"Classic Album Selection: Six Albums 1977-1984" by THE BOOMTOWN RATS (2013 6CD Box Set With 2005 Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Happy Mondays…" 

Almost a tale of two cities - the three Seventies CDs in this mini box set rock - and a lot better than many would want to credit. But the three Eighties CDs that follow are only redeemed by occasional great singles with the rest of it smothered in dreadful Eighties Production techniques and a distinct lack of tunes. Still it's presented well (gatefold card repro sleeves) - all discs feature the 2005 JON ASTLEY Remasters (he did THE WHO catalogue) - and all have retained their bonus tracks. And at fifteen quid from some online retailers - it's cheap too. Time to do the rat...

Released October 2013 - "Classic Album Selection: Six Albums 1977-1984" is a 6CD Box set on Universal/Mercury 374 275-7 (Barcode 602537427574) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 - "The Boomtown Rats" - 56:29 minutes:

1. Lookin' After No. 1

2. Mary Of The 4th Form

3. Close As You'll Ever Be

4. Neon Heart

5. Joey's On The Street Again

6. I Can Make It If You Can [Side 2]

7. Never Bite The Hand That Feeds

8. (She's Gonna) Do You In

9. Kicks

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "The Boomtown Rats" released September 1977 in the UK on Ensign Records ENVY 1 and in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-1188.

To sequence the American LP use the following track listing - Side 1: 1, 4, 5, 7, 2 - Side 2: 8, 3, 6, 9

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Doin' It Right - 1975 Live Demo

11. My Blues Away - 1975 Live Demo

12. A Second Time - 1975 Live Demo

13. Fanzine Hero - 1975 Live Demo

14. Barefootin' - Live In Moran's Hotel Dublin, 1975

15. Mary Of The 4th Form - Single Version (November 1977 second UK 7" on Ensign ENY 9)

Disc 2 - "A Tonic For The Troops" - 50:13 minutes:

1. Like Clockwork

2. Blind Date

3. (I Never Loved) Eva Braun

4. Living In An Island

5. Don't Believe What You Read

6. She's So Modern [Side 2]

7. Me And Howard Hughes

8. Can't Stop

9. (Watch Out For) The Normal People

10. Rat Trap

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd album "A Tonic For The Troops" released July 1978 in the UK on Ensign ENVY 3 and in the USA on Columbia JC 35750.

The US album was a mixtures of tracks from the first two albums - you can sequence it as follows - Side 1: 10, 7, 3, 4, 1 [Disc 2] - Side 2: 2, 2 of Disc 1, 5, 6, 5 of Disc 1

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Neon Heart - John Peel Session

12. Do The Rat - non-album track, B-side in the UK to both "Mary Of The 4th Form" in November 1977 on Ensign ENY 9 and "Rat Trap" in October 1978 on Ensign ENY 16)

13. D.U.N. L.A.O.G.H.A.I.R.E  (non-album track, Ireland-Only B-side in 1978 to "Like Clockwork" on Mulligan Records LUN 716. Dun Laoghaire is an area in South Dublin. The LUN in the catalogue number refers to DONAL LUNNY of THE BOTHY BAND who owned the label and Windmill Studios in Dublin where U2 recorded some of their earlier albums)

14. Rat Trap - Live In Stroke

Disc 3 - "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" - 53:03 minutes:

1. Someone's Looking At You

2. Diamond Smiles

3. Wind Chill Factor (Minus Zero)

4. Having My Picture Taken

5. Sleep (Finger's Lullaby)

6. I Don't Like Mondays [Side 2]

7. Nothing Happened Today

8. Keep It Up

9. Nice `N' Neat

10. When The Night Comes

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 3rd album "The Fine Art Of Surfacing" released October 1979 in the UK on Ensign ENROX 11 and in the USA on Columbia JC 36248

11. Episode No. 3

12. Real Different

13. How Do You Do? - non-album track, B-side to the UK release of "Like Clockwork" in June 1978 on Ensign ENY 14)

14. Late Last Night - non-album track, B-side to the UK release of "Diamond Smiles" in November 1979 on Ensign ENY 33

15. Nothing Happened Today - Live In Cardiff

Disc 4 - "Mondo Bongo" - 53:53 minutes:

1. Straight Up

2. The Elephant's Graveyard

3. This Is My Room

4. Another Piece Of Red

5. Hurt Hurts

6. Fall Down

7. Go Man Go

8. Under Their Thumb Is Under My Thumb

9. Banana Republic

10. Whitehall 1212

11. Mood Mambo

Note: The above 12 tracks are how this (2005) CD sequences the songs - however the original British and US LPs `both' had different song line ups. The British LP released December 1980 on Mercury 6359 042 can be sequenced as Side 1: 12, 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9 - Side 2: 6, 2, 10, 7, 5 and 11. The US album on Columbia PC 37062 replaces 11 ("Whitehall 1212") at the end of Side 2 with "Up All Night" which is on "V Deep"- Track 7, Disc 5.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Cheerio

13. Don't Talk To Me -

14. Arnold Layne - Recorded For TV (Pink Floyd cover - Syd Barrett song)

15. Another Piece Of Red - Live In Portsmouth

Disc 5 - "V Deep" - 58:52 minutes:

