"America" (1971 and 1972 Debut LP) by AMERICA - Inside "Original Album Series" (2012 Warner Brothers/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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Their 1971 Debut Album "America" on Warner Brothers BS 2576

(Reissued in 1972 with "A Horse With No Name" Added) 

"...Living On The Riverside..." 

I never did quite get why America and their Seventies albums are so derided in some quarters – they made a beautiful racket when they hit that CSNY Harmony Vocals sweet spot.

Sure the later stuff could be a tad schmaltzy on occasion – but this dinky little treasure trove offers seekers of Soft Rock an awful lot of good over bad. And "Holiday" from 1974 and "Hearts" from 1975 had the steer-ship of fifth Beatle George Martin at the Producer controls – both huge records - Top 5 albums in their native USA.

However for today – we’re going to concentrate on their rather stunning and now wildly overlooked debut – "America" – launched on an unsuspecting world at the tail end of 1971. Some are calling it a forgotten gem – quiet possibly the follow up to "Deja Vu" Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young never made. Anyway - time to name those horses and flush out that Sandman...

UK released 11 June 2012 - "Original Album Series" by AMERICA on Warner Brothers/Rhino 8122797457 (Barcode 081227974572) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with Five Single Card Repro Sleeves – it plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "America" (46:43 minutes):

1. Riverside

2. Sandman

3. Three Roses

4. Children

5. A Horse With No Name

6. Here

7. I Need You [Side 2]

8. Rainy Day

9. Never Found The Time

10. Clarice

11. Donkey Jaw

12. Pigeon Song

Tracks 1 to 4, 6 and 7 to 12 are their debut 11-track album "America" - released December 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2576 and December 1971 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46093. When the song "A Horse With No Name" (originally a stand alone 7" single) became a US hit in early 1972 (eventually went to No. 1 as did the album) - "America" the LP was repressed using the same American catalogue but with that track slotted in on Side 1 between "Children" and "Here" making it a 12-track LP. It is this version that is represented here (the UK 11-track LP and even later represses never featured "A Horse With No Name"). Produced by AMERICA, IAN SAMWELL and JEFF DEXTER - it peaked at No. 1 on the US LP charts and No. 14 in the UK.

Disc 2 "Homecoming" (33:20 minutes):

1. Ventura Highway

2. To Each His Own

3. Don't Cross The River

4. Moon Song

5. Only In Your Heart

6. Till The Sun Comes Up Again [Side 2]

7. Cornwall Blank

8. Head & Heart

9. California Revisited

10. Saturn Nights

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Homecoming" - released November 1972 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2655 and December 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46180. Produced by AMERICA - it peaked at No. 9 in the USA and No. 21 in the UK.

Disc 3 "Hat Trick" (41:35 minutes):

1. Muskrat Love

2. Wind Wave

3. She's Gonna Let You Down

4. Rainbow Song

5. Submarine Ladies

6. It's Life

7. Hat Trick [Side 2]

8. Molten Love

9. Green Monkey

10. Willow Tree Lullaby

11. Goodbye

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 3rd studio album "Hat Trick" - released November 1973 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2728 and November 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56016. Produced by AMERICA - It peaked at No. 28 in the USA and No. 41 in the UK.

Disc 4 "Holiday" (32:56 minutes):

1. Miniature

2. Tin Man

3. Another Try

4. Lonely People

5. Glad To See You

6. Mad Dog

7. Hollywood [Side 2]

8. Baby It's Up To You

9. You

10. Old Man Took

11. What Does It Matter

12. In The Country

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 4th studio album "Holiday" - released July 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers W 2808 and July 1974 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56045. Produced by GEORGE MARTIN - it peaked at No. 3 in the USA (didn't chart in the UK)

Disc 5 "Hearts" (36:17 minutes):

1. Daisy Jane

2. Half A Man

3. Midnight

4. Bell Tree

5. Old Virginia

6. People In The Valley

7. Company [Side 2]

8. Woman Tonight

9. The Story Of A Teenager

10. Sister Golden Hair

11. Tomorrow

12. Seasons

Tracks 1 to 12 are their fifth studio album "Hearts" - released April 1975 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2852 and April 1975 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56115. Produced by GEORGE MARTIN - it peaked at No. 4 in the USA (didn't chart in the UK).

AMERICA was:

DEWEY BUNNELL - Lead Vocals and Guitars

GERRY BECKLEY - Guitars and Vocals

DAN PEEK - Bass, Acoustic Guitars and Vocals 

The elaborate tri-gatefold that came with "Homecoming" and the inners and inserts that came with "Hat Trick" and the others are all AWOL in the single sleeve card sleeves and apart from track lists on the generic coloured CDs - there is bugger all by way of info with these multiple packs. As you can see from the front and rear album cover photos provided for "America" – the credits are barely legible and at this price that’s to be expected.

But the Audio is superb throughout – really great. Take "To Each His Own" on "Homecoming" or "Muskrat Love" on "Hat Trick" or "I Need You" on here - I've had Remasters of these and the audio here is pretty much the same - very clear - beautiful really. Now let’s talk about the debut in full...

