"Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by STEVIE WONDER (June 2011 Motown 5CD Mini Box Set - 4 x 2000 CD Album Remasters In Repro Card Digipaks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Sunshine Of My Life…" 

Here's one that seems to have slipped by the tired eyes of over-stimulated music lovers. Four bona-fide STEVIE WONDER Seventies masterpieces lumped together in a glossy hard card outer box - each in an oversized gatefold card sleeve with individual booklets ("Songs In The Key Of Life" is split across two card sleeves hence the total of five spines).

It's hardly original I know and there's no new remastering in this 2011 reissue (they're the KEVIN REEVES remasters from 2000 repackaged) - but man what a listen. And if you don't own the 2000 remasters - the box is nicely presented and a truly stunning reminder as to why Stevie Wonder is so beloved. These albums are just unbelievably good. Here are the Inner Visions, Superstitions and Sir Dukes...

Released June 2011 - "Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by STEVIE WONDER on Motown/Universal 0600753366226 (Barcode 600753366226) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (43:30 minutes):

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life

2. Maybe Your Baby

3. You And I

4. Tuesday Heartbreak

5. You've Got It Bad Girl

6. Superstition - [Side 2]

7. Big Brother

8. Blame It On The Sun

9. Lookin' For Another Pure Love

10. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Talking Book" - released October 1972 in the USA on Tamla T-319L and January 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8002. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and recording credits (same as the 2000 remaster). JEFF BECK and BUZZY FEITON play guitar on "Lookin' For Another Pure Love" while RAY PARKER, JR. plays guitar on "Maybe Your Baby". Both SHIRLEY BREWER and DENISE WILLIAMS put in backing vocals on "Tuesday's Heartbreak" while TREVOR LAURENCE (Sax) and STEVE MADALO (Trumpet) are the fantastic Brass Section on the uber funky "Superstition".

Disc 2 (44:15 minutes):

1. Too High

2. Visions

3. Living For The City

4. Golden Lady

5. Higher Ground - [Side 2]

6. Jesus Children Of America

7. All In Love Is Fair

8. Don't You Worry 'Bout A thing

9. He's Misstra-Know-It-All

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Innervisions" - released August 1973 in the USA on Tamla T 326L and October 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8011. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and musical credits (same as the 2000 remaster). LANI GROVES sings Backing Vocals on "Too High" while DEAN PARKS (Acoustic) and DAVID "T" WALKER (Electric) plays Guitars on "Visions" with most other instrumentation played by SW.

Disc 3 (42:36 minutes):

1. Smile Please

2. Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away

3. Too Shy To Say

4. Boogie On Reggae Woman

5. Creepin'

6. You Haven't Done Nothin' - [Side 2]

7. It Ain't No Use

8. They Won't Go When I Go

9. Bird Of Beauty

10. Please Don't Go

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Fulfillingness' First Finale" - released July 1974 in the USA on Tamla T6-332S1 and September 1974 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8019. It has a 12-page colour booklet with lyrics and recording credits (same as the 2000 remaster). DENISE WILLIAMS sings backing vocals on "Smile Please", PAUL ANKA, SYREETA WRIGHT SHIRLEY BREWER and LARRY "Nastyee" LATIMER sing Backing Vocals on "Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away", SNEAKY PETE plays Pedal Steel on "To Shy To Say", MINNIE RIPERTON sings Backing Vocals on "Boogie On Reggae Woman", THE JACKSON 5 sing Backing Vocals on "You Haven't Done Nothin'", LANI GROVES, MINNIE RIPERTON and DENISE WILLIAMS sing backing Vocals on "It Ain't No Use", SHIRLEY BREWER, LANI GROVES and DENISE WILLIAMS sing Backing Vocals on "Bird Of Beauty" while MICHAEL SEMBELLO plays Guitar on "Please Don't Go" and THE PERSUASIONS sing Backing Vocals with SHIRLEY BREWER and DENISE WILLIAMS on "Please Don't Go".

Disc 4 (42:47 minutes):

1. Love's In Need Of Love Today [Side 1]

2. Have A Talk With God

3. Village Ghetto Land

4. Contusion

5. Sir Duke

6. I Wish  - [Side 2]

7. Knocks Me Off My Feet

8. Pastime Paradise

9. Summer Soft

10. Ordinary Pain

Tracks 1 to 10 are Sides 1 and 2 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - released October 1976 in the USA on Tamla T13-340C2 and October 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown TMSP 6002. It has a 28-page booklet with complete album credits (same as the 2000 remaster) with the "A Something's Extra" 4-track EP tagged onto the end of Disc 5.