1. He Watches It All

2. Never In A Million Years

3. Talking In Code

4. The Bitter End

5. The Little Death

6. A Storm Breaks

7. Up All Night

8. House On Fire

9. Charmed Lives

10. Skin On Skin

11. Say Hi To Mick

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 5th studio album "V Deep" released May 1982 in the UK on Mercury Records 6359 082

BONUS TRACKS:

12. No Hiding Place - non-album track, B-side to the UK 7" single of "Charmed Lives" released June 1982 on Mercury MER 106

13. House On Fire - 12" Dub

14. Up All Night - Long Version

Disc 6 - "In The Long Grass" - 55:09 minutes:

1. Dave

2. Over And Over

3. Drag Me Down

4. A Hold On Me Another Sad Story

5. Tonight Hard Times

6. Lucky

7. An Icicle In The Sun

8. Up Or Down

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 6th and final album "In The Long Grass" released December 1984 in the UK on Mercury Records MERL 38 and in the USA on Columbia PC 39335

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Dave - Single Version - released November 1984 in the UK on Mercury MER 179

10. Walking Downtown  - non-album track, B-side to the UK 12" single of "Tonight" released January 1984 on Mercury MERX 154

11. Precious Time - non-album track, B-side to the UK 7" and 12" single of "Tonight" released January 1984 on Mercury MER 154

12. She's Not The Best - Home Demo

Most fans will notice that each CD mirrors the 2005 JON ASTLEY Remasters (he handled The Who back catalogue) - they're the same and each has superb sound quality. Songs like "When The Night Comes" and "Kicks" sound amazing - full of power and muscle. Speaking of the first album - I've always thought a lot of Punk snobbery came into play when discussing the Rats in the beginning. I think it's a bit of a minor masterpiece of the time. I saw them live in Dublin and they were spitting at old Hippies a year before the Pistols had even debuted their "Never Mind" album. While the punky hits "Lookin' After No. 1" and "Mary Of The 4th Form" are well known - album nuggets like the venomous "(She's Gonna) Do You In", the Willie Nile sounding "Joey's On The Street Again" (with those fabulous guitar breaks towards the end) and best of all "I Can Make It If You Can" - not quite Rock - not Punk either - but somewhere in-between - a lonely Blues with a mean edge.

They went stratospheric with the smart "Tonic" album - a leap forward in songwriting talent and dare we say it - fun. "Blind Date" could well be The Clash on a rocker tip while the break-neck guitars of "Don't Believe What You Read" still stand up and virtually defined that `Rats' sound. But the album is dominated by three great singles - snotty punk wonders "Like Clockwork" and "She's So Modern" and of course the mighty and complicated "Rat Trap" - a British Number 1 in October 1978. The remaster rocks on all of them too.

"The Fine Art Of Surfacing" opens with of my favourites - the slyly infectious "Someone's Looking At You" while the lean guitars of "Diamond Smiles" comes on like Joe Jackson's "Look Sharp!" meets Elvis Costello's "My Aim Is True". "Nice `N' Neat" and the superbly musical "When The Night Comes" end the album in style (those acoustic guitars and keys to the fore like never before). And again the record is dominated by another huge single - "I Don't Like Mondays" - another Number 1 in 1979.

I can still remember the shock of the "Mondo Bongo" LP - I thought it was discordant rubbish. It quickly made the £1 bins only years later and was only saved by two good singles - "Banana Republic" and "The Elephant's Graveyard". Things improved with "V Deep" and tunes like "Never In A Million Years" and "House On Fire". But by the time they got to "In The Long Grass" no-one was listening anymore which is a damn shame because both "Dave" and "A Hold On Me" are excellent even if they're overcooked on the Eighties Production front. The rest of it is drowned in monster production trying to hard to impress.

It's not all genius by any means but when Bob Geldof and his gang hit those sweet notes - they made a racket that still stands up to this day. And I think I met Mary Of The 4th Form in Moran's Hotel in Dublin in 1979 at a Jimi Slevin gig - she was wearing a "Do The Rat" button and spitting at the bouncer on the door (luvverly)...

"Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970" by VARIOUS [includes Jimmy Page & John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin] (2016 Ace Records CD Compilation) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Where The Good Times Are..."

As a seasoned reviewer and tuneful chappy of a certain age (still ravishing at 57) – five-star reviews for Ace Records CDs are something of a common occurrence. But every now and then you're reminded with a wallop to the discombobulater as to why collectors and music lovers get ants-in-their-pants when this wonderful British reissue label produces yet another CD compilation. They're just so damn good at it.

And 2016's "Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970" only hammers that point home with period aplomb. I mean take a look at that Marianne Faithfull colour shot on the cover (from the Strange Things Archives) – deeply fab, groovy and damn it - even beautiful. If I may be so bold - here are the detailed dolly birds...