It seems funny now to think that the British got the drop on America. The whole of their 11-track self-titled debut album "America" was recorded at Trident Studios in London with Dewey Bunnell's "A Horse With No Name" recorded later at Morgan Studios (in North London). Perhaps suspecting that its incessant hook was a chart winner – Warners decided to issue it as a stand-alone single prior to the album. So 21 November 1971 saw the UK 7" Demo for "A Horse With No Name" appear on Warner Brothers K 16128 as a 3-track EP - the non-album "Everyone I Meet Is From California" being A2 and the album's "Sandman" on the flipside. There is even a very rare Promo-Only picture sleeve for this issue interestingly with the tracks on the wrong order on the P/S.

The album appeared post Christmas December 1971 in both the USA and UK minus "A Horse With No Name". But when American DJs got hold of Warner Brothers WB 7555 in February 1972 (the release date for the US 45) they began playing that 'Neil Young' song listeners were asking for (Bunnell's nasal whine was similar to NY's voice). "A Horse With No Name" quickly began to build massive momentum - so much so that it eventually made the No. 1 spot (the LP did the same). Warner Brothers USA repressed the "America" LP with the same catalogue number as a 12-track reissue with the hit single slotted into Side 1 between "Children" and "Here". In fact the song had such legs that they pressed up a third variant of the vinyl LP which actually says 'Includes The Hit Single "A Horse With No Name"' in boxed print on the front cover lest you didn’t twig what goodies lay within. As a by the way – with Neil Young’s "Harvest" tearing up the US LP charts from the moment it was released in February 1972 – many American buyers thought America’s single was a song by him. It went as far apparently as one clever DJ dubbing the debut America album as "A Horse With No Neil" (he haw).

Speaking of bum notes - it's a bit of a shame that the jaunty and quite brilliant non-album B-side "Everyone I Meet is from California" isn't on Disc 1 as a further bonus. But what you do get is the similarly structured "Riverside" - as lovely a song as has ever opened an LP and a huge fan fave (Warners UK put it on the flipside of "I Need You" in August 1972 – Warner Brothers K 16178). I've always cringed at the drone of "Sandman" if I’m completely honest (and those nonsense lyrics). I'd rather be listening to the 'stop and see what I'm on about' song "Three Roses" - a wickedly infectious acoustic melody that still sounds amazingly fresh 46 years after the event.

The strummed "Here" – the piano love song "I Need You" and the gorgeous "Never Found The Time" (very Mercury Years Rod Stewart in its own way) – will all probably elicit tears amidst men of a certain age. And that acoustic guitar build-up intro to "Donkey Jaw" sounds beautiful and if it had the moniker Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young before it instead of America – would be declared a ‘quit ravishing the land’ masterpiece by every journo for miles.

"America" is a wonderful debut album – tunes – playing – top quality Production values – a pigeon named Fred - it was all there and still is... 

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"Santana III: Legacy Edition - Enhanced OPENDISC Version" (2008 Columbia/Legacy 2CD Reissue with 2006 Vic Anesini Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Moment Is Calling..."

When Santana's third album was first released September 1971 on vinyl LP in the USA (Columbia KC 30595) it was simply entitled "Santana" – confusing as the 1969 debut (not surprisingly) had exactly the same title. The initial October 1971 British pressings of "III" adopted a more practical approach by calling it "Santana 3" on both the label and a gold sticker affixed to the other gatefold sleeve of CBS Records S 69015 (later British stickers would refer to it as "Santana (The Third Album)” but return to the US credit on the label of just "Santana"). But of course over the years it has become known as "Santana III" for Reissue purposes – especially on CD.

Following on from the hugely popular "Abraxas" in 1970 (their first No.1 album) – fans bought it in droves but reviews and feelings were mixed. And while I don't know about "III" being their 'difficult' third album musically (it became their second No.1 in the USA - difficult or not) - what is confusing is the myriad number of CD reissues surrounding it and I'd like to try to address that before reviewing the music. Here goes...

The first real CD Remaster for "Santana III" came in April 1998 as a single-disc 'Expanded Edition' on Columbia 489544 2 (Barcode 5099748954428 - UK Issue) – a 12-Track Super-Bit Remaster that included Three Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks (41:09 minutes). The extras turned out to be 'Live' Recordings taped 4 July 1971 at San Francisco's Fillmore West (owned by the legendary Bill Graham) - "Batuka", "Jungle Strut" and "Gumbo". That disc is still available on Amazon Reference B00K0OLWXU. [Note: there is a limited edition reissue variant of this CD on Columbia 489544 9 (Barcode 5099748954497) released October 2000 with the same tracks and 'digipak' repro artwork - Amazon Reference is B00004SD4U]

Version 2 arrived April 2006 in UK and Europe and was the 35th Anniversary 2CD 'Legacy Edition' Reissue on Columbia/Legacy 82796902702 (Barcode 827969027028). This first variant came in the then customary outer plastic slipcase with a gatefold foldout digipak contained within and expanded booklets - but was deleted quickly and is now quite hard to find in that presentation - Amazon Reference B000E6EJCK).

