"Himself" by GILBERT O’SULLIVAN (2011 Salvo Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry of his 1971 Debut LP on Mam Records...

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"…Allow Me To Present Myself To You…"

Dubliners and Irish people of a certain age (as well as admirers from many other countries) will look at the sleeve of this early Seventies album by Waterford born singer-songwriter Raymond Gilbert O'Sullivan with huge affection – the music and lyrics having wedged themselves into their hearts. And at last – in 2011 - we finally get to see Gilbert's MAM Records catalogue receive a decent reissue campaign – and it’s artist-approved too. Here are the pudding bowl details...

UK released Monday 7 November 2011 (15 Nov 2011 in the USA) – "Himself" by GILBERT O’SULLIVAN on Salvo SALVOXCD1001 (Barcode 698458050120) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster and plays out as follows (63:19 minutes):

1. Intro

2. January Git

3. Bye-Bye

4. Permissive Twit

5. Matrimony

6. Independent Air

7. Nothing Rhymed

8. Too Much Attention [Side 2]

9. Susan Van Heusen

10. If I Don’t Get You (Back Again)

11. Thunder And Lightning

12. Houdini Said

13. Doing The Best That I Can

14. Outro

Tracks 1 to 14 are his 'UK' debut album "Himself" – released August 1971 on Mam Records MAM-SS 501. The American LP variant "Gilbert O’Sullivan Himself" on Mam/London MAM-4 was released a year later with a different cover and track list on Side 2. "Susan Van Heusen" and "Doing The Best I Can" from the UK LP were replaced with two hits singles - "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "We Will". Famously "Alone Again (Naturally)" went to Number 1 in the USA and stayed there for 6 weeks in July 1972. The "Himself" album itself reached Number 5 and 9 on the UK and US LP charts respectively.

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Disappear

16. What Can I Do – Tracks 15 and 16 are Previously Unreleased 'Original Demo' versions of his first 2 singles on CBS Records from 1967 and 1968 (credited as GILBERT)

17. Mr. Moody's Garden – the non-album B-side to the UK 7" single "I Wish I Could Cry" – released August 1971 on Columbia Records DB 8779

18. Everybody Knows – the non-album B-side to the UK 7" single "Nothing Rhymed" – released October 1970 on Mam Records MAM 3 (his 1st 45 on the label)

19. Underneath The Blanket Go – a non-album track issued as a UK 7" single A-Side on Mam Records MAM 13 in February 1971 with the "Himself" album track "Doing The Best I Can" as its B-side

20. We Will

21. I Didn’t Know What To Do – Tracks 20 and 21 are the A&B-sides of a non-album UK 7" single released July 1971 on Mam Records MAM 30

22. No Matter How I Try – a non-album UK 7" single released November 1971 on Mam Records MAM 53. Its B-side was the "Himself" album track "If I Don't Get You (Back Again)"

The original UK LP had a laminated gatefold sleeve with an inner lyric bag – both it and the 'car collage' inner gatefold shot are faithfully reproduced in high quality on the card digipak. There's a 'Gilbert O'Sullivan – A Singer And His Songs' logo sticker on the front which will undoubtedly accompany all of these expanded reissues. The 20-page booklet is gorgeous - tastefully laid out lyrics to all the songs (including the bonuses), photos from his own archives, trade adverts and a detailed paragraph on each single with reminiscences from Gilbert on the album's creation. There's glossy photos in here I’ve never seen. Even the CD is a pictured one. But the really big news for fans is the SOUND…

Remastered from original master tapes – the sound quality is a vast improvement on what went before (compilations and expensive Japanese imports). The album it has to be said is 'hissy' in many places and that's been accentuated a bit – but then so has the clarity of all the instruments. The sound quality for instance on the 2 singles "We Will" and the joyful "No Matter How I Try" is superlative (and without hiss). The "Intro" snippet (lyrics above) leads into the witty "January Git" and the sound improvement is very obvious. The jaunty "Matrimony" and "Houdini Said" are firm fan favourites and the Drum and flute combo in "Too Much Attention" has even been used by Dance DJs for a few years now. I also love the lesser-heard "Independent Air" track with its slinky beginning and big brassy finish.

But the album belongs to the song that made him – a tune that made the public sit up and take notice. "Nothing Rhymed" is an extraordinary melody. Even now – more than 4 decades after the event – the lyrics are sung back to him word-for-word at concerts by the audience – and unfortunately their poignant message is still relevant too "…will I glance at my screen and see real human beings…starve to death in front of my eyes…"

This is a lovely reissue really – and properly well done. He would of course wisely move on from the terrible 'pudding bowl' image of 1970 and 1971 to the success of his 2nd album "Back To Front" and the wonderful "Along Again (Naturally)" in 1972 (the next reissue in this series). But this is where his songwriting career started and Salvo are to be praised for handling it so well...