UK released March 2016 (April 2016 in the USA) – "Love Hit Me! Decca Beat Girls 1962-1970 – British Girl Pop Gems From Decca Records' Matchless 1960s Roster" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1456 (Barcode 029667074629) is a CD compilation and plays out as follows (61:01 minutes):

1. I'm In Love With You – BILLIE DAVIS (from the May 1970 UK LP "Billie Davis" on Decca SKL 5029 – Stereo Mix used)
2. No! No! No! – DANA GILLESPIE (from the December 1968 US LP "Foolish Seasons" on London PS 540 – Stereo)
3. That's Right Baby – MARIANNE FAITHFULL (May 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F 12408, B-side to "Tomorrow's Calling")
4. Where The Good Times Are – BEVERLEY (30 September 1966 UK 7" single on Deram DM 101, B-side of "Happy New Year")
5. Poor Old Jimmy – TWINKLE (September 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12219, A)
6. Love Hit Me – THE ORCHIDS (November 1963 UK 7" single on Decca F 11785, A)
7. I Stand Accused (Of Loving You) – THE SATIN BELLS (May 1969 UK 7" single on Decca F 22937, A)
8. I Wanna Go Back There Again – TRULY SMITH (August 1967 UK 7” single on Decca F 12645, A)
9. Something Beautiful – ADRIENNE POSTER (February 1966 UK 7" single on Decca 12329, A)
10. I'll Come Running Over – LULU (from the 1965 UK LP "Something To Shout About" on Decca LK 4719,
also November 1964 debut USA 7" single as "I'll Come Running" on Parrot PAR 9714, B-side of "Here Comes The Night")
11. Hey Boy – BARRY ST JOHN (May 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12145, A)
12. Little Boy – GOLDIE & THE GINGERBREADS (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12070, B-side of "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat")
13. What More Do You Want – THE EXCEPTIONS (March 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12100, A)
14. So Hard To Be Good – LOUISE CORDET (from the 1964 UK compilation LP "Just For You" on Decca LK 4620 – Beat Album and Soundtrack to the film "Just For You")
15. Really Gonna Shake – SANDRA BARRY and THE BOYS (March 1964 UK 7" single on Decca F 11851, A)
16. The Way You Do The Things You Do – ELKIE BROOKS (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12061, A)
17. I Want You To Be My Baby – BILLIE DAVIS (August 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F 12823, A)
18. Save The Last Dance For Me – JEAN MARTIN (May 1964 UK 7" single on Decca F 11897, A)
19. Love Is Going To Happen To Me – BERYL MARSDEN (January 1964 UK 7" single on Decca F 11819, B-side of "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Thru' His Eyes")
20. Don't Make Me Mad – THE ORCHIDS (November 1963 UK 7" single on Decca F 11785, B-side of "Love Hit Me")
21. Dat's Love – THE VERNON GIRLS (Track 2 on Side 1 of the October 1962 UK 4-Track EP "The Vernon Girls" on Decca DFE 8506)
22. Don't Make Me (Fall In Love With you) – BABBITY BLUE (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12053, A)
23. Golden Lights – TWINKLE (February 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F 12076, A)
24. Hier Du Demain – MARIANNE FAITHFULL (Track 1 on Side 1 of a January 1967 French 4-Track EP on Decca 457.139 – from the film “Anna”)
NOTES: all are MONO except Tracks 1, 2, 3, 8 and 17 – which are STEREO
Beverley became Beverley Martin – wife of John Martyn
Goldie Zelkowitz of Goldie & The Gingerbreads became Genya Ravan of Ten Wheel Drive
The Exceptions and The Orchids are the same group
Sandra Barry became Alice Spring, Lead Vocalist with Slack Alice and Darling
Beryl Marsden was a vocalist in Steampacket with Rod Stewart

Not surprisingly the 20-page booklet is a sensory pleasure to behold – festooned with colour snaps of pouting 60ts glamourpusses about to take on the world (well parts of Croydon anyway). The full-page colour plates of Marianne Faithfull, Adrienne Poster, Lulu, Louise Cordet and Billie Davis are firmly in the valley of wow (never mind dolls) – while the repro'd UK 45 labels, sheet music and promo photos of the others give the whole presentation a wonderfully evocative period feel. All of this sexpot sixties glam is fleshed out with truly enlightening and hugely enjoyable liner notes from SHEILA BURGEL who hosts the "Sophisticated Boom Boom" radio show on Jersey's WFMU and runs the superlative "Cha Cha Charming" website dedicated to collecting, documenting and loving all things girl-pop. Billy Davis, Dana Gillespie and Truly Smith are all thanked for contributions as is top compilation-compiler and all round musical good guy MICK PATRICK.

The NICK ROBBINS remasters rock in all the right places – especially given the wildly variable sources and music types. This CD sounds great - particularly cool are the five Stereo cuts – three of which open the CD in fabulous style. On occasion you get little fractions of instrument distortion – but don't get me wrong – this is yet another Audio winner and song after song impresses with its power and clarity.

Dana Gillespie's cover of Michel Polnareff's "No! No! No!" turned up on her slightly Psych-Pop American-only album "Foolish Seasons" (a sought after rarity). Aged only 17 when she signed her London Records deal – her pretty-girl next-door photo on Page 5 of the booklet gives little indication of the vamp contained within. But the tune does – subtly raunchy and coy ("...he's afraid he might say yes to me...") – Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin did the Guitar and Bass honours at London's Decca Studios in West Hampstead along with Mick Vickers of Manfred Mann on Keyboards. In fact Zeppelites will be pleased to know that the two jobbing rockers turn up on another duo here - Lulu's "I'll Come Running Over" and Beverley's "Where The Good Times Are". Written by Producer Bern Barns and his wife Ilene Stuart – in her native UK the Lulu cut of "I'll Come Running Over" (title abbreviated for single) featured on her "Something To Shout About" British LP that appeared in late 1965 on Decca LK 4719 but never got a 45 release. The USA thought differently and made it the A-side of her debut US 7" single on Parrot PAR 9714 in November 1964 with her cover of Them's "Here Comes The Night" on their flip (another Bert Barns tune). 