But to confuses issues yet further - September 2008 (and again in April 2014) saw the same 2CD 'Legacy Edition' reissued as an 'Enhanced OPENDISC' version on Columbia/Legacy 88697352462 (Barcode 886973524626) - Amazon Reference B00K0OLWXU. Both the 2006 and 2008 'Legacy Edition' variants carry the same physical music - but the 2008 'Opendisc' Reissue is in a double-cd jewel case and has a vastly truncated 8-page booklet. However it offers 'exclusive material' via your Computer and the Web that is not on the original 2006 issue. It is this version I will review (podcasts, radio shows, full liner notes and photos). Here are the details...

UK released 19 September 2008 - "Santana III: Legacy Edition - Enhanced OPENDISC Version" by SANTANA on Columbia/Legacy 88697352462 (Barcode 886973524626) is a 2CD Reissue (2006 Remaster) with Exclusive Content accessed via Computer/Web and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (66:43 minutes):

1. Batuka [Side 1]

2. No One To Depend On

3. Taboo

4. Toussaint L'Overture

5. Everybody's Everything [Side 2]

6. Guarjira

7. Jungle Strut

8. Everything's Coming Our Way

9. Par Los Rumberos

Tracks 1 to 9 are their third studio album "Santana" aka "Santana III" - released September 1971 in the USA on Columbia KC 30595 and October 1971 in the UK on CBS Records S 69015. Produced by SANTANA BAND - it peaked at No. 1 in the USA and No. 6 in the UK.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Gumbo

11. Folsom Street One

12. Banbeye

13. No One To Depend On (Single Version) - January 1972 USA 7" Single 'Edit' of 3:13 minutes - A-side on Columbia 4-45552. Released 30 March 1972 as UK 7" single A-side (also an edit) on CBS Records S CBS 7842 (the album track "Taboo" was its B-side in both countries)

Tracks 10, 11 and 12 are Previously Unreleased 'Studio' Versions. A Previously Unreleased 'live' version of "Gumbo" appeared on the April 1998 CD Remaster - that track has been moved over to Disc 2 so that the 2nd CD is a cohesive 'full concert' of the 4 July 1971 date at The Fillmore West in San Francisco.

Disc 2 (57:51 minutes):

1. Batuka

2. No One to Depend On

3. Toussaint L'Overture

4. Taboo

5. Jungle Strut

6. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen

7. Incident At Neshabur

8. In A Silent Way

9. Savor

10. Para Los Rumberos

11. Gumbo

All Tracks recorded 4 July 1971 at The Fillmore West in San Francisco. Tracks 1, 5, and 11 were the Bonus trio of Tracks on the 1998 CD Remaster - Track 7 and 8 first appeared on the July 1972 3LP Box Set "Fillmore - The Last Days" on Fillmore Records Z3X-31390 - reissued February 1991 as a 2CD set in the USA on Columbia Z2K 31390 - Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED.

First up is the ludicrous 'Opendisc' set up – only available to those who use PCs and Microsoft Windows (I use a Mac so its useless to me). You supposedly enter Disc 1 into your computer and it asks you join-up to a website - but mates of mine who have PCs have said it fails - most likely because the site is no longer active. Apparently the last updated element on their website was 2012 - so I'm essentially left with a 2CD set that calls itself a 'Legacy Issue' but has none of the full annotation the original had because its all supposed to be accessible online. The only upside is that this variant is cheap – less than seven quid in some places – whilst the deleted 2006 original with its distinctive 'Legacy Edition' plastic slipcase is pushing near thirty. All that reissue shenanigans aside - let's get to the music...

Audio Engineer VIC ANESINI has mastered the Legacy Edition - and his is a name I actively seek out when it comes to quality transfers. His skills can be found on a lot of much-praised Columbia releases – Elvis Presley, Carole King, Simon & Garfunkel, Mountain, Nilsson, Paul Simon, The Isley Brothers, Mott The Hoople, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Jayhawks and Santana (to name but a few). The Audio sound stage here is wonderful – full of huge presence - the massive rhythm sections in Santana threatening to invade your living room and set up summer camp there. A sweet job done...

III opens with "Batuka" - a stunning fusion instrumental with Carlos letting rip. Percussionists Michael Carabello and Coke Escobedo came up with the winner "No One To Depend On". Recorded 16 June 1971 - the full album version runs to 5:31 minutes with Gregg Rolie on Lead Vox with Rico Reyes providing those back-up chorus vocals. But I actually prefer the more economical 7" single edit - a smart inclusion on Disc 1 as a Bonus Track. Keyboardist/Vocalist Gregg Rolie and Percussionist Jose Areas contributed my other fave-rave on the album - the brilliant Santana slink of "Taboo" - the remaster giving sexy life to those swirling guitars and that Tabla rhythm - the closest the album gets to the brilliance of "Abraxas". In fact when I think about the full 5:34 minute album version of "Taboo" on the B-side of edited "No One To Depend On" – that’s one helluva 45. The six-minute Side 1 finisher "Toussaint L'Overture" is a band effort - Michael Shrieve and Carlos amidst the six-name credits. It's a Latin-Rock Funk-Fusion wig out - pulsing and racing with life and rhythms and that feeling that somehow this music is still new and fresh. 