Disc 5 (62:15 minutes):

1. Isn't She Lovely [Side 3]

2. Joy Inside My Tears

3. Black Man

4. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing [Side 4]

5. If It's Magic

6. As

7. Another Star

A Something's Extra Bonus:

8. Saturn

9. Ebony Eyes

10. All Day Sucker

11. Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

Tracks 1 to 7 are Sides 3 and 4 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - Tracks 8 to 11 are the 4-track EP that came with original copies of the vinyl 2LP set (has no booklet, 2000 remaster).

I love the KEVIN REEVES remasters (done in 2000 at Universal using original tapes ) - warm and full of presence - bringing songs like "You've Got It Bad Girl", "He's Misstra Know-It-All" and "Isn't She Lovely" to life. The only title I find slightly sonically disappointing is "Songs In The Key Of Life" which seems to lack real sparkle on some tracks (the way it was recorded?).

For many Stevie's true musical journey begins with March 1972's "Music Of My Mind" and his new found Seventies sound and songwriting voice - so it's a shame it isn't here. But opening with the gorgeous "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" works for me. You also forget how good tracks like the slow funk of "Maybe Your Baby" and the ballad "You & I" are - "Tuesday Heartbreak" the same. And who can resist the fabulous ARP boogie of "Superstition".

We then of course step up into unmitigated genius with "Innervisions" - second only to "Songs" as a fan fave. Listening again to the beautifully remastered "Too High", "Visions" and "Living For The City" in a row is a thrill - even after 40 years. The album nuggets "All In Love Is Fair" and "Jesus Children Of America" still have that cool and warmth that amazes. It ends on the superb "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" which would surely have been another Top 5 hit.

After the magnificence of "Innervisions" - I can remember that "Fulfillingness First Finale" felt like a bit of a disappointment - but again a rehear and a reappraisal are in order. "Too Shy To Say" is as lovely a tune as he's ever penned and the double-whammy of "Boogie On Reggae Woman" and "You Haven't Done Nuthin'" (with The Jackson 5) are funky moog workouts that still thrill. The Latin-scat of "Bird Of Beauty" is cool too as is the slink of "Creepin'" (great vocal work from Minnie Riperton) and the Smokey Robinson vibe to the finisher "Please Don't Go".

What can you say about "Songs In The Key Of Life" - it feels like "Blonde On Blonde", "The Beatles", "Exile On Main St." and "Physical Graffiti" - a double album you'll never tire off and can dip into for years to come and still seemingly find something new. It opens with the truly gorgeous "Love's In Need Of Love Today" and the brilliance (and social conscience) rarely lets up. I love the instrumental "Contusion" and Minnie Riperton and Denise Williams in the Backing Vocals of the acidic "Ordinary Pain' - with Shirley Brewer singing the angry 'response' lyrics with such conviction as to be positively unnerving. Album nuggets include "Joy Inside My Tears", "Pastime Paradise" and his soaring vocals in "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" brings tears to my eyes. Yet it has to be said that sonically this remaster lets the side down somehow - it feels strangely dull - you'd expect it to deliver - but it's good rather than great. I had the Japanese SHM-CD but I think it's based on the same remaster so that was an expensive waste of money on my part...

Stevie Wonder would annoy everyone with the indulgent 1979 2LP extravaganza "Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants" and then regain his crown with the slimmer "Hotter Than July" in 1980 - but these Seventies marvels are the bedrock of his reputation - and rightly so.

"Classic Album Collection (1972-1976)" by Stevie Wonder is a lovely thing to own or gift to someone you love - joyful and life affirming...like all great music is...

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"From The Witchwood" by STRAWBS (1998 A&M 'ReMasterPieces' Expanded Edition CD Remaster with One Bonus Track) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...A Glimpse Of Heaven..."

After four albums of increasing musical strength and sophistication – England's STRAWBS (shortened from Strawberry Hill Boys) finally rewarded the patience of A&M Records A&R men with a big fat hit album in February 1972 - the fondly remembered "Grave New World". It peaked at No. 11 on the UK charts and following year's "Bursting At The Seams" did even better by going all the way to No. 2 in February 1973.

