"Across The Great Divide: Getting It Together In The Country 1968-74" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (25 October 2019 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD Clamshell Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Together-Country-1968-74-Clamshell/dp/B07WFJB6N9?crid=Z6LNDQFD8P4V&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6Fs2UtXfdxRyl0Jhu1jdGA.vqzpx428HkmHXiy9Ym6qpHL6h-E5GqcHqasHFKr0VKA&dib_tag=se&keywords=5013929186101&qid=1715277715&sprefix=5013929186101%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=ed3c84829990996b6aa071f8979e1134&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

"...After The Gold Rush..."

Deeply disturbed muso-types like me have been gobbling up truckloads of those natty little 3CD clamshell box sets by England's Grapefruit Records like its Christmas for The Grinch and time once again to spike the oat-bags of Santa's reindeers. Everything I do – I do it for you – Grapefruit keep telling me. And not wanting to upset their obvious passion for Bryan Adams and his Canadian lugnuts – I foolishly believe them.

So when I spotted this newly minted scalp on their release sheets, I got a little Theresa May in the trouser area - hopefully aroused at what's to come (don't get me started on crossing divides, it could get legal). Unfortunately and despite a huge longing within for "Across The Great Divide: Getting It Together In The Country 1968-74" to be the crossover motherlode – too many on each disc is good rather than great (hence the four stars).

But before Bercow and Letwin issue an amendment to the addendum to the appeasement of the Dead Sea obfuscation appendixes (and then call in the thought-police for good measure), let us praise the truly amazing influence Americana has had on Blighty via Bob Dylan, The Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. With a monster 64-tracks (four of which are Previously Unreleased), there's a hell of a lot of hip mellow-fellows presented to us here in this still-brill little smoozer, so here goes...

UK released Friday, 25 October 2019 - "Across The Great Divide: Getting It Together In The Country 1968-74" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEGBOX061 (Barcode 5013929186101) is a 3CD clamshell box set of 64-tracks that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Teatime On The Trail" (78:32 minutes):

1. Warming Up The Band - HEADS, HANDS & FEET (Non-Album November 1971 UK 7" single on Island WIP 6115, A-side)

2. Cajun Woman - FAIRPORT CONVENTION (from the July 1969 UK LP "Unhalfbricking" on Island ILPS 9102)

3. Home Is Where I Want To Be - MOTT THE HOOPLE (from the March 1971 UK LP "Wildlife" on Island ILPS 9144 - sung by Guitarist Mick Ralphs)

4. Devil's Whisper - MIGHTY BABY (August 1971 UK 7" single on Blue Horizon 2096 003, A-side)

5. Desert Island Woman - CHILLI WILLI & THE RED HOT PEPPERS (from the November 1974 UK LP "Bongos Over Balham" on Mooncrest CREST 21 - the name used for CD 1 "Teatime On The Trail" was the working title for "Bongos Over Balham")

6. Willowing trees - SHAPE OF THE RAIN (from the July 1971 UK LP "Riley, Riley, Wood & Waggett" on RCA Neon NE 7)

7. Abbot Of The Vale - TONY HAZZARD (from the October 1971 UK LP "Loudwater House" on Bronze ILPS 9174)

8. Louisiana Man - THE HOLLIES (not originally issued, recorded September 1969 - first appeared on the November 1988 LP/CD compilation "Rarities" on EMI)

9. Fading - MASON (September 1973 UK 7" single on Dawn DNS 1040, A-side)

10. Sleep Song - UNICORN (from the August 1974 UK LP "Blue Pine Trees" on Charisma CAS 1092)

11. Boy, You've Got The Sun In Your Eyes - OPEN ROAD (from the August 1971 UK LP "Windy Daze" on Greenwich GSLP 1001)

12. Cousin Norman - THE MARMALADE (August 1971 UK 7" single on Decca F 13214, A-side)

13. Clifftop - RICHMOND (from the March 1973 UK LP "Frightened" on Dart ARTS 65371)

14. Lady Came From The South - STARRY EYED AND LAUGHING (from the October 1974 UK LP "Starry Eyed And Laughing" on CBS Records 80450)

15. Oil Fumes And Sea Air - STRAY (from the May 1973 UK LP "Mudanzas" on Transatlantic TRA 268)

16. Redman - RARE BIRD (from the March 1974 UK LP "Born Again" on Polydor 2383 274)

17. The Pie - THE SUTHERLAND BROTHERS BAND (January 1972 UK 7" single on Island WIP 6120, A-side)

18. Touch Her If You Can - MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT (not originally issued, recorded June 1970, a Dillards cover version - first appeared on the 1991 CD compilation "Orphans & Outcasts - A Collection Of Demos Volume 1" on Dirty Linen CDL 102)

19. Empty Street, Empty Heart - QUICKSAND (October 1973 UK 7" single on Dawn DNS 1046, B-side of "Time To Live")

20. Ooh La La - FACES (from the April 1973 UK LP "Ooh La La" on Warner Brothers K 56011)

Disc 2 "Before The Goldrush" (78:22 minutes):

1. Country Girl - BRINSLEY SCHWARZ (30 October 1970 UK 7" single on Liberty LBF 15419, A-side)

2. When I'm Dead And Gone - McGUINNESS FLINT (October 1970 UK Debut 7" single on Capitol CL 15662, A-side)

3. Roamin' Thru' The Gloamin' With Forty Thousand Headmen - TRAFFIC (February 1968 UK 7" single on island WIP 6030, B-side of "No Face, No Name And No Number" - appeared on their October 1968 second LP "Traffic" simplified to "Forty Thousand Headmen")

