 are the same. Of the remaining four – two have been moved to Disc 1 and 2 as already noted above – the one dropped is "Astral Fire" by The Mystic Moods.

So - across the entire 3 CDs on this 2011 reissue only three of the original songs have been dropped (possibly due to licensing difficulties).

Each of the first two CDs had an 8-page booklet (12-pages on Volume 3) with a short but informative paragraph on each track. Roger Searling (a DJ at Jazz-FM and Radio Presenter at Smooth-FM in the UK) and Rick Conrad (from Warners Music) compiled and annotated all three – with each set expertly remastered by GIOVANNI SCATOLA.
The new booklet simply repros those issues and has the same excellent mastering the original discs had.

With regard to the sound - because of the wildly varying sources and recording dates (many tracks were new to CD at the time of release), the audio quality varied enormously – from superb to just very good – but I’ve not found any of the tracks anything less than listenable on this new version. Also because of their rarity value, most collectors simply relished having the tracks at all.

Musically – it’s an embarrassment of riches – huge hauls of ultra-rare and desirable Soul 45’s on legendary labels like Atlantic, Atco, Carla, Fame, Loma, Reprise, Stax and Warner Brothers. Most of the tracks are aimed squarely at the feet - upbeat dancefloor fillers that slaughtered the crowds at the 'Wigan Casino' in the early Seventies. This is joyful stuff – finger-clickers like "I Love Her So Much It Hurts Me" by DAVID & RUBEN from 1969 on Warners 7316 and the fabulous "Angel Baby (Don’t You Ever Leave Me)" by DARRELL BANKS from 1967 on Atlantic 6484 with an infectious bassline that just won’t quit (lyrics above).

To sum up - I’m a fairly voracious collector of all things Atlantic so I had to have all three of the original jewel-case CD versions when they came out (cost me a five spot each at the time of purchase). Well this new 3CD card-digipak reissue at less than a tenner online (despite the loss of 3 tracks) is still incredible value for money. And if you’re new to the compilations and the music, then you’re in for a treat.

Now excuse me while I get some talcum powder out, scuff up the laminate on the kitchen floor and badly show my age…

"The Great Folk Discography Volume 1 – Pioneers And Early Legends" by MARTIN C STRONG. A Review Of The 2010 Polygon Music Reference Book (Vol.1 of 3).

"…Don't it Always Seem To Go…That You Don’t Know What You’ve Got…'Til It's Gone…”

The latest in a long run of "Great" Discography books (Rock, Metal, Alternative & Indie), this tome by Martin C. Strong on 'Folk' is without doubt his greatest achievement to date. It has astonishing detail and truckloads of it is seeing the Discography light-of-day for the first time anywhere. Published by Polygon Books in June 2010, "The Great Folk Discography Volume 1 – Pioneers & Early Legends" has over 620 large-sized pages - with Volume 2 due in October 2011 and Volume 3 sometime in 2012. It also has a ‘Forward’ by Robin Williamson of The Incredible String Band.

Because the genre of 'Folk' encompasses both 'Rock' music as well as 'Geographical Locations' – Strong has broken his tome down into 3 sections based on both:
1. North American Pioneers And Early Legends (Pages 1 to 332) [American Artists]
2. Britain And Beyond (Pages 335 to 600) [British Artists]
3. Cult Collectables And Continental (Page 602 to 627) [Mixture of all Nationalities]

The layout is the same as his other books – a hugely detailed and fact-heavy Biog heads up the artist section (with albums mentioned and rated) followed by an ascending Year-by-Year discography: Date Of Release, Format (7”, 12” and LPs included), Catalogue numbers for both USA and UK, Title, Labels and Chart Positions (both countries), track list for the original vinyl followed by details of subsequent vinyl reissues, followed by CD reissues (noting bonus tracks where applicable) – even providing line-up changes in-between the entries. The detail is mind-boggling. But the real killer here is the accuracy – which is superb – and the fact that it shows BOTH the USA and UK releases – some came out in this country – some only came in theirs – and so on. It’s a huge amount of genuine information and makes for fascinating reading.

