"Tapestry" by CAROLE KING featuring James Taylor, Joni Mitchell and Danny Kotchmar (June 2008 UK Epic/Legacy 2CD 'Legacy Edition' Reissue and Remaster by Vic Anesini) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Of Rich And Royal Hue…"

I can vividly remember a girlfriend I had in the early Seventies in her faded jeans, cheesecloth smock and fabulous crimped long hair. She was far too pretty for me to be with - looking like one of those dream babes in Cameron Crowe's Seventies homage movie "Almost Famous" - the ones that inspire songs and poetry and a serious amount of effort in the 'trying-to-impress-with-how-witty-I-am' department. But I also remember her baggage as she walked towards me that sunny summer afternoon - clutching not a satchel full of hairbrushes and makeup - nor a copy of Tolkien's "Lord Of The Rings" (how odd) - but her used vinyl copy of Carole King's "Tapestry" album on A&M/Ode Records. She was clutching it tightly under her right arm so that it didn't fall from her grasp onto the unforgiving Dublin pavement below - protecting the LP like it was girly life itself. And smiling as she got closer - I kind of knew that its presence under her arm had a purpose - this nice but slightly dim guitar-mad Irish boy would need to be educated on something other than Deep Purple and Black Sabbath...

15 weeks at Number 1 when it was released in 1971, Rolling Stone's coveted album of the year award, four Grammy nominations, selected by the American Library of Congress for placing in The National Recording Registry and 20 gazillion sales ever since. And that's not to mention in the 11's an entire Broadway Musical based around it that regularly brings audiences to their feet with tears streaming down their cheeks (the Tony winning show "Beautiful") - it doesn't get much more iconic than Carole King's mighty "Tapestry" album. And I'm thrilled to say that this 2008 2CD "Legacy Edition" does that singer-songwriter milestone an audio solid. Here are the bare feet and the cat in the windowsill details...

Released June 2008 - "Tapestry" by CAROLE KING on Ode/Epic/Legacy 88697 11455 2 (Barcode 886971145526) is a 2CD 'Legacy Edition' Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (44:37 minutes):

1. I Feel The Earth Move [Side 1]

2. So far Away

3. It's Too Late

4. Home Again

5. Beautiful

6. Way Over Yonder [Side 2]

7. You've Got A Friend

8. Where You Lead

9. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

10. Smackwater Jack

11. Tapestry

12. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Tapestry" - released February 1971 in the USA on Ode/A&M Records SP-77009 and in the UK on Ode/A&M Records AMLS 2025

Disc 2 (38:19 minutes):

1. I Feel The Earth Move

2. So Far Away

3. It's Too Late

4. Home Again

5. Beautiful

6. Way Over Yonder

7. You've Got A Friend

8. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?

9. Smackwater jack

10. Tapestry

11. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

Tracks 1 to 11 are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED live versions featuring Carole just on a piano - they were recorded in Boston, Massachusetts in 1973, Columbia Maryland, Central Park in New York and in the San Francisco Opera House in 1976 (no dates nor other details given).

In a rather nigglesome but understandable move - the Side 1 and Side 2 LP labels repro'd under the see-through plastic CD trays on either side of the digipak are for Epic PE 34946 - the 1977 Epic/Ode Records reissue version (when Columbia took over its distribution). They should be for the 1971 Ode/A&M SP-77009 original. The 22-page colour booklet is pretty, reproducing the text and lyrics to every song in the same typography as the album artwork. There's a repro of "The Hollywood Reporter" from 15 March 1972 when she swept the Grammy boards (along with a snap of her clutching the same), period photos of Carole with Engineer HANK CICALO and Producer LOU ADLER, backing musicians JONI MITCHELL and JAMES TAYLOR - as well as her band - DANNY "Kootch" KOTCHMAR (Guitars), RUSS KUNKEL (Drums), CHARLES LARKEY (Bass) and RALPH SCHUKETT (Keyboards). There's short but informative liner notes on the album and its legacy by HARVEY KUBERNIK - a well known contributor to Rolling Stone and author of two books on Rock Music.

