"Love Is The Message" by MFSB. A Review Of The 1973 Philadelphia International Records Album Now Remastered And Expanded on CD In 2012 By Big Break Records Of The UK (BBR).

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:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

“…Love Is The Message…”

On the front sleeve of this 1973 album is a collage photo of something you don’t see every day on a SOUL album. There’s a deathly skull beneath a First World War helmet, Second World War Nazi Swastikas to the left, Fifties hooded Clansmen to the right and a Sixties atomic mushroom cloud below. The early Seventies saw Black Consciousness explode on the music scene like never before. And this wasn’t just songs about  ‘girl I miss you’ or ‘girl let’s get it on tonight’ - this was a full-on and heartfelt expression of a need and rage for the inequality, bigotry and segregation in American society to stop. Up step Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff with one eye on the commercial and one hand on the heart. “Love” was indeed the message. Here are the Mother Father Sister and Brother details…

UK released September 2012 on Big Break Records BBRCD 0179 (Barcode 5013929047938) – tracks 1 to 8 are the vinyl album “Love Is The Message” released December 1973 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 32707 (54:35 minutes). Tracks 9 and 10 are bonuses - “Love Is The Message” (Single Version) and “TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)” (A Tom Moulton Mix) – both tracks featuring The Three Degrees.

The 16-page booklet is the usual great job done by BBR – rare foreign 7” picture sleeves, US 7” Philly labels, liner notes by Rico “Superbizzee” Washington (writes for USA magazines and hosts a radio show) with discography info as well. But the big news as ever is the NICK ROBBINS and WAYNE A. DICKSON remaster which is incredible – beautiful lush sound – real presence. 

It’s an album of instrumentals some of which work – some don’t while others just feel like schlock  (“My One And Only” and “Touch me In The Morning”) or filler (”Zack’s Fanfare” which appears twice). In between are those great Philly dancers – and how good is it to hear the full album cut of “Love is The Message” at 6:36 minutes. The chipper and almost note=-for-note cover of Johnnie Taylor’s “Cheaper To Keep Her” has always been a favourite of mine (he had a hit with it on Stax earlier in 1973). It ends on a high note with the brilliant Jack Faith and Bruce Hawes instrumental “Bitter Sweet” – as cool and as lovely as Philly gets.

It’s all genius by any stretch of the imagination but what is on here now sounds stunning – and if you’re a fan of Seventies Soul or Philly – a must own.

PS: If you want more MFSB - they are the backing band on teh fabulous Billy Paul album "War Of The Gods" - I’ve also reviewed these other Big Break Records (BBR) CD releases:

1. Hot Property – HEATWAVE (1979) [see REVIEW]

2. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980) [see REVIEW]

3. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976) [see REVIEW] 

4. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977) [see REVIEW]

5.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin 

6. The Blue Notes" in the UK] [see REVIEW]

7. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973) [see REVIEW]

8. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973) [See REVIEW]

9. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974) [see REVIEW]

10. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972) [see REVIEW]

11. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969) [see REVIEW]

12. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972) [see REVIEW]

13. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973) [see REVIEW]

14. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973) [See REVIEW]

15. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972) [See REVIEW]

16. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973) [See REVIEW]

17. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975) [see REVIEW]

18. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971) [debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records] [see REVIEW]

"Let Me In" by JOHNNY WINTER – A Review Of The 1991 Album On A PointBlank CD.

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

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

 ”…I’m An Illustrated Man...Got Tattoos Everywhere…”

Sometimes an artist locked into a genre like say SOUL or BLUES produces so many albums across a staggeringly long career – they can get overlooked – or even ignored. Winter’s “Let Me In” is a case in point. Because the only word to describe this album of non-stop Boogie and Blues is ‘blistering’.

It starts out fast with “Illustrated Man” (lyrics above) – slows down on occasion to Blues up your living room (“Life Is Hard”) – then continues rattling your speakers with fabulous rocking stuff like the 2:43 minutes of “Hey You” until they beg for mercy come the end.

