"Jeopardy / From The Lion’s Mouth / All Fall Down / BBC Live In Concert" by THE SOUND – A Review Of Their 1980, 1981 and 1982 Korova and Warner Brothers Albums - Now Reissued And Remastered Onto 4CDs By Edsel Of The UK In 2014 With A Bonus BBC Live In Concert Disc & Extras…

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"…Kick Off This Skin…" 

When you think about how Joy Division, New Order and of course The Cure have been literally deified in the last 30+ years – it’s odd that London’s The Sound don’t hold that same pedestal. Well I’d argue that this brilliant 4CD Edsel Box Set reissue is not only going to change that - but is also a 2014 reissue of the year. There's a shed load on here - so let’s get to the Post Punk details…

UK released 28 April 2014 - "Jeopardy / From The Lion’s Mouth / All Fall Down / BBC Live In Concert" by THE SOUND on Edsel EDSB 4012 (Barcode 740155401238) is a 4CD Clamshell Mini Box Set of Remasters and breaks down as follows…

Disc 1 (74:11 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album “Jeopardy” – released November 1980 in the UK on Korova KODE 2

Track 12 is “Physical World” – taken from the “Physical World” EP released independently in the UK on Tortch Records TOR 003 in 1979

Track 13 is “Brute Force” – a 1980 non-album B-side to the UK 7” single for “Heyday” on Korova KOW 10

Tracks 14 to 17 are the “Live Instinct” EP – A Dutch-Only Promo-Only release featuring exclusive live versions of Heartland, Brute Force, Jeopardy and Coldbeat

Tracks 18 to 21 are a BBC Session recorded 26 Sep 1980 for the Mike Read Show broadcast between 6^th and 9^th of October 1980 and featuring exclusive versions of Heartland, Unwritten Law, Jeopardy and I Can’t Escape Myself

Disc 2 (76:39 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2^nd album “From The Lion’s Mouth” – released November 1981 in the UK on Korova KODE 5

Tracks 11 and 13 – “Point Of No Return” and ”Coldbeat” - are the non-album B-sides to the UK 7” single of “Sense Of Purpose” released 1981 on Korova KOW 21

Tracks 12 and 14 – “Hot House” and “New Dark Age (Live)” – are the A&B-sides to a non-album 7” single released 1981 on Korova KOW 23

Tracks 15 to 18 are BBC Sessions recorded for The John Peel Show in November 1981 and are exclusive live versions of Fatal Flaw, Skeletons, Hot House and New Dark Age

Disc 3 (69:19 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3^rd album “All Fall Down” – released December 1982 in the UK on WEA 240019-1

Tracks 11 to 14 are BONUSES from the "All Fall Down” Sessions

Tracks 15 to 18 are the “This Cover Keeps Reality Unreal” EP by KEVIN HEWICK & THE SOUND – a 12” single released February 1984 in the UK on Cherry Red Records 12 CHERRY 76

Disc 4 – BBC LIVE IN CONCERT (61:35 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 8 originally broadcast 21 November 1981

Tracks 9 to 15 originally broadcast 15 June 1985

The mini box set has the 3 original vinyl albums in 5” card repro sleeves with a new card for the fourth BBC set. And the chunky 36-page booklet is fantastically detailed – photos of the albums, inners, 7” singles, record labels, industry adverts, lyrics to all three records and exceptionally good liner notes by TIM PEACOCK (of England’s Record Collector magazine) with contributions from band members. It’s a beautifully presented job.

The remasters by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy are clean, full of presence and power – and really bring out the original production values of Nick Robbins. It’s edgy and full of menace and angst lyrics – love it. And the BBC live stuff in particular has great gusto - the band in full flight and untethered by studio restrictions. 

“Jeopardy” is surely a lost Post Punk classic - opening in high form with “I Can’t Escape Myself” where songwriter Adrian Borland has clearly been listening to Television’s “Marquee Moon” just a little too often (lyrics above).  “Missiles” lets the anger rip and the trashy “Heyday” was an obvious if unsuccessful single – but “Unwritten Law” is brilliant and closest to that Joy Division comparison. Fans will love the non-album B-side “Brute Force” on CD at last – kicking like a mule too.