Continuing with Zeppelin and another truly stunning B-side is Beverley's barnstorming "Where The Good Times Are" – a self-penned tune Produced by Denny Cordell (the A-side was a cover of Randy Newman's "Happy New Year"). Beverly tells us in interview that both Page and Jones amped that sucker up and turned it into a hugely sought-after Freakbeat rocker. In fact Page's axe chops and gut-leanings can clearly be heard as he wigs out in a semi-Zeppelin way half way through the song (the session also featured the keyboards of Nicky Hopkins). Beverley Kutner would of course meet Glaswegian folky John Martyn – marry him and produce two albums together "Stormbringer!" and "The Road To Ruin" on Island Records in 1970 (the side-profile publicity photo of a lovely young Beverley that was used on some foreign pictures sleeves of the single is featured on Page 2). Speaking of sassy ladies and B-side starters – "Little Boy" was originally the flip of Mary Wells' Motown monster "My Guy" credited on the March 1964 US 45 as "Oh Little Boy (What Did You Do To Me)". Lead singer Goldie Zelkowitz of Goldie & The Gingerbreads shortened the title but saw their live show staple "Little Boy" relegated to the B-side of the lesser "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat". For three albums in 1969, 1970 and1971 - Goldie would morph into Genya Ravan of the Rock-Fusion band Ten Wheel Drive on Polydor Records.

Smiths fans will notice "Green Lights" by a teenage Twinkle (surname Ripley) – Morrissey covered it as a B-side on the Rough Trade 12" of "Ask" and was one of the attractions on the American "Louder Than Bombs" compilation double-album. Twinkle's 1965 original was on 45 but also featured on the "Twinkle - A Lonely Singing Doll" EP on Decca DFE 8621 which is pictured on Page 8. Her other representation here is the self-penned "Poor Old Johnny" produced by Phil Coulter (also in 1965) – a properly angst ridden melodrama. Shel Talmy penned the compilation's title track "Love Hit Me" for Georgina Oliver, Pamela Jarman and Valerie Jones collectively knows as The Orchids (later changed to The Expectations). Their 2nd 45 was touted by A&R men as England's answer to The Crystals. Along with its B-side "Don't Make Me Mad" – theses energetic Motownesque girls have attracted the attention of dancers and their 45s currently command thirty quid or more. The Satin Bells gloriously upbeat take on "I Stand Accused (Of Loving You)" was a Soulful cover of The Glories 1967 US single on Date Records 2-1553. While the original dark ladies in The Glories wore miniskirts and gold lame boots on their rare US picture sleeves – the three Bell girls were identical twins Sue and Carol with their sister Jean – blonde babes pictured on Page 19 with serious conical undergarments and a tendency to excite the male of the species (oh dear). Other girls enamoured with American Soul included Truly Smith who does a truly fabulous smooth-as-silk vocal take on "I Wanna Go Back There Again" – a Berry Gordy song given to Chris Clark whose American original 45 on V.I.P. 25041 from February 1967 is hugely sought after.

Her 4th release on Decca and produced by Immediate’s Andrew Loog Oldham – Barry St John's voice on "Hey Boy" is a wonderful smouldering Soulful thing. Written by the dynamic songwriting duo of Gerry Goffin and Carole King – it was originally Freddie Scott's first US chart success in August 1963 on Colpix 692 (a No. 10 hit). Another twenty-pound-plus 45 (if you can find one) – "Hey Boy" is a clever choice and a musical highlight here. Having failed chart wise with the name The Orchids – Decca tried a different moniker – The Exceptions. But their March 1965 hipster cover of the Ivy League's September 1964 debut British 45 "What More Do You Want" didn’t do the business either and they were dropped. Another hidden Rock Chic in here is Sandra Barry who would become Alice Spring – the front woman for Glam Rock band Slack Alice in 1974 (Polydor Records) and New Wave act Darling in 1979 (Charisma Records). Written by brother and sister Jimmy and Lesley Duncan (Lesley released highly-revered albums on CBS in the 70ts) - Beryl Marsden does a stormer on "Love Is Going To Happen To Me" and would become a vocalist in Steampacket with Rod Stewart – singing the music she loved - Soul and R&B dancers.

Speaking of Soulful Ladies - the vocal prowess of Salford's Elkie Brooks has always been a thing of wonder – famously paired with Robert Palmer for three 70ts-cool albums with Vinegar Joe on Island Records before both went onto huge and successful solo careers. Although her Decca 45 flopped at the time – British talcum-powder shakers have latched on to her cover of The Temptations classic "The Way You Do The Things You Do" - seeing it become a belated Northern Soul monster. And on it goes to Marianne Faithfull singing "Hier Du Demain" from the film "Anna" – a hugely sought after French EP that goes for big bucks. There's more of course and it's all so groovy baby...

I haven't heard a compilation as joyous and discovery-filled as this in a while. But then we expect no less from the compiler maestros in Ace Records. Pop the corks boys...another winner...you jammy gits. And God Bless all those ladies who blazed the trail back in the day...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is COOL 1960s MUSIC - an E-Book with over 200 entries and 2000 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap). 