Party-time arrives with the brassy "Everybody's Everything" - the Tower of Power horn section aided by a stunning Neal Schon guitar solo (a 17-year old with dreams of Journey only a couple of years later). Apparently its an adaptation of a song called "Karate Boogaloo" by The Emperors on Brunswick 55333 in 1967 - hence the triple credit to Carlos Santana, Tirone Moss and Milton D Brown. September 1971 saw the US 7" single for "Everybody's Everything" issued on Columbia 4-45472 with "Guarjira" on the flipside - it peaked at No. 12 on the US singles charts. I must admit I find "Jungle Strut" (a Gene Ammons song) and especially the weedy vocals on "Everything's Coming our Way" the least interesting stuff on the album - but the Tito Puente cover "Para Los Rumberos" brings it all back to their Latin roots with breakneck percussion.

For me what makes this whole release worth it is the Bonus Material - especially that live concert now all lumped together onto Disc 2. Back to Disc 1 for a moment. I frankly think the 'studio' version of "Gumbo" rocks like a mother - a four-minute guitar fest from Carlos Santana and Neal Schon. But the seven-minute "Fulsom Street - One" instrumental outtake is the stuff of Funky Latin legend. Recorded January 1971 (early in the sessions) - man is this band cooking - bopping and swaying - that sexy rhythm now given flute flourishes and extended piano/guitar solos. As a guy who loves his Soul with a Funky Rock tip - I'm absolutely eating this sucker up. Then we get hit with 10:21 minutes of "Banbeye" recorded a month later in February 1971. Again a sexy rhythm is set up with percussion and piano and chanting voices - but its nearly seven minutes before Carlos comes sailing in - testing the waters with distant guitar notes. As the Tabla pounds and the drums whack all around your speakers - it's a rhythm romance for ten minutes and an outtake for sure - but such a pleasing one after all these years.

The live show features a slick full album two-track combo version of "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen" followed shortly afterwards by a song you don't hear too many people cover - Joe Zawinul's "In A Silent Way" from his 1971 Atlantic records debut LP. It’s a seven-minute piece with beautiful 'feel' playing from Carlos - sensual to start with - then sexy funky thereafter and finally arriving back at vibes and shimmering guitar notes. What a sweet find. Abraxas fans will also love the relatively short 5:28 minutes of "Incident At Neshabur" as opposed to the sidelong live effort on 1973's "Lotus". And on it goes with a barnstorming "Savor" where you can feel the rafters shaking and the Fillmore crowd grooving....

The 2CD 'Legacy Edition' of "Santana III" is a triumph musically - but you'd have to dock it a star for this 'doesn't really work' Opendisc version that short changes punters on the annotation and non-accessible online-content fronts.

But man oh man - the music - that Santana boy and his band could play...

"Freedom Means" by THE DELLS with Larry Wade, Terry Callier & Charles Stepney (2015 Caroline CD Reissue - Nick Robbins Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Heed The Call!" 

1971 was a huge year for Soul Music - especially American Soul. Marvin Gaye's staggering "What's Going On" on Tamla (which many argue is the greatest LP every made in any genre and they might be right) - Aretha Franklin's right-on Grooveathon "Aretha Live At Fillmore East" and the Blaxploitation big daddy of them all (with a dose of extra bling) - Isaac Hayes' "Shaft". All of them went to the coveted No. 1 spot on the US R&B charts in 1971. Even Curtis Mayfield's socially conscious inner city opus "Curtis" on Curtom Records proved to have extended legs from its release in October 1970 when it too went all the way - eventually hitting the No. 1 spot in February 1971 and staying there for 5 weeks.

But I'd argue it was a stunning and pivotal year because of those 'other' albums you hear about in hushed tones and deep Soul-worshiping circles. I'm talking about Bobby Womack's "Communication" on United Artists - Earth, Wind & Fire's eponymous debut on Warner Brothers – The Isley Brothers doing Rock in a Soulful way on their awesome covers album "Givin' It Back" on T-Neck and Gil Scott-Heron's beat poetry vs. music mash-up "Small Talk At 125th And Lennon" on Flying Dutchman (I've reviewed most). I'd like to add my further penny's worth with Minnie Riperton's "Come To My Garden" on GRT Records - The (New) Rotary Connection's "Hey, Love" on Cadet - and released in the same month of August 1971 and on the same label - the wonderful "Freedom Means" by The Dells. All of the last three mentioned have a connection – they were Arranged and Produced by the genius that was CHARLES STEPNEY.

Stepney is a big name in small circles and I've been singing his praises in my SOUNDS GOOD e-Book on 'Soul, Funk and Jazz Fusion' for years (he was sadly lost to us in May 1976 aged only 46). But what puts "Freedom Means" up there is the alliance on the same record with Stepney and Soul Boys/Songwriting Heroes - Larry Wade and Terry Callier. This dynamic-duo provided six of the nine songs on the LP and man you hear it. Which brings us to this 2015 Reissue...

Caroline International/SoulMusic Records are part of the Cherry Red network of UK labels and they are clearly pleased with their very cool and lovely Remaster. This is a beauty and they know it. Let's get to the music and the meaningful details...