PS: Salvo of the UK continued their reissue campaign with his 2nd LP "Back To Front" from 1972, his 3^rd album "I'm A Writer, Not A Fighter" from 1973 and his 4^th Mam Records LP “A Stranger In My Own Back Yard” from 1974. They also went beyond into the CBS years of the 80ts. All are ‘Expanded’ Edition CD Remasters with Bonus Tracks and Repro Packaging (see my detailed online reviews for his 2nd, 3rd and 4^th LPs).

"Losers Weepers" by ETTA JAMES (October 2011 Ace/Kent-Soul 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Let Wisdom Be Your Hammer…Let Progress Be Your Aim…" 

2011 has turned out to be a bumper year for fans of the American Soul legend Etta James. February saw the "Who's Blue" Kent Soul compilation give us 24 elusive tracks on Chess and Cadet Records spanning 1961 to 1976 - whilst 31 October saw the first official release on CD of "Call My Name" - a criminally forgotten Cadet Records LP from 1967. I’ve reviewed both of them.

And now this - another exclusive - a first-time-on-CD outing for a rare vinyl LP from 1970 on Cadet records – and imbued with copious amounts of bonus tracks relevant to the period. Here are the weepy details…

UK released Monday 31 Oct 2011 (15 Nov 2011 in the USA) - "Losers Weepers" by ETTA JAMES on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 361 (Barcode 029667236126) breaks down as follows (74:57 minutes):

1. Take Out Some Insurance

2. I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good

3. I Think It’s You

4. Someone

5. Losers Weepers

6. Weepers

7. You’re The Fool

8. Hold Back The Tears

9. For All We Know

10. Look At The Rain

11. Ease Away A Little Bit At A Time

Tracks 1 to 11 are the Stereo LP "Losers Weepers" - released December 1970 in the USA on Cadet Records LPS-847

Track 12 is "The Love Of My Man" – a 1970 USA 7" single on Chess 2100 [A]

Tracks 13 to 17 are "Tighten Up Your Own Thing", "Quick Reaction And Satisfied", "Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing", "Sound Of Love" and "The Man I Love" are all from the album "Funk" – released January 1970 in the USA on Cadet Records LPS-847

Track 18 is "I Found A Love" – a 1972 USA 7" single on Chess 2125 [A]

Tracks 19 and 20 are "W.O.M.A.N." and "Tell It Like It Is" - are the A&B Sides of a 1972 USA 7" single on Chess 2128

Track 21 is "Never My Love" – a 1973 recording Previously Unreleased until the 2000 3CD set "The Chess Box"

Track 22 is "I Never Meant To Love Him" – a 1973 recording Previously Unreleased until the 1993 2CD set "The Essential Etta James"

[Note: Tracks 12, 14, 17 to 20 are MONO - all others are STEREO]

This CD release will allow fans to sequence almost all of the 7 x 7" singles released off and around the 2 x 1970 albums - "Losers Weepers" and "Funk":

1. Tighten Up Your Own Thing [13] b/w What Fools We Mortals Be [Not on here] on Cadet 5664 (1970)

2. Sound Of Love [16] b/w When I Stop Dreaming [Not on here] on Cadet 5671 (1970)

3. Losers Weepers [5] b/w Weepers [6] on Cadet 5676 (November 1970)

4. The Love Of My Man [12] b/w Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing [15] on Chess CH 2100 (1971)

5. I Think It’s You [3] b/w Take Out Some Insurance [1] on Chess CH 2112 (1971)

6. I Found A Love [18] b/w Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing [15] on Chess CH 2125 (May 1972)

7. W.O.M.A.N. [19] b/w Tell It Like It Is [20] on Chess CH 2128 (1972)

The first thing that hits you is the GORGEOUS SOUND QUALITY. Remastered by DUNCAN COWELL at Sound Mastering in London - I've sung this engineer's praises before - but again - he's outdone himself here. There's amazing clarity on every song - clean Stereo separation too and a huge presence on instruments - especially the brass and percussion. It's a blast from start to finish. The 12-page colour booklet is crammed with photos of 7" singles (most of the titles listed above), Cash Box magazine adverts and reviews from December 1970 - as well as a superbly detailed set of liner notes by noted writer and Soul lover DENNIS GARVEY. Like it’s predecessor ("Call My Name" on CDKEND 360) – this is a typically classy effort...