All of that chart-payoff was laid down in those now forgotten first four LPs – their Folk-Rock period as opposed to the more Prog leanings of 1972 and 1973. And speaking of overlooked musical goodies and masterpieces - I've already reviewed the criminally ignored "Dragonfly" album from 1970 and now want to turn my ranting on to 1971's equally beautiful "From The Witchwood" - a sweetheart of an album given a dinky digital dust off on this superb 1998 CD reissue (it even has a tasty Bonus Track actually worth owning). Here are the Glimpses of Heaven...

UK released July 1998 - "From The Witchwood" by STRAWBS on A&M 540 939-2 (Barcode 731454093927) is an 'A&M ReMasterPieces' Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with One Bonus Track that plays out as follows (41:39 minutes):

1. A Glimpse Of Heaven [Side 1]

2. Witchwood

3. Thirty Days

4. Flight

5. The Hangman And The Papist

6. Sheep

7. Cannondale

8. The Shepherd's Song

9. In Amongst The Roses

10. I'll Carry On Beside You

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 4th album (3rd studio) "From The Witchwood" - released July 1971 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64304 and July 1971 in the USA on A&M Records SP 4304. Produced by TONY VISCONTI - it peaked at No. 39 on the UK charts (didn't chart in the USA)

BONUS TRACK:

11. Keep The Devil Outside

An Hudson-Ford song outtake left over from the "From The Witchwood" sessions - it was originally slated for release as the non-album B-side to the March 1971 UK 7" single for "Witchwood" on A&M Records AMS 874. The single got as far as being pressed up on Demo but then withdrawn (a £30 rarity in the Record Collector Price Guide for 2018). The song eventually showed as the non-album B-side to the UK 7" single for "Benedictus" released December 1971 on A&M Records AMS 874. "Benedictus" was from their next album "Grave New World" – itself eventually arriving in 1972.

The 8-page booklet for this 'A&M ReMasterPieces' reissue gives us a very detailed and smart overview of their career and the album by noted writer JOHN TOBLER with new contributions from Strawbs founder member Dave Cousins. Recorded at Air Studios in London between February and march 1971 - there's a track-by-track playlist for the album with full musician credits and the beautiful 'Vision Of St. Jerome' tapestry from the Spanish Royal Collection that adorned the whole left side of the inner gatefold is also reproduced on Page 2. A bit of a bummer though and a let down is the lyrics which were on the left side of the inner gatefold on original copies - they're not reproduced here when there was obviously plenty of room (and perhaps a photo of the "Benedictus" 45). However what you do get is more than enough to get a lay of the land...

But the big news is of course the Audio - a new ROGER WAKE Remaster carried out at Bourbery-Wake Studios from real tapes with input from one of the group’s principal songwriters - Dave Cousins. This CD Remaster sounds glorious - the album itself awash with acoustic playing and instruments (dulcimer, autoharp, guitars) - all of it layered with Wakeman's piano and Moog flourishes. To my ears each song is improved and even more moving for it somehow - a compliment you want to pay to many a Remaster.

The Strawbs fourth outing was a case of Prog Rock leanings in the band line-up facing off against their Folk-Rock roots. This kind of direction confusion is very evident in the listen - Side 1 all Folky and trippy nice while Side 2's opener "Sheep" feels like Yes and King Crimson had an ugly baby they couldn't bring themselves to give up for adoption. From the opener "A Glimpse Of Heaven" - you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd stumbled on the new Incredible String Band LP complete with made-up fairy lore lyrics (Cousins had met Marc Bolan through Producer Tony Visconti and discussed made-up words/lyrics with the mighty dawn dart from T. Rex). Whatever way you hear it - there's great ideas going on here - least not of all from Rick Wakeman's keyboard touches that add so much (something he'd done on the "Hunky Dory" sessions with David Bowie).