But the big news is a new BOB IRWIN and VIC ANESINI remaster which to my ears has given the notoriously low-fi album a beautiful fulsome polish - her voice and the instruments are lovely - warm and clear. Not to be outdone - my heart sank when I saw that Disc 2 was filled with 'live' versions - but as they're just her and a piano - they're beautifully intimate ("Way Over Yonder" in particular is gorgeous and features a storming vocal). Her voice cracks on a few and she hits a few bum notes here and there (probably why they've been in the can up until now) but most are well worthy of inclusion.

Even as the opening keys of "I Feel The Earth Moves" hit you - you're tingling. Once into "So Far Away" and "It's Too Late" - resistance is pretty much futile. James Taylor's acoustic guitar on the gorgeous "Home Again" is so subtle yet underlies the whole song as it aches its way into your heart. And those Sixties classics done by someone else now get their owner's touch - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" and the sublime "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". And the title track never ceases to move me (lyrics above).

Uplifting, life affirming, nourishment for the soul - its all on "Tapestry". And now that touchstone in all our lives is better....

"One To One/Speeding Time" by CAROLE KING - Albums from 1982 and 1983 (October 2018 Beat Goes On (BGO) CD Reissue - Andrew Thompson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Colourless Eyes..."

The supposed comeback "One To One" was Carole King's first album having newly signed to the much-revered and highly prestigious Atlantic Records. But released Stateside in March 1982 - it peaked at No. 119 with a chart run of only eleven weeks.

Produced by her old mucker and pal Lou Adler of Ode Records and the "Tapestry" days - the follow-up "Speeding Time" LP from 1983 fared worse. Released in the US on Atlantic in December - it didn't chart and wasn't given a UK or even Euro release of any note. It did have a US CD variant (early days for the format) but that disappeared without trace pretty quickly. Historically the "One To One" album has had a poor-sounding Wounded Bird CD Reissue in 2005 but that's been it for either record for nearly four decades. And that's where this twofer comes in…

England's Beat Goes On (BGO Records) has clumped the two together, given them a revealing audio dust off and topping off the double cherry clump with excellent presentation. Now if only the music was worth it - here are the details...

UK released 20 October 2018 (26 Oct 2018 in the USA) - "One To One/Speeding Time" by CAROLE KING on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1362 (Barcode 5017261213624) offers both LPs Remastered onto 1 CD and plays out as follows (72:14 minutes).

1. One To One [Side 1]

2. It's A War

3. Lookin' Out For Number One

4. Life Without Love

5. Golden Man

6. Read Between The Lines [Side 2]

7. (Love Is Like A) Boomerang

8. Goat Annie

9. Someone You Never Met Before

10. Little Prince

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "One To One" - released March 1982 in the USA on Atlantic SD 19344 and in the UK on Atlantic K 50880

11. Computer Eyes [Side 1]

12. One Small Voice

13. Crying In The Rain

14. Sacred Heart Of Stone

15. Speeding Time

16. Standin' On The Borderline [Side 2]

17. So Ready For Love

18. Chalice Borealis

19. Dancing

20. Alabaster Lady

Tracks 11 to 20 are the album "Speeding Time" - released December 1983 in the USA on LP (Atlantic 7-80118-1) and CD (Atlantic 7-80118-2) - no UK release

The 24-page booklet inside a lovely card slipcase reproduces those original LP inner sleeve details - musician credits, photos, lyrics for both albums etc - and there's a new appraisal of these much-maligned albums from JOHN TOBLER. An overly slick Production and weak songs did for "One To One" and even though she went back to a basic five-piece band format that she'd used for all those classic Seventies albums for the "Speeding Time" project (Russ Kunkel, Lee Ritenour and so on) - again the tunes and her voice both sounded like they were reaching all the time for an elusive melody and mostly not getting there.