4. New Day Avenue - BRONCO (from the June 1971 UK LP "Arc Of Sunlight" on Island ILPS 9161, featured Jess Roden and Robbie Blunt)

5. Try Again - TRANQUILITY (from the January 1972 debut album "Tranquility" on Epic Records EPC 64729)

6. Velvet Mountain - COCHISE (from the July 1970 debut album "Cochise" on United Artists UAS 29177)

7. A Souvenir Of London - PROCOL HARUM (from the March 1973 UK LP "Grand Hotel" on Chrysalis CHR 1037)

8. Cinnamon Girl - THE DEEP SET (Non-Album track, December 1970 Irish 7" single on Target 7N 45018, A-side - cover version of the Neil Young song from his second LP "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". Guitarist Gus Guest later in Horslips)

9. Day The World Ran Away - STEPHEN JAMESON (from the March 1973 debut album "Stephen Jameson" on Dawn DNLS 3044)

10. I'll Just Take My Time - BYZANTIUM (from the March 1974 privately-pressed LP "Live & Studio" on Byzantium BYZL/S - 100 copies only)

11. It's A Way To Pass The Time - HIGH BROOM (not originally issued, recorded early 1970)

12. Going To The Country - HOLY MACKEREL (from the December 1972 UK debut album "Holy Mackerel" on CBS Records S 65297)

13. Liquor Man - MONTAGE - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (recorded January 1972)

14. Jesus Is Just Alright - SHELAGH McDONALD (not originally issued, recorded February 1970 - first appeared on the 2005 2CD set "Let No Man Steal Your Thyme" on Castle Music CMDDD 1065)

15. We Both Need To Know - GRANNY'S INTENTIONS (from their March 1970 debut and only album "Honest Injun" on Deram SML 1060 in Stereo - album featured Noel Bridgeman and Gary Moore, Moore later with Skid Row, Thin Lizzy a huge solo career)

16. Bye And Bye - HERON (April 1971 UK 7" single EP on Dawn DNX 2509, Track 1 on Side 1)

17. Country Dan And City Lil - TIMEBOX (not originally issued, recorded circa August 1968 - first appeared on the 1998 CD compilation "The Deram Anthology")

18. And A Button - THE SEARCHERS (October 1971 UK 7" single on RCA Victor RCA 2139, B-side to "Love Is Everywhere")

19. Take Me To The Pilot - THE ORANGE BICYCLE (January 1970 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5827, A-side - a cover of an Elton John song that would appear before his own second LP version on "Elton John" in April 1970)

20. The Jailer - NATURAL GAS - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded October 1971)

21. So Nice - CURTISS MALDOON (from the October 1971 UK debut album "Curtiss Maldoon" on Purple Records TPS 3501)

22. Million Times Before - JAWBONE (from the June 1970 UK debut LP "Jawbone" on Carnaby CNLS 6004)

Disc 3 "Urban Cowboys" (79:01 minutes):

1. Open The Door - CAROLANNE PEGG (from the April 1973 UK LP "Carolanne" on Transatlantic Records TRA 266 - ex Mr. Fox)

2. Country Comfort - ROD STEWART (from his June 1970 second UK album "Gasoline Alley" on Vertigo 6360 500)

3. Home For Frozen Roses - NORTHWIND (from the August 1971 UK LP "Sister, Brother, Lover..." on Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1020)

4. Nice - BRIDGET ST. JOHN (from her June 1972 third album "Thank You For..." on Dandelion Records 2310 193)

5. Country Road - THE PRETTY THINGS (from the November 1972 UK LP "Freeway Madness" on Warner Brothers K 46910)

6. Home Grown - ANDY ROBERTS (from the March 1970 UK LP "Home Grown" on RCA Victor SF 8086)

7. Sheriff Myras Lincoln - EDWARDS HAND (from the March 1971 UK LP "Stranded" on RCA Victor SF 8154)

8. Circle Round The Sun - MARIAN SEGAL [ex Jade] (not originally issued, recorded 1971 - first appeared in 2017 on the 3CD Box Set "Fly On Strangeways: The Anthology" on Cherry Tree CRTREE021T)

9. Pretty Haired Girl - THE PARLOUR BAND (from the May 1972 UK LP "Is A Friend?" on Deram SD 10)

10. Hello Buddy - THE TREMELOES (June 1971 UK 7" single on CBS Records CBS 7294, A-side)

11. Tallawaya - GREASY BEAR (not originally issued, recorded 1970 - first appeared on the April 2016 Record Store Day LP "Is Adrian There?" limited to 500 copies on Vinyl Revival VL 008)

12. My Name Is Jesus Smith - MAN (from their October 1969 UK second album "2 Ozs Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle" on Dawn DNLS 3003 – featuring guitarists Micky Jones and Deke Leonard)

13. Metropolis - KEITH CHRISTMAS (from the November 1969 UK LP "Stimulus" on RCA Victor SF 8059)

14. Country Heir (Edit) - DEEP FEELING (October 1971 UK 7" single on DJM Records DJS 257, A-side)

15. Johnson Boy - PRELUDE (from the October 1973 UK LP "How Long Is Forever" on Dawn DNLS 3502)

16. Cottage Made For Two - PAUL BRETT'S SAGE (from the July 1971 UK LP "Jubilation Foundry" on Dawn DNLS 3021)

17. See How They Run - DAVE COUSINS [of Strawbs] and DAVE LAMBERT [of Fire, Strawbs] (not originally issued, recorded 1972 - first appeared November 2006 in the 5CD Box Set "A Box Of Strawbs" on Witchwood Media WMBS 2036)

18. Clear Blue Sky - MOTHER NATURE (non-album track, April 1972 UK 7" single on Kingdom KV 8003, B-side of "Once There Was A Time")