The Strawbs shuffle off the ISB moniker and emerge on the next three songs - the impossibly pretty "Witchwood" and "Thirty Days" and the Fab-Four Acid-Folk of "Flight" - a song on which they sound like The Beatles in 1967 as they've just discovered Magic Mushrooms in a studio full of Acoustic Instruments. I always thought too that the hooky "Thirty Days" would have made a fair stab at a chart single - a sort of McGuinness Flint melody - catchy and warm - especially given the Folk-Rock movement so prevalent in 1971 (the "From The Witchwood" album went to No. 39 where the live set "Just A Collection Of Antiques And Curios" from early 1970 went to No. 27 - so the band's chart presence at this stage wasn't improving). Up next is the musically overwrought and historically loaded Fairport Convention Folk-Rock of "The Hangman And The Papist" - a drum-roll tale of woe of an old English rope-man forced to hang his brother and forever more beg forgiveness for his lack of moral bottle.

For me the Side 2 Prog opener "Sheep" is the worst offender on the album – while lovers of the genre will genuflect in its presence. I like Prog – always have done – but some of it (especially in the indulgences) is hard to take. You can so hear how Wakeman will jump ship for Yes in days - his wild soloing at odds with their sound. There's this strange juxtaposition on "From The Witchwood" with him - he contributes Organ, Piano and Harpsichord to the brilliant "Cannondale" and Mellotron/Moog moments on the pretty "The Shepherd's Song" - and in both cases he adds so much to the overall sound - yet on something like "Sheep" - for me it's out of control. I've always thought the Matthews Southern Comfort vocal beauty of "In Amongst The Roses" is a standout – again Wakeman delivering in the most-subtle way as he tinkles away on a Harpsichord in the background – complimenting exquisite Acoustic playing from Hooper and Cousins. The LP ends on the very Lindisfarne "I'll Carry On Beside You" – another 7" single contender if ever there was one. The convoluted history of the non-album B-side "Keep The Devil Outside" doesn’t stop the fuzzed-up guitar Folk-Rock tune from being a bit of a collector's prize – a nice way to end an excellent CD.

For me the preceding "Dragonfly" from 1970 is a better album – a genuine 5-star masterpiece that deserves rediscovery. But re-listening to 1971's "From The Witchwood" has made me love it again. And in this superb new Audio – like so much of the Strawbs under-appreciated catalogue - another genuine find from those halcyon years...

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"Fearless" by FAMILY (2006 Repertoire 'Limited Edition 4000' Mini LP Artwork Repro CD Remaster with Four Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Daft, I Call It..." 

Family's back catalogue has had its fair share of reissue go-rounds (See For Miles, Essential, Madfish and more). But for me - these dinky Repertoire repro sleeves from 2006 - sporting quality remasters and relevant bonus tracks - are just what I need.

The German reissue label Repertoire re-released just three of these titles in March 2006 - each a limited edition of 4000 non-numbered copies - 1970's "Anyway on Repertoire REPUK 1082 (Barcode 4009910108222) - 1971's "Fearless" on Repertoire REPUK 1083 (Barcode 4009910108321) and 1972's "Bandstand" on Repertoire REPUK 1084 (Barcode 4009910108123). The barcodes were in fact only on the shrink-wrapped stickers that accompanied each reissue - so many got lost once that was ripped open.

As each original FAMILY album (Reprise Records in the UK, United Artists in the USA) came in unique and beautiful packaging - each of these seminal Rock-Prog albums have been ripe for Repro Artwork fiends. Which brings us to one of their best albums - here are the 'daft I call it' details...

UK and Europe released March 2006 (April 2006 in the USA) - "Fearless" by FAMILY on Repertoire REPUK 1083 (Barcode 4009910108321) is a Limited Edition of 4000 Copies with Full Mini LP Repro Artwork (flaps sleeve and red inner) and Four Bonus Tracks (53:46 minutes):

1. Between Blue And Me [Side 1]

2. Sat'd'y Barfly

3. Larf And Sing  

4. Spanish Tide

5. Save Some For Thee

6. Take Your Partners [Side 2]

7. Children

8. Crinkly Grin

9. Blind

10. Burning Bridges

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 6th album "Fearless" - released November 1971 in the UK on Reprise Records K 54003 and February 1972 in the USA on United Artists UAS-5562. Produced by FAMILY and GEORGE CHKIANTZ - it peaked at No. 14 in the UK LP charts and No. 177 in the USA.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. In My own Time

12. Seasons

Tracks 11 and 12 are the non-album A&B-sides of a UK 7" single released July 1971 on Reprise K 14090 (peaked at No. 4)