"Act One/Waters Of Change" by BEGGARS OPERA (2014 Beat Goes On 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC ROCK & POP 1970 to 1974 - Exceptional CD Remasters  

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 
(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Silver Peacock…" 

Scotland wasn’t exactly the bedrock of Progressive Rock in 1969 – but arising of the Glasgow circuit came school chums BEGGARS OPERA - their name reputedly taken from the 18^th Century Poet and Dramatist John Gay. Heavily featuring Classical Music influences like Bach, Mozart and Grieg allied with Guitar versus Mellotron - they made four albums for England’s Vertigo label between 1970 and 1973 – and this excellent Beat Goes On 2CD reissue gives us their 1970 debut and its follow up from 1971. When Universal put out their 3CD Retrospective on the Vertigo label in 2005 – they named the mini Box Set after one of their songs. Here are the Time Machine details…

UK released November 2014 – “Act One/Waters Of Change” by BEGGARS OPERA on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1168 (Barcode 5017261211682) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (42:06 minutes):
1. Poet And Peasant

2. Passacaglia

3. Memory

4. Raymond’s Road [Side 2]

5. Light Cavalry

Tracks 1 to 5 are their debut album “Act One” - released November 1970 in the UK on Vertigo (Spiral) 6360 018 and in the USA on Verve Records V6 5080

Disc 2 (42:06 minutes):

1. Time Machine

2. Lament

3. I’ve No Idea

4. Nimbus

5. Festival [Side 2]

6. Silver Peacock (Intro)

7. Silver Peacock

8. Impromptu

9. The Fox

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 2^nd album “Waters Of Change” - released September 1971 in the UK on Vertigo (Spiral) 6360 054 (no US release)

For “Act One” BEGGARS OPERA was:

Vocals – MARTIN GRIFFITHS

Lead Guitars – RICKY GARDINER

Organ, Piano – ALAN PARK

Bass – MARSHALL ERSKINE

Drums – RAYMOND WILSON

For “Waters Of Change” the line-up remained the same except for:

GORDON SELLAR replaced Marshall Erskine on Bass

As well as Alan Park - VIRGINIA SCOTT played Mellotron and Sang

BILL MARTIN and PHIL COULTER originally produced both of these Progressive Rock heavyweights in London - released on the now hugely collectable Vertigo label (both on the Spiral variant). They sold zip at the time and have now acquired price tags usually in excess of £100 each for original gatefold vinyl issues. ANDREW THOMPSON has carried out the 2014 CD remaster at Sound Performance on London for Beat Goes On and the audio is up to his usual standard – full of power and presence – the original tapes in great shape. The 12-page inlay reproduces the original recording credits and has a short but informative piece on this obscure band by NEIL DANIELS that explains their formation and touring history with the likes of Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull and even Fleetwood Mac (they built up a sizeable following in Germany). There’s also their outer card wrap that gives the whole reissue a classy feel.

“Act One” opens with “Poet And Peasant” – a theme based on an 1846 Opera by Austrian composer Franz Von Suppe called “Dichter Und Bauer”. Beggars Opera rearranged it into a seven minute Mellotron romp that comes at you like Vaudeville meets Progressive Rock melodrama as Martin Griffiths bursts in with his effected vocals (Focus ahoy). Easier on the ear is “Passacaglia” (written by Virginia Scott and Marshall Erskine) which gives some great Steve Howe type-guitar in its rocking mid-section. Side One ends with “Memory” which at just under four-minutes is the shortest piece on the album. The audio quality on this cleverly structured song is fantastic – the drums, guitars and vocals all clear as day (“her hair blown…her lips are chilled…”). Side Two gives us to twelve-minute opus pieces “Raymond’s Road” and another Franz Von Suppe piece “Light Cavalry” (based on “Leichte Kavallerie”) – both are largely instrumental Prog workouts that frankly test the patience.

Their 2^nd album is largely self-penned with Park and Griffiths taking over the songwriting credits – and again the audio is superb. The keyboards and drum march of the instrumental “Lament” gives way to “I’ve No Idea” – for me probably the best track on the album. It grooves and well as Prog Rocks and then goes into a lovely Mellotron passage in the centre with top vocals and surprisingly pleading lyrics about his lady. The acoustic/strings “”Impromptu” is another lovely instrumental interlude before finishing with the seven-minute ELP Prog of “The Fox” that again features a wicked Guitar/Vocal break two-minutes in.

Niggles - they produced one single “Sarabande” b/w “Think” released in the UK on Vertigo 6059 026 in 1971 and many other European territories (in rare Picture Sleeves) – both tracks are non-album and it’s a shame they weren’t used as bonus tracks here.

Having said all of that – if you’ve any interest in Progressive Rock – you’ll be glad BGO reissued these – and in such top-notch sound quality too…

PS: as a reviewer of longstanding this is the only time I can recall - where a band has produced two albums that weigh in at exactly the same playing time (see above)…

"Pathfinder/Get Your Dog Off Me!" by BEGGARS OPERA (2015 Beat Goes On CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...From Shark To Haggis..." 