19. Dancing Flower - IDLE RACE (from the May 1971 UK LP "Time Is" on Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1017)

20. Wheel Of Fortune - THE ILLUSIONS - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded November 1969)

21. My Little One - GORDON, ELLIS & STEEL [Rick Gordon, John Steel and Ross Ellis] - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Recorded 1972)

22. I'll Fly Away - PLAINSONG (not originally issued, short A Cappella version recorded early 1972)

It was Traffic who came up with the notion of 'getting it together in the country' (man) and they did so at Aston Tirrold, a village at the foot of the Berkshire Downs. I mention this because that collector-appealing nugget is the kind of deep-level factoid that peppers every paragraph in the fabulous 44-page booklet - annotated and compiled by the lithesome and obviously well endowed DAVID WELLS. There are rare publicity shots (colour and black and white), album covers and euro pic sleeves for 45s you just don't see every day of the week. The centre pages have a spread of period posters, NME adverts, ticket stubs, gig flyers for The Marquee, Lyceum, Roundhouse and other legendary depositories. For some of us nodding off at a certain age, looking at these multiple band bills is enough to make our pacemakers short-circuit - an October 8th admission fee of 50p to see Quintessence, Heads Hands & Feet, Ian Matthews' Plainsong, Bond & Brown and Supersister (with stalls, food and a bar). Or how about David Bowie, Bridget St. John and the Alan Skidmore Quintet at the Extension Building in Little Titchfield Street near Oxford Circus for ten schillings (what a out-and-out rip off). In fact I think the presentation here and sheer research hours that went into this may warrant awards being handed out come the season...

As you can imagine with such a myriad of audio sources, the SIMON MURPHY mastered sound varies from amazing to really good to acceptable with thankfully not too many downsides in-between. In fact, I found most of kicking. To the tunes...

I can just see the beams on people’s faces as they play the opener "Warming Up The Band" by Heads, Hands & Feet – the kind of early 70ts stand alone single that reminds you of 45-brilliance like "Standing in The Road" by Blackfoot Sue or "Journey" by Duncan Browne – Albert Lee rocking it out in that very British-does-American kind of way. Other CD1 highlights include the Michael Nesmith-produced "Desert Island Woman" by Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers from the album "Bongos Over Balham" (apparently this CD's moniker takes it name for that LP's unused working title). Sheffield's Shape Of The Rain had the press on their side in 1971 but their lone LP on the cult RCA Neon label "Riley, Riley, Wood & Waggett" (the title is each band member's surname) barely registered with the public. But on the strength of Traffic-meets-Badfinger "Willowing Trees" – I think we probably missed a trick there (excellent stuff).

Fresh from providing backing vocals on Elton John's "Tumbleweed Connection" – Tony Hazzard gives us a Bronze Records album named after his Hertfordshire estate (Loudwater House) and a song about his favourite Greene King tipple Abbot Ale (here called "Abbot Of The Vale"). Hookfoot's Guitarist Caleb Quaye is in there as is the Pedal Steel Guitar of Cochise's B.J. Cole along with the girly dulcet tones of Lesley Duncan with Sue & Sunny – all of it combining to give the tune a backwoods feel. Can't say I'm a fan of The Hollies cover of "Louisiana Man" and the Mason track feels like sub Hollies but not in a good way. But then there's Unicorn. Despite great melodies and accomplished tunes, the story of America's Big Star and England's Unicorn unfortunately tread the same public indifference boards. I mention this because Unicorn's "Sleep Song" is the only time they get to shine in this box set, when I'd have included three more including "Electric Night" (two members of the band played on a young Cathy Bush’s demo recordings for God's sake and yet few know how good Unicorn were at melodies). Didn't much care for the terrible vocal on the Open Road cut nor the trite Red Indian ballads by Stray and Rare Bird, but the Ian Sutherland song "The Pie" is a gem that deserves attention and a very smart choice by Wells. And I'm genuinely shocked at how good the Jimmie Davies song "Empty Street, Empty Heart" is for Quicksand – both he and Jeff Hooper layering on the acoustic guitars beautifully (Davies would go on to be in Alcatraz). And even now in late 2019, Ronnie Lane's truly fabulous "Ooh La La" from the Faces fourth and last LP (of the same name) that bookends CD1 makes mincemeat of all that preceded it. Poor old Grandad – gobsmacked and bewildered – his words coming through in a song about the mystery of women that still somehow manages to feel young and so 'British' in that most brill of ways...

Even after near fifty years, the sheer musicality of the October 1970 McGuinness Flint single and album track "When I'm Dead And Gone" raises a smile while the jolly crew of Traffic's "Forty Thousand Headmen" dream of small ships sailing into shore to raid stashed loot. Their are gorgeous guitar strums and swoonsome harmonies in Bronco's disarmingly lovely "New Day Avenue" - ex Band Of Joy guitar-boys Jess Roden, Robbie Blunt and Kevyn Gammond providing the melody. Other highlights on Disc 2 include three rather cool covers - Dublin's Deep Set doing a very cool and punchy riffage-take on Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" (is there any cover of this song that isn't brilliant), Orange Bicycle doing Elton John's "Take Me To The Pilot" proud where they sound like early Frankie Miller (praise indeed) and best of all for me Holy Mackerel coming on some rocking Hollies as they harmonise on The Steve Miller Band's brilliant "Going To The Country". Not a fan though of the sub-Byrds Jawbone, the lightweight Byzantium or Curtiss Maldoon - all pleasant enough but never anything more than that.

