"I'm A Freak 2 Baby: A Further Journey Through The British HEAVY PSYCH and HARD ROCK Underground Scene 1968-73" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Album and Single Tracks from 1968 to 1973 by Atomic Rooster, The Jeff Beck Group, Bodkin, The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Budgie, Clark-Hutchinson, Dark, The Deviants, High Tide, Leaf Hound, The Move, 9:30 Fly, NSU, Patto, Pluto, Purple Haze, Red Dirt, Sam Gopal, Stack Waddy, Stray, Three Man Army, Thor, Warhorse, Writing On The Wall and more (25 January 2019 Grapefruit UK 3CD Clamshell Box Set – Simon Murphy Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Shapes Of Things..."

Having reached what must have been a satisfying 500th outing-zenith in their December 2019 issue - England's celebrated Record Collector Magazine quite rightly nominated a few Grapefruit Records anthologies for gongs in their 'Best Of 2019' annual round up. And I nor any other frazzle-top gent was too shocked to see this little musical brute and underground beastie nestling in the 'PSYCH Collector' column - in at No. 1 with a smack in the establishment jaw.

Following on from their 2016 Grapefruit 3CD Box Set "I'm A Freak Baby..." - round two offers up 50 more fistfights from 1968 to 1973 (only this time, it might even be better than that previous musical knuckleduster). There are a lot of hairy men with attitudes and busted lips to examine here, so let's have at England’s Vosene marauders...

UK released Friday, 25 January 2019 - "I'm A Freak 2 Baby: A Further Journey Through The British HEAVY PSYCH and HARD ROCK Underground Scene 1968-73" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEGBOX050 (Barcode 5013929185005) is a 3CD Mini Clamshell Box set of 50 Remastered Tracks that breaks down as follows:

CD1 (78:21 minutes):
1. Guts - BUDGIE (from their August 1971 UK debut album "Budgie" on MCA Records MKPS 2018)
2. Shapes Of Things - JEFF BECK (from his August 1968 US debut solo album "Truth" on Epic Records BN 26413)
3. Run The Night - WICKED LADY (not originally issued, recorded 1969)
4. The Man Who Paints Pictures - STRAY (not originally issued, recorded November 1968)
5. Rosie - SLOWROAD (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded 1971)
6. Turkish Tram Conductor Blues - THE MOVE (from their December 190 UK LP "Looking on" on Fly Records HIFLY 1)
7. Chocolate Piano - ORANG-UTAN (from their April 1971 US debut album "Orang-Utan" on Bell Records BELL 6054)
8. Clawstrophobia - IRON CLAW (not originally issued, recorded December 1970)
9. Plastic Man - BODKIN (from their privately pressed 1972 LP "Bodkin" of 100 copies on West CSA 104)
10. Let's All Watch The Sky Fall Down - ANDROMEDA (not originally issued, recorded late 1969)
11. Mother Grease The Cat - ANCIENT GREASE (from their July 1970 debut album "Women And Children First" on Mercury 6338 033)
12. Rosalyn - STACK WADDY (from their November 1972 UK LP "Bugger Off!" on Dandelion 2310 231)
13. Horse - SAM GOPAL (not originally issued, recorded late 1968)
14. Sabre Dance - LOVE SCULPTURE with Dave Edmunds (A-side to their November 1968 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5744)
15. Dog Man - MONUMENT (from their October 1971 debut album "First Monument" on Beacon BEAS 15)
16. Freelance Fiend - LEAF HOUND (from their October 1971 debut album "Grower Of Mushrooms" on Decca SKL-R 5094)
17. Loud Green Song - PATTO (from their November 1972 UK LP "Roll 'Em Smoke 'Em Put Another Line Out" on Island ILPS 9210)
18. Winter Of My Love - SAM APPLE PIE (from their October 1969 debut LP "Sam Apple Pie" on Decca SLK-R 5005)