A word on the content because this book has entries way beyond the scope of what many purists would call 'Traditional Folk'. There are large amounts of 'Rock & Pop' acts Strong feels have a 'Folk' element to their music – so he's included them. Joan Baez, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel and The Weavers for instance you can understand – but we also get The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Mamas And The Papas, Traffic and Neil Young who frankly had very little to do with the genre over long careers. Equally weird is that some of the Rock artist discographies are full – others curtailed to only folk. For instance the Springsteen list wisely sticks to 3 – "Nebraska", "The Ghost Of Tom Joad" and "We Shall Overcome – The Seeger Sessions" - but the Bob Dylan list goes from his self-titled debut LP in March 1962 right up to his "Christmas In My Heart" CD from November 2009 (his Discography is an eye-catching 8-pages long). BUT – and this is a big but – I would argue that accuracy’s loss is the reader’s gain - because the inclusion of these acts gives you updated discographies on artists that haven’t been done since the 7th Edition of his 'Rock' book in 2004. For instance the Joni Mitchell and James Taylor lists give us "Shine" and "Covers" – from 2007 and 2008 respectively (the lyrics from Joni's "Big Yellow Taxi" title this review).

Then there’s the sheer number of artists included - the list of new and updated discographies is impressive: Eric Anderson, The Band, Robbie Basho, The Beau Brummels, Harry Chapin, Shirley & Dolly Collins, Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen, Karen Dalton, Nick Drake, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, John Fahey, Fairport Convention (including all offshoots & solo), Julie Felix, Stefan Grossman, Tim Hardin, Richie Havens, Jake Holmes, Horslips, Janis Ian, Incredible String Band, Leo Kottke, Gordon Lightfoot, Lindisfarne, Country Joe McDonald & The Fish, Don McLean, Ralph McTell, Vince Martin, John Martyn, Melanie, Fred Neil, Nico, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Pentangle (and all solo), Shawn Phillips, Tim Rose, Tom Rush, Buffy Sainte-Marie, PF Sloan, Chris Smither, Cat Stevens, June Tabor, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Townes Van Zandt and Loudon Wainwright III.

It also stretches into Folk-Blues, Country, Skiffle and even chroniclers of the genre – so we get Hoyt Axton, Harry Belafonte, John Denver, Lonnie Donegan, Woody Guthrie, Mississippi John Hurt, Burl Ives, Alan Lomax, Leadbelly, Odetta, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Utah Phillips, John Prine, Paul Robeson, Eric Von Schmidt, John Stewart, The Vipers Skiffle Group, Doc Watson and Josh White.

Rarity collectors will be amazed to see discographies for Vashti Bunyan, Comus, Barry & Robin Dransfield, Fresh Maggots, Gryphon, Kaleidoscope, Loudest Whisper, Mellow Candle, Spirogyra (on the highly collectable Polydor Folkmill label), Meic Stevens and Trees.

Niggles And Omissions - the layout of 3 sections seems like a good idea, but practically it doesn’t work out so well. Say I go looking for Oscar Brand, Michael Chapman or Mushroom – the book presumes I know they’re in 1, 2 and 3 respectively because Brand is American, Chapman is English and Mushroom are an Irish band in the Cult section. Most people don’t have that depth of knowledge. But it doesn’t end there. As this is the first Volume of three, I may end up looking in 9 sections of 3 books to find the artist I want – a right Royal pain. Also – those looking for stalwarts of Irish and Scottish folk like The Chieftains, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Clannad and newcomer keepers-of-the-flame like Kate Rusby, Kris Drever and Cara Dillon – won’t find any of them in here because they’re in the next books.
I will buy the other two sets without fail, but hopefully Volume 3 will have an index referencing all three – because otherwise it could all become ludicrously counterproductive when the work put in here deserves our attention and even warrants our affection.