Disc 3 opens on what will be a genuinely great find even for us old-fogies and Smart Alec heard-it-all types - another cool cover - Caroline Pegg of Mr. Fox doing the Judy Collins song "Song For Judith (Open The Door)" now shortened to just "Open The Door". Sounding at times not unlike a young Kate Bush, her impressive vocals in the sunshine-when-we're-together song are bolstered up with licks from Heads, Hands & Feet master guitarist Albert Lee (he's pictured on Page 6 of the booklet - see photos provided below) while Keith Nelson from Matthews Southern Comfort adds backing on a Banjo. Rod Stewart shows his uncanny knack in picking a great song and somehow making it his own when he does his turn on Elton John's "Country Comfort" - Ron Wood of the Faces and three members of Silver Metre being his backing band (it was their publishing demo version of EJ's song that RS heard first and not Reggie's). Disappointments on Disc 3 - the Edward Bear track is dull as is the Keith Christmas cut and I'd have chosen maybe "John The Revelator" for Andy Roberts. But the Pretty Things song "Country Road" brings together the talents of two wildly different but much admired pickers - the Pedal Steel Guitar of Gordon Huntley from Matthews Southern Comfort (remember his contributions to the number 1 single "Woodstock") and accompanying maestro supreme Pete Tolson. 

The early Man cut is a clever melodious choice, "Tallawaya" by the mysterious Greasy Bear too, as is the 36-second A Capella cover of "I'll Fly Away" that Iain Matthews and Andy Roberts in Plainsong brings the disc to an end with it. But for me the real find here is the Prelude track "Johnson Boy" - the band that gave us that gorgeous cover of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" (and charted it too). Prelude's album from 1973 "How Long is Forever" on Dawn Records was the kind of LP that used to turn up regularly when people were selling in collections to Reckless back when I was manager there - I'd forgotten about that one...

For sure some may find the overall selection of material to be a teeny weeny bit a let down and with a Gatling gun spread of 64 acts, how could it not be (too many names that didn't make it and for good reason). But make no mistake, there is still so much to wallow in here that's revelatory and the presentation of "Across The Great Divide..." is world-class.

The staggering musical shadow of The Band by way of The Byrds vs. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is quite something to behold (Americana/Country Rock melodies we're still emulating fifty years post). A smart and timely idea for a CD box set and well done to all involved...

"Dancing With Strangers" by CHRIS REA (18 October 2019 Magnet Records 2CD "Expanded And Remastered' Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Yes I Do..."

Friday, 18 October 2019 sees five of Chris Rea's long-deleted albums originally on Magnet, WEA and East West Records get a proper Reissue/Remaster makeover - each bunged up into a 2CD Set. They are "Shamrock Diaries" (originally May 1985), "On The Beach" (April 1986), "Dancing With Strangers" (September 1987), "The Road To Hell" (November 1989) and "Auberge" (March 1991). With only bits and pieces of his superbly musical back catalogue available in Remaster form – these full-album overhauls have been a long-time coming for suffering fans and this time they're with the Artist's involvement and approval (see list below for their CD details).

Disc 1 in each case contains the original album while Disc 2 offers a wide spread of non-album B-sides, remixes and remakes, outtakes and period rarities etc (a generous 17 in this case). Each offering has a small smattering of Previously Unreleased material too - but more importantly the whole shebang has been transferred and remastered by NICK ROBBINS of Ace Records fame and he's done a fabulous job. Robbins is an Audio Engineer with literally hundreds of reissues to his name across decades and a vast network of music – so its no surprise that the audio here in great – a real improvement on what went before. The booklets contain all the lyrics (not the extras) and fresh interviews conducted with Rea by noted author and former Record Collector bigwig Peter Doggett. There's a lot to wade through, so finally and if you'll forgive the pun, let's dance...

UK released Friday, 18 October 2019 - "Dancing With Strangers" by CHRIS REA on Magnet Records/Warner Music Group 0190295492229 (Barcode 0190295492229) is an 'Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue and Remaster that plays out as follows:

CD1 "Original Album" (49:14 minutes):

1. Joys Of Christmas [Side 1]

2. I Can't Dance To That

3. Windy Town

4. Gonna Buy A Hat

5. Curse Of The Traveller

6. Let's Dance [Side 2]

7. Que Sera

8. Josie's Tune

9. Loving You Again

10. That Girl Of Mine

11. September Blue

Tracks 1 to 11 are the studio-album "Dancing With Strangers" (his eight) - released September 1987 in the UK on Magnet Records MAGL 5071 and Motown 6245L in the USA. The original 1987 British CD came with Three Bonus Tracks - "I Don't Care Anymore", "Donahue's Broken Wheel" and "Danielle's Breakfast" while the US issue carried the final two in this list (both instrumentals) - these have been moved to Disc 2. The album peaked at No. 2 in the UK.

CD2 "Additional Recordings" (74:43 minutes):

1. Yes I Do (Non-Album B-side, from the November 1987 UK CD Single to "Joys Of Christmas" on Magnet CDMAG 314)

2. Que Sera (Single Version) (Re-Recorded for the "The Best Of Chris Rea - New Light Through Old Windows" album released October 1988 on WEA)

3. Se Sequi (Non-Album B-side, from the January 1988 UK 7", 12" and CD single to "Que Sera" on Magnet 318)

4. I'm Taking The Day Out (Non-Album B-side, from the July 1988 UK 7" single "On The Beach Summer '88" on Magnet 195)

5. I Can Hear Your Heartbeat (Extended Mix) (Non-Album version, A-side of an October 1988 UK single on WEA YZ 350)

6. Loving You Again (Live Version) (Non-Album version, B-side of an October 1988 UK single on WEA YZ 350)

7. Danielle's Breakfast (Instrumental, August 1987 UK 7" and 12" Single B-Side to "Loving You Again" on Magnet MAG 300 and a "Dancing With Strangers" CD Album Bonus Track)