UK released December 2015 - "Freedom Means" by THE DELLS on Caroline International/SoulMusic Records CAROLR 033CD (Barcode 600753663097) is a straightforward CD Reissue/Remaster of the 1971 US album that plays out as follows (40:28 minutes):

1. Freedom Means [Side 1]

2. Rather Be With You

3. The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)

4. One Less Bell To Answer

5. It's All Up To You

6. Medley: If You Go Away/Love Story [Side 2]

7. Make It With You

8. Free And Easy

9. Melody Man

10. Freedom Theme

Tracks 1 to 10 are their album "Freedom Means" - released August 1971 in the USA on Cadet Records CA 50004 (no UK issue). Produced and Arranged by CHARLES STEPNEY - it peaked at No. 4 on the US R&B charts and No. 81 on the Pop charts.

NOTE: There are only 9 actual songs on the album - "Freedom Theme" at the end of Side 2 (credited to Charles Stepney) was merely a 20-second segment of silence (a statement of sorts on the times). To keep the integrity of the whole album - Caroline have included it here anyway.

THE DELLS were:

JOHNNY CARTER and VERNE ALLISON – Tenor Vocals

MARVIN JUNIOR and MICKEY McGILL – Baritone Voices

CHUCK BARKSDALE – Bass Vocals

Musicians:

Guitars – Phil Upchurch, Terry Callier and Patrick Ferreri

Trombones – John Avant and Morris Ellis

Trumpets – Arthur Hoyle and Murray Watson

French Horns: Ethel Merker and Richard Olberg

Piano – Charles Stepney

Harp – Edward Druzinsky

Bass – Sidney Simms and Phil Upchurch

Percussion – Morris Jennings, Sheldon Elias and Donny Simmons

Violins, Cellos and Violas – Various

In a sumptuous 16-page booklet – A. SCOTT GALLOWAY gives us superb liner notes that feature newly arranged interviews with surviving singer Mickey McGill as well as reminiscences down through the years from Callier, Wade and even Stepney himself. There's a great photo of Larry Wade with Terry Callier in 2000 looking like two elder statesmen of Soul – label repros of Side 1 and 2 for the Cadet CA 50004 LP as well as repros of the desirable Cadet/Checker US 7" singles for the two singles lifted off the album - "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)" b/w "Freedom Means" on Cadet CA 5683 (July 1971) and "It's All Up To You" b/w "Oh, My Dear" on Cadet 5689 (January 1972). It's really well done and gives genuine insight into facts around the songs and the recordings - insider info that was all but mystery only a few years ago.

But the big news is the Audio – a truly stunning NICK ROBBINS Remaster from original tapes. Nick has done literally hundreds of CDs for Ace Records of the UK and especially their beloved Kent-Soul imprint. This is a guy who knows his way around a Soul Record and a master box. The full lushness of Stepney's arrangements (there's fifteen players for Violins, Cellos and Violas in the booklet credits alone) and the other great musicians and their obvious skills is now in proper evidence. I had a few of these tracks on the Dells double-CD "Standing Ovation: The Very Best Of 1966-1988" from Universal in 2007 (see separate review) – they were remastered by the mighty Erick Labson and were uniformly stunning. But somehow, somewhere - Robbins has managed to wrench more. Fans of the album and Stepney-orientated material will love this.

Written by Wade, Stepney and Callier and somehow reflecting the heady days of blacks and whites finally coming together in some kind of shared bond - the album opens with the upbeat message song "Freedom Means". A spoken intro advises that speaking right out - finding space in time - working it all out together - is where it's at (man). The smooch vocals soon turn into a righteous groove with the little guitar flicks of Phil Upchurch subtly evident. Wade, Stepney and Callier song number two is the busy "Rather Be With You" - a love song with a pulse. Callier would return to the song almost two years later (as "I'd Rather Be With You") for release on his "What Color Is Love" album (Cadet CA 50019 in March 1973). Callier's later cut is a leaner version - his gorgeous voice carrying the melody yet again. The Dells version of "Rather Be With You" initially features the huge Bass lungs of Chuck Barksdale singing sexily into his lady's ears only to be joined by Bacharach type brass and the complimentary Tenor voice of Johnny Carter. It's a hugely romantic song and with Barksdale's deep timber has more than a shade of Brook Benton over on Atlantic Records.

Magic then wallops you in the proverbial goolies – the sensational "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)". Marvin Junior gets a lion's share of the passionate outbursts - but all five voices are up there harmonising like pros to make a sublime cohesive whole. This song alone makes the album five-stars and is surely one of the loveliest examples of Harmony Soul out there (the public took it to heart too over the months eventually putting it up to No. 8 on the R&B charts and even giving it a No. 30 placing on the normally resistant Rock and Pop charts). "One Less Bell To Answer" is the first of three cover versions - a Burt Bacharach and Hal David creation made famous by The 5th Dimension who put their version on Bell 940 on the No. 2 spot in late 1970. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of this overly busy song - or the Jacques Brel/Rod McKuen combo of "If You Go Away/Love Story" - the second cover on the LP. Both may have some reaching for the word 'cheese' and the remote control's forward button. Better is the very Terry Callier "It's All Up To You" which feels 5th Dimension but in a more genuinely joyful way.