To sum up – I’ve been living with this book for a few weeks now - delving into it every evening - and it just gets better and better – discovering something new all the time. I can’t imagine the staggering amount of hours (even years) that went into formulating this amazing reference work, but like Terry Wilson’s “Tamla Motown – The Stories Behind The UK Singles” and Michael De Koningh & Marc Griffiths Reggae masterpiece on Trojan Records “Tighten Up – The History Of Reggae In The UK” (both reviewed) - this book is a music discography sensation – a tome you ‘need’ in your life. Thank God someone had the heart and brains to catalogue it all…

In the opening pages – Strong dedicates his book to his parents and his musical heroes – well he’s done both of them proud.

Genius and then some…

"BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" by THE STAPLE SINGERS. A Review Of The 1972 Stax LP Now Reissued On A 2011 CD Remaster With Bonus Tracks.

"...It's A Brand New Day..."

In 2004 the Fantasy Group acquired the entire Stax catalogue and its precious original mastertapes and through their 'Concord Music Group, Inc' Division they've begun to drip-feed CD reissues for the famous American Soul label out into a hungry marketplace. Every title features brand-new 24-bit remasters, bonus tracks, updated booklets and each mid-priced CD carries the generic logo "Stax Remasters" on their spine to differentiate them from previous issues.

Released May 2011 - Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072328761 (Barcode 888072328761) breaks down as follows (49:38 minutes):

1. This World
2. Respect Yourself
3. Name The Missing Word
4. I'll Take You There
5. This Old Town (People In This Town)
6. We The People
7. Are You Sure
8. Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ The Superstar)
9. I'm Just Another Soldier
10. Who
Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" released March 1972 in the USA on Stax STS-3002 and April 1972 in the UK on Stax Super 2325 069

Tracks 11 and 12 are "Walking In Water Over Our Head" and "Heavy Makes You Happy (Alternate)" - both are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ROB BOWMAN (author of "Soulsville U.S.A. - The Story Of Stax Records"). You get the original artwork and production credits also and there's a collage of 3 photos on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and the disc itself pictures the group too. But it's a shame the booklet goes no further - there's no new photos, none of those magical Stax sevens pictured nor any memorabilia. It makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best - even a little dull - when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND...

24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes by JOE TARANTINO at Joe Tarantino Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is truly GORGEOUS. Having had previous versions of this great Soul album on CD from the mid 1990's - the sound was good rather than great - hissy in places too. That's all gone - and it's not loud for loudness sake either - but clear and warm and full of presence. The bass is beautiful as is the rhythm section - and the powerhouse vocals of Mavis Staples now take centre stage in a way they've never done before. "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There" are so common to our ears that it comes as a genuine shock to hear them sound this good. The other single off the album "This World" is so clear and muscular too (lyrics above). A fantastic job done.

The bonus tracks are way better than I had expected - the 'Alternate' version of Jeff Barry and Bobby Bloom's "Heavy Makes You Happy" was recorded August 1970 at their first session in the Muscle Shoals Studios and sounds like a live rehearsal - it's excellent. You can clearly hear EDDIE HINTON on Guitar and BARRY BECKETT on Keyboards and the end of the song hears them ad-lib for a full minute longer than the finished single did. But then we get the real deal - an outtake that could easily have been an album track. Recorded in Muscle Shoals in October 1972 and written by PHILLIP MITCHELL, TERRY WOODFORD and OSCAR FRANCK - it features the other in-house band members for the album DAVID HOOD on Bass and ROGER HAWKINS on Drums and it's a winner. "Walking In Water Over Our Head" is a fully finished upbeat song that could easily have been recorded yesterday. Genuinely - after all these years - to hear any new material by The Staples Singers from that stunningly creative period is an out-and-out blast.

To sum up - as a voracious lover of the Stax label these reissues are incredibly exciting to me. And as for The Staple Singers - "BeAltitude: Respect Yourself" only grows as the years pass - and now with this great new sound quality - needs to be in your home and stereo right quick...

PS: "STAX REMASTERS" Series to 2014 are (all reviewed):
1. Green Onions - BOOKER T & THE M.G.'S (1962)
2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S (1970)
3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)
4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)
5. Born Under A Bad Sign - ALBERT KING (1967)
6. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1971)
7. BeAltitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)
8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)
9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)

"If The Jasmine Don’t Get You…The Bay Breeze Will" by VINCE MARTIN (2006 Rev-Ola CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Heading South Without You…" 

Now here's an obscure album that genuinely shouldn't be.