The remaster of “Winning” sees the bass pop out of the speakers as the Echo & The Bunnymen melody works its way into your subconscious (its even a little like early Icehouse). The drums and gangling guitars of “Skeletons” have muscle now - as does the rattling percussion intro to “New Dark Age” sounding like a jungle clarion call. I’m so reminded of Joe Jackson’s anger on “Possession” (“There’s a devil in me trying to show its face…”) and the sheer gloom of “Silent Air” haunts even now.

By the time it got to “All Fall Down” the misery had only slightly abated to allow something as poppy as “Party Of My Mind” – a great Eighties sound and there’s even tenderness in the moody guitar-chug of “Where The Love Is” (“I want to put that smile on your face…”). Side 2 opens with the delicacy of Max Mayers’ Keyboards on “Song And Dance” while the sophisticated “Calling The New Tune” shows real song maturity and a very definite nod towards Depeche Mode. “We Could Go Far” is superb – Indie yet Mainstream.

The live stuff is so much more powerful and exciting – the band lets rip – full of piss and vinegar – with the BBC boffins taping it properly and well. Pete Drummond introduces both sets to a wildly enthusiastic crowd – “Unwritten Law”, “Winning” and “Golden Soldiers” being highlights.

So why didn’t The Sound make it – too doomy – too bleeding miserable – probably. But its because they stuck to their ‘sound’ that they’ve engendered such cult status and real affection. And although the Joy Division comparisons are obvious - they deserve credit 'cause there’s a lot on here to love.

This is a genius reissue and a fan-pleasing offering – well done to all involved…

"Corman’s World – Exploits Of A Hollywood Rebel" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 2011 Alex Stapleton Documentary Film...

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"…Hassled By The Man!" – Corman's World on BLU RAY

Take a look at this list of Actors – Jack Nicholson, Tommy Lee Jones, Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro, Bruce Dern, William Shatner, Lee Van Cleef, Dick Miller, Charles Bronson, Vincent Price, Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Harvey Keitel, David Carradine, Pam Grier and Mamie Van Doren… 

Or this list of Directors, Writers and Producers – Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Peter Bogdanovich, John Sayles, Joe Dante, Paul W.S. Anderson, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd and Francis Ford Coppola…

What have they all got in common? The answer is Producer, Writer, Director, Mentor, Career-Break Giver, Cheapskate and Sordid Exploitation B-Movie Legend - ROGER CORMAN. So why don’t you know this? Well that’s what Alex Stapleton’s 2011 documentary film "Corman's World" is about.

It begins in the late Forties with two horrid years in the American Navy where Cadet Roger William Corman from Detroit, Michigan wilfully goes up against every order and gets a ludicrously high amount of demerits. He cannot stand authority of any kind. Roger then takes a job for 8 weeks reading crappy scripts at 20th Century Fox – says screw this – and decides in 1954 to make a film of his own – a black and white called "Monster From The Ocean". He does everything himself and on a budget of nothing minus zero (they show hilarious footage of his glowing one-eyed monster) and our boy’s off and running. Some decades later and at the sprightly age of 82 - there’s a staggering 384 more films where they came from (and he’s Directed 55 of them). And in between all that our heros has managed to procure a loving and talented wife Julie and four kids…and millions of movie-going admirers (many of whom are now Industry giants).

What’s fascinating about this fabulous story is the huge number of genuine stars Corman knew and gave a break too – and who take time out to acknowledge this. Jack Nicholson in particular - who seems to owe his stunning career to the man – is so witty and self-deprecating that he’s worth the price of admission alone. Ron Howard is characteristically generous too (got his first Director’s spot under Corman) and has hilarious anecdotes about dangerous stunts in borrowed cars. Genius Writers and Directors John Sayles and Peter Bogdanovich give insightful glimpses into Corman’s sometimes cavalier yet utterly driven personality – always sticking it to 'the man'. While "Boxcar Bertha" gave Martin Scorsese and his troop of stunning actors an outing and the maestro his first Director’s Chair.