8. On The Beach (Summer '88) (Single Version) (Re-Recorded for the "The Best Of Chris Rea - New Light Through Old Windows" album released October 1988)

9. Randolph's Rotor Arm - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

10. Smile (from "Driving Home For Christmas - The Christmas EP", non-album track, UK released December 1988 on Magnet 325 - 4-Track 7" Single, 12" Single and CD Single)

11. I Don't Care Anymore (1987 "Dancing With Strangers" CD Album Bonus Track)

12. Que Sera (Down Under Mix) (Non-Album Version, January 1988 UK 12" single for "Que Sera" on Magnet MAGT 318)

13. Donahue's Broken Wheel (Instrumental, August 1987 UK 7" and 12" Single B-Side to "Loving You Again" on Magnet MAG 300 and a "Dancing With Strangers" CD Album Bonus Track)

14. Let's Dance (The Remix) (from the May 1987 UK 12" Single Magnet MAGT 299R)

15. Josephine (French Re-Record) (5:37 minute version, B-side from the May 1987 UK 12" Single and CD Single for "Let's Dance" on Magnet 299)

16. Footsteps In The Snow (from "Driving Home For Christmas - The Christmas EP", non-album track, UK released December 1988 on Magnet 325 - 4-Track 7" Single, 12" Single and CD Single)

17. Driving Home For Christmas (Second Version) (Re-Recorded for the "The Best Of Chris Rea - New Light Through Old Windows" album released October 1988)

The 24-page colour booklet is a surprisingly pretty and chunky affair – all that watercolour art reproduced including the singles sleeves peppering the text and interviews followed by the lyrics to the album’s eleven tracks. Berry Gordy apparently adored "Let's Dance" so the album received a US release on Motown – something the Blues and Soul-loving Rea is very proud of. He explains too how the music of Ry Cooder and Lowell George (Americana in general) had also infused the recordings along with the Celtic Uilleann pipes of Davey Spillane – a man whose beautiful playing has graced Kate Bush, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, Van Morrison and Mike Oldfield albums to name but a few (good company methinks). Remastered by NICK WATSON at Fluid Mastering – the Audio is superb - Eoghan O'Neill's Bass clear and warm  - Rea's formidable guitar playing (menace-sliding one minute then hop-skipping the next) now foremost through all of the songs.

The opening number "Joys Of Christmas" Northern-style sets the scene – women dragging their drunken men from pubs – angry, fighting - Jim looking down the barrel of an unemployment gun and trying not to pull the trigger. It gets all ZZ Top for the excellent boogie of "I Can't Dance To That" - his guitar playing fantastic as Kevin Leach backs up proceedings on the organ and piano. A gorgeous remaster elevates his heartfelt empathy in "Windy Town" - sessionmen good types like Fairport's Jerry Donahue playing guitar while Davey Spillane (ex Moving Hearts) gives us that haunting Uilleann Pipes and Tin Whistles as the jaunty beat slows - no car for kissing - crosswinds on the cold wet Northern stones. I'd forgotten how good "Gonna Buy A Hat" is. Here it comes alive again - the organ and accordion backing - I suspect Mr. Gorbachev would approve (keep those raindrops and that desperation off). Side 1 ends with the gorgeous wails of Davey Spillane on a low whistle as Rea strums the opening to "Curse Of The Traveller".

Side 2's total dancefloor killer "Let's Dance" has real muscle now and is followed by the floating keyboard notes and Harmonica of "Que Sera" - an opening that quickly segues into a so-pretty Balearic rhythm - rolling down runway ten strumming a guitar. The ethereal instrumental "Josie's Tune" with just Spillane and Rea - Spillane coaxing pain out of the Irish pipes - now feels more epic. The pretty "Loving You Again" with its radio-friendly chug feels like a revisiting a smile. The LP ends with the happy romp of "That Girl Of Mine" and the Mediterranean soft "September Blue" - tunes that are good but possibly not as special as what went before.

THE EXTRAS:

Fans will notice that "One Sweet Tender Touch" (a Previously Unreleased track in January 1988) from the CD single of "Que Sera" is absent and unfortunately hasn't been moved to any of the other doubles (bit of a boo-boo that). And I've always felt the three supposed bonus cuts on the original 1987 CD to have been a bit crappy, but having said that, how good is it to hear the fabulous Chris Rea "Let's Dance" Pop of "Yes I Do" in pumped up sound quality. DJs and fans digging Balearic Beats also finally get "Josephine (French Re-Record)" previously only available on a rare 12" single in proper Remastered quality - an extended 5:36 minute version that I feel has always trounced the released version. The first variant of "Driving Home For Christmas" from December 1986 (the B-side of "Hello Friend (Re-Record)" on Magnet 298) turns up as a Bonus Track inside Disc 2 of the "On The Beach" double. What we get here (imo) is the better and more punchy re-record for 1988's "New Light Through Old Windows” album - but I know some people also love that original and will have nothing to do with the redone version - so its nice to know both are now available in proper 2019 Remaster form across this reissue campaign. The song "Let's Dance" had four variants in 1987 – the album cut at 4:08 minutes, the 7" Single Edit at 3:52 minutes and two from two different 12"s – 12" Special Mix at 6:03 minutes and The Remix at 7:02 minutes. Disc 2 offers us The Remix only of "Let's Dance" at 7:02 minutes – so the Special Mix and 1987 Single Edit versions are not here. There was also the re-record of "Let's Dance" in 1988 for the "New Light Through Old Windows" Best Of LP and a March 1990 Live at Wembley Arena London version that turned up at the seven-minute B-side to the "Texas" single in April 1990 - both of which are now on the Disc 2 Additional Recordings of "The Road To Hell" double. Just to throw a further variant spanner in the works – there now appears to be a 3:37 minute version of "Let's Dance" as a Bonus Track on Disc 2 of the "On The Beach" double described as a B-side, but I don’t know to what.