Originally released June 1969 on Capitol Records ST-231 in the USA - Vince Martin's debut 'solo' album saw little chart action but has subsequently garnished a reputation as a lost Folk-Rock gem. Martin had previously fronted a duet LP with the equally legendary Fred Neil way back in 1965 on Elektra Records called "Tear Down The Walls" (see separate review) – but its his "...Jasmine..." platter that deserves the rediscovery. And Rev-Ola think so too. Here are the windy details...

UK and Europe released January 2006 – "If The Jasmine Don't Get You...The Bay Breeze Will" by VINCE MARTIN on Rev-ola CR REV 139 (Barcode 5013929443921) is a straightforward transfer of his rare late 60ts Capitol Records LP and plays out as follows (40:01 minutes):

1. Snow Shadows

2. I Can't Escape From You

3. Summerwind

4. Danville Girl

5. Yonder Comes The Sun [Side 2]

6. Jasmine (If The Jasmine Don't Get You…The Bay Breeze Will)

As you can see the album had only 6-tracks - one of which is the 13-minute centerpiece - the epic "Jasmine (If The Jasmine Don't Get You...The Bay Breeze Will)”. It’s a sort of trippy Tim Buckley acoustic-guitar workout that’s properly fabulous. The California hippy lyrics about "...jasmine blossoms..." and the "...southeast winds blowing off the islands..." may seem a tad dated now - but you'll forgive them as the stunning playing works its 'unplugged' magic on your senses.

Produced by Nick Venet in Nashville – the roster of session players includes Kenneth Buttrey, Fred F Carter, Lloyd Green Murray, M Harman Jnr., Charles R McCoy, Norbert Putnam, Henry P Strzelecki and John Buck Wilkin. Eagle-eye collectors will notice that Buttrey, McCoy and Strzelecki all played on Dylan's double-album masterpiece "Blonde On Blonde" in 1966 - with Buttrey and McCoy returning for 1968's "John Wesley Harding". Classy players illuminating chilled circumstances...

The other tracks like "Snow Shadows" (lyrics above), "Danville Girl" and especially "Summerwind" are gorgeous Sixties Folk-Rock ballads - love songs that are sort of Van Morrison circa "Astral Weeks" and "Moondance" meets Tim Hardin circa "1" and "2" meets Tim Buckley circa "Starsailor". It's impressive stuff all round…and the cover version of Hank Williams’ “I Can’t Escape You” is cool too.

The three-way foldout liner notes (penned by BOUDWIJN De KADT) give a brief history of the album and Martin's very sporadic recording history and picture the rare US 45 of "Cindy, Oh Cindy" on Glory Records, the artwork for the "Tear Down The Walls" LP (with Fred Neil) and even repro's a trade advert for the LP. As he's a bit of a 'secret' really (like Neil) – any info on the man and his life is welcome news.

But (apart from the lovely music) the other real reason for buying this CD reissue is the stunning sound quality. NICK ROBBINS and JOE FOSTER at Sound Mastering Studios in London have done the Remastering. These are two hugely experienced Audio Engineers (lots of work for Ace and Edsel Records) and names I've praised before. The remastering on this CD is exceptional – beautifully clear, warm and just a joy to listen to. It makes such a difference to the listen - gorgeous stuff.

If your appetite is whetted by this then make a beeline for the following - Vince Martin also did a duet album of US Folk in 1964 with the legendary FRED NEIL called "Tear Down The Walls" on Elektra EKS-7248 - it's available on one of those superb Rhino 'twofer' CD reissues. It's coupled with Fred Neil's equally revered and magnificent "Bleecker & MacDougal" album from 1965 (Elektra EKS-7293) and is online in many places for less than a fiver. It's one of those CDs that is worth ten times that amount - and it's a road to genuine musical discovery too...

To sum up - a superb reissue that seems to have slipped through the net. Take a chance on this - I think you'll be glad you did...