The AUDIO is the big prize here (new ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters) - better songs like "Golden Man" with Reese Wynans on the Fender Rhodes now sounding great - while that slide guitar of Robbie McEntee on "Goat Annie" is now lifted up out of the mix. Unfortunately it accentuates other stuff - that horrible keyboard plinking sound of the early Eighties inflicts "One Small Voice" and the same for "Sacred Heart Of Stone" - but then elevates the ambitious "Dancing" into a sort of sub Hall & Oates mini operatic bop-fest. The punchy keys and gravel vocals of "Alabaster Lady" at least end a patchy second platter on a sweet note.

The problem with both of these albums is the distinct lack of tunes, their dreadfully dated production and even her voice that sounds somehow drowned in all that professionally slick musicianship that sounds the part but essentially feels soulless.

For sure this is two and three-star material given a five-star reissue – finally bolstered up with great audio and decent presentation. Fans should dive in, but all others should grab a listen first before thinking these records might reflect the glories of old…

"Jon Savage's 1968: The Year The World Burned" by VARIOUS (30 November 2018 UK Ace 2CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Shadows On Stones..."

This is the fourth in a series by compiler and Music Lover Jon Savage (see list below) and like the others, it features an eclectic combo of 48 great, good, not-so-good but rare, overly familiar and downright bat-dung crazy moments - a 2CD aural journey aided and equally hampered by inclusions and exclusions (what can and can't be licensed). Let's get our pretty bits burned baby...

UK released Friday, 30 November 2018 (7 December 2018 in the USA) - "Jon Savage's 1968: The Year The World Burned" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDTOP2 1536 (Barcode 029667092821) offers 48-Tracks Remastered across 2CDs.

The beautifully laid out and fact-filled 28-page booklet sees Savage make a case in his own liner notes for every song and smartly he's included deep discography info for number nerds like me - the US and UK release dates and separate catalogue numbers for their respective 45s.

Disc 1 (71:53 minutes):

1. Honey Chile - Martha Reeves and The Vandellas

2. Sunshine Help Me - Spooky Tooth

3. How Does It Feel? - The Creation

4. Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) - The First Edition [with Kenny Rogers]

5. Dear Delilah - Grapefruit

6. Carpet Man - The 5th Dimension

7. Big Bird - Eddie Floyd

8. Tighten Up - Archie Bell and The Drells

9. Changes (TYGSTL) - The Ceyleib People

10. Everydays - Buffalo Springfield

11. Talkin' About The Good Times - The Pretty Things

12. Just For You - Dave Mason [of Traffic]

13. Danse A La Musique - The French Fries

14. Israelites - Desmond Dekker and The Aces

15. Why Does It Feel So Right (Doing Wrong) - The Shades Of Jade

16. Wonderboy - The Kinks

17. Gotta See Jane - R. Dean Taylor

18. Do You Know the Way To San Jose - Dionne Warwick

19. Classical Gas - Mason Williams

20. Your Mind And We Belong Together - Love

21. Dino's Song - Quicksilver Messenger Service

22. World In A Jug - Canned Heat

23. Lift Me - The Beau Brummels

24. The Snake - Al Wilson

Disc 2 (72:24 minutes):

1. Fire - The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown

2. Hard To Handle - Otis Redding

3. Eastern Organ - Brother Dan All Stars

4. People Got to Be Free - The Rascals

5. I Say A Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin

6. Piece Of My Heart - Big Brother and the Holding Company

7. Lord Of The Manor - The Everly Brothers

8. Lincoln County - Dave Davies [of The Kinks]

9. Omnibus - The Move

10. I'm In A Different World - The Four Tops

11. Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud (Part 1) - James Brown