To sum up – absolutely everything is not here for sure, but I think some judicious pruning is not a bad thing and that 74:43 playing time has to be called bloody good value for money in any working man's books. And the Previously Unreleased track is very good too. A fantastic reissue in my book and I'll be adding the others from the Bluesy Northern lad to my shopping basket as soon as pre-Brexit obfuscations and bamboozling allow.

I've always loved Chris Rea albums, looked forward to them even, as I would have done with a new John Martyn offering say. Musical, uplifting and warm - and that's gotta be the highest praise indeed...

CHRIS REA Expanded And Remastered Series

2CD Titles released Friday, 18 October 2019

1. Shamrock Diaries (Released May 1985)

Magnet Records/Warner Music Group 0190295492267 (Barcode 0190295492267)

2. On The Beach (April 1986)

Magnet Records/Warner Music Group 0190295492243 (Barcode 0190295492243)

3. Dancing With Strangers (September 1987)

Magnet Records/Warner Music Group 0190295492229 (Barcode 0190295492229)

4. The Road To Hell (November 1989)

WEA/Warner Music Group 0190295492205 (Barcode 0190295492205)

5. Auberge (March 1991)

East West/Warner Music Group 0190295492182 (Barcode 0190295492182)

GERRY GOFFIN and CAROLE KING [by Various Artists] – "Hung On You: More Gerry Goffin & Carole King Songbook" (March 2015 Ace CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…It Hurts To Live…"

Most people perceive Carole King as beginning her musical life in 1971 with the magisterial and legendary "Tapestry" album (both it and her life before that - are now the subject of the "Beautiful" musical which has just hit the West End of London to rave reviews). But her songwriting skills go back to the early Sixties where she and her husband Gerry Goffin penned a huge run of hits for other people. 

And that's where this rather lovely CD compilation comes in - 4th in a series by Ace Records of the UK covering Goffin & King's wide-ranging net of artists. Here are the American boys and girls handling their teenage ups and downs...

UK released March 2015 - "Hung On You: More Gerry Goffin & Carole King Songbook" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1427 (Barcode 029667070324) is a 25-Track CD compilation in the British label's Singer Songwriter Series that breaks down as follows (67:17 minutes):

1. Hung On You - THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS (1965 USA 7" single on Philles 129, B-side of "Unchained Melody")

2. That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho) - DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (1969 USA 7" single on Atlantic 45-2647, B-side of "Willy & Laura May Jones")

3. Road To Nowhere - THE HEARTS AND FLOWERS (1967 USA 7" single on Capitol 5829, B-side to their debut 45 "Rock And Roll Gypsies")

4. Don't Let Me Stand In Your Way - SKEETER DAVIS (1964 USA 7" single on RCA 47-8450, B-side of "What Am I Gonna Do Without You")

5. You Turn Me On Boy - THE HONEY BEES (1965 USA 7" single on Fontana 1505, A)

6. What A Sweet Thing That Was - THE SHIRELLES (1961 USA 7" single on Scepter 1220, B-side of "A Thing Of The Past")

7. Will Power - THE COOKIES (1963 USA 7" single on Dimension 1012, A and in the UK on Colpix PX 11012, A)

8. This Little Girl - DION (1963 USA 7" single on Columbia 4-42776, A)

9. The Sheik - THE CLOVERS (from the 1960 US LP "Love Potion Number Nine" on United Artists UAS-6099, Stereo)

10. Am I The Guy - TONY ORLANDO (1961 USA 7" single on Epic 9452, B-side of "Bless You")

11. Show Me Girl - THE HONDELLS (1966 USA 7" single on Mercury 72626, B-side of "Cheryl's Goin' Home")

12. Sharing You - BOBBY VEE (1962 USA 7" single on Liberty 55451, A)

13. When My Little Girl Is Smiling - THE DRIFTERS (1962, Atlantic 2134, A)

14. Randy - EARL-JEAN (1964 USA 7" single on Colpix 748, A)

15. Anything Can Happen  - WALTER JACKSON (1962 recording first issued in 2006 on the CD compilation "It's All Over: The Okeh Recordings Vol.1" on Kent-Soul CDKEND 263)

16. It's Gonna Be All Right - THEOLA KILGORE (1966 USA 7" single on Mercury 72564, B-side of "I Can't Stand It")

17. Where Does Love Go - FREDDIE SCOTT (1964 USA 7" single on Colpix 724, A)

18. Please Hurt Me - LITTLE EVA (1963 USA 7" single on Dimension D 1019, A)

19. So Many Lonely People - HENRY ALSTON (1964 USA 7" single on Colpix CP 731, A)

20. Don't You Want To Love Me - CONNIE STEVENS (1966 USA 7" single on Warner Brothers 5691, A)

21. Keep Your Hands Off My Baby - THE ORLONS (from the 1963 US LP "All The Hits By The Orlons" on Cameo C 1033, Mono)

22. No One Ever Tells You - THE CRYSTALS (1962 USA 7" single on Philles 105, B-side of "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)")

23. The Boy From Chelsea - TRULY SMITH (1967 UK 7" single on Decca F 12700, A)

24. Snow Queen - THE TOKENS (from the 1970 LP "Greatest Moments" on BT Puppy BTPS 1012)

25. Something In The Morning - THE AMERICAN BREED (from the 1968 LP "Bend Me, Shape Me" on ACTA Records 8003, Mono)

NOTES:

Tracks: 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 to 16, 18 and 19, 20 to 24 and 26 are MONO

Tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 9, 12, 13, 17 and 25 are STEREO

There's the usual fact-filled 16-page booklet from Ace with great liner notes from MICK PATRICK - the text peppered with label photos of those rare 45s on Colpix, Dimension, Philles and Scepter (to name but a few). There's a repro of sheet music for Vee's "Sharing You", superb black and white publicity shots for Skeeter Davis, Tony Orlando and The Cookies and the rare US picture sleeve for "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers (its B-side "Hung On You" opens the compilation). It's a typically lovely job done. The audio is remastered by an engineer of long-standing - NICK ROBBINS - and despite the differing sources - the audio is uniformly excellent throughout (even on those dense Philles recordings). In some cases the audio is exceptional.

"Hung On You" heavily features the Sixties Girl-Group Sound - Pop tunes full of catchy melodrama and High School joy/misery. Period charm oozes out of these grooves - even if at times it's dolloped on with way too many spoons of sugar. It opens strongly with a nice one-two of The Righteous Brothers and Dusty. But a piece of genuinely forgotten Pop genius crops up with The Hearts And Flowers flipside on Track 3 - "Road To Nowhere". The Hearts And Flowers were a West Coast Folky-Rock ensemble similar to the cheery sounds of The Association and they produced a winner with this concoction. The song was later picked up Judy Henske and Britain's Trash - it's a total nugget on here (and in fabulous audio quality). You're then hit by a four flusher for Girl Power - Skeeter Davis on "Don't Let Me Stand In Your Way" (produced by Chet Atkins), the infectious "You Turn Me On" by The Honey Bees (sounding so Phil Spector) - but the best of all is the catchy "Will Power" by The Cookies featuring the lovely vocals of Dorothy Jones, Earl-Jean McCrea and Margaret Ross (Earl-Jean gets a solo outing "Randy" on track 14).

Breezy Pop comes in the form of Tony Orlando's "Am I The Girl" followed quickly by the Herman's Hermits sound of The Hondells doing "Show Me Girl" and the cheesy bubblegum pop of Bobby Vee.

Wobbles - "The Sheik" feels like The Clovers reaching for a novelty hit and not quite making it - while the Stereo mix of "When My Little Girl Is Smiling" actually sounds strange after all these years of hearing the Mono version (all those plucked strings). Walter Jackson sounds uncomfortable with the obvious Pop slant of "Anything Can Happen" - but despite that he still puts in a fabulous vocal performance that lifts the song. And I'm not sure the PC brigade who watch over us all (nice of them) would approve of the emotional flagellation advocated in Little Eva's sappy "Please Hurt Me". Countering that is the surprisingly lovely "Where Does Love Go" where Freddie Scott puts in a Soulful belter of a performance (the Cash Box trade advert for Colpix CP 724 is reproduced on Page 10). The mournful "No One Ever Tells You" by The Crystals is a young-girls advice song (lyrics from it title this review). Even more disarming is the gorgeous longing in "The Boy From Chelsea" by Truly Smith (Josephine Taylor) - an overlooked British Pop nugget musically directed by Island Records' Chris Blackwell. It was penned a few years prior and slated to be used by Davey Jones of The Monkees - and you can see why its wistfulness and melodrama appealed to Northern Soul fans (quite apart from the fact that it sold zip on release).

As ever - Ace Records pull off a neat stunt - another CD winner (their 4th) for one of the most successful songwriting duos in History - Gerry Goffin and Carole King. And would we have it any other way...

PS: the other three Ace compilations covering the Goffin & King output are:

1. Goffin & King: A Gerry Goffin & Carole King Song Collection 1961-1967

(October 2007, Ace Records CDCHD 1170)

2. Honey & Wine: Another Gerry Goffin & Carole King Song Collection

(March 2009, Ace Records CDCHD 1216)

3. Something Good From The Goffin & King Songbook

(March 2012, Ace Records CDCHD 1327)

"Yesterday Has Gone: The Songs Of Tony Randazzo" by VARIOUS (September 2019 Ace Records CD Compilation – Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Gonna Take A Miracle..."

(TONY RANDAZZO is part of Ace Record's Singer Songwriter Series)

I've had Ace CDs that went the extra Country Mile in the Audio department before - but this little British issued doozy goes a few 60ts furlongs further.

This is a truly fantastic sounding CD containing Melodrama Pop, 60ts Soul, Girl Group heartache and young boys going out of their heads whilst pining for miracles (and not just the Smokey kind). Most of the music centres around late 1965 and into 1966 (primo 45-singles time) and at 71:43 minutes - "Yesterday Has Gone..." is a generous slab of quality misery into the bargain that collectors will lick their lips over.

For sure Randazzo's overblown Phil Spector-ish I'm-gonna-die pleading same-song-structure every time can grate after a while - and there are some truly yucky saccharine moments with The Vogues and The Kane Triplets that will test punters patience worse than EU Brexit negotiations. But make no mistake, with the likes of Little Anthony & The Imperials, Timi Yuro, The Royalettes and Derek Martin on board – musically there is also so much here to adore (twelve are in glorious Stereo too). Let's move from the outside and start looking in...