Ah the much-maligned Prog Rock of Vertigo Spiral – swirling labels and inner bags ahoy. Scotland's BEGGARS OPERA have had their two previous outings covered by England’s Beat Goes On in November 2014 when they reissued their rare November 1970 debut album "Act One" and its equally hard-to-find follow-up "Waters Of Change" from September 1971 – again both Vertigo releases. Beat Goes On now finish the job off with the band’s forgotten 3rd and 4th outings (their last for Vertigo) – both albums squashed onto one Remastered CD. Here are the 'turn your money green' details...

UK released Friday, 30 October 2015 (November 2015 in the USA) - "Pathfinder/Get Your Dog Off Me!" by BEGGARS OPERA on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1207 (Barcode 5017261212078) breaks down as follow (78:00 minutes):

1. Hobo

2. MacArthur Park

3. The Witch

4. Pathfinder [Side 2]

5. From Shark To Haggis

6. Stretcher

7. Madame Doubtfire

Tracks 1 to 7 are their 3rd studio album "Pathfinder" – released July 1972 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 073. All songs band originals except "MacArthur Park" which is a Jimmy Webb song first covered by Richard Harris. This album is a listed UK rarity at £120 (no USA release).

The Band was:

MARTIN GRIFFITHS – Lead Vocals

ALAN PARK – Keyboards

RICKY GARDINER – Lead Guitars and Vocals

GORDON SELLAR – Acoustic & Bass Guitar and Vocals

RAY WILSON - Drums

8. Get Your Dog Off Me

9. Freestyle Ladies

10. Open Letter

11. Morning day

12. Requiem

13. Classical Gas

14. Sweet Blossom Woman

15. Turn Your Money Green

16. La-Di-Da

17. Working Man

Tracks 8 to 17 are their 4th studio album "Get Your Dog Off Me!" – released July 1973 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 090. All songs are band originals except "Classical Gas" which is a Mason Williams cover version. This album is a UK listed rarity at £40 (no US release).

The Band was:

LINNIE PATERSON – Lead Vocals

RICKY GARDINER – Electric & Acoustic Guitars and Vocals

ALAN PARK – Keyboards

GORDON SELLAR – Acoustic & Bass Guitar and Vocals

COLIN FAIRLIE – Drums (Tracks 8, 9, 11, 14, 15 and 17)

RAY WILSON – Drums (Tracks 10, 12, 13 and 16)

As with all these Beat Goes On CD reissues nowadays - it comes in a tasty outer card slipcase and features a very detailed booklet (16 pages) with great liner notes by noted musicologist NEIL DANIELS. It’s famously elaborate original gatefold sleeve folded into a poster of a ‘Pathfinder’ spaceman on his horse (a listed rarity at £120) – that’s pictured in the centre pages. There are also quotes from previous interviews with Lead Guitarist Ricky Gardiner - but the big news as ever is the new 2015 remaster by ANDREW THOMPSON which reflects the accomplished Production Values of the time (Roger Wake did an exemplary job on "Get Your Dog Off Me!"). Both albums are very clean and warm and even though they’re are traces of hiss on some tracks - its neither dampened by noise reduction nor amplified to impress. This well-played Prog Rock is as it was - just better.

The sophisticated "Pathfinder" album opens with "Hobo" sounding not like Emitt Rhodes circa 1972 (Paul Griffiths' vocals are remarkably similar) – a far more pop affair than the Prog cover would have suggested. If anything it's almost Sparks or even Todd Rundgren. Things stretch out considerably with the clavinet opening to their 8-minute cover of Jim Webb's 1960’s anthem - "MacArthur Park". Beggars Opera make the song suddenly feel like ELP on a cover version bender – and although fans have slagged it off - it's beautifully played and cleverly arranged – the recognisable theme to the song not turning up until nearly two minutes in. Side 1 ends with "The Witch" – a Scott/Gardner composition that is finally Prog as we would recognise it with a heavier guitar riff and Tull flute flourishes. "From Shark To Haggis" is a seven-minute affair with ever-so-slightly Thin Lizzy guitar affectations. The instrumental "Stretcher" has beautiful piano flourishes from Alan Park complimented by Gardiner’s superlative guitar playing (so Brian May) – easily the most accomplished tune on the LP. "Madame Doubtfire" has lyrics like "...sister of Satan...your scorpion sits by your side..." and vocals that ape the worst excesses of Arthur Brown – its derisory stuff I’m afraid.

Sporting an album cover that suggested British Rock 'n' Roll and naughty schoolgirls at pub gigs – "Get Your Dog Off Me!" feels like the band has suddenly had the spirit of Americana invade their camp. It's entirely different and opens with the happy and rhythmically upbeat title track - an acoustic ditty that turns into an Allman Brothers romp and could have been a winning single. Now it goes Rock 'n' Roll with "Freestyle Ladies" where it feels more Foghat than Gentle Giant. "Open Letter", "Turn Your Money Green" and "Working Man" offer more of the same Legend/South End rockers while their cover of Mason Williams’ "Classical Gas" is a hoot.

BEGGARS OPERA re-launched themselves in Germany and put out two albums on Jupiter Records – "Sagittary" (1974) and "Beggars Can't Be Choosers" (1976). Both albums were reissued and remastered on CD by Repertoire in 2007. But if you want to know where that Prog Rock journey started and then morphed into more straight-up British Rock 'n' Roll – this and its superb-sounding CD predecessor is the place to go...