12. Rain - Kak

13. A Song For Jeffrey - Jethro Tull

14. Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf

15. Freedom Train - James Carr

16. Smell Of Incense - The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band

17. Cloud Nine - The Temptations

18. Train To Nowhere - Savoy Brown

19. Everyday People - Sly and The Family Stone

20. I Got A Line On You - Spirit

21. Throwaway Street Puzzle - Fairport Convention

22. Crimson And Clover - Tommy James and The Shondells

23. Machines - Lothar and The Hand People

24. Kick Out The Jams (Preview Version) - MC5

Every entry has either a label repro - Aretha's "I Say A Little Prayer", The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and his "Fire", Fairport Convention's rare B-side "Throwaway Street Puzzle" along with Big Brother & The Holding Company's cover of Erma Franklin's "Piece Of My Heart" all get either sheet music or Cash Box trade adverts and so on. Mastering is by long-time Ace associate NICK ROBBINS and the Audio depends greatly on the source - The First Edition (with Kenny Rogers) and their Psych take on Mickey Newbury's "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)", Spooky Tooth's plea for uplift on their "Sunshine Help Me" both sound kicking as does the fabulous Church Soul of "Freedom Train" by James Carr and the tear-down-the-ramparts Punk of MC5 delivering "Kick Out The Jams" (a Preview Version with "Brothers And Sisters" replacing the MFs). But the Canned Heat tune reflects their typically sloppy way of recording.

There are moments listening to "The Year The World Burned" when you admire and even applaud Savage's savvy choices - the fantastically trippy Sitar of "Changes" by an acid-dropping bunch of yeah baby sessionmen called The Ceyleib People (the track was actually called an unpronounceable "Tygstl" on the album and re-titled for the 45 on Vault Records 940 in February of that year) or those tyre-burning compatriots over the way in France who had The French Fries (yes folks that was their name) sing a French language version of Sly & The Family Stone's "Dance To The Music" as "Danse A La Musique" (I can see those mini-skirts and thigh-high boots a-calling me home). Other goodies come in the genuine message song "People Got To Be Free" by those grooving Rascals - a number one smash in their native USA for five weeks that but a tune that meant diddly squat in the UK. There is the seriously great and completely forgotten "Lord Of The Manor" - a hugely unlikely Psychedelic piece from The Everly Brothers (yes folks the Eves did Psych, maybe just once mind you) tucked away on the B-side of "Milk Train" on Warner Brothers Seven Arts 7226 in August 1968.

But then you get the lightweight Pop of "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" and "Classical Gas" by Dionne Warwick and Mason Williams or the flanged Blues Rock and get-up-in-the-morning Reggae rally cry of "A Song For Jeffrey" and "Israelites" by Jethro Tull and Desmond Dekker - and you seriously wonder what any of these songs had to do with burning anything down. I can understand the inclusion of James Brown's "Say It Loud! I'm Black And I'm Proud" or "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations on the grounds of emerging ethnic pride sat uncomfortably alongside their cities and communities being flooded with the horrors of drug addiction. But songs like the funk of "Hard To Handle" or "Gotta See Jane" by Otis Redding and R. Dean Taylor leave me baffled or even the whimsy of "Wonderboy" by The Kinks and the girly Rock of "Omnibus" by The Move. If we actually want to show a 1968 world on the boil as opposed to the love-in that represented 1967 - what should be here of course is "Revolution" by The Beatles or "Jumping Jack Flash" by The Stones or even "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel to reflect "The Graduate" film. And when I look at the UK and US Top 40 charts of 1968 – there were full of absolute Pop like Gary Puckett and The Union Gap giving us the optimism of "Young Girl", British cardigan crooner Des O'Connor getting his moment with his "I Pretend", The 1910 Bubblegum Company inflicting their "Simon Says" chant and loveliness/joie-de-vie personified in the Bond theme of "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

None of the above reflects 1968 society torching itself – but having said that I’ve been living with this 2018 twofer for some days now and I find myself returning to the fantastic "Rain" by the obscure Kak – a fuzzed-up guitar-groover B-side to "Everything’s Changing" on Epic Records in September or even the neck-jerking Reggae-Ska instrumental "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan’s All Stars, the Byrds-pretty big-eyed wonder of "Smell Of Incense" by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band or the sexy naughtiness of "Why Does It Feel So Right (Doing Wrong)" where The Shades Of Jade sound like a Motown act with a lady vocalist discovering illicit sex can be something else other than a heartbreak.