13. Between Blue And Me (Live)

14. Sing 'Em The Way I Feel (Live)

Tracks 13 and 14 first appeared on the February 2004 CD Reissue of "Fearless” on Mystic MYS CD 172 (Barcode 604388621729)

FAMILY was:

ROGER CHAPMAN - Lead Vocals, Guitars and Percussion

CHARLIE WHITNEY - Guitars, Mandolin and Percussion

POLI PALMER - Keyboards, Vibes, Flute and Percussion

JOHN WETTON - Guitars, Vocals, Contracts and Keyboards

ROB TOWNSEND - Drums, Paiste Cymbals and Percussion

Guests:

The Ladbroke Horns 

Both the UK and American original vinyl LPs came in an elaborate 'flaps sleeve' with a Red Inner bag – lyrics on one side, the other side blank. Repertoire have cleverly repro'd the four-flap gatefold sleeve into a slightly-oversized 5”Mini LP carefully including the 'daft I call it' bunny rabbit on the rear cover along with the 'this album is dedicated to all the people who have pulled strokes for or against us, for they shall be called fearless' quote. They've put the lyrics on one side of the red four-leaf foldout page with the blank side now filled in with JOHN TRACY and his superlative liner notes (John did many of the booklets on the early Decca and Deram CD reissues in the late 80s and early 90s – Savoy Brown, Thin Lizzy, Them, Keef Hartley, Moody Blues, Cat Stevens etc). The rear cover also states a 'Limited Edition' of 4000 (the barcode is only on the outer shrinkwrap and not on the repro).

It doesn't say which Remaster has been used or who did it – but I've never found any Repertoire CD Reissue to be anything other than banging – and their 2006 version of "Fearless" is no different (see my separate reviews for David Clayton-Thomas, Merry Clayton, CCS and All Kooper/Shuggie Otis on Repertoire). This thing sounds great. Let's get to the music...

It opens with "Between Blue And Me" – a gentle acoustic strum intro soon becoming "...waves of emotion, sea of joy..." as the big guitars dominate and Roger Chapman lets rip with that utterly extraordinary voice of his. Even though I've heard it so many times over the years - somehow it keeps growing on me - the drums and bass are particularly prevalent in this transfer. Downtown cruisin' with a diamond pin and a funky hat sees "Sat'd'y Barfly" get all barroom leery with a barrelhouse piano and brass band (drunk as Hell and the band still playing at 4 a.m.). Again it's another clever little bleeder of a song that's actually better than its boozy beat. "...Losing sometimes means you win...if you let the true you thru..." Chapman sings on the very Colin Blunstone "Larf And Sing" - a strange little song with clever vocal passages. "Spanish Tide" is a typically beguiling Family song - all chopping and changing as it chugs along from its sweet clavinet opening - Wetton's King Crimson influence showing in the complicated yet somehow beautiful structure. Side 1 ends with the very Jethro Tull rhythms of "Save Some For Thee" - and once again those brass moments punchy as a kangaroo on crack...

The decidedly jagged "Take Your Partners" is essentially a six-minute guitar work out occasionally interrupted by a few rapidly sung verses - I've always honestly found it hard work. The impossibly pretty "Children" is the opposite - an all-melody acoustic ditty that feels like the carefree child that inspired the song. Poli Palmer penned the short Colosseum/Greenslade keyboard-and-guitar instrumental "Crinkly Grin" - the kind of Fusion Rock that feel like it should have been allowed to play longer. The slide guitars and eerie background soundscape to "Blind" make Family feel like Beefheart's Magic Band chipping away in the background while the master growls his way through 'pictures of people in pain' on the microphone. It ends on my personal fave - "Burning Bridges" - a guitar builder that features amazing vocal patterns and feels like Kevin Ayers swirling around images and sounds over on Harvest Records. The inclusion of the superb July 1971 UK single "In My Own Time" and its chipper B-side "Sometimes" feels like the words 'Bonus Tracks' actually do apply here.

I'd admit that FAMILY would not be everyone’s idea of musical Nirvana and parts of this lovely CD of "Fearless" only hammers that home. But that doesn't stop this from being a very tasty reissue in every department and there's nowt daft about that... 

"Muswell Hillbillies: Legacy Edition" by THE KINKS (2014 RCA/Legacy 1CD+1DVD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Life Is Complicated..."