But what really tickles the funny bones is the endless parade of film clips - exploitation movies you haven’t seen in decades – or not at all. Most were made without safety or permits - where an explosion is pretty much mandatory – where crass is good – and if it can be made for less than the dollar price of Scrooge’s underwear – then that’s even better. Blood spatters, cleavage pops, hoodlums do what hoodlums do, monsters invade from outer space (Lee Van Cleef sorts out a mutant bug with a canister blowtorch), crocodiles chomp on limbs, massively endowed ladies ponce about on the planet Venus with telepathy but very few clothes…and cars eat people…all of it thoroughly delightful.

But in between all this B-Movie/Drive-In fodder are moments of breakthrough – 1962's "The Intruder" – a serious film about racism down South starring a first part for William Shatner that nearly got all involved killed. And while his flicks might have been the wrong side of pump-action nudity drivel – his tastes were for proper art-house films of the European and World schools. So Corman used his distribution company ‘New World Pictures’ to give Fellini, Bergman, Truffaut and Akira Kurosawa movies their only American releases.

Corman also made eight Edgar Allen Poe films with Vincent Price including "The Pit And The Pendulum", "The Masque Of The Red Death" and "The House Of Usher" which are now revered as classics of the Horror genre. He used genuine Hells Angels in the biker movie "The Wild Angels" (the character Heavenly Blues gives the quote that titles this review), spoke to the teenagers of America with the Sixties culture flick "The Trip" (popped LSD to be authentic) and followed that nugget with the biggest independent cult film hit of all time – "Easy Rider" - which made global superstars of Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper.

But not to leave crass behind - for the Seventies - we get the Downton Abbey pleasant "Women In Cages", the University Challenge brain-teaser "Death Race 2000", the very nice boy clean-haircuts of The Ramones in "Rock & Roll High School" and vein nibbling fishy in the artistically fulfilling "Piranha". What a man and what a life!

The 30-minutes of Bonus Features have extended interviews and special messages to the great man. Aspect ratio is Full Screen and of course varies with the Source while Audio is a Basic 2.0. There are no subtitles.

In some respects - to blab and reveal more - is to do you the viewer - an injustice. Suffice to say that "Corman's World" is one of those cool insider peeks at the history of 'alternate' movies and the independent side of Hollywood. But perhaps like the chipper curmudgeon himself – this wonderfully uplifting and funny documentary is largely unknown and criminally under-appreciated.

Juts don’t let this BLU RAY gem go unacknowledged in your household…or we may have to send some killer vixens around with chainsaws and open blouses…

"Candi/Young Hearts Run Free" by CANDI STATON – A Review Of Her 1974 and 1976 Albums on Warner Brothers - Now Reissued And Remastered Onto 2CDs By Edsel Of The UK In 2013 With 5 BONUS TRACKS…A Review by Mark Barry...

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MORE THAN A FEELING 

1976

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"…Young Hearts…" 

 

"Candi +  Young Hearts Run Free" by CANDI STATON

After 3 albums with Fame Records - "I'm Just A Prisoner" (1970), "Stand By Your Man" (1971) and "Candi Staton" (1973) – Alabama Southern Soul Diva Candi Staton signed a career rejuvenating contract with Warner Brothers that saw her move out of cult worship to global fame. 

 

And this timely reissue from Edsel of the UK (released 30 September 2013) touches on her first two albums for the mega label in 1974 and 1976 – adding on 5 tasty bonus tracks into the bargain. Here are the wiggle-bottom details for CANDI STATON and Edsel EDSK 7032 (Barcode 740155703233)…

Disc 1 (38:53 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 11 are her 4^th album "Candi" – released December 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2830 (No UK release)

 

Track 12 is a BONUS – "As Long As He Takes Care Of Home (Without Rap)" – a Promo-Only B-side to the 1974 USA 7" single on Warner Brothers WBS 8038 (the A is the Rap Version).

Disc 2 (60:04 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 8 are her 5^th album "Young Hearts Run Free" – released June 1976 on Warner Brothers BS 2948 in the USA and July 1976 on Warner Brothers K 56259 in the UK. It peaked at 14 in the American R&B charts and became her first charted LP in the UK at Number 34 (the single "Young Hearts Run Free" reached No. 2).

 

Tracks 9 to 12 are BONUSES – "Young Hearts Run Free (Original Single Edit)", "Run To Me (Extended Version)", "Young Hearts Run Free (12 Extended M&M Mix Eighty Six)" and an "Instrumental" version of the same.

The outer card wrap gives the whole reissue a quality feel – as does the 20-page booklet which pictures album artwork, publicity photos, American and British Warner Brothers labels, rare foreign picture sleeves, track by track recording info and exceptionally detailed liner notes by Soul Expert and long-time Edsel Associate TONY ROUNCE.

The remasters by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy are exceptionally good – clear and full of presence – bringing out Rick Hall’s deeply churchy Soul production on the first LP and Rick Crawford’s uber-pronounced strings and backbeat on the second.

“Candi” is a Soft Soul album – romantic and mushball. It opens with a take-me-back pleader – a cover of Philip Mitchell’s “Here I Am Again” which features superb backing vocals from The Joint Ventures and The Collettes. It gets mid-tempo with “Your Opening Night” (a George Jackson cover) and relationship reflective with “Going Through the Motions”. Things get Travis Wammack guitar-funky with “A Little Taste Of Love” and Mac Davis commercial with the radio-friendly happy Soul of “Stop And Smell The Roses”. But my poison is the slink of the second Philip Mitchell track on here - “As Long As He Takes Care Of Home” (an obvious 7” single). What a great groove it is.

She gives it some social consciousness on “Clean Up America” with her “Get it together” and “pitch in” clarion calls and finishes up with the brass stepper “Six Nights And 8 Days” by Earl Wright and George Jackson (the last single released off the album Stateside). “Candi” is a good Soul album – old fashioned in many ways - but in truth it lacked that absolute slaughter-the-punters track needed to break down the barriers for her as an artist. That would all change with Candi Staton’s 1976 outing…  

“Young Hearts Run Free” was a monster hit – riding the Disco boom globally and making Staton a household name. The first thing that hits you about the album is the Production values – massively upped and aimed directly at city dancefloors with a vengeance. The man behind this is Producer and Principal songwriter for the whole album – Dave Crawford. "Run To Me" and "Destiny" set the boogie pace while the lovely "You Bet Your Sweet Love" takes it down a notch before the big title track.

I can remember my sister and her friends dancing around the handbags at the nightclub – not just digging the beat of "Young Hearts Run Free" – but chomping down on every word – really feeling that bittersweet pain. "Living For You" is fairly forgettable but "Summer Time With You" gets all bedroom Barry White and is largely successful at it. The LP ends with another commercial funky beat – Dave Crawford's "I Know".

And to hear the "Without Rap" version of the killer "As Long As He Takes Care Of Home" is an absolute blast – even if the sound isn't the greatest - a genius inclusion. The long version of "Run To Me" is a Disco nugget and DJ's will love it. But I found the "Young Hearts Run Free…" 12" Remixes that mix in "I Know" are largely superfluous to requirements…

As Soul Boys of all colours look back to those heady days of the Seventies and early Eighties – albums by artists like Patrice Rushen, Randy Crawford and Candi Staton are getting revaluated all the time. It's not all genius for sure, but a sweet lady with tunes worth re-visiting. Take a punt on this classy reissue…

"The Windows Of The World / Valley Of The Dolls / Promises, Promises / Soulful…Plus" by DIONNE WARWICK – A Review Of Her Four Albums Between 1967 and 1969 On Pye International and Scepter Records - Now Reissued And Remastered Onto 2CDs By Edsel Of The UK In 2014 With 21 Bonus Tracks…

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"…Do Right Woman…" – The Windows Of The World…PLUS by DIONNE WARWICK

Dionne Warwick’s catalogue for Pye International (UK) and Scepter Records (USA) has been done before – but never with such style – and dare we say it – such affection. With 4 LPs and a whopping 21 Bonus Tracks - there’s a huge haul on this 3CD set (No. 3 in a series of 4 multiples). So let’s get to the details right away…

UK released 20 January 2014 - Edsel EDSK 3017 (Barcode 740155301736) breaks down as follows…