Discovery of the new, kids dismantling the old, high school guys and gals dipping in and dropping out, future dot.com execs on the hippy trail, cloud nine dandies disrespecting mama while other brothers die overseas in someone else's war - they're all in here. Will we ever see the like of those crazy swirling days again? Fifty years on and we are still referencing them.

With a knowing wink Al Wilson sings "...Take me in tender woman...in a curvature of silk...take me in for Heaven's sake...hissed the Snake..." in his warning moment at the end of Disc 1.

Try this Magic Carpet Ride and find out what tempted those impressionable lads and lassies over to the wayward side and why part of them (even now) is kinda glad they succumbed...

Titles in Jon Savage's Year Series are (2CD Compilations)

CDs:

1. Jon Savage's 1965: The Year The Sixties Ignited (26 January 2018 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1513 - Barcode 029667086028)

 

2. Jon Savage's 1966: The Year The Decade Exploded (30 October 2015 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1452 - Barcode 029667074223)

 

3. Jon Savage's 1967: The Year Pop Divided (31 March 2017 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1495 - Barcode 029667079525)

 

4. Jon Savage's 1968: The Year The World Burned (30 November 2018 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1536 - Barcode 029667092821)

 

5. Jon Savage's 1969-1971: Rock Dreams on 45 (25 October 2019 UK 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1559 - Barcode 029667096621)

 

6. Jon Savage's 1972-1976: All Our Times Have Come (26 March 2021 UK 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1594 - Barcode 029667101523)

7. Jon Savage's 1977-1979: Symbols Clashing Everywhere (28 January 2022 UK 2CD set on Ace CDTOP2 1610 - Barcode 029667104623)

8. Jon Savage's 1980-1982: The Art Of Things To Come (24 February 2023 UK Ace Records CDTOP2 1625 - Barcode 029667107921)

9. Jon Savage's 1983-1985: Welcome To Techno City (26 January 2024 UK Ace Records CDTOP2 1639 – Barcode 029667110020)

VINYL:

1. Jon Savage's 1965-1968: The High Sixties On 45 (June 2019 UK on Ace Records XXQLP2 060, 35-Track 2LP Set on Orange Vinyl in Stereo and Mono, Barcode 029667009515)

"For What It's Worth: The Complete Epic Recordings 1964-1968" by THE STAPLE SINGERS (October 2018 SoulMusic 3CD Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Freedom Songs..."

For a group with such staggering longevity, fame and beloved status amongst fans, contemporaries and everyone else in and outside of the music business for that matter - THE STAPLE SINGERS have had gapping CD sinkholes in their voluminous catalogue that have remained stubbornly unplugged. Until now that is...

The first part of their career proper on Riverside Records USA is roughly covered by the 4CD set "Four Classic Albums Plus Singles" issued 2016 on Real Gone Music RGMCD214 (Barcode 5036408180728) giving fans four full albums between 1961 and 1964 along with many non-album 45s. Their more famous Stax Records Soul and Funk period between 1968 and 1975 has had individual album releases galore as well as two whole remastered CDs devoted to it on the gorgeous-sounding "Faith & Grace" 4CD Book Set issued in 2015 (that beautiful looking book set came complete with a repro 7” single attached to the front and covered a wide range of output from 1953 to 1976 – see separate review). Which brings us to this - the fermenting-their-sound spaces in-between...

Issued by SoulMusic Records of the UK (a label imprint for the mucho respected Cherry Red) and offering up a huge six albums worth and more of Gospel, R&B and Soul across 3CDs – the 65-songs of 2018's "For What It's Worth..." gives three of their period LP platters their digital debut - "Pray On" (1965), "For What It's Worth" (1967) and "What The World Needs Now Is Love" (1968). There is also an airing for their only non-album B-side from the period "Power Of Love" - a flip to their thematically fitting cover of The Youngbloods everybody-love-each-other hit "Let's Get Together" in 1968 on Epic 5-10294. In short – this is a Staple fan's Christmas Cracker and I for one am so glad it's finally been realised. Here are the messages of love...