Highlights for me are the slow Soul of "I Think It's You" and the cover of the Jackie Edwards nugget "Look At The Rain". It’s also cool to get 5 tracks off the rare "Funk" album – especially the zippy 'message' soul of "Tighten Up Your Own Thing" (lyrics above). The bluesy "Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing" is hardly 'funk', but it’s a proper Soul gem. An organ-led slowy, it's a pleader written by Johnny Morrisette and hardly surprising it got used as a 45-side - twice. The cover of The Bee Gees "Sound Of Love" is the only real clunker for me - it feels a little forced and too melodramatic – a little too pop for Etta. But the non-album single "W.O.M.A.N." is fab sexy Soul – even in Mono. At seventy-five minutes, there are loads of goodies on here...plenty to satisfy.

To sum up - once again Ace Records have delivered on all fronts - keeping the great lady's recorded legacy alive for future generations to savour and enjoy. A job well done...

"Aqualung" by JETHRO TULL. A Review Of Their 1971 Album Now Remastered Onto A 40th Anniversary 2CD Set.

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

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"…He's Not The Kind You Have To Wind Up On Sunday…"

*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE 2CD VERSION ***

Little will prepare Tull fans for this. The sonic improvement and clarity on this 2CD remix/remaster is off-the-charts good - a truly fantastic improvement.

A little history is needed to explain this - the CD reissues of this acknowledge gem have been fraught with so-so versions - a duffer bare-bones 1st outing in 1987, a 25th Anniversary attempt in 1996 (which to my ears is one of the worst remasters I've ever heard) and a much better shot at it by the audiophile company DCC in the States a year later. Good rather than great. We'll at last - for it's 40th anniversary in 2011 - EMI UK finally gets it right.

Here are the details first - UK released Monday 31 Oct 2011, "Aqualung 40th Anniversary Special Edition" is a 2CD set on EMI/Chrysalis AQUAS 1 (5099908799920) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (43:25 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 11 are their 4th album "Aqualung" - released 19 March 1971 in the UK on Chrysalis ILPS 9145 and 3 May 1971 in the USA on Reprise MS 2035. It reached number 4 and 7 on the UK and US LP charts. No 45's were released to support the album in the UK, but "Hymn 43" was put out as a 7" single in the USA with "Mother Goose" as its B-side on Reprise 1024.

Disc 2 (44:51 minutes):
Track 1 is "Lick Your Fingers Clean" - an album outtake that first appeared on the 1996 25th Anniversary reissue - this is a 2011 'New Mix'. It was supposed to be released as a single in 1971 on Chrysalis WIP 6098 in the UK, but was withdrawn
Track 2 is "Just Trying To Be" - first appeared as the last track on Side 2 of the July 1972 double album "Living In The Past". This is a 2011 'New Mix' at 1:37 minutes
Track 3 is "My God (Early Version)" - a 9:42 minute outtake complete with studio dialogue at the beginning
Track 4 is "Wond'ring Aloud" - a 1:51 minute outtake recorded 13 Dec 1970
Track 5 is "Wind Up" - an 'Early Version' at 5:21 minutes with Ian Anderson on piano. This is a 2011 'New Mix'
Track 6 is "Slipstream (Take 2)" - a 54-second outtake
Track 7 is "Up The 'Pool" - an 'Early Version' at 1:12 minutes (released version is Track 10)
Track 8 is "Wond'ring Aloud, Again" - a 7:07 minute 'Full Morgan Version' with the band and extra verses
Tracks 9 to 13 are "Life Is A Long Song", "Up The Pool", "Dr Bogenbroom", "From Later" and "Nursie". 11 to 13 are new 2011 remasters. All 5 tracks were recorded in May 1971 and made up the "Life Is A Long Song" 7" EP released September 1971 on Chrysalis WIP 6106 in the UK (the picture sleeve is featured in the booklet). They reappeared as Tracks 3 to 7 on Side 4 of the "Living In The Past" double LP in 1972.
Track 14 is a 52-second "US Radio Spot" featuring Ian Anderson talking about the album and God with music snippets from several tracks
Note: Tracks 3, 4, 6 7 and 8 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The 2CDs are housed in a 3-way foldout card digipak with a 32-page booklet. Nice touches include the painting-artwork of Burton Silverman reproduced beneath the 2 see-through trays (the inner gatefold of the original vinyl LP), the CDs are green in colour as per the original Chrysalis labels and the booklet numbers the pages in Roman numerals in keeping with the original album artwork. There are knowledgeable and detailed liner notes by DOM WILSON featuring new interviews with principal songwriter and lead vocalist IAN ANDERSON. The booklet is peppered with new colour photos from the period and a nice collage shot of trade adverts, foreign pictures sleeves and promo-related stuff. But the really big news is the NEW SOUND...