It seems strange now with the hindsight of 46 years distance that 1971's hugely articulate "Muswell Hillbillies" by THE KINKS was such a commercial dog. Their newest platter and first with RCA Records was released November 1971 on both sides of the pond - but barely managed a No. 100 placing in the US LP charts with a big fat zilch in the UK.

But then again 1970's "Lola Versus Powerman..." and 1971's Soundtrack to "Percy" (both on Pye) hadn’t bothered British LP charts either. In fact - excepting obvious crowd-pleasing hit singles between the LPs like "Lola" and "Apeman" and despite the musical-excellence of what Raymond Douglas Davies & Co. was collectively producing - the public seemed utterly indifferent – especially in their native Blighty. I can recall this album being in bargain bins for decades. Commercially this most British of bands were adrift in arguably their most creative period...

And that's where this rather excellent 2014 'Legacy Edition' 2-Disc reissue of "Muswell Hillbillies" comes in - determined to get us all to see the error of our fatuous ways. Armed with nine Bonus Tracks and a new DVD of period recordings on Disc 2 (all restored) - here are the cups of tea and pints of beer in the Archway Tavern...

UK released 19 December 2014 (10 November 2014 in the USA) - "Muswell Hillbillies: Legacy Edition" by THE KINKS on RCA/Legacy 88843093772 (Barcode 888430937727) is a 2-Disc Reissue and Remaster [1CD + 1DVD] that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 CD "Muswell Hillbillies - The Original Album" (72:30 minutes):

1. 20th Century Man [Side 1]

2. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues

3. Holiday

4. Skin And Bone

5. Alcohol

6. Complicated Life

7. Here Come The People In Grey [Side 2]

8. Have A Cuppa Tea

9. Holloway Jail

10. Oklahoma U.S.A.

11. Uncle Son

12. Muswell Hillbilly

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 11th album "Muswell Hillbillies" - released 24 November 1971 in the UK on RCA Victor Records SF 8243 and in the USA on RCA Victor LSP 4644. Produced by Ray Davies - it peaked at No. 100 on the US LP charts - didn't chart in the UK.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. Lavender Lane

14. Mountain Woman

15. Have A Cuppa Tea (Alternate Version)

16. Uncle Son (Alternate Version)

17. Kentucky Moon

18. Nobody's Fool (Demo)

19. 20th Century Man (Alternate Instrumental Take)

20. Queenie (Backing Track)

21. Muswell Hillbillies Radio Spot

THE KINKS were:

RAY DAVIES - Vocals, Guitars and Keyboards

DAVE DAVIES - Vocals and Guitar

JOHN GOSLING - Keyboards and Accordion

JOHN DALTON - Bass

MICK AVARY - Drums

Guests:

Vicki Brown - Backing Vocals on "Skin And Bone" and "Holloway Jail"

Ken Jones - Harmonica on "Here Come The People In Grey"

Mike Cotton Sound [Mike Cotton, Trumpet - Alan Holmes, Clarinet - John Beecham, Trombone and Tuba] – play on the LP cuts "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues" and "Alcohol" and on "Lavender Lane" in the Bonus Tracks

Disc 2, DVD (NTSC, Region 0):

THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST - BBC TV 4 January 1972

1. Have A Cuppa Tea

2. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues

THE KINKS AT THE RAINBOW - BBC TV 21 July 1972

3. Till The End Of The Day

4. Waterloo Sunset

5. The Money-Go-Round

6. Sunny Afternoon

7. The Virgin Soldier March

8. She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina

9. Alcohol

10. Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues

11. You Really Got Me

What the track list on the rear cover of this Legacy 2-Disc issue doesn't advise is that there's more footage on the DVD in-between tracks than is listed above. "The Virgin Soldier March" section includes the whole of the (rather rough) opening credits to the 1969 John Dexter movie "The Virgin Soldiers" starring Lynn Redgrave, Hywel Bennett, Nigel Davenport, Nigel Patrick and an uncredited David Bowie as a soldier (Wayne Sleep is credited). It features Ray's music playing throughout with the Mike Cotton Sound being the brass band accompanying him. There is also a short interview with Carl Foreman (clearly a fan of Ray Davies and his articulate writing) discussing how Ray's incendiary British lyrics were re-written/softened by the American studios so as not to offend or illicit riots in Washington (marches that didn’t materialise). There is also interviews with the clearly bemused/amused owner of the grimy Archway Tavern Pub in North London and patrons supping pints being asked how they feel now that they've been immortalised on the gatefold album cover (cue more laughter). The Mike Cotton Sound brass ensemble are also introduced by Davies to the live audience at The Rainbow and play with The Kinks on three tracks -  "She Bought A Hat Like Princess Marina", "Alcohol" and "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues".