UK released Friday, 12 October 2018 (19 Oct 2018 in the USA) - "For What It's Worth: The Complete Epic Recordings 1964-1968" by THE STAPLE SINGERS on SoulMusic Records SMCR51758X (Barcode 5013929087507) offers six albums and one 7" single B-side (65 Tracks all in Mono except Tracks 11 to 21 on Disc 3) Remastered across 3CDs and plays out as follows: 

CD1 (67:12 minutes, 23 Tracks):

1. More Than A Hammer And Nail

2. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands

3. My Jesus Is All

4. This Train

5. Praying Time

6. Be Careful Of Stones That You Throw

7. Samson And Delilah

8. Nobody's Fault But Mine

9. Mary Don't You Weep

10. As An Eagle Stirreth Her Nest

11. Do Something For Yourself

12. Amen (From "Lillies Of The Field") - Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Amen!" issued 1965 on Epic LN 26132 (Mono)

13. It's Been A Change

14. Waiting For My Child

15. How Great Thou Art

16. Wish I Had Answered

17. The Tramp On the Street

18. When Was Jesus Born?

19. Pray On

20. Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

21. The Lord's Prayer

22. Had No Room

23. John Brown - Tracks 13 to 23 are the album "Pray On" released 1966 on Epic LN 26237 (Mono)

CD2 (72:16 minutes, 21 Tracks):

1. Freedom Highway

2. What You Gonna Do

3. Take My Hand Precious Lord

4. When I'm Gone

5. Help Me Jesus

6. We Shall Overcome

7. When The Saints Go Marching In

8. The Funeral

9. Build On That Shore

10. Tell Heaven

11. He's All Right - Tracks 1 to 11 are the album "Freedom Highway: Live At Chicago's Nazareth Church" released 1965 on Epic LN 26163 (Mono)

12. Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)

13. King Of Kings

14. Step Aside

15. If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again

16. What Are They Doing? (In Heaven Today)

17. Will The Circle Be Unbroken?

18. I've Been Scorned

19. I'm Gonna Tell God (About My Troubles)

20. My Sweet Home

21. Move Along Train - Tracks 12 to 21 are the album "Why" released 1966 on Epic LN 26196 (Mono)

CD3 (60:52 minutes, 22 Tracks):

1. For What It's Worth

2. Father Let Me Ride

3. Deliver Me

4. He

5. If I Had A Hammer

6. Are You Sure

7. Wade In The Water

8. I'm The Light Of The World

9. Jacob's Ladder

10. Good News - Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "For What It's Worth" released 1967 on Epic LN 26332 (Mono)

11. What The World Needs Now Is Love

12. Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around

13. A Place In The Sun

14. I Wonder Why

15. Let That Liar Alone

16. Let's Get Together

17. Crying In The Chapel - Mavis Staples

18. Downward Road

19. A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall

20. Nothing Lasts Forever - Mavis Staples

21. People Get Ready - Tracks 11to 21 are the album "What The World Needs Now Is Love" released 1968 on Epic BN 26373 (Stereo)

22. Power of Love - (Mono Non-Album B-Side to "Let's Get Together", a US 45 released on Epic 5-10294 in February 1968)

The clamshell-box houses three singular card sleeves, the artwork to two albums on each with the discography details for both on the rear. A 16-page booklet with new BOB FISHER liner notes gives an excellent and in-depth history of the Staples transition period from all-out Gospel holy-rollers down at the local Baptist Church to Folk Revival festival faves singing Bob Dylan covers and Freedom Songs in a Soul and R&B way. There is even Blues here with Pops trademark warbling guitar and the SIMON MURPHY Remasters are excellent.

A joyful listen I never thought I'd ever hear – lovers of Gospel, Soul, Righteous R 'n' B and Right On Funk will find many goodies here to discover and enjoy. Dig in and spread the word I say…and well done to all at Soul Music for a top job done…