Their 3rd cover is the David Gates Bread classic "Make It With You" which The Dells radically rearrange into a Funky Stroller with Brass. Galloway's liner notes reckon it's a rare misstep - but I love it better than the supposed wonder of that "Love Story" talking-schlock. But they fade into memory as I totally trip out on another fave-rave of mine  - the stunning groove of "Free And Easy" - where Phil Upchurch finally gets to shine for close on five minutes. The voices swing and sway and there he is - flicking away on the frets - complimenting the very 'California Soul' groove in the melody. Apparently Stepney had charts for Upchurch to play - but he also knew that the virtuoso guitarist liked to improvise and 'feel it' (like all great Jazzers) - so that's what he let Upchurch do (this is why so many musicians wanted to work with CS - he understood how to get the best out of them). The lead vocals are also just stunning - one for that cool 70ts Soul CD-R you need to impress pals with. "Melody Man" brings it home and the 20-seconds of "Freedom Theme" feels like an eerie ghost somehow trying to tell us something important from the past...a quiet and 'be still' moment...

Barksdale wisely commented once - "...God allotted Charles Stepney just so much time to be here...that was time exquisitely spent..."

Spend some of your cash on this exquisitely realised CD Reissue/Remaster. 

And well done to all at Caroline International and more from the criminally ignored Cadet/Checker labels purlease...

"Nick Drake" by NICK DRAKE [August 1971 USA-Only LP Compilation on Island Records SMAS-9307 - Compiled From Inside 2013's 5CD "Tuck Box" on Universal) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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GET IT ON - 1971

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August 1971 US-Only 8-Track LP "Nick Drake" on Island SMAS-9307

"...You're A Very Rare Find..."

A bloody rare find indeed!

The first mention of this staggeringly hard-to-find album is the 31 July 1971 publication of Billboard in the USA – amazingly given a whole page heralding the immanent coming of Nick Drake's debut American LP "Nick Drake" on Island Records SMAS-9307 (Island was then distributed Stateside by Capitol Records hence the SMAS prefix on the catalogue number). Even now in 2017 – this expensive full-page confidence seems amazing - nestled amongst sizeable adverts for Humble Pie's "Rock On", AMPEX Tape Machines and how many Rock Bands had used SHURE microphones to get down their shtick – there it sits - a stark full-page advert for Island SMAS-9307. But who outside of industry insiders noticed?

Using the rear cover photo of September 1969's "Five Leaves Left" as its front aspect (the blurred man running past Nick who is stood up against a wall) – that snap is centred on a gatefold cover that bears no title on the front. The advert advises that he's had two albums in Blighty and that this is a compilation of songs from both. It also tells us that American punters have called in after hearing DJs play UK imports of his first two records – asking for such a release on their turf (oh yeah).

The cold commercial truth was probably a lot less generous and not so grass roots. In the same 31 July 1971 Billboard publication is another full-page advert without any words at all – just a photo of a beaming James Taylor standing beside an equally elated Carole King. Carole’s magisterial "Tapestry" had been released in February on Ode 70 Records and Taylor's second LP "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" on Warner Brothers in June of 1971. With both albums slaughtering all in their Grammy-winning singer-songwriter path (LPs and 45s) – someone at Island USA was more likely trying to tap into that same burgeoning market when they compiled the 8-song "Nick Drake".

They even went as far as giving the LP a rather lovely inner gatefold with a smiling carefree Nick reclining in green English grass - the track credits printed tastefully over to the right of the double-spread photo. Technically - the 1971 American LP "Nick Drake" featured 3 tracks from "Five Leaves Left" (1 on Side 1 and 1 and 2 on Side 2) with the five remaining being from "Bryter Layter". It can be sequenced as follows:

Side 1:

1. 'Cello Song

2. Poor Boy

3. At The Chime Of A City Clock

4. Northern Star

Side 2:

1. River Man

2. Three Hours

3. One Of These Things First

4. Fly

The following week – 8 August 1971 – it gets a single line entry in the New Releases section and is never heard of again. In a final act of superstar cult recognition – it was repressed using the year 2000 John Wood Remasters onto a vinyl LP with a poster for Record Store Day 2013. No longer a Poor Boy thank God. On to the music...

You can digitally sequence this 8-track LP by buying the two stand-alone CD Remasters from June 2000 – his September 1969 debut "Five Leaves Left" and his second LP – November 1970’s "Bryter Layter". But you can absolutely never have enough of ND – so I’d advise taking the immersive plunge and plum for the 5CD "Tuck Box" from December 2013 - a treasure trove of beautiful music presented in a really lovely way.

"Tuck Box" by NICK DRAKE is a 5CD Box Set on Universal/Island 0602537538546 (Barcode 602537538546) that consists of 5CDs in repro card digipaks with 5 accompanying foldout colour posters - the press-released full-page adverts for each album. As you can see from the photo – Universal have used his N. R. Drake '69 schoolroom Tuck Box as the Box set’s artwork.