Pages 26 and 27 give a detailed description by STEVEN WILSON on the lengths he went to in the remixing/remastering process to get the best possible sound out of the 8 and 16-track master tapes without compromising the integrity of the original recordings. Multi-track Transfers were done by KRIS BURTON and Mastering carried out by PETER MEW at Abbey Road (a name long associated with quality reissues - see Listmania and tags). The results are amazing.

Even as the opening riff of "Aqualung" rattles around your speakers accompanied by the sleazy "...sitting on a park bench..." lyrics - the audio quality is in your face, but not in a forced way. Suddenly the track has real muscle and the details leap out at you. It's breathing for the first time. "Cross-Eyed Mary" has superlative bass end now and the treated guitar 'so' good. But for me the real fireworks start with the double combo of the acoustic "Cheap Day Return" with the acoustic/rock of "Mother Goose". The improvement is GLORIOUS - and when the guitar kicked in half way through "Mother Goose" - I'll confess to blubbing out a little proggy tear. "Up To Me" is fantastically good too. The improvement continues on Side 2 - but even more so. The riff in "Hymn 43" is just huge now and the quiet lead into "Locomotive Breath" is not drenched in hiss - but clean and powerful. The album ends with "Wind Up" which has the best lyrics Anderson ever wrote about personal beliefs and it sounds just wonderful (lyrics above).

I had thought after the blast of the album that Disc 2 would be throwaway - not so. A truly lovely gem tucked away on the "Living In The Past" 1972 double is "Just Trying To Be" which I had on a 1999 Mobile Fidelity remaster (see review) - well here the sound quality is beautiful and far better. I was also taken aback by the full 7-minute band version of "Wond'ring Aloud, Again" which properly stretches out - it's a superb bonus. It takes the "Wond'ring Aloud" album track from "Aqualung" at 1:53 minutes length and adds on the "Wond'ring Again" outtake at 4:15 minutes length that turned up on the 1972 "Living In The Past" double and segues way them together with an extra bridge in the song and more lyrics (hence its new title here is a make up of both song titles). It's very cleverly done and because there's new bits in it - it's been called 'Previously Unreleased'. The roughest sounding outtake here is the 'Early Version' of "My God", but again his passion in the vocals is the reason for inclusion. And again the clarity on the 5-track "Life Is A Long Song" EP is far better than that on the MF release. Great stuff...

Niggles - the original album had an inner sleeve with lyrics - no show. This is a sloppy exclusion especially given the importance of words on this album.

I bought "Aqualung" when it came out in March 1971 as a spotty 12-year old and have loved it ever since. Finally this reissue does it justice. And the "Super Deluxe" box set has further 5.1 mixes that have received rave reviews too.

I suspect that Steven Wilson (of Porcupine Tree), Kris Burton and Peter Mew will be up for awards for their mastering skills on this reissue - a top job done and one of 'the' reissues of 2011.

Roll on "Living In The Past" the 1972 Double Album - it deserves the same lavish treatment...

"I Can See Clearly Now" by JOHNNY NASH [feat Bob Marley, Average White Band] (2011 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Gone Are The Dark Clouds That Had Me Blind…"

Some confusion surrounds "I Can See Clearly Now" because it has the same name as a 1989 CBS 'Best Of' compilation that naughtily contained some unannounced re-recordings. This 2011 Big Break Records CD is not that compilation - it's a reissue of the original 1972 album with two bonus tracks added on. And the album quietly features both Bob Marley and members of Average White Band. Here are the less foggy details…

UK released 1 August 2011 - "I Can See Clearly Now" by JOHNNY NASH on Big Break Records CDBBR 0064 (Barcode 5013939036420) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (42:43 minutes):

1. Stir It Up
2. That’s The Way We Get By
3. Guava Jelly
4. (It Was) So Nice While It Lasted 
5. Ooh Baby You've Been God To Me
6. You Poured Sugar On Me 
7. I Can See Clearly Now [Side 2]
8. Comma Comma
9. We’re All Alike
10. How Good It Is 
11. The Fish And The Alley Of Destruction
12. There Are More Questions Than Answers
Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "I Can See Clearly Now" - originally released July 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S CBS 64840 and on Epic Records KE 31607 in the USA. It peaked at number 39 and 23 on the Pop Charts in the UK and USA. 
[Note: Tracks 1 to 12 are the UK track list - the original US LP replaced "The Fish And The Alley Of Destruction" on Side 2 with "Cream Puff"]

