"...First The Knees, Then The Names..." - The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by THOMAS NEWMAN (Soundtrack CD)

The CD Soundtrack To 

"The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" 

by THOMAS NEWMAN

"...First The Knees, Then The Names..."

Thomas Newman's knack at taping into our deepest emotions via his gorgeous and emotive movie music stretches back to 1994 to his magisterial work on the mighty "Shawshank Redemption" - a film and soundtrack CD that still sends chills up my spine ("Little Women" from the same year is beloved too by fans).

2015's "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is a clever meeting of Eastern Rhythms meets Western Moodscapes - both musical cultures jostling alongside each other in lovely compliment. One moment it's all delicate keyboard fills and plucked harp strings - the next you're doing the neck jerk and donning a Sari for the Modern Indian Dance Funk of "Ye Ishq Hai" by Shreya Ghosha. The mixture of contemporary Indian pop with his short instrumental passages of mood and sway (28 tracks, 61:39 minutes) works beautifully. In fact I remember as I watched the film in the snazzy new Empire Cinema in E17 thinking how pretty the interlocking weave was - a properly lovely Soundtrack winner.

US released 2015 on Sony Classical 88875031972 (Barcode 888750319722) - the booklet is an 8-page basic affair with Director John Madden quite rightly waxing lyrical about Newman's contribution to the whole upbeat mood of the film. There are credits, photos of the cast - the usual stuff. The audio is exemplary - beautifully recorded and produced - a genuine pleasure to listen to (UK even saw a Music-On-Vinyl 2LP set for this film). Which brings us back to the music. 

For instance Track 3 is called "Knees Then Names" - it's only shy of two minutes - yet Newman crams in more subtly and prettiness and emotive chords in those 180 seconds than most do in 10-minute passages. The 1:28 minutes of "Nimish & Abhilash" mixes his rhythms with Indian vocalists and the short result is hypnotically brilliant. And of course there's that fabulous multi-cultural feel to the whole shebang.

Another lovely listen from Thomas Newman - buy and enjoy...

"Jerry Reed/Hot A' Mighty/Lord Mr. Ford/The Uptown Poker Club" by JERRY REED – Four Albums from 1972 and 1973 (3) originally on RCA Victor Records (May 2019 UK Beat Goes On Reissue – 4LPs onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Dreaming Of Henry Ford..."

This is the kind of twofer reissue that Beat Goes On Records of the UK does so well (BGO for short) - four now forgotten and obscure albums remastered in full onto two CDs by Audio Engineer Andrew Thompson. You get a classy looking card slipcase – foldout double jewel case, new liner notes and a decent asking price. The original vinyl was "Jerry Reed" from 1972 alongside three from early to late 1973 - "Hot A' Mighty", "Lord, Mr. Ford" and "The Uptown Poker Club" - all originally on RCA Victor Records in the USA.

UK released 31 May 2019 - Beat Goes On BGOCD1377 (Barcode 5017261213778) offers up all four albums newly remastered in high def in their entirety - the third platter included giving the witty Georgia Boy a US Country Music No. 1 with the oil, gas, wheezing, automobile spluttering song "Lord, Mr. Ford" - a lyrically very funny tune by Dick Feller that tapped into the truckers craze of the early Seventies.

In fact wit abounds in songs choices like "Alabama Wild Man" and the Rock n' Roll tribute album of sorts "Hot A' Mighty" where he tackles hunks of Chuck Berry but still manages to slot in Mickey Newbury's "Sweet Memories". With Chet Atkins production across all four of the platters (played Guitar too on most) and a huge bevvy of quality Nashville players – it’s no wonder that the audio transfers are lovely - really clear and full of body. His acting career skyrocketed then (eventually becoming integral to the Smokey & The Bandit films) and he gave music a bit of a back seat.

For sure Seventies Country music (on RCA especially) has had the reputation of being just the wrong side of hick - but when Reed covers songs like Rodney Crowell's "You Can't Keep Me Here In Tennessee" and "Everybody Has Those Kind Of Days" whilst throwing in his own "It's Tough All Over" – JR showed his smarts and sass at picking a winning tune. It can be dated in places as these albums tended to be, but this is a very good reissue from BGO (yet again) highlighting a songwriter and personality who deserves a second-go-round. Nice one...

"Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings" by THE POLICE (15 November 2019 UK UMC/A&M/Polydor 6CD Clamshell Box Set of 2018 Abbey Road Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Make The Best Of What's Around..."

The last time the Police's catalogue was remastered in 2003 (by Bob Ludwig), each CD was an enhanced version with a single video of note as the bonus track ("Roxanne" for the debut, "Walking On The Moon" for the second and so on). 

This 2018/2019 reissue goes back to basics...removing the vids and net content and adding peripheral recordings from the band's initial studio output between 1978 and 1983 (they disbanded when Sting went solo in 1984).

Police fans will know that this gorgeous box set first appeared a year ago with the same title as a VINYL 6LP treat on 16 November 2018 – all records remastered and pressed up as Half-Speed Masters at Abbey Road. This is simply the belated CD variant of that using the same 2018 remasters (unfortunately minus the 24-page booklet). Five Studio Albums onto 5 Individual CDs and a Bonus Disc Compilation called "Flexible Strategies" that gathers up 12 straggler single B-sides and rarities (I've broken it down track-by-track, see list below).

The bonus track "Murder By Numbers" that was on the original Cassette and CD versions of 1983's "Synchronicity" (also the B-side of the "Every Breath You Take" 45) has now been moved over to that compilation and each card repro sleeve made into a gatefold (including No. 6). The collage photo of the band for "Zenyatta Mondatta" and the inner sleeve for "Ghost In The Machine" (which admittedly was never much to look at) are at least reproduced on the inside of the card gatefolds - but the lyrics for "Synchronicity" are AWOL (the first two LPs only had paper inners) and the sixth has a boring non-event inner gatefold when it could have been used to display the pictures sleeves for the singles and their A-sides. While there is no booklet or any lyrics (mores the pity), there is a pleasingly oversized clamshell box with a ribbon inside to remove the card sleeves without too much damage (there are no inner protective bags for the CDs which are tight inside the flaps – so watch that as you remove them).

But surely the big news is the upgraded mastering which to my ears is mind-blowingly good and the intro price of less than seventeen spondulicks for six CDs – a proper Christmas cracker if ever there was one. So what do you get...

Released Friday, 15 November 2019 - "Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings" by THE POLICE on UMC/A&M/Polydor 779 757-7 (Barcode 602577975776) is a 6-Disc Clamshell Box Set that breaks down as follows...

CD1 "Outlandos D'Amour" (38:17 minutes) - originally UK released November 1978 UK on A&M Records AMLH 68502

CD2 "Regatta De Blanc" (41:56 minutes) - originally UK released October 1979 on A&M Records AMLH 64792

CD3 "Zenyatta Mondatta" (38:28 minutes) - originally UK released October 1980 on A&M Records AMLH 64831

CD4 "Ghost In The Machine" (41:20 minutes) - originally UK released October 1981 on A&M Records AMLK 63730

CD5 "Synchronicity" (39:55 minutes) - originally UK released June 1983 on A&M Records AMLX 63735

CD6 "Flexible Strategies" (43:38 minutes) - released 15 November 2019

1. Dead End Job - non-album B-side to "Can't Stand Losing You" in October 1978 (UK, A&M Records AMS 7381)

2. Landlord - non-album B-side to "Message In A Bottle" in September 1979 (UK, A&M Records AMS 7474)

3. Visions Of The Night - non-album B-side to "Walking On The Moon" in November 1979 (UK, A&M Records AMS 7494)

4. Friends - non-album B-side to "Don't Stand So Close To Me" in October 1980 (UK, A&M Records AMS 7564)

5. A Sermon - non-album B-side to "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" in November 1980 (UK, A&M Records AMS 7578)

6. Shamelle - non-album B-side to "Invisible" in September 1981 (UK, A&M Records AMS 8164)

7. Flexible Strategies - non-album B-side to "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" in October 1981 (UK, A&M Records AMS 8174)