The three-way foldout digipak offers a new period photo on the left flap with tape boxes pictured beneath each CD and its see-through tray. The 28-page colour booklet is a pleasingly well-endowed affair - pictures of Ray alongside black and whites/colours of the decidedly longhaired five-piece band. The booklet's front and back cover reproduce that photo where the 'Cats On Holiday' shop is all but obliterated by aluminium sheeting. The four-leaf foldout display of centre pages shows foreign picture sleeves for "20th Century Man" (Japan) and sheet music to "Supersonic Rocket Ship" as well as trade adverts and reviews - it even has a 26 June 1972 ticket stub for the Free Trade Hall in Manchester with Steve Goodman as the support act. IRA ROBBINS of New York provides the very entertaining and well-written liner notes - examining the album's themes of Her Majesty's Government interference in normal people's lives - inner city alienation - people in red coming to take him away - all of this working-class British angst wrapped up in American imagery of Shirley Jones, Errol Flynn and Doris Day.

ANDREW SANDOVAL - who handled all of the Universal 'Deluxe Editions' for The Kinks Pye years - is the Project co-ordinator once again. But the big news is a new Remaster - the first generation tapes transferred by RICHARD WHITTAKER at FX Mastering in London and the Remastering carried out by the vastly experienced VIC ANESINI at Battery Studios in New York. Anesini is a name I actively seek out - he's sprinkled his knob-twiddling fairy dust magic on the catalogues of Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Nilsson, Santana, The Jayhawks, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mountain, Carole King and many more. This album was always a muddy mess to me - compounded by that 'Flexi' vinyl crap RCA engaged in at the beginning of the decade. There are hissy moments still on this remastered CD (the acoustic beginning of "Holiday" is just one of them) - but those slide guitars on "Holloway Jail" and the barroom piano on "Have A Cuppa Tea" now have more oomph for damn sure. That drum and guitar intro to "Skin And Bone" has fantastic punch all of a sudden - and there are other moments too. A good job done that's allowed the LP to breathe anew...

As Ray sings "...I was born in a welfare state...ruled by bureaucracy...controlled by civil servants...and people dressed in grey..." on the brilliant opener "20th Century Man" - you gather our Douglas is concerned once again for England's no-longer green and pleasant land and especially its increasingly homogenised and divided populace. Many critics commented on the depth of the song themes and lyrics (there's a lot of them) and their social commentary and insight – but it didn't seem to move the buying public in the same way. Just after the albums release - RCA put the song "20th Century Man" out as a US 45 in December 1971 (RCA Victor 74-0620) with the equally hard-hitting social consciousness of "Skin And Bone" on the B-side. But despite the lyrical/musical strengths of both sides - there were few takers. RCA Britain didn't even bother to support the album with a 7" single - their first UK 45 on RCA Victor being the new "Supersonic Rocket Ship" in May 1972 – which in itself acted as an advance promotion for the "Everybody's In Show Biz" double in August.

The hippy dream is dead and nailed to the wall in the brilliant "Alcohol" where some floozy has fleeced a heartbroken sucker. And The Kinks begin to sound awfully like Lindisfarne's "Fog On The Tyne" and Fotheringay's "Peace In The End" on "Complicated Life" (the accordion and guitars are so much clearer now). You also notice how well Davies has integrated the Mike Cotton Sound brass ensemble into the witty "Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues" and the slide-guitar sneak of "Holloway Jail". I never was a fan of the 'Hallelujah Rosie Lea' cod nostalgia of "Have A Cuppa Tea" (a big nod goes out to Typhoo) - but I'm loving the slide acoustic guitars of "Uncle Son" where The Kinks sound like Ronnie Lane's Slim Chance three years before the event. Recorded 17 October 1971 at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London - the album finisher and title track "Muswell Hillbillies" could easily be one of those Rolling Stones Country-Rock jaunts they throw so effectively into the Blues-Rock mix of their albums ("Let It Bleed" and "Sticky Fingers" jump to mind).