"North Country Maid/Loveinamist" by MARIANNE FAITHFULL (April 2016 UK Beat Goes On Records (BGO) Compilation - 2LPs Remastered Onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...First Time Ever I Saw Your Face..." 

Dogged by decades (not years) of horrible drug dependency and personal trauma – the once high-profile chanteuse of swinging 60ts London (complete with boyfriend Mick Jagger on her arms) has seen life's up and downs more than most and miraculously survived. Homelessness at least twice, the loss of a daughter, physical injury under the influence, croaking on US National TV in front of millions, the glorious comebacks in the 80ts to fantastic collaborative work in the 90ts and 00ts - and all of it while battling a lifelong addiction that threatened to literally overwhelm at any minute. Marianne Faithfull has been there and done that. Aged 70 in December 2016 - by the grace of God and good friends - it's clearly a minor miracle that the Hampstead Lass is alive at all.

Which brings us to these two forgotten but period-cool slices of Folk-Rock (two of three albums she made for England's Decca Records in the 60ts) – "North Country Maid" (April 1966) and "Loveinamist" (March 1967) - bolstered up here with six interesting and relevant bonus tracks. Beautiful and tender traditionals mix with smartly chosen contemporary cover versions of the day (Donovan, Jackie DeShannon, Bob Lind, Tim Hardin et al) – each nestling nicely alongside tinges of hippy Acid Folk akin to The Incredible String Band. It's all up for our digital delectation on this superb and timely BGO 2CD reissue/remaster. Here are the battered and bruised details...

UK released Friday 1 April 2016 (8 April 2016 in the USA) – "North Country Maid/Loveinamist" by MARIANNE FAITHFULL on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1227 (Barcode 5017261212276) features Remasters of 2LPs onto 2CDs with six Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (42:51 minutes):

1. Green Are Your Eyes [Bert Jansch song]

2. Scarborough Fair [Traditional arranged by Jon Mark]

3. Cockleshells [Mick Taylor song, Rolling Stones guitarist]

4. The Last Thing On My Mind [Tom Paxton song]

5. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face [Ewan MacColl song]

6. Sally Free And Easy [Cyril Tawney song]

7. Sunny Goodge Street [Donovan song] – Side 2

8. How Should I Your True Love Know [Traditional arranged by Jon Mark]

9. She Moved Thru' The Fair [Traditional Irish Ballad adapted by Herbert Hughes with lyrics by Padraic Colum, arranged by Jon Mark]

10. North Country Maid [Traditional arranged by Jon Mark]

11. Lullaby [Jon Mark song]

12. Wild Mountain Thyme [McPeake Family song arranged by Jon Mark]

Tracks 1 to 12 are her 4th album "North Country Maid" – released April 1966 in the UK on Decca LK 4778 (Mono only)

BONUS TRACKS:

13. The Most Of What Is Least [Donovan song]

14. Come My Way [Jon Mark song]

15. Mary Ann [Traditional song]

Tracks 13 to 15 first appeared as Previously Unreleased outtakes from the sessions on the August 1990 UK CD Reissue/Remaster of "North Country Maid" on Deram 820-631-2. "Come My Way" and "Mary Ann" appeared on the 1965 American compilation LP from "Go Away From My World" on London Records (see PS below).

Disc 2 (48:24 minutes):

1. Yesterday [Beatles song]

2. You Can't Go Where The Roses Go [Jackie DeShannon song]

3. Our Love Has Gone [Chris Andrews song]

4. Don't Make Promises You Can't Keep [Tim Hardin song]

5. In The Night Time [Donovan song]

6. This Little Bird [John D. Loudermilk song]

7. Ne Me Quitte Pas [Jacque Brel song]

8. Counting [Bob Lind song] – Side 2

9. Reason To Believe [Tim Hardin song]

10. Coquillage [French sung version of the Mick Taylor song "Cockleshells" on "North Country Maid"]

11. With You In Mind [Jackie DeShannon song]

12. Young Girl Blues [Donovan song]

13. Good Guy [Donovan song]

14. I Have A Love [Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim song from "West Side Story"]

Tracks 1 to 14 are her 5th album "Loveinamist" – released March 1967 in the UK on Decca LK 4854 (Mono) and SKL 4854 (Stereo) - Stereo mix used

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Hang On To A Dream [Tim Hardin song]

16. Rosie, Rosie [Kinks song]

17. Monday, Monday [Mamas and Papas song]

Tracks 15 and 16 appeared as Bonus Tracks on the October 1988 UK CD Remaster of "Loveinamist" on Decca 820 632-2. Track 17 appeared on the American compilation LP "Forever Faithfull…" in November 1966 (see below)

As always with BGO - the outer card-slipcase gives the release a classy feel – the 16-page booklet with new JOHN O'REGAN liner notes features basic album credits, some photos and an in-depth musical history of Marianne Faithfull up to 2016 (the details are many and Internet referenced). But the big news is new 2016 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters that sound great – warm and clear without over-trebling it.