The first 3 CDs in this Box Set are his officially released catalogue before his tragic loss in 1974 – the 28 June 2000 CD remasters done by SIMON HEYWORTH and JOHN WOOD (the albums original engineer). The sound quality on all three sets is absolutely exceptional - carefully and beautifully transferred. And of course his music is magical Singer-Songwriter Folk-Rock of the highest quality – songs imbibed with joy, sadness and a rare pathos that reaches out across the decades even now.

To sequence the American LP - the two CDs you'll need are...

Disc 1 "Five Leaves Left" (41:45 minutes):

1. Time Has Told Me [Side 1]

2. River Man

3. Three Hours

4. Way To Blue

5. Day Is Done

6. ‘Cello Song [Side 2]

7. The Thoughts Of Mary Jane

8. Man In A Shed

9. Fruit Tree

10. Saturday Sun

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut UK album "Five Leaves Left" - released 1 November 1969 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9105 - reissued on Remaster CD in June 2000.

Disc 2 "Bryter Layter" (39:26 minutes):

1. Introduction [Side 1]

2. Hazey Jane II

3. At The Chime Of A City Clock

4. One Of These Things First

5. Hazey Jane I

6. Bryter Layter [Side 2]

7. Fly

8. Poor Boy

9. Northern Sky

10. Sunday

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd UK studio album "Bryter Layter" - released 1 November 1970 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9134 - reissued on Remaster CD in June 2000.

The compilers of the 8-track American LP clearly saw the pattern across his first two British albums - acoustic based tunes with the double-bass acting as a rhythm section - providing each with that lovely shuffle his best music has.

The irrepressible "'Cello Song" opens proceedings – a stunner that gets me every time. The hiss levels increase a tad unfortunately on "At The Chime Of A City Clock" but not enough to detract - while "Northern Sky" still exudes romantic 'magic' every time I hear it and has been used in movies for just such a purpose (that ice-rink scene with Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack at the end of "Serendipity"). Another huge favourite is the gorgeous "One Of These Things First" and the jazzy "Poor Boy" – both sounding like a male-fronted Fairground Attraction decades before their time.

In a 'starry, starry night' kind of way - you just can't help thinking that someone as beautiful as Nick Drake deserved glory – but received so little of it on either side of the pond. And when you sequence these eight songs together – you wonder how so many simply didn’t get it back then.

A gorgeous reminder and perhaps the coolest vinyl rarity you can now have in your digital home for a CD pittance.

"...Please give me a second grace..." – he sang on the "Bryter Layter" ballad "Fly". 

I couldn’t agree more... 

"Cahoots" by THE BAND (2000 Capitol 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 500 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

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"...Life Is A Carnival...Take Another Look..."

Forever the ugly child to its older siblings (1968's "Music From Big Pink", 1969's "The Band" and 1970’s "Stage Fright") - on American release in October 1971 The Band’s fourth studio outing "Cahoots" lumbered up to No. 21 on the US charts and was gone by the end of the year. Dismissed by many in the Press at the time as a 'band' already showing signs of being past it and except for sporadic moments of that old magic - running on empty - "Cahoots" was considered by tastemakers as one of those five-out-of-ten LPs that you buy anyway because you’re such a nerdy fan – nay even sucker.

In fact in Blighty - where The Band and their musings had reached almost mythical levels amongst musicians and certain parts of the public - the LP managed a staggeringly bad one single week on the UK LP charts in November when it was released there – unceremoniously excluded from Christmas stockings by Scrooge-faced punters humming and hawing at the mere sight of it. Robbie Robertson would later describe some of the songs as 'bizarre' and not even the presence of Van Morrison (riding high at the time) and Southern Soul gentleman Allen Toussaint on two different tracks (both courtesy of Warner Brothers) funked-up sales or persuaded otherwise.

But time is a healer - and 46 years after the event I feel we should reappraise this awkward and clumsy baby No. 4 – dancing about my living room to "Life Is A Carnival" just wanting to be loved like the other three. Here are the Take Another Look details...

UK released September 2000 (August 2000 in the USA) - "Cahoots" by THE BAND on Capitol 525 3912 (Barcode 724352539123) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (60:44 minutes):

1. Life Is A Carnival [Side 1]

2. When I Paint My Masterpiece

3. Last Of The Blacksmiths

4. Where Do We Go From Here

5. 4% Pantomime

6. Shoot Out In Chinatown [Side 2]

7. The Moon Struck One

8. Thinkin' Out Loud

9. Smoke Signal

10. Volcano

11. The River Hymn

Tracks 1 to 11 are their fourth studio album "Cahoots" - released October 1971 in the USA on Capitol SMAS 651 and November 1971 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 651 in a Gatefold Sleeve. Produced by THE BAND - it peaked at No. 21 in the US LP charts and No. 41 in the UK. 