Disc 1 (63:14 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are her 9th album "The Windows Of The World" – released August 1967 in the USA on Scepter SPS 563 and Pye International NPL 28101 (Mono) in the UK

Tracks 11 to 20 are 10th album “Valley Of The Dolls” – released March 1968 in the USA on Scepter Records SPS 568 and Pye International NSPL 28114 (Stereo) in the UK

Disc 2 (62:31 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 3 are BONUSES

Tracks 4 to 13 are her 11th album "Promises, Promises” – released December 1968 in the USA on Scepter Records SPS 571

Tracks 14 to 19 are BONUSES

Disc 3 (75:27 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are her 12th album “Soulful” – released April 1969 in the USA on Scepter SPS 573 and Pye International NSPL 28122 (Stereo) in the UK

Tracks 11 to 23 are BONUSES

The 4-way foldout digipak gives the whole reissue a quality feel with each flap used to showcase rare picture sleeves, promo variants and label bags. The chunky 28-page booklet pictures the album covers, 7” singles, more foreign picture sleeves, original British Pye International and Wand labels, publicity photos, track-by-track annotation and exceptionally detailed liner notes by Soul Expert and long-time Edsel Associate TONY ROUNCE. It’s beautifully done.

The remastered sound varies wildly depending on the source – the singles in Mono are invariably hissy but the Stereo album tracks are glorious – beautifully clear – the “Promises, Promises” album especially. Even if the punchy Mono tracks are a little on the noisy side though – they have punch and are full of that great Sixties vibe. And much of this stuff hasn’t been in print for decades - with some of the bonus tracks (singles sung in foreign languages) only previously available on very expensive imports. 

The shadow of Bacharach and David hangs of so much on here – but that’s a complaint I’ll gladly countenance. “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?”, “Windows Of the World”, “I Say A Little Prayer”, “Theme From The Valley Of The Dolls”…it’s all so bloody good and has ‘so’ stood the test of time. I love her cover on the “Soulful” LP of the James and Bobby Purify hit “I’m A Puppet” penned by Spooner Oldham and Dan Penn. And the congregational mood to Aretha’s “Do Right Woman – Do Right Man” feels just as soulful as the classic Atlantic Records original. Even the obvious choice of “Hey Jude” feels good.

Among the bonus cuts is an aching version of the Little Anthony & The Imperials torch ballad “Hurt So Bad” which is superb - as is the gospel organ of “Young. Gifted & Black” - slowed right down to powerful effect – a properly great reinterpretation.

It’s not all genius of course (some of the Sly Stone covers are trying to hard) – but what is good is magical.

A classy lady and an equally classy reissue series. Kudos to all involved…

PS: This reissue is Volume 3 of 4 – the other titles in the series are:

1.         Presenting Dionne Warwick /Anyone Who Has A Heart /Make Way For Dionne Warwick /The Sensitive Sound Of Dionne Warwick (Edsel EDSK 7051)

2.         Here I Am – Dionne Warwick In Paris / Here Where There Is Love / On Stage And In The Movies (Edsel EDSK 7052)

3.         I’ll Never Fall In Love Again / Very Dionne / Dionne / Just Being Myself  (Edsel EDSK 7053)

"Blow" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The Ted Demme 2001 Film

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"…I'd Broken A Promise…" – Blow on BLU RAY

It’s the summer of 1968 and ‘Boston’ George Jung of New England Massachusetts (Johnny Depp) arrives on Manhattan Beach in California with $300 dollars in his pocket and his rotund childhood best buddy 'Tuna' in tow (Ethan Suplee of My Name Is Earl). Every girl is gorgeous and says things like "right on", "groovy" and "solid". And everyone - but everyone - is getting stoned smoking Pot. 

It’s a far cry from his constantly bickering parents Fred and Ermine Young (Ray Liotta and Rachel Griffiths). His Dad is a Plumber/Heating Contractor who slaves 7 days a week for his half-crazy high-aspirations wife who keeps leaving him and coming back again. Both are always two minutes away from financial foreclosure. George worships his father Fred as a dependable blue-collar hero - but determines he will never be like that - or them – and absolutely never be that kind of parent to his own children…

One afternoon in their Californian beach apartment – armed with a huge bag of quality grass - blond-haired George and a giggling Tuna hook up with Kevin Dulli. Dulli (Max Perlich) is another college dropout who tells the hippy pair that he’s never smoked Pot this good before. Kevin also points out that there are 100,000 rich college kids back East who would pay handsomely for such quality. George gets an idea to make easy money and visits his supplier Derek Foreal (Paul Reubens) - a gay who owns a men’s hair salon. And soon he is using Derek, Air Hostess Barbara (a beach girl he’s fallen in love with played by Franka Potente from The Bourne films) and his pal Dulli to courier Pot from LAX to BOS airports via her two suitcases that never get checked because she’s staff.

Now demand is outstripped supply – so they go to the source in Mexico and literally ask on the streets for a hook up with a Pot dealer. They get what they want and are soon flying in a single-engine Cessna (with the pilot door missing) into a private strip and start dealing big time. George, Tuna, Dulli and Barbara buy a gaudy multi-layered Canyon mansion with their illicit gains - working hard and partying even harder by the pool. But when George’s parents come to visit – they can’t figure out where all the money’s coming from? And on it goes to Columbia in 1976 where George meets with the ruthless drug baron Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis) and soon Dulli and George haven’t enough room to fit thirty million dollars in cash in their apartment’s closet.

But in between all of this 'living-the-dream' lifestyle comes the first of many disappointments and heartbreaks. George gets busted in Chicago in 1972 with 622 kilos of Grass and is charged with intent to distribute; he gets two years prison time. But following a nosebleed at dinner with his parents – it transpires that his beloved girlfriend Barbara has cancer - and literally doesn’t have two years to wait for him. And while in prison George meets with even worse – a South American called Diego (Jordi Molla) with a sweet and persuasive tongue - asking the money-hungry George has he ever dreamt of ‘cocaine’…

"Blow" is a story film – and a long one at that. Acapulco 1972 becomes Florida 1987 morphing into California 1990  – and you’re presented with one long litany of narcotic clichés - addiction, greed, sex, paranoia, stupidity, double-crossing friends, physical depravation and what the lack of willpower will do to a person.

It’s undoubtedly cool too – the house parties – the naked girls – lines off tables – fancy restaurants – and a trophy Columbian wife Mirtha (Penelope Cruz) who is the probably the most desirable woman on the planet. There’s even possible redemption for George when he and Mirtha have a daughter Kristina (Emma Roberts) whom he adores with his whole being. Maybe he will clean up for her…

But on his 38th birthday George uses his 6-year old daughter with devastating lifetime results (dialogue above). Still - maybe he’ll get a second chance at the age of 42 (but now looking like he’s 92) as he tapes an apology to his aging and broken father Fred that he hopes will make amends somehow. He quotes their father-child mantra "…Dance With The Stars…" which now seems like a cruel and sad echo from the past…

The BLU RAY picture is superlative throughout. It’s Anamorphic 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio (bars top and bottom) but even stretched to Full Aspect – it still looks top dog all the way through (especially in the sunnier destinations). Audio is English 5.1 Dolby Digital and English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD with a Subtitle of English for the Hard Of Hearing. 

The Extras include Focus Points, Behind The Story, George Jung Interview, Music Video, Production Diary, Trailers, Additional Scenes and Character Outtakes.

Adapted for Screenplay by David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes from a book by Bruce Porter, co-Produced by Denis Leary and Directed by Ted Demme - "Blow" tells the true life-story of George Jung and cocaine without fudging the obvious. There are a lot of films about drugs but few of them deal with the bitter reality – especially when it comes to the personal devastation not just to yourself – but also to those who surround you.

Is Ted Demme’s 2001 film about Cocaine and addiction – or is it about what drugs do to your family, your children, your friends, your precious time on this planet, your very soul. It starts out all Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers cool - where everyone is your lover and friend – but ends up a nightmare - doing a 40-year stretch – walking alone in a Prison Compound with mirages in your head – a life wasted - everything you love and care about in the world ostracized.

Incarcerated in 1994 - Federal Inmate 19225004 is due for parole in 2015 - aged 72. Check this film out but be prepared to shed a tear…