Produced by Mike Leander, Engineered by Gus Dudgeon and with song arrangements and playing by Jon Mark - the largely acoustic and overtly Folky "North Country Maid" album benefits greatly from a CD Remaster. Those Jon Mark arranged high strung Spanish guitars on "Scarborough Fair" and "North Country Maid", the gorgeous quivering vocals and lonesome cello note on Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" and the ISB Dulcimer and Sitar flourishes on "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "She Moved Thru' The Fair" - all sound clear and full. Originally appearing as session outtakes on the 1990 Deram CD in the UK - even the three bonus cuts are good. A thumping double-bass along with guitars and clavinet fill "The Most of What Is Least" (a Donovan cover) – while the audio on Jon Mark's outtake "Come My Way" is stupendous – beautifully rendered. "Mary Ann" (not the Ray Charles Atlantic Records hit from 1956) is a Traditional about a ship waiting while he wishes his love 'fare thee well my own true love' – lovely acoustic guitars and double bass. Rolling Stones fans will love Mick Taylor's "Cockleshells" which he arranged and played on too (it appears in French language form on "Loveinamist" – see Track 10) – a very pretty Acoustic song that feels like a long lost classic. There is a small amount of instrument distortion on occasion and evident hiss on the quiet "Lullaby" and the Harmonica wails in "Sunny Goodge Street" but it's never too much to distract on any. Overall the album holds up well with her unique Nico-esque quivering vocals mightily impressive throughout (and those genuinely excellent bonuses are welcome inclusions).

On the evidence of "In The Night Time", "Young Girl Blues" and "Good Guy" – Marianne probably would have made a masterpiece just recording DONOVAN covers. There seemed to be something in his rhythms, words and ideas that made her the perfect conduit. Another sympathetic writer who gets two nods is the lovely Jackie DeShannon – "With You In Mind" being a gorgeous mid-tempo highlight on here – double-vocals, wind instruments and even a harp make it 'so' Sixties cool. "You Can't Go Where The Roses Go" is another sweetie – even if its strings are a tad syrupy. Her second stab at Mick Taylor's "Cockleshells" is a skittish French language version called "Coquilages" which has a very baroque feel and lightness of touch (wicked string arrangements) is arguably better than the English variant. "Counting" was a Bob Lind cover that originally appeared on his "Don't Be Concerned" LP in 1966 on World Pacific Records – the building melodrama features all manner of instruments – especially a crashing drums and string section – the Remaster handling the lot really rather well. Almost from another world compared to the mellow baroque 60ts feel of what's on the rest of the album (like she discovered electrified Bob Dylan) – Tim Hardin's "Don't Make Promises" gets funked up and feels like Fred Neil having a bit of a wig out. It all ends on a string and oboe version of the "West Side Story" classic – "I Have A Love" where despite the heavy-on-the-tears arrangement - her vocal sincerity can be felt in an impressive vocal performance. Far better are the two beautifully recorded bonus cuts – Tim Hardin's "Hang On To A Dream" and The Kinks "Rosie Won't You Please Come Home" (from 1966's "Face To Face"). She retitles the Ray Davies pining melody "Rosie, Rosie" and again gives it a fast pace.

So there you have it – two forgotten and expensive platters to acquire on original vinyl. It’s a damn shame BGO didn't include those tracks that would have made the US compilations possible to sequence – but alas (see below). Having said that - "North Country Maid/Loveinamist" is a superb addition to Beat Goes On's roster of quality CD remasters.

"…I am but a young girl working my way through the phoneys…" Marianne Faithfull sang on "Young Girl Blues" - already beautiful in her world-weary way. Nothing false about the excellence on offer here though…

PS:

Before either "North Country Maid" or "Loveinamist" came out in the UK on Decca - American fans will know that both of these British albums along with her other Decca platter "Marianne Faithful' from May 1965 were amalgamated into two London Records compilations for the US market – "Go Away From My World" in December 1965 and "Faithfull Forever…" in November 1966. Using this 2CD set – US fans can program 'most' of the first album and 'some' of the second LP as follows:

"Go Away From My World" (US Compilation LP), December 1965 on London LL 3452 (Mono) and PS 452 (Stereo)

Stereo mix is used

Side 1:

1. Go Away From My World

2. Yesterday [Disc 2, Track 1]

3. Come My Way [Disc 1, Track 14]

4. Last Thing On My Mind [Disc 1, Track 4]

5. How Should True Love [Disc 1, Track 8]

6. Wild Mountain Thyme [Disc 1, Track 12]

Side 2:

1. Summer Nights

2. Mary Ann [Disc 1, Track 15]

3. Scarborough Fair [Disc 1, Track 2]

4. Lullaby [Disc 1, Track 11]

5. North Country Maid [Disc 1, Track 10]

6. Sally Free And Easy [Disc 1, Track 6]

"Forever Faithfull…" (US Compilation LP), November 1966 on London LL 3482 (Mono) and London PS 482 (Stereo)

Stereo mix used

Side 1:

1. Counting [Disc 2, Track 8]

2. Tomorrow's Calling

3. The First Time [Disc 1, Track 5]

4. With You In Mind [Disc 2, Track 11]

5. In The Night Time [Disc 2, Track 5]

6. Ne Me Quitte Pass (Love Theme From "Umbrellas Of Cherbourg") [Disc 2, Track 7]

Side 2:

1. Monday, Monday [Disc 2, Track 17]

2. Some Other Spring

3. That's Right Baby

4. Lucky Girl

5. I'm The Sky
6. I Have A Love [Disc 2, Track 14]

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is COOL 1960s MUSIC - an E-Book with over 200 entries and 2000 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap).