"The Emitt Rhodes Recordings (1969-1973)" by EMITT RHODES (2009 Hip-O Select 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I Was Dying Inside...I Was Hoping You'd Come Along..."

In truth there was a time when you couldn't give away Emitt Rhodes albums here in the UK - but something of a rediscovery of his music has taken place in the last two decades that has brought his LPs out of the bargain bins and into the eBay lists.

Hailing from Hawthorne (a suburb in Los Angeles) - Rhodes first came to prominence with the US sixties group THE MERRY-GO-ROUND who made one self-titled album for A&M Records in 1967.A&M issued a wad of singles to promote the new signing - but neither they nor the album bothered the charts (these releases are quite sought after now). Rhodes then went solo and that’s where this long-overdue 2CD career overhaul comes storming in. Here are the Mirrors and American Dreams…

Released initially in the USA in May 2009 as a 2CD set (belatedly released in the UK January 2010) – "The Emitt Rhodes Recordings (1969-1973)" by EMITT RHODES on Hip-O Select B0012926-02 (Barcode 602527042732) is a worldwide limited edition of 5000 that contains 4 full albums and one rare non-album 7" single. It breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (66:13 minutes):

1. Mother Earth

2. Pardon Me

3. Textile Factory

4. Someone Died

5. Come Ride, Come Ride

6. Let’s All Sing

7. Holly Park

8. Saturday Night

9. You’re A Very Lovely Woman

10. Mary Will You Take My Hand

11. The Man He Was

12. In The Days Of The Old

13. ‘Til The Day After

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "The American Dream" recorded in 1969 but released after his debut album (14 to 25 below) in April 1971 in the USA on A&M SP-4254 and May 1971 in the UK on A&M AMLS 64254

14. With My Face On The Door

15. Somebody Made For Me

16. She’s Such A Beauty

17. Long Time No See

18. Lullabye

19. Fresh As A Daisy

20. Live Till You Die

21. Promises I’ve Made

22. You Take The Dark Out Of The Night

23. You Should Be Ashamed

24. Ever Find Yourself Running

25. You Must Have

Tracks 14 to 25 are the album "Emitt Rhodes" first issued December 1970 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill DS 50089 and February 1971 on Probe Records SPBA 6256 in the UK

Disc 2 (70:06 minutes):

1. Birthday Lady

2. Better Side Of Life

3. My Love Is Strong

4. Side We Seldom Show

5. Mirror

6. Really Wanted You

7. Medley: Bubble Gum The Blues/I’m A Cruiser

8. Love Will Stone You

9. Golden Child Of God

10. Take You Far Away

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Mirror" issued on ABC/Dunhill DSX 50111 in the USA in November 1971 and December 1971 n the UK on Probe Records SPBA 6262

11. Warm Self Sacrifice

12. See No Evil

13. Drawn To You

14. Blue Horizon

15. Shoot The Moon

16. Only Lovers Decide

17. Trust Once More

18. Nights Are Lonely

19. Bad Man

20. In Desperate Need

21. Those That Die

22. Farewell To Paradise

Tracks 11 to 22 are the album "Farewell To Paradise" issued September 1972 on Probe Records SPBA 6266 in the UK and on ABC/Dunhill DSX 50122 in the USA.

Track 23 is "Tame The Lion", a non-album A-side. In the UK it was on Probe Records PRO 565 and in the USA on A&M 4315, both issued in 1972. "Golden Child Of God" - an album track off "Mirror" - is its B-side in both countries.

The 3-way fold out card digipak houses a 16-page booklet with an appreciation of the man and his music by SCOTT SCHNIDER. There's also a pictorial album-by-album breakdown with relevant production and instrument credits. It's remastered by PETE DOELL at Universal Mastering and sounds fantastic - and given that most of these tracks are self-recorded by Rhodes himself - it's amazing how good they sound. Equally impressive is his musicianship on every track - so proficient, so talented. 

Vocally Rhodes is a cross between Nilsson on "Nilsson Schmilsson", Todd Rundgren on "Something/Anything?" and Ron Mael of Sparks on "Kimono My House". But there is also the Beach Boys and Dennis Wilson vibe too. With all these cool influences bounding around, his songs and their arrangements have aroused a lot of interest in those who like their Seventies tunes melodic and layered. His first album is probably his most popular and fans will be glad to see it represented here in its entirety. Also - and impressively - most of the songs on here are entirely written, played, arranged and produced by Emitt Rhodes (how every Prince).

Another nice touch is that the 1st issue of "The American Dream" album had the track "Saturday Night" on it - which was replaced with "You're A Very Lovely Woman" when it was reissued later in a different sleeve - Hip-O has included both tracks so you can sequence either version. And while I like his debut - for me his song writing improved immeasurably on "Mirror". I especially love "Better Side Of Life" and "Really Wanted You" (lyrics above) - very Dennis Wilson - and in a really good way.

To sum up - and as other reviewers have pointed out - this is a superb reissue and luckily for us it's been given a January 2010 UK release for just under twelve quid (rare for Hip-O sets). It's not all fab of course - but when he was good - he was sit-up-and-take-notice good. Recommended...

"Spirit Of The Century" by THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA - A Review Of Their 2001 Album (CD) On Peter Gabriel's Real World Records (with Tom Waits, Hen Harper and John Hammond)...

“…I’m Gonna Leave This Place Better…” 

The first thing that hammers you about “Spirit Of The Century” is the truly fabulous sound quality – ‘so’ extraordinarily good. Second - your stroked by the ancient black voices – graveled and wise like Mount Rushmore. Next are the fabulous accompanying musicians classing up every single tune with Bluesy Harmonica (Charlie Musselwhite), Double Bass (Danny Thompson), live Drums (Michael Jerome), Electric and Slide Guitar (David Lindley) and tightly strung Dobro (John Hammond). And then there’s the song choices – Tom Waits, Ben Harper and The Rolling Stones sit easy alongside Gospel songs that go back centuries (never mind this one). The effect is immediate, spirit lifting and effortless cool all at the same time. Not bad for a bunch of visually impaired Octogenarians…

The Blind Boys Of Alabama of today are Clarence Fountain, Jimmy Carter, George Scott and Joey Williams (they alternate lead vocals) and “Spirit Of The Century” was their first album for Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records released April 2001 on CDRW95. Of its 12-tracks (47:14 minutes) Tom Waits contributes “Jesus Gonna Be Here” (Clarence sings lead) and his stunning “Way Down In The Hole” (Jimmy Carter sings lead) which of course famously became the theme song to the critically acclaimed TV Series “The Wire”. Ben Harper stumps up the beautiful and moving “Give A Man A Home” (Clarence sings lead) while “Just Wanna See His Face” was on The Rolling Stones 1972 double-album masterpiece “Exile On Main St.”. The other 8 are Traditional Tunes of varying age.

Amongst the oldies are stunning rocking versions of “Soldier” (“I’m a soldier in the army of the Lord…”) and a slinky slow Dobro Blues on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”. Danny Thompson’s Double Bass and George Scott’s canyon’s deep bass vocal make “Run On For A Long Time” a funky Gospel gem. And it ends on a gorgeous Acapella take on “The Last Time” (“this may be the last time children…I don’t know…”). They went on to make “Higher Ground” in 2002, “Go Tell It To The Mountain” in 2003 (with even more stellar guests like Mavis Staples, Shelby Lynne, Tom Waits, Aaron Neville and Me’Shell NdegeOcello) and “There Will Be A Light” (with Ben Harper) in 2004. But for me this is the best of a great run.

The Blind Boys Of Alabama have been singing Gospel Music since they were formed in the Talladega Institute For The Blind in 1939 (yes 1939). That they should get such a joyful and creative renaissance at the hands of white boys paying rightful homage is icing on a very lovely cake.

Bluesy, Soulful, Righteous – and in 2015 – “Spirit Of The Century” on CD is dirt cheap to buy. Get this gem in your Spiritual armory and right soon…

"The Complete Hit Singles" by THREE DOG NIGHT featuring Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, Cory Wells, Michael Allsup, Jimmy Greenspoon and more (May 2004 US Geffen/Universal CD Compilation of 7" 45-Single Mixes with Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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RATING:  3 to 4 Stars Content/5 Stars Audio

"...Want Some Whisky In Your Water...Sugar In Your Tea..."

On a very cold evening in the Australian outback, an Aborigine hunter would dig a furrow in the ground and bring his dog into the hole with him for bodily warmth. Two dogs were needed for a bitter night, but the worst night of all was called a THREE DOG NIGHT. Not sure anyone needed to know that, but anyway that's how they got their name! 

The band were:

DANNY HUTTON, CHUCK NEGRON and CORY WELLS – Lead Vocals

MICHAEL ALLSUP – Guitars

SKIP KONTE (1974-1976) and JIMMY GREENSPOON – Keyboards

JOE SCHERMIE (1969-1971) and JACK RYLAND (1971-1975) – Bass

FLOYD SNEED – Drums and Percussion

As a rock group with worldwide record sales of over 50 million, THREE DOG NIGHT were a genuine chart phenomenon – especially in the States where they released 23 singles on the Dunhill/ABC label between 1968 and 1976. No less than 21 of them charted in the Top 200 (they were handled by Stateside and Probe in the UK and Europe) and its they that are represented here in truly fantastic sound Erick Labson Remastered quality.

US released 25 May 2004 - "The Complete Hit Singles" by THREE DOG NIGHT on Geffen/UTV Records B0001779-02 (Barcode 602498614709) is a CD Compilation of 7" Single Versions. Most tracks are specific 7" single mixes recorded precisely for that purpose, many are cover versions and then you had the alternate lead vocalists or combinations of all three. Here's a detailed breakdown (74:32 minutes):

1. One 

(April 1969 US Third 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4191, a HARRY NILSSON cover - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "Chest Fever")

2. Try A Little Tenderness 

(January 1969 US Second 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4177 - song made famous by OTIS REDDING - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "That No One Ever Hurt This Bad")

3. Easy To Be Hard 

(July 1969 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4203 - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "Dreaming Isn't Good For You")

4. Eli's Coming 

(October 1969 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4215, a LAURA NYRO cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "Circle For A Landing")

5. Celebrate 

(January 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4227 - Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Lead Vocals) - B-side was "Feeling Alright"

6. Mama Told Me (Not To Come) 

(May 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4239, a RANDY NEWMAN cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "Rock & Roll Widow")

7. Out In The Country

(October 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4250, a PAUL WILLIAMS/ROGER NICHOLLS cover - Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Vocals - B-side was "Good Time Living")

8. One Man Band

(November 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4262 - Negron & Hutton Shared Vocals - B-side was "It Ain't Easy")

9. Joy To the World

(February 1971 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4272, a HOYT AXTON cover - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "I Can Hear You Calling")

10. Liar

(June 1971 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4282, a RUSS BALLARD of Argent cover - Danny Hutton Lead Vocal - B-side was "Can't Get Enough Of It")

11. An Old Fashioned Love Song

(November 1971 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4294, a PAUL WILLIAMS cover - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "Jam")

12. Never Been To Spain

(December 1971 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4299, a HOYT AXTON cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "Peace Of Mind")

13. The Family Of Man

(March 1972 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4306, a PAUL WILLIAMS/JACK CONRAD cover - Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Vocals - B-side was "Going In Circles")

14. Black & White

(July 1972 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4317 - Danny Hutton Lead Vocal - B-side was "Freedom For The Stallion")

15. Pieces Of April

(November 1972 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4331 - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "The Writings On The Wall")

16. Shambala

(May 1973 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4352, a DANIEL MOORE cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocal - B-side was "Our "B" Side")

17. Let Me Serenade You

(October 1973 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4370, a JOHN FINLEY of RHINOCERUS cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "Storybook Feeling")

18. The Show Must Go On

(March 1974 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-4382, a LEO SAYER/DAVID COURTNEY cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "On The Way Back Home")

19. Sure As I'm Sittin' Here

(June 1974 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-15001, a JOHN HIATT cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocals - B-side was "Anytime Babe")

20. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)

(September 1974 US 45-single on Dunhill/ABC D-15013, an ALLEN TOUSSAINT cover - Cory Wells Lead Vocal - B-side as "I'd Be So Happy")

21. 'Til The World Ends

(July 1975 US 45-single on ABC Records ABC-12114, a DAVID LOGGINS cover - Chuck Negron Lead Vocals - B-side was "Yo Ti Quiero Hablar (Take You Down)")

The two singles missing from the set that didn't chart are their First - "Nobody" (credited as 3 Dog Night) from October 1968 on Dunhill/ABC D-4168 and their last - "Everybody Is A Masterpiece" from June 1976 on ABC Records ABC-12192. 

Album versions of most of the songs are to be found on the following US LPs:

"Three Dog Night", 1969 (1 and 2)

"Suitable For Framing", 1969 (3, 4 and 5)

"It Ain't Easy", 1970 (6 and 7)

"Naturally", 1970 (8, 9 and 10)

"Harmony", 1971 (11, 12 and 13)

"Seven Separate Fools", 1972 (14 and 15)

"Cyan", 1973 (16 and 17)

"Hard Labor", 1974 (18, 19 and 20)

"Coming Down Your Way", 1975 (21)

96K/24-Bit Remastered by ERICK LABSON of Universal from the original tapes, the sound quality is BEAUTIFUL if such a word can be applied. I've waited years to hear non-hissy clean CD versions of "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)", "Out In The Country" and "Joy To The World" – and this set delivers them in spades. The CLEAR SOUND is startling and makes you reassess each song.

It's not all peaches and cream of course – some of the tunes like "Black & White" and "Til The World Ends" have dated badly, while the truly cringing Leo Sayer song "The Show Must Go On" is beyond liking and the screeching vocal butchery of Laura Nyro's "Eli's Coming" is hard to bear. But then there's the slightly psych feel to "One Man Band" and the lovely David Cassidy-sounding "Pieces Of April" - both forgotten oldies worth rediscovering. "Shambala" and "Let Me Serenade You" are not that commonly known on this side of the pond either - and again - deserve rehearing. 

And while the total playing time of 74:32 minutes represents good value for money no doubt, some of those cracking B-sides like "It Ain't Easy" (Bowie, Dave Edmunds and John Baldry covered this Ron Davies song) and "I Can Hear You Calling" would have been such tasty inclusions. But what you do get - that superlative Audio on all tracks – is Gorgeous George all the way.

"The Complete Hit Singles" by THREE DOG NIGHT is that rare combo - a cheap CD to acquire that isn't cheap where it counts - content and remaster. A must have for fans then and a great sounding CD for lovers of 60's and70's 45-RPMs...

"The Compleat Tom Paxton - Recorded Live" by TOM PAXTON - March 1971 Double Live Album on Elektra Records (June 2014 UK Beat Goes On Records (BGO) Reissue - 2LPs onto 2CDs Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...To Love You Again..."

The original vinyl double album "The Compleat Tom Paxton - Recorded Live" was taped across two nights in New York's famous Folk and Rock Venue "The Bitter End" in June 1970 and released in March 1971 on Elektra 7E-2003 in the USA and Elektra EKD 2003 in the UK (later reissued November 1975 as Elektra K 62004 in the UK).

This superb 2CD reissue is a straightforward remaster (without bonuses) of his final set for Elektra Records (he then signed to Reprise after that). Here are the Folk Troubadour details...

UK released June 2014 - "The Compleat Tom Paxton - Recorded Live" by TOM PAXTON on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1148 (Barcode 5017261211484) is a 2CD set of Remasters and breaks down as follow:

Disc 1 (43:25 minutes):

1. Clarissa Jones

2. Introduction

3. The Things I Notice Now

4. Jennifer's Rabbit/I Give You The Morning

5. Intro To `The Marvellous Toy'

6. The Marvellous Toy

7. Leaving London

8. Angie

9. All Night Long

10. Bayonet Rap

11. Talking Vietnam Pot Luck Blues

12. Jimmy Newman

13. Outward Bound

Disc 2 (43:05 minutes):

1. Morning Again

2. Cant Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound

3. My Lady's A Wild Flying Dove

4. Now That I've Taken A Life

5. About The Children

6. Ballad Of Spiro Agnew

7. Mr. Blue

8. Wish I Had A Troubadour

9. Ev'ry Time (When We Are Gone)

10. Cindy's Crying Hooker

11. Introduction to the Musicians

12. Ramblin' Boy

13. The Last Thing On My Mind

[Note: there is a now deleted Rhino Handmade 2CD reissue from 2004 called "Even Compleater" which offers up more from the concerts - see separate entry and higher price].

As with all these Beat Goes On CD reissues nowadays - it comes in a tasty outer card slipcase and features a very detailed booklet (20 pages) with great liner notes by noted musicologist JOHN O'REGAN. But the big news as ever is the new 2014 gorgeous remaster by ANDREW THOMPSON - it's very clean and warm. There is hiss on some tracks but its neither dampened by noise reduction nor amplified to impress. The music is as it was - just better.

Already a near 10-year musical veteran by the time he made this recording - Tom Paxton was comfortable with his songs, his voice, his conscience and knew exactly how to perform to a literate audience. There's a fabulous intimacy about the gig - and his repartee with the enthralled crowd oozes out of every track (I'm reminded of Don McLean's gorgeous "Solo" double live set from 1976). A good example of this is the long spoken preamble to "Talking Vietnam Pot Luck Blues" called "Bayonet Rap" where its wordplay/political undercurrent is beautifully thought out. It's about pre-training in Kansas for young American men drafted into the US Army and features very funny and perceptive observations ("Crawl in the mud under barbed wire...stuff you can use..."). It also touches on the madness of the war once the naive college kids got there - scared G.I.s discovering 'grass' in Vietnam ("The whole platoon was flying high...chanting something about Hare Krishna..."). Disc 1 finishes on an aural double whammy-high - a stunning story song called "Jimmy Newman" and his popular Sixties hit "Outward Bound".

The ballads are especially pretty - "All Night Long" and the plaintive "Leaving London" - a tune about longing for a girl, returning to her and flying home (lyrics from it title this review). And both "Leaving London" and the lovely "Angie" benefit hugely from the beautifully complimentary piano playing of David Horowitz. Disc 2 continues with more of the same - "About The Children" and "The Last Thing On My Mind" mellow and impressive.

This is a quality reissue by BGO and a good reminder of the power of a man, a guitar and a sharp mind...

PS: see LABELS LIST also for my review for his album "How Come The Sun" (also from 1971) reissued by Beat Goes On in 2018 with a Bonus EP from 1967...