BONUS TRACKS: 
13. Cream Puff - the non-album B-side of "Stir It Up" - originally the first 45 lifted off the album and a track included on the American LP version
14. Stir It Up (Single Mix) - a 2:18 minute remix and edit of the album version - Track 1 at 3:06 minutes

There were 4 x 7" singles issued in the UK and USA off the album at the time - this release will allow you to sequence all of them as follows:
1. Stir It Up [14] b/w Cream Puff [13] - released March 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS 7800 and May 1972 in the USA on Epic Records 5-10973
2. I Can See Clearly Now [7] b/w How Good It Is [10] - released 2 June 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS S 8113 and July 1972 in the USA on Epic 5-10902
3. There Are More Questions Than Answers [12] b/w Guava Jelly [3] - released September 1972 in the UK on CBS Records CBS S 8351 (unreleased in the USA)
4. Stir It Up [14] b/w Ooh Baby You've Been Good To Me [5] - reissue issued in the USA-only in January 1973 on Epic 5-10949

The 12-page booklet has thoroughly detailed and affectionate liner notes by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANNE with pictures of UK, US and European singles. A clever inclusion is the original Marty Pekar liner notes that appeared only on the back of the 'US' LP. Because the UK sleeve had neither credits nor an insert - it didn't highlight the extraordinary musician contributions that lay within - and some of these names went on to become huge (see below). But the very best news is the truly stunning SOUND. Remastered by ALAN WILSON at Western Star Studios from the 1st generation tapes with help from BBR's own WAYNE A. DICKSON - the audio quality is truly gorgeous and hits you straight in the solar-plexus the second the drum-whack of "Stir It Up" exits your speakers. Having had to endure years of lacklustre compilations - this is at last the real deal.

As already mentioned above, the album featured uncredited session-men and lesser-known writers. BOB MARLEY was one of them - he features in no less than five writing credits - "Stir It Up", "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "Cream Puff" and a co-wrote with Nash on "You Poured Sugar On Me". Marley hadn't signed to Island Records just yet and was still being hawked around London by Nash as someone people should notice. In fact insiders and journalists of the time cited Johnny Nash as a major catalyst in Marley's global success that eventually came 3 years later in 1975 with his legendary "Live! At The Lyceum" set. It is also widely accepted that members of the backing band at the album sessions were THE WAILERS and even future members of the AVERAGE WHITE BAND. Marley would feature his own version of "Stir It Up" on his Island Records debut album "Catch A Fire" in April of the next year - 1973. Another contributor was sessionman and keyboardist JOHN 'RABBIT' BUNDRICK (had solo albums on Island in the mid Seventies) who wrote three tracks - "That's The Way We Get By", "We're All Alike" and "The Fish And The Alley Of Destruction". Unfortunately they're the weakest songs on here with "Fish" containing some truly cringing lyrics too.

If you think the heavyweight contributions would somehow overshadow Nash's own work - the exact opposite is the truth. Some of the best songs on the album are his. There's "(It Was) So Nice While It Lasted" - a bittersweet ballad with a superb vocal from him - "Ooh Baby You've Been Good To Me" - a chipper and fantastic dancer with great backing-group vocals and the Mellotron-laden "How Good It Is" - probably the most Seventies-Reggae sounding track of them all. Then there are the two huge singles - "I Can See Clearly Now" and "There Are More Questions Than Answers". While the Marley cover "Stir It Up" had aroused interest in Nash's new musical direction when it was released in March 1972, "I Can See Clearly Now" took the summer of that year by storm reaching Number 1 in the USA and 5 in the UK (lyrics above). Neither Reggae nor Soul - it was a strange hybrid of both and the public loved it. And I cannot stress enough how good the sound quality is on both of these gems - especially after years of naff compilations. If you have any love for these songs - then you need to hear them on this CD.

To sum up - it's not all genius for sure but this a great reissue of a criminally forgotten and ignored Reggae/Soul LP from the early Seventies and a timely nod to an artist who thoroughly deserves accolades galore. Buy it and enjoy…

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed to 2015:
1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)
2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)
3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)
4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)
5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)
6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)
7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)
8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)
9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)
10. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)
11. I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]
12. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)
13. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)
14. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)
15. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)
16. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)
17. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)
18. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)
19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)
20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)
21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)
22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)
23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)
24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)
25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)
26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)
27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)
28. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)
29. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)
30. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)
31. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)
32. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)
33. Switch - SWITCH (1978)
34. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)
35. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)
36. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

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"Harvest For The World" by THE ISLEY BROTHERS - May 1976 US Album on T-Neck Records - June 1976 UK on Epic Records (October 2011 UK Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 145 Others Is Available In My

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MORE THAN A FEELING 

1976

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

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"...Gather Every Man...Gather Every Woman..."

I've reviewed the "Original Classic Albums" mini box set from 2008 containing the first 5 albums by The Isleys on T-Neck between 1970 and 1973 (gems like "Brother, Brother, Brother" and the stunning cover versions set "Givin' It Back”). So I got a little hot under my white Soul Boy's collar when I opened this pre-order this morning. And it's absolutely been worth waiting for.

The Isley Brothers have made so many great albums (almost one in the year in the 60ts and 70ts) that their stuff just gets 'overlooked' and lost in the melee. And like The Staple Singers - their message of positivity fills their Soul and Funk with a warmth I keep returning too. Take 1976's "Harvest For The World" - a wickedly good but criminally forgotten platter. And that's where this superb BBR CD reissue comes in. Big Break Records of the UK are determined to get you to re-engage and who am I to disagree. Here are the thankful details…

Released Monday 24 Oct 2011 - "Harvest For The World: Expanded Edition" by THE ISLEY BROTHERS on Big Break Records CDBBR 0083 (Barcode 5013929038325) offers the 1976 LP with 3 Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (47:43 minutes):

1. Harvest For The World (Prelude) [Side 1]
2. Harvest For The World
3. People Of Today
4. Who Loves You Better
5. (At Your Best) You Are Love [Side 2]
6. Let Me Down Easy
7. So You Wanna Say Down
8. You Still Feel The Need
Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Harvest For The World" - released May 1976 in the USA on T-Neck Records PZ 33809 and June 1976 in the UK on Epic Records S EPC 81268. It reached No. 1 and No. 9 on the US R'n'B and Pop charts.

BONUS TRACKS:
9. Harvest For The World (Instrumental) – the B-side to the US 45 for "Harvest For The World" on T-Neck ZS8 2261 released in July 1976 (the UK B-side on Epic S EPC 4368 had the album cut "Let Me Down Easy")

10. Who Loves You Better – Part 1 – a 3:30 minute edit of the album track (LP version runs to 5:31 minutes) issued as a 45 in the USA on T-Neck ZS8 2260 in April 1976 (Part 2 is the B-side)

11. Harvest For The World (Single Version) – a 3:30 minute edit of the album track (LP cut runs to 3:53 minutes) issued as a 45 A-side in the UK and USA (see 9 above)

The 12-page inlay has detailed and knowledgeable liner notes by SHELLEY NICOLE featuring interviews with band members. There are repros of American and UK 7” singles and promo shots of the band - but the best news is a new and superlative remaster by WAYNE DICKSON. I've had some of the tracks on the "It's Your Thing" 3CD box set for years to have the music, but I've always found the early Legacy issues a little dead – like they've been compressed or had the life sucked out of them somehow. Here is not the case – there is air and a slight hiss around the gorgeous opener – the "Prelude" version of "Harvest For The World" – it sounds amazing. And then of course – the real deal – the title track. To this day it puts hairs up on my arms. What a song and what a message (lyrics above).

Other gems include the powerful Sly Stone funk of "People Of Today" where social words meet the dancefloor ("…frustration is all you feel…"). Side 1 ends with the 1st single off the album in the States – "Who Loves You Better" which has an almost identikit guitar sound to "That Lady" from 1973 – great stuff and a bit of a forgotten goody. Side 2 mellows it down with loverman smoochers like "(At Your Best) You Are Love" and "Let Me Down Easy" – seductive to the point where you might find you reaching for the switch that turns on your bedroom mirrorball. 

Then it's on to the Doobie Brothers acoustic blast of "So You Wanna Stay Down" – very, very good indeed. It ends on a funky-as-mouldy-parsnips hip-gyrator called "You Still Feel The Need" which heralds how the next few LPs were going to go – Part 1 and 2 workouts – similar to "Pride" from 1977’s "Go For Your Guns". The single sides are a very cool inclusion too especially the rarely heard melody lines added to the "Instrumental" of the title track - "Harvest For The World".

So there you have it - great album, superb new remaster, presented well like all these BBR reissues are - and at a zippy price too.

"…Gather every man…gather every woman…give thanks for your children…" - Ronald sings on that stunning title track (a musical harvest for your soul - never mind the world). 

Like the Average White Band or even Hall & Oates – The Isley Brothers always seem to me to be on the verge of rediscovery by legions of Soul and Funk fans who have forgotten how good they 'all' were. Well this brill BBR CD reissue is a really great place to start reminding yourself…

“TEENAGE – Teenagers & Youth In Music 1951-1960 (Compiled by JON SAVAGE)” by VARIOUS ARTISTS. A Review Of The Nov 2011 CD Compilation on Bear Family.

"…She's A Boogie Woogie Teenage…Boogie Woogie All Night Long…"

Released November 2011, Bear Family BCD 17242 AH breaks down as follows (I’ve added US 45 release dates and catalogue numbers – except where noted):

1. Too Young - NAT 'KING' COLE (1951, Capitol 1448)
2. Wild, Wild Young Women - RUTH BROWN (1953, Atlantic 993)
3. Seventeen – BOYD BENNETT & HIS ROCKETS (1955, King 1470)
4. A Teenage Prayer – GALE STORM (1955, Dot 15436)
5. Boogie Woogie Teenager – DON JULIAN & THE MEADOWLARKS
(1956, Dootone 405 [B-side of "I'm A Believer"]
6. Teenage Mambo – THE GAYLARKS (1956, Music City 805)
7. Teenage Partner – GENE VINCENT
(1957 USA LP, "Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps" LP on Capitol T 811,
1958 UK LP "A Gene Vincent Record Date" on Capitol T 1059)
8. Teenage Crush – TOMMY SANDS (1957, Capitol 3639)
9. I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent – FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS (1957, Gee 1026)
10. Teenage Party – TOMMY STEELE
(1957 UK 7" on Decca F 10849, B-side of "Knee Deep In The Blues")
11. A Teenager’s Romance – RICKY NELSON (1957, Verve V 10047)
12. Young Blood – THE COASTERS (1957, Atco 6087)
13. The Eighteen Year Old Blues – STEVE CARL with THE JAGS (1958, Meteor 5046)
14. Teen Age Riot – PORTUGUESE JOE with THE TENNESSEE ROCKABILLYS
(1957, Surf SR 5018-45)
15. Sweet Little Sixteen – CHUCK BERRY (1958, Chess 1683)
16. Teenage Cutie – EDDIE COCHRAN
(1972 UK 2LP set "The Legendary Masters Series" on United Artists UAD 60017/18)
17. Ballad Of A Teenage Queen – JOHNNY CASH (1958, Sun 283)
18. School Of Rock 'n' Roll – GENE SUMMERS (1958, Jan 11-100)
19. (Got The) Teen-Age Blues – AL CASEY and THE BATS (1958, Highland 1002)
20. High School Confidential – JERRY LEE LEWIS (1958, Sun 296)
21. A Teenager Sings The Blues – DEAN EDWARDS (1959, Hanover 4501)
22. Teenage Love – THE FIVE CHESTERNUTS (1958 UK 7" on Columbia DB 4165)
23. I Was A Teenage Creature – LORD LUTHER (1958, Frantic F-107)
24. Sixteen Candles – THE CRESTS (1958, Coed 506)
25. A Teenager’s Letter Of Promises –
JUANITA ROGERS & LYN HOLLINGS with MR. V’S FIVE JOYS (1959, Pink Clouds 333)
26. High School U.S.A. – TOMMY FACENDA (1958, Legrand 1001/Atlantic 51-78)
27. A Teenager In Love – DION and THE BELMONTS (1959, Laurie 3027)
28. The Beat Generation – BOB McFADDEN and DOR [DOR is Rod McKuen]
(1959, Brunswick 9-55140)
29. Teen Beat – SANDY NELSON (1959, Original Sound 5)
30. High School Caesar – REGGIE PERKINS (1959, Ray Note S-9)
31. Ballad Of A Juvenile Delinquent – PHIL JOHNS and THE LONELY ONES (1960, River 2012)
32. Because They’re Young – DUANE EDDY and THE REBELS (1960, Jamie 1156)
33. Teen Street – JANIS MARTIN (1961, Palette PZ 5071)
34. Teen Angel – MARK DINNING (1960, MGM K 12845)

"Teenage…" is housed in Bear's now standard packaging – a 3-way foldout card digipak with an attached booklet. In this case we get 66 stunning pages worth of liner notes by compiler and music-lover JON SAVAGE. I've reviewed a compilation he did a few years back called "Meridian 1970" which was brilliant too. Like Bill Dahl, his paragraphs on each song are full of facts, wit and personal opinions. There’s a warmth and affection here that's just so enjoyable. The booklet is a joy - peppered with colour photos of US Teen magazines like "Dig", "Teen" and "Records Magazine", full-page colour covers of lurid paperbacks like "The Young Punks", "Savage Streets" and "Teenage Gangs" which we're reliably told are full of 'shocking stories' and 'frightening portraits' - yum yum! In fact as you sit there and ogle the superbly evocative presentation and listen to track-after-track of how 'teenagers' eventually took over the world – you’re struck by the deliciousness of it all – the possibility and the hope. The music sounds 'boss' too…

Mastered by JURGEN CRASSER, I’ve raved about his great transfers before – the 16 "Blowing The Fuse" CDs from 1945 to 1960 and the 10 "Sweet Soul Music" compilations from 1961 to 1970 (see reviews for nearly all of them). Given the hugely differing sources, the sound quality is uniformly SUPERB – and in some cases I'd swear it's better than what went before.

It opens badly. Whether it was Number 1 or not in 1951, few will say that the soothing vocals of Nat 'King' Cole had anything to do with teenagers and rebellion. But it improves immeasurably with the irrepressible "Wild, Wild Young Men" by Ruth Brown - you can literally 'feel' the sex and danger emanating from her every saucy line.

Genius comes in the shape of "Boogie Woogie Teenage" by Don Julian and The Meadowlarks – a sensational dancing rocker relegated to a 1956 B-side on Dootone (lyrics above) and the stark exciting rockabilly vibe of "Teenage Cutie" by Eddie Cochran – an outtake that finally saw the light of day on the 1972 2LP retrospective set "The Legendary Masters Series" – absolute winners both of them and very clever choices. Speaking of the wonderful Eddie – "(Got The) The Teen-Age Blues" by Al Casey & The Bats could easily be a re-run of "Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie" by Cochran and the "…don’t know what to do with my future…" misery of "The Eighteen Year Old Blues" by Steve Carl vocalized the thoughts of so many. The utterly bizarre comes in the shape of the 'werewolf' lyrics of "I Was A Teenage Creature" and the spookily spoken "A Teenager's Letter Of Promises" sounding not unlike Screaming Jay Hawkins meets Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & The Crypt Kickers (it sounds a little rough, but has been included for rarity value).

Then there are the 'themes' - the classroom in "High School Confidential" by Jerry Lee Lewis and the superb "School Of Rock 'n' Roll" by Gene Summers (both imbibed with genuine wildness and parent-filling fear) - "Teenage Crush" by Tommy Sands and "High School Caesar" by Reggie Perkins cover TV and films - while bullish behaviour and its consequences is everywhere in the constant pairing of the words 'teenagers' and 'delinquents'. Longing, necking and romance is handled by Gael Storm in "A Teenage Prayer", "A Teenager Sings The Blues" by Dean Edwards and Ricky Nelson's sappy "A Teenage Romance". Much more fun though is the naughty cockiness of "Young Blood" by The Coasters and the pre-surf instrumentals of Sandy Nelson's wonderful "Teen Beat" and Duane Eddy’s biggest hit "Because You're Young". There’s drive-in doo-wop and melodrama - George Lucas featured the extraordinarily evocative "Sixteen Candles" by The Crests in his 1973 masterpiece "American Graffiti" while the morbid "Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning hit the collective nerve and went to No. 1. Young lust and angst are covered by Boyd Bennett and his "Seventeen" with happier thoughts in "Teenage Party" by Tommy Steele. Perhaps conspicuous by his absence - is the biggest corrupter of them all and surely a close relative of Beelzebub – Elvis Presley. I bet he’s giggling at this compilation right now…and admiring his female counterpart – Janis Martin as she rock’n’roll’s "Teen Street".

Niggles - while Savage’s brief is to chronicle the youth phenomenon that swept the USA and then the world in the mid to late Fifties - long-time Collectors will probably sigh at the overly familiar here – Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Dion & The Belmonts and Frankie Lymon – tracks they probably have two or three times over. But looking deeper into the generous 34 tracks (and its huge playing time of 83:04 minutes), there are rarities and first-time-on-CD gems here well worth the purchase. "Ballad Of A Juvenile Delinquent" by Phil Johns is a musical find with lyrics that go from the Malls to the Jailhouse in 2 minutes 50. Tommy Facenda's "High School U.S.A." is said to have had 28 versions recorded by Atlantic – each name-checking specific high-schools in different States - a trick that worked because it garnished a No. 28 placing on the National charts in 1959.

This CD is fun and beautifully presented. And best of all it captures what it was like to be young in the Fifties and poppin' coins into a jukebox to hear the soundtrack to your life…

Great stuff.