UK released Friday, 27 September 2019 (4 October 2019 in the USA) - "Yesterday Has Gone: The Songs Of Teddy Randazzo" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDTOP 1556 (Barcode 029667096027) is a 25-Track CD compilation of Remasters in their Singer-Songwriter Series that plays out as follows (71:43 minutes):

1. I'm On The Outside (Looking In) - LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS (August 1964 US 7" single on DCP Records DCP 1104, A-side)

2. Can't Stop Running Away - TIM YURO (May 1965 US 7" single on Mercury 72431, A-side)

3. Baby Are You Puttin' Me On - THE ROYALETTES (from the 1966 US LP "The Elegant Sound Of The Royalettes" on MGM Records SE-4366 in Stereo)

4. You Don't Need A Heart - TONY RANDAZZO (March 1965 US 7" single on DCP Records DCP 1134, A-side)

5. Think Before You Act - TONY ORLANDO (September 1965 US 7" single on Atco 45-6375, A-side)

6. You Better Go - DEREK MARTIN (June 1965 US 7" single on Roulette R-4631, A-side)

7. It's Gonna Take A Miracle - THE ROYALETTES (June 1965 US 7"single on MGM K 13366, A-side)

8. Rain In My Heart - FRANK SINATRA (December 1968 US 7" single on Reprise 0798, A-side)

9. We're On Our Way - THE VOGUES (May 1971 US 7"single on Bell 991, B-side of "Love Song")

10. Buttercup Days - THE KANE TRIPLETS (October 1968 US 7" single on United Artists UA 50466, A-side)

11. Let Me Dream - GEORGIA GIBBS (December 1965 US 7" single on Bell 635, A-side)

12. Let Me Know When It's Over - ESTHER PHILLIPS (September 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2304, A-side)

13. Lonely Girl - ANNABELLE FOX (May 1966 US 7" single on Satin S-402, A-side)

14. Better Off Without You - RITCHIE ADAMS (November 1966 US 7" single on MGM K 13629, B-side of "You Were Mine")

15. I'm Lost Without You - BILLY FURY (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F. 12048, A-side)

16. Or Not At All - JIMMY RICE (April 1965 US 7" single on Red Bird Records RB 10-027, A-side)

17. Good For A Lifetime - AL HIBBLER (January 1966 US 7" single on Satin S-401, A-side)

18. Goin' Out Of My Head - DIONNE WARWICK (from the 1970 US LP "Very Dionne" on Scepter SPS 587 in Stereo, produced by Bacharach & David)

19. Better Use Your Head - MEL TORME (from the 1966 US LP "Right Now!" on Columbia CS 9335 in Stereo)

20. I Watched You Slowly Slip Away - HOWARD GUYTON (February 1966 US 7" single on Verve VK-10386, A-side)

21. Yesterday Has Gone - ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS (May 1968 US 7" single on Veep V-1285, A-side)

22. Think Twice Before You Walk Away - PORGY And THE MONARCHS (December 1966 US 7" single on Musicor MU 1221, B-side of "My Heart Cries For You")

23. Hurt So Bad - THE DELFONICS (from the 1968 US LP "La La Means I Love You" on Philly Groove PG 1150)

24. Love At First Sight - THE STYLISTICS (January 1979 US 7" single on Mercury 74042, A-side)

25. A Million To One - THE MANHATTANS (October 1971 US 7" single on DeLuxe 45-137, B-side to "Cry If You Wanna Cry")

Tracks 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24 and 25 are in STEREO

Tracks 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,20 and 22 are in MONO

The 24-page colour booklet is the usual classy affair from Ace Records of the UK - each artist and song given promo photos, those rare US labels repro'd and of course photos of our elegant songwriting hero - Brooklyn's Tony Randazzo. Soul and R&B Music aficionados IAN CHAPMAN and MICK PATRICK both do a bang-up job of filling in the 60ts details - Patrick quite rightly pointing out that Randazzo's co-writers Bobby Weinstein, Victoria Pike, Lou Stallman, Bobby Hart and Roger Joyce all deserve to be spoken of in the same voice of respect that is afforded the affable Randazzo. You might argue that TR is so closely associated with the orbit and success of Little Anthony & The Imperials (that's him sat in the control booth with the boys around him on the front cover of the booklet) - that more of their classic output should have been featured here - but Little Anthony's catalogue on End, DCP and Veep Records has been done extensively elsewhere.  For sure by the time you reach The Stylistics in 1979, the end of the CD is putting up mediocrity instead of magic - but the rest is fabulous 60ts melodrama and I suspect collectors will accept the rough with the smooth that comes with all-encompassing compilations like this. Besides NICK ROBBINS - long-time Audio Engineer at Ace Records and a guy who’s transferred literally hundreds of full-length compilations from every conceivable type of master-tape box - has excelled himself. The Audio is properly gorgeous.

"Yesterday Has Gone" opens with a killer one-two - a magisterial Stereo cut of Little Anthony & The Imperial's masterpiece "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)" followed by the Mono beauty of Timi Yuro with "Can't Stop Running Away" (a tune she apparently also recorded in Italian for the Euro market). The Royalettes two slices of 60ts Soul live up the word elegant in their US LP title (they are given a beautiful full-page black and white publicity photo on Page 13 of the booklet) – while the Derek Martin smoocher and one-time Fireflies vocalist Ritchie Adams are me discoveries of the month. I can honestly live without the Sinatra workmanlike rendition of "Rain In My Heart" and the aforementioned syrup-overloads of The Vogues and The Kane Triplets (no matter how gorgeous their blond hair looks on Page 17) – stuff like the Jimmy Rice cut and the Howard Guyton slowly slipping away melodrama (recorded with The Five Pearls in 1954) are the business.

Not all genius for damn sure, but this is a CD compilation that for many has been a long time coming. I suspect collectors everywhere are going top be well pleased – and frankly – yet another feather in the cap of Ace Records – a cap that after 40 years of quality reissues must weigh a few tons by now...