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Endless Highway (Early Studio Take)

13. When I Paint My Masterpiece (Alternate Take)

14. Bessie Smith (Outtake)

15. Don't Do It (Outtake-Studio Version)

16. Radio Commercial

THE BAND is: 

Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko

Guests include Van Morrison on "4% Pantomime" and Allen Toussaint on "Life Is A Carnival"

As with each of these September 2000 Capitol CDs (Produced and Compiled by CHERYL PAWELSKI and ANDREW SANDOVAL) - the 16-page booklet is a pleasingly in-depth affair and has new pictorial elements. ROB BOWMAN provides the new liner notes accompanied by photos of the studio, tracking sheets for "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and "Endless Highway", lyrics, reissue credits (the whole issue is 'In Memory of Richard Manuel and Rick Danko') and even a repro of the lone American 45 lifted off the album - September 1971's "Life Is A Carnival" b/w "The Moon Struck One" on Capitol 3199 ("When I Paint My Masterpiece" b/w "Where Do Go From Here" was to be Capitol 3249 in December 1971 but was cancelled and withdrawn).

But the big news is the Audio. "Cahoots" had a more polished and some say 'brittle' sound that the ramshackle Americana feel to the preceding albums - and many have complained that commercialism and radio-friendly needs practically ruined their chemistry-sound - and that rot started in full force here. I don't agree - the Audio here by ROB McMASTER and ANDREW SANDOVAL is very punchy all of a sudden and for all the right reasons. Sandoval was involved in all The Kinks and Small Faces 'Deluxe Editions' on Universal - so he knows his way around a master-tape or two. The only real glitch is the Audio Quality on the Marvin Gaye cover version of "Don't Do It" which they admit has been taken from 'best possible sources' because there are problems with the quality of the original masters on the 'Studio Version' (there's a storming live take of the song on the August 1972 live-double "Rock Of Ages"). Given what they had to work with overall – the team has done well and it all sounds great to me. Let's get to the music... 

I've always been partial to a Rock Band finding its inner Funk and Allen Toussaint's Meters-Brass is all over "Life Is A Carnival" - a tune that's stood more than the test of time for me. I find it a shimmering cool-aid - a wicked rare groove - inspired even - although I can understand how it's Pointer Sisters/Sly & The Family Stone rhythms freaked out hardcore Band fans wanting more tales of Appalachian Mountain Men wailing about their hardships with a dignified wince at on the oncoming winter winds. Bob Dylan's wonderful "When I Paint My Masterpiece" gives us that - a great Americana accordion melody sung with fantastic world-weary pathos by Levon Helm sounding scarily like he's Bob Dylan's older and wiser brother. The Remaster continues to sound fantastic on Robertson's "Last Of The Blacksmiths" - Richard Manuel doing well to remain soulful as those weird 'crying horns' punctuate the tune. The biggest enemy being 'man' - "Where Do We Go From Here" sings the plight of wildlife and railroads - all disappearing under the boot of progress. The liner notes tell us The Band weren't particularly fond of the song - but I've always like it and Rick Danko's great vocal. Van Morrison drops into the sessions - hears Robbie Robertson at the piano doodling on a chord - and suddenly the two are co-writing "4% Pantomime". Apparently done in one take at Bearsville Studios the next day - the lyrics are apparently loosely about the difference between Johnny Walker Black and Johnny Walker Red whiskies. It ends Side 1 on a cool duet vocal of Soulful men enjoying themselves.

I’d admit that the LP starts to suddenly feel ordinary with the wimpy guitar pings in "Shootout In Chinatown" - a song that's trying to be something and not quite getting there. But things improve big time with one of the LP's undeniable highlights - "The Moon Struck One" - a Robbie Robertson song directly inspired by Julie and Little John Tyler - characters Robbie had gleaned from 'Jules Et Jim' - the classic 1962 Francois Truffaut film. Richard Manuel's vocals are so damn good on "The Moon Struck One" as are Rick Danko's on the Piano/Dobro romp that is "Thinkin' Out Loud" - another stunning transfer and a hugely underrated song on the LP. The lyrics "...when they're torn out by the roots...young brothers join in cahoots...' in "Smoke Signal" give the album its name - a funky Robertson piano roller again with great sound and cool Stones guitar strumming. "Volcano" and "The River Hymn" bring the album to a finish - the first a brass funker that's part Little Feat part Stoneground - while the echoed piano of the finisher is classic big-picture Band.

As is the case with so many reissues - you hope for the best with 'Bonus' material - but as others have excitedly noticed - the four extra songs on "Cahoots" offer up some truly great outtake Band numbers - way better than they had any right to be. First up is an early studio take of "Endless Highway" that is all piano and vocals – free and swinging and sounding so fresh (what a great Remaster). We get a more acoustic-based alternate of "When I Paint My Masterpiece" and holy rollers but I must just prefer this to the finished article as I’ve been playing instead for years now. The audio dips admittedly for the Danko/Robertson session outtake "Bessie Smith" – but what a melody this is – full of real Band soul and character and way better than some of the lesser material on the released LP. The Funk of “Don’t Do It” was considered as an album track for ages but eventually dropped in favour of "Life Is A Carnival". Oh man what I would give to hear this is genuinely better studio sound – but there’s at least the live cut on "Rock Of Ages" which is also in this 2000 CD Series.

What we have here is a 5-star CD reissue of a 3 to 4-star album and I for one think "Cahoots" is a bit of an overlooked nugget that deserves serious reappraisal on this superlative reissue/remaster.  

"...We walked back to the house...while the moon struck one..."

Strike two for your household and give this baby-out-of-bathwater album a dry towel and another hug...