And as ridiculously good outtakes - you'd have to call "Lavender Lane" (a sort of acoustic "Waterloo Sunset"), "Mountain Woman" and the superb piano pain of "Kentucky Moon" - more evidence of the album's greatness (even the rejects were hitting the mark). The 50-second Radio Spot advert tells of "Album of The Year" from many American publications - but the public itself thought otherwise. It's also nice to see the Old Grey Whistle Test and Rainbow footage so clean - and dig those credits to "The Virgin Soldiers" movie from 1969 with Raymond Douglas Davies credited for the music (his full name used).

I'd admit that the hiss levels on some tracks are disappointing - but as I re-listen to this excellent remaster - I'm digging it more and more and my admiration for the LP has gone through the roof. Fans apparently magic-markered their song requests onto paper plates at gigs - flinging them stage-ward as the Band played. Flick your schizophrenic paper plates this way and hope for a reply...

"Watch" by SEATRAIN (January 2017 Beat Goes On CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Bloodshot Eyes..."

Marin County's SEATRAIN made little impact in the UK and "Watch" - their 4th studio album and first/last for Warner Brothers in 1973 - ploughs a poor man's path between substandard America and England Dan and John Ford Coley. It's a strictly 3-star album – but it has at last been given a proper 5-star audio reissue by England's Beat Goes On. Here are the Californian details...

UK released 27 January 2017 - "Watch" by SEATRAIN on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1262 (Barcode 5017261212627) is a straightforward CD Reissue of their 1973 9-track album on Warner Brothers Records that plays out as follows (39:56 minutes):

1. Pack Of Fools [Side 1]

2. Freedom Is The Reason

3. Bloodshot Eyes

4. We Are Children Too

5. Abbeville Fair

6. North Coast [Side 2]

7. Scratch

8. Watching The River Flow

9. Flute Thing

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 4th studio album "Watch" - released March 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2692 and Warner Brothers K 46222 in the UK. Engineered by Jay Messina and Produced by Buell Neidlinger - it failed to chart in either country.

SEATRAIN was:

ANDY KULBERG - Bass, Flute and Lead Vocals

PETER WALSH - Guitar, Bass and Vocals

LLOYD BASKIN - Keyboards, Clavinet and Vocals

BILL ELLIOTT - Keyboards, Accordion and ARP Synth

JULIO CORONADO - Drums

JIM ROBERTS - Lyrics, Vibes, Ideas

Guests:

Sha Na Na - Party Vocals on "North Coast"

Sandra Lee - Duet Vocals on "Freedom Is The Reason"

Bob Stuart on Tuba and Bill Keith on Banjo - "Bloodshot Eyes"

The outer card slipcase is classy looking and the 16-page booklet affords lyrics, full musician credits and a new essay on the band's history by noted writer JOHN O'REGAN. He talks of their 2nd and 3rd albums on Capitol Records being produced by none other than George Martin of Beatles fame. But the big news for fans of this album (long since absent from any decent reissue) is stunning new audio care of a High Definition transfer from real tapes by BGO's resident Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON. This CD sounds amazing and for lovers of the album will be a must buy.

I wish I could say the same about the music. Of all the first four Seatrain albums that cluttered up bargain bins for decades - this non-charter was the most common and it’s painfully obvious why. Setting aside two wildly useless cover versions acting as filler on Side 2 - Bob Dylan's "Watching The River Flow" and Al Kooper's "Flute Thing" instrumental from his days with The Blues Project - the other seven band originals (lyrics by Jim Roberts) are insipid sub Americana tunes without the melodies to keep you interested.

A genuine moment of Soulful Rock though comes in the form of the Kulberg/Roberts composition "Freedom Is The Reason" - but cheese like "We Are Your Children Too" and the cod Vaudeville of "Bloodshot Eyes" are hard to take. Lovers of funky instrumentals by Rock acts with a Soulful tip in them – will dig the hippy Flute and Bongo vibe of "Flute Thing" too - a track that was featured on the Rhino 4CD Box Set for Funky Rare Grooves from the WEA Archives called "What It Is!" in 2006.

This is a beautiful sounding CD for sure - one in a long line from England's Beat Goes On. I just wish I could say the music was worth it. Still - fans of the album and Seatrain in general will absolutely need to own this...