First released on Virgin’s Pointblank label imprint in August 1991 on LP, MC and CD (Voiceprint VPB 5) – it’s top heavy with covers – but versions that satisfy. There’s Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’”, Rusty Lee’s “Sugaree” [written by Marty Robbins], Jimmy Reed’s “Shame Shame Shame”, Dr. John’s “You Lie Too Much” and acoustic blues on Jesse Mae Robinson’s “Blue Mood”.

The band features the heavy Harmonica warbling of Billy Branch on three – “Hey You”, “Shame Shame Shame” and “If You Got A Good Woman” - while Dr. John tinkers the ivories on three others - “”You Lie Too Much”, “Barefootin’” and “Life Is Hard”.

The menace in “Medicine Man” is fantastic too. But if you really want to hear how good Johnny Winter can be with a sympathetic band backing him - go to YouTube and seek out a video someone has posted of “If You Got A Good Woman” - one of the two originals on here. It features both Ken Saydek (Rounder Records) and Dr. John on piano with Billy Branch on Harmonica and Winter ripping up and down the frets. Holy crap! And Wow!

Bluesman – boogie merchant – call him what you want. Muddy Waters once called him the best Blues Guitarist in the world. That’s praise I could live with.

Get this fab little CD in your life folks…

"Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" by LITTLE FEAT (February 2014 UK Rhino/Warner Brothers 13CD Clamshell Box Set with Mini LP Repro Card Sleeve Artwork and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00H87JYDM&asins=B00H87JYDM&linkId=396c6e71e5cf5ffa8794996cd517dbb3&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

"…All That You Dream…"

Taking its title from a New Orleans bopper on 1990's "Representing The Mambo" LP - "Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" by LITTLE FEAT is a 13CD Mini Box Set that many fans will say has been a long-time coming. As usual it's a mixture of highs and lows (with way more ups than downs thankfully). Here's the weed, whites and wine...

UK released Monday 24 February 2014 (4 March 2014 in the USA) – "Rad Gumbo: The Complete Warner Bros. Years 1971 to 1990" by LITTLE FEAT on Rhino/Warner Brothers 8122796057 (Barcode 081227960575) is a 13CD Mini Box Set and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 "Little Feat" – 1971 (33:16 minutes):

1. Snakes On Everything

2. Strawberry Flats

3. Truck Stop Girl

4. Brides Of Jesus

5. Willing

6. Hamburger Midnight

7. Forty-Four Blues/How Many More Years [Side 2]

8. Crack In Your Door

9. I’ve Been The One

10. Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie

Disc 2 "Sailin' Shoes" – 1972 (37:56 minutes):

1. Easy To Slip

2. Cold, Cold, Cold

3. Trouble

4. Tripe Face Boogie

5. Willin’

6. A Apolitcal Blues

7. Sailin' Shoes [Side 2]

8. Teenage Nervous Breakdown

9. Got No Shadow

10. Cat Fever

11. Texas Rose Café

Disc 3 "Dixie Chicken" – 1973 (36:46 minutes):

1. Dixie Chicken

2. Two Trains

3. Roll Um Easy

4. On Your Way Down

5. Kiss It Off

6. Fool Yourself [Side 2]

7. Walkin' All Night

8. Fat Man In The Bathtub

9. Juliette

10. Lafayette Railroad

Disc 4 "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" - 1974  (34:24 minutes):

1. Rock And Roll Doctor

2. Oh Atlanta

3. Skin It Back

4. Down The Road

5. Spanish Moon

6. Feats Don’t Fail Me Now [Side 2]

7. The Fan

8. Cold Cold Cold/Tripe Face Boogie (Medley)

Disc 5 "The Last Record Album" - 1975 (34:35 minutes):

1. Romance Dance

2. All That You Dream

3. Long Distance Love

4. Day Or Night

5. One Love Stand [Side 2]

6. Down Below The Borderline

7. Somebody's Leavin'

8. Mercenary Territory

Disc 6 "Time Loves A Hero" – 1977 (35:36 minutes):

1. Time Loves A Hero

2. Hi Roller

3. New Delhi Freight Train

4. Old Folks Boogie

5. Red Streamliner [Side 2]

6. Keepin' Up With The Joneses

7. Rocket In My Pocket

8. Missin' You

9. Day At The Dog Races

Discs 7 and 8 are the 1978 live double "Waiting For Columbus" (the 2CD Expanded Edition). Tracks 1 to 12 on Disc 1 and Tracks 1 to 5 on Disc 2 make up the original 2LP set – 6 to 12 are previously unreleased outtakes – 13 to 15 are outtakes first issued on the "Hoy Hoy" double album

Disc 1 (60:19 minutes):

1. Join The Band [Side 1]

2. Fat Man In The Bathtub

3. All That You Dream

4. Oh Atlanta

5. Old Folk’s Boogie

6. Dixie Chicken [Side 3]

7. Tripe Face Boogie

8. Rocket In My Pocket

9. Time Loves A Hero [Side 2]

10. Day Or Night

11. Mercenary Territory

12. Spanish Moon

Disc 2 (78:02 minutes):

THE ENCORE:

1. Willin' [Side 4]

2. Don't Bogart That Joint

3. A Apolitical Blues

4. Sailin' Shoes

5. Feats Don’t Fail Me Now

OUTTAKES

6. One Love Stand

7. Rock And Roll Doctor

8. Skin It Back

9. On Your Way Down

10. Walkin’ All Night

11. Cold, Cold, Cold

12. Day At The Dog Races

"HOY HOY" OUTTAKES

13. Skin It Back

14. Red Streamliner

15. Teenage Nervous Breakdown

Disc 9 "Down On The Farm" – 1979 (37:42 minutes):

1. Down On The Farm

2. Six Feet Of Snow

3. Perfect Imperfection

4. Kokomo

5. Be One Now

6. Straight From The Heart [Side 2]

7. Front Page News

8. Wake Up Dreaming

9. Feel The Groove

Disc 10 "Hoy-Hoy!" - 1981 2LP Outtakes Set on 1CD (69:45 minutes):

1. Rocket In My Pocket

2. Rock And Roll Doctor

3. Skin It Back

4. Easy To Slip

5. Red Streamliner

6. Lonesome Whistle [Side 2]

7. Front Page News

8. The Fan

9. Forty-Four Blues

10. Teenage Nervous Breakdown [Side 3]

11. Teenage Nervous Breakdown (Live)

12. Framed

13. Strawberry Flats

14. Gringo

15. Over The Edge [Side 4]

16. Two Trains

17. China White

18. All That You Dream

19. Feets Don’t Fail Me Now

Disc 11 "Let It Roll" – 1988 (50:16 minutes):

1. Hate To Lose Your Lovin’

2. One Clear Moment

3. Cajun Girl

4. Listen To Your Heart

5. Let It Roll [Side 2]

6. Long Time Till I Get Over You

7. Business As Usual

8. Changin' Luck

9. Voices On The Wind

Disc 12 "Representing The Mambo" – 1990 (50:59 minutes):

1. Texas Twister

2. Daily Grind

3. Representing The Mambo

4. Woman In Love

5. Rad Gumbo

6. Teenage Warrior

7. That’s Her, She’s Mine [Side 2]

8. Feelin’s All Gone

9. Those Feat’ll Steer Ya Wrong Sometimes

10. The Ingénue

11. Silver Screen

Disc 13 is a 24-Track BONUS DISC entitled "Outtakes From Hotcakes" which features all the previously unreleased versions from the much-loved and long deleted 4CD Rhino Box Set "Hotcakes & Outtakes..." issued in 2000 (78:29 minutes):

1. Jazz Thing In 10

2. Rat Faced Dog ("Little Feat" Outtake)

3. Doglines (as per 2)

4. Wait Till The S*** Hits The Fan (as per 2)

5. Easy To Fall (Easy To Slip) (Demo Made For The Doobie Brothers)

6. Texas Rose Café (as per 5)

7. Doriville ("Salin' Shoes" Outtake)

8. Boogie (became "Tripe Face Boogie") (as per 7)

9. Two Trains (Lowell George Demo)

10. Roto/Tone (as per 7)

11. Ace In The Hole (later became "Hi Roller") ("Dixie Chicken" Outtake)

12. Eldorado Slim (as per 11)

13. Feats Don't Fail Me Now ("Feat Don't Fail Me Now" Outtake)

14. Brickyard Blues (as per 13)

15. All That You Dream [Outtake featuring Linda Ronstadt]

16. Spanish Moon (7" Single Version)

17. Down Below The Borderline (Lowell George Demo)

18. Rockin' Shoes I & II (Lowell George Demo)

19. Front Page News ("The Last Record Album" Outtake)

20. High Roller (as per 19)

21. All That You Dream [with Linda Ronstadt] - 7" Single Version

22. Roll 'Em Easy ("Thanks I'll Eat It Here" Lowell George Solo LP Outtake)

23. Boogie Wigwam (Short Jazz Piece) ("PZM" Pressure Mic Demo)

24. Teenage Nervous Breakdown (Previously Unreleased Live Version)

SOUND:

Fans will know that the Expanded Edition of "Waiting For Columbus" and the "Hotcakes & Outtakes..." tracks are remasters from the 00's and the last two "Let It Roll" and "Representing The Mambo" were well recorded anyway. It's the Seventies output that has need upgrading for years and the Big News is that although there's no mention of mastering anywhere on the box or on the discs - some of these are REMASTERS and they sound glorious. Fans should also notice the subtle timing differences between these CDs and the ones in the disappointing "Original Album Classics" 5CD set from 2010 which simply repackaged crap Eighties sounding CDs. They're all different.

The first two albums are fantastic remasters - full of power and presence - every track filled with a muscle fans have waited years to hear. The remaster on "Cold, Cold, Cold" and "Trouble" from "Sailin' Shoes" for instance are absolutely incredible - wonderful clarity. If I were to be truthful - I'd say "Dixie Chicken" is a teensy weensy bit of a letdown. Don't get me wrong - it does sound clean and clear and all (the truly beautiful "Roll Um Easy" and the dainty piano lead into "Juliette" both sound lovely) - but again it just lacks that tiny bit of muscle that would have thrilled rather than pleased.

When you play the opening duo of "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" and "Oh Atlanta" from "Feats Don't Fail Me Now" - you're back to the sonic power of the first two albums - wow! "The Last Record Album" sees the three live tracks tagged onto the Eighties CD removed at last but the same 'good' rather-than-great sound afflicts that album too. "Last..." is clean but lacks that remaster punch. Back to fabulous sonic wallop with both "Time Loves A Hero" and the posthumous Lowell George album "Down On The Farm" - sounds like Rhino have used the Edsel remaster I reviewed. And how good is it to hear "Hoy-Hoy!" rocking at last - I love that gatefold card repro (even if the booklet's not there). And for the uninitiated the mixed bag that is Disc 13 will be an eye-opener - even their outtakes had magic in them.

PACKAGING:

There's no booklet (mores the pity) and zero credits apart from the track listings on the rear of the box. The gatefold sleeves for "Sailin' Shoes", "Waiting For Columbus" and "Hoy-Hoy!" are all superbly reproduced as are the original Tan Warner Brothers labels for 1, 2 and 3 with Burbank Labels for 4 to 9, cream Warners for 10 and so on (a nice attention to detail that). It's also lovely to see Rhino use the original American Back covers (they changed across the years over here in Blighty with reissues). But a let down is that Inner Sleeves don't appear at all and "Hoy-Hoy!" hasn't got its gorgeous and info jam-packed 12-page booklet.

You could look at this box set in two ways - it's exploitive of fans who already have this stuff - and Rhino knows that once they hear that remasters are available of those beloved Seventies gems - they'll have to own it. And it's disappointing that both "Dixie Chicken" and "The Last Record Album" seem to be in some sort of permanent sonic limbo. But as a newcomer to the band - or someone who maybe only owns one or two of the older CDs - there's a truckload of goodies on here for not a lot of your greenbacks. And most of it sounds as enticing as a Dixie waitress with a great singing voice and a knack for marrying punters...

Overall I’m pleased. I say dig in people and enjoy. And God Bless you Lowell George wherever you are...