8. Low Life - non-album B-side to "Spirits In The Material World" in December 1981 (UK, A&M Records AMS 8194)

9. Murder By Numbers - non-album B-side to "Every Breath You Take" in May 1983 (UK, A&M Records AM 117)

10. Truth Hits Everybody (1983 Remix) - non-album B-side to "Every Breath You Take" in May 1983 (UK, A&M Records AM 117 DOUBLE-PACK Version - second 45 was catalogue number A&M AM*01)

11. Someone To Talk To - non-album B-side to "Wrapped Around Your Finger" in July 1983 (UK, A&M Records AM 127)

12. Once Upon A Daydream - non-album B-side to "Synchronicity II" in October 1983 (UK, A&M Records AM 153)

The remasters are superlative. Their explosively hip debut hit the 1978 British New Wave landscape running with gutsy and lyrically smart tunes like "Next To You" (wow those drums and that guitar break), "So Lonely" and the brilliant "Can't Stand Losing You" – all utterly booted and suited now. Then you go deeper - album cuts like "Bring On The Night", "Deathwish" and "The Bed's Too Big Without You" simply rock-fabulous on the second platter - huge bass and drums - all that power-trio tightness roaring out of your speakers. The Zenyatta double of "Driven To Tears" segueing into "When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around" is stunning as is the sheer thump that comes off "Voices In My Head". The brass on "Too Much Information" and the sexy sway of "Tea In The Sahara" – all better.

What's missing - fans will notice the May 1977 UK debut 45 for "Fall Out" b/w Nothing Achieving" on Illegal Records IL 001 is not here - probably licensing - and several B-sides like the live version of "Man In A Suitcase" that turned up on the second 45 in the "Every Breath You Take" double-pack is also AWOL. The 1986 remake for "Don't Stand So Close To Me" isn’t here either - but these are minor omissions once you clap your ears on the clarity of the Remasters.

Is the bonus disc any good - in truth and excepting better B-sides like "Murder By Numbers", "Low Life", "Someone To Talk To" and "Once Upon A Daydream" - overall the supposed Bonus Disc "Flexible Strategies" makes for a painful listen. Police B-sides really were not the greatest - the ludicrous speed of "Landlord" and the throwaway nature of instrumentals like "Shamelle" and "Flexible Strangers" haven't worn at all well. And that 1983 remix of "Truth Hits Everybody" sanitised the cool punk kick the original debut album version had – neutering a punchy anthem. It is however cool to hear those better outsiders in such good audio again ("Once Upon A Daydream" should have been on the "Synchronicity" album instead of the dog that "Mother" was).

To sum up - the five albums only remind you of how good THE POLICE really were - a fantastic singles band too – Sting’s writing getting better and more sophisticated with each outing – Andy Summers on Guitar with Stewart Copeland on Drums making the perfect trio. The remasters are genuinely ace, it looks damn good and "Every Move You Make: The Studio Recordings" is currently selling its rather tasty little booty for three quid less than its pre-purchase price of a twenty spot.

"...When the world is running down, you make the best of what's still around..." - Sting sang on that thrown-together third album. Even on a bad day, The Police were still head and shoulders above so many bands of the time. My advice, with this amount of quality in such a tasty display and the cheap-as-a-politician's-promise price tag - grab this oversized regatta de bollocks while you still can...

"Little Women - Original Soundtrack Album" by THOMAS NEWMAN (1995 Sony Classical CD)

"...Snow Play..."

The masterful soundscape-maker himself THOMAS NEWMAN gives us a typically beautiful and poignant CD soundtrack - and the music is from a year where Newman's skill with a sweeping emotion seemed to be utterly inspired – 1994 – home of the mighty Redemption.

This time his strings and lush arrangements went to the 1994 girly-fest movie remake of "Little Women" directed by Gillian Armstrong (Winona Ryder and Gabriel Byrne have almost shocking chemistry in the affection department). 

1. Orchard House (Main Theme) 

2. Meg's Hair 

3. Snowplay 

4. Scarlet Fever 

5. Ashes 

6. Spring 

7. La Fayette's Welcome 

8. A Telegram

9. Two Couples

10. Burd3ns 

11. New York 

12. Harvest Time

13. Maria Redowa

14. Letter From Jo

15. Amy Abroad 

16. Limes

17. Beth's Secret 

18. For The Beauty Of Earth 

19. Little Women

20. Learning To Forget 

21. Valley Of The Shadow

22. Port Royal Gallop 

23. Domestic Experiences 

24.The Laurence Boy 

25. Lovelornity

26. Under The Umbrella (End Title)

USA CD released 10 January 1995 - "Little Women – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" written and conducted by THOMAS NEWMAN on Sony Classical SK 66922 (Barcode 074646692226) was Produced by TN and BILL BERNSTEIN.

Lots of the 26 cuts are admittedly short - sometimes less than a minute in some cases and they often feeling like snatched moments - which is of course exactly what they are (even with that number of titles, its total playing time is only 37:24 minutes). But it's the beauty of the opening 3:29 minutes of "Orchard House (Main Title)" for instance or the 3:41 minutes of "Under The Umbrella (End Title)" at the finish line that show why Newman was and still is nominated so many times for Oscars and many other awards.

TN is also famously a close relative of the iconic songsmith Randy Newman – himself a prolific Soundtrack writer who has contributed to some of Pixar's most famous movies "Toy Story" and "Monster’s Inc." to name but a few. Thomas Newman also did the gorgeous sweeping music to Pixar's much-loved "Wall-E" – another beauty with an exclusive Peter Gabriel song in the closing credits.

"Little Women" is not "The Shawshank Redemption" for sure where every second feels soul touching and epic (others would passionately disagree and say "Little Women" is its musical equal). But I have to own everything this songwriter has ever done and I suspect after one listen to the loveliness contained within this - you may become the same...

"Tradish" by BRENDAN POWER (2004 Tethnik Records CD) featuring Ian Carr, Chris Newman, Declan Masterson and Andy Irvine - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Real Blues Reel..."

Brendan Power is a 63-year old virtuoso Harmonica blaster from Auckland, New Zealand (born in Kenya) now living in England that mixes in Blues, Celtic, Kiwi, Dixie Jazz and all manner of World influences into his musical palette. And what a sound he makes...

Blowing Diatonic and Chromatic harps - 2004's "Tradish" on Tethnik Records TETHNIK 109 (Barcode 829667018629) appears to be a self-published effort (62:28 minutes total playing time) that features 15 Tracks (14 BP originals and one cover) all sporting an impressive guest list of International Trad players (especially from Ireland and the UK). Names like...

STEPHEN COONEY - Guitar

IAN CARR - Guitar on "Hakanoa Hideaway" and "Farewell To Muswell Hill".

CHRIS NEWMAN - Guitar and Bass on "Tom's Tune" and "Monaco Madness"

ANDY IRVINE - Mandolin on "The M1 Reel"

GARY VERBERNE - Guitar and Bass

GERRY O'CONNOR - Tenor Banjo on "The Bloom Of Youth" and "20 Out Of 10" 

DECLAN MASTERSON - Flute on "Hakenoa Hideaway" and Uilleann Pipes on "20 Out Of 10"

BOB SHEPHERD and NEIL HARLAND - Bass

STEVE GARDEN - Drums

GREG SHEEHAN - Tambourine

MICK KINSELLA - Diatonic Harmonica on "The Real Blues Reel"

The all-original instrumentals were recorded across 8 years in three different studios (Dingle and Kildare in Ireland, Ilkley in England and Auckland in New Zealand) with the above list of musicians as impromptu guests (Power also plays Mandolin and Mandola on "Tom's Tune"). Only "The Bloom Of Youth" is a cover - a Traditional arranged by Power.

A very cool album with amazing harp blowing – technically brill but still with feeling and panache – a sort of Irish Trad vibes meets Rock meets Real World Records. The final tune "Lament For The 21st Century" has just him and his Chromatic wailing away like he was born to impress. A fabulous CD album then that deserves better attention...