CD2 (77:27 minutes):
1. Woman For Sale - TEAR GAS (from their August 1971 UK LP "Tear Gas" on Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1021)
2. Death Walks Behind You - ATOMIC ROOSTER (from the November 1970 UK LP "Death Walks Behind You" on B&C Records CAS 1026)
3. Apache Drop Out - EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND (A-side of a November 1970 UK 7" single on Harvest HAR 5032)
4. Turn On, Or Turn Me Down - N.S.U. (from the June 1969 UK LP "Turn On, Or Turn Me Down" on Stable SLE 8002)
5. Brain Worker - RED DIRT (from the April 1970 UK LP "Red Dirt" on Fontana STL 5540)
6. Early In Spring - THE RATS (not originally issued, recorded November 1969)
7. Somewhere To Go -THE DEVIANTS (from the October 1968 UK LP "Disposable" on Stable SLP 7001)
8. Armageddon - DOGFEET (from their February 1972 UK LP "Dogfeet" on Reflection REFL 8)
9. Down And Out - PLUTO (from their October 1971 UK LP "Pluto" on Dawn Records DNLS 3030)
10. Brush With The Midnight Butterfly - THE HUMAN BEAST (from the November 1970 UK LP "Volume One" on Decca SKL 5053)
11. R.C. 8. (Demo Version) - DARK (not originally issued, recorded October 1971)
12. Wolf A While - PURPLE HAZE (not originally issued, recorded early 1969)
13.  Daze - THREE MAN ARMY (from their August 1971 UK LP "A Third Of A Lifetime" on Pegasus PEG 3)
14. Old Father Time - TONGE (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded 1971)
15. Ashen Besher – MOUSE (from the December 1973 UK LP "Lady Killer"
16. Fussing And Fighting – SUNDAY (from the October 1971 German LP "Sunday" on Bellaphon BLPS 19066)
17. Going Down – FREEDOM (from the July 1972 UK LP "Freedom Is More Than A Word" on Vertigo 6360 072)

CD3 (77:26 minutes):
1. Futilist's Lament - HIGH TIDE (from their September 1969 UK LP "Sea Shanties" on Liberty LBS 83264)
2. Yesterday - LIGHTYEARS AWAY (from their May 1971 UK LP "Astral Navigations" on Holyground HG 114)
3. Woman - SAMUEL PRODY (from their May 1971 German LP "Samuel Prody" on Global 6306 906)
4. Confusion - EUGENE CARNAN (not originally issued, recorded March 1972)
5. So Long I'm Moving On - HARD HORSE featuring Paul Thomas (B-side to "(Get It) Up-Down", an October 1972 UK 7" single on D'art ART 2012)
6. Fire! (Demo Version) - THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN (not originally issued, recorded circa March 1968)
7. Early Morning Sun - TARSUS (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded May 1971)
8. Is There Any Doubt? - NATURAL GAS (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded 1972)
9. Back In Time - WARHORSE (from their June 1972 UK LP "Red Sea" on Vertigo 6360 066)
10. Name Of The Game - LITTLE BIG HORN (from their October 1971 German LP "Little Big Horn" on Bellaphon BLS 19067)
11. Sinister Minister - BULLET (B-side of "Hobo", a November 1971 UK 7" single on Purple PUR 101)
12. I Need Someone - FROZEN TEAR (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded October 1969)
13. The Nymph - SARDONICUS (January 1973 UK privately-pressed 7" single of 101 copies on County COUN 240, A-side)
14. Someone's Been At My Woman - CLARK-HUTCHINSON (not originally issued, recorded March 1969)
15. Big Jim Salter - STONE THE CROWS (from their October 1971 fourth and final album "Ontinuous Performance" on Polydor 2425 071)
16. Paranoid - THOR (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED, recorded circa October 1970)
17. Lucifer Corpus - WRITING ON THE WALL (B-side of "Child On A Crossing", an October 1969 UK 7" single on Middle Earth MDS 101 and a debut release for the label)

A 40-page booklet features the usual feast of period memorabilia, Oz and Zig Zag underground magazine covers, rarest of the rare LP covers and single picture sleeves, Apple acetates, publicity photos of varying hairy men in bad need of a ex-army disciplinarian barber – DAVID WELLS (compiler and annotator) pouring on the factoids like it was getting close to Christmas. SIMON MURPHY of Another Planet has done the mastering and apart from the odd ropey demo or two – the grunge assault is pleasingly loud, in yer face and full of presence (even menace). Fans will be pleased...

Proceedings open with our favourite Welsh power trio BUDGIE whose fabulous debut-album opener "Guts" comes at you with more grungy guitar riffage than a Black Sabbath commune with dark materials. Budgie's first three albums on MCA Records ("Budgie" from 1971, "Squawk" from 1972 and "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend" in 1973) had a huge and long-reaching influence on so many world-dominating metal bands of the future (Iron Maiden and Metallica to name but a few). And the Sabbaths tie-in is real too, coming in the shape of their go-to Producer Rodger Bain who went nuts for the simple rocking brilliance of Six Ton Budgie and promptly produced their debut (our heroes wisely shortened their name and employed Roger Dean to do their fab cover art). Rod Stewart adds top vocals to Beck's strident guitar for "Shapes Of Things" but even that hero of axe worship is given a run for his wild money by Wicked Lady's "Run The Night" (named after a cocktail drink) - a stunning rarity where guitarist Martin Weaver lets rip on a solo like he wants to bleed his fingers to death.

After a stint with late 60ts Pop whimsy – pre ELO bods Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan decided in 1970 to rock like the proverbial mother and the kick-ass brilliance of "Turkish Tram Conductor Blues" from their "Looking On" album is the result. I'll admit I've never heard of Orang-Utan but their multiple-guitar-layered moment in "Chocolate Piano" is brilliant – like Derek & The Dominoes mating with The Groundhogs – gung-ho guitars ahoy. Proper heavy and hard Rawk ala a Budgie rehearsal comes in the doomy shape of the delightfully titled "Clawstrophobia" by (well blow me but its only) Iron Claw. This is the kind of bad vocalist, wild guitar, drugged-up maniac rocker then sends collectors into a mini cardiac arrest. 

Other angina-inducing highlights on Disc 1 include a shockingly good Ancient Grease, the very Crazy World of Arthur Brown budget vibe to the Monument tune "Dog Man" (play those echoed vocals to any of your ailing wealthy relatives and that'll kill them off for sure) and the pre Help Yourself "Winter Of My Love" from a guitar-slashing Sam Apple Pie clearly channeling Fleetwood Mac and their 1969 album "Then Play On" as they practiced in Walthamstow. Those darlings of the £1000 LP Leaf Hound do the price tag justice on their excellent "Freelance Fiend" - another amp-kicking guitar chugger while Patto's Ollie Halsall plays his staggering style that attracted Kevin Ayers so much.

Disc 2 opens with Tear Gas charitably offering their "Woman For Sale" which feels so wrong lyrically no amount of phased vocal effects save it (shame cause it has some ace axework). Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster (ex Crazy World Of Arthur Brown) holds a special place in the hearts of heavy-heavy lovers and the title track to their second album shows why. A righteously nasty vocal that is clearly mashing up Captain Beefheart's "Dropout Boogie" with Hank Marvin's tremolo guitar gives a genuinely weirded out moment at the hands of The Edgar Broughton Band for their "Apache Drop Out" single on Harvest. Session ladies Sue and Sonny lend some badly needed vocal class to N.S.U.'s slightly heavy-handed "Turn On, Or Turn Me Down". Both Red Dirt and The Rats amp up the hard-hitting homemade Rock while Pluto gets some funky back-beat in for their decidedly Pop-Rock "Down And Out". Other highlights include a rare Demo version of "R.C.8." by another hugely sought-after cult band, Dark. The nearest Disc 2 gets to commerciality is the piano-bop-Rock of "Fussing And Fighting" by Sunday - a band whose seven-minutes of guitar soloing vs. keyboards would have given Grand Funk a run for their money. Our second vaults-haul ends Disc 2 with the very Thin Lizzy vs. Budgie twin guitars assault of Freedom informing us that they're "Going Down".

Disc 3 opens with the take-no-prisoners nor wall-paint of High Tide and their guitar-wailing assault "Futilist’s Lament" – a thrasher which I find hard to take at the best of times though I know there are collectors out there who love it to distraction precisely because of hedonistic abandon. The Yorkshire co-operative label Holyground has attained near mythical legend amongst collectors of hard-hitting noises and the fuzzed-up acid-crazed guitars of Lightyears Away and their "Yesterday" - a band that featured future Be Bop Deluxe axeman Bill Nelson - is proof as to why. And with only 250 copies of the Lightyears Away LP in existence, I'll admit, even after 30 years in the rarities game, I've never seen an actual 1971 original. Bullet are an early incarnation of Hard Stuff who released a brace of albums on Deep Purple's Purple Records and again I've never seen nor heard the raw rock of Sardonicus and their uber-rare self-financed UK 7" single "The Nymph" from 1973…but then again this Box set is full of that kind of discovery (and more). And any compilation that features the wonderful vocals of Stone The Crows' Maggie Bell and the note-bending of axeman Les Harvey (Alex's younger brother) is all right by me - represented here by the very cool "Big Jim Salter" from their fourth and final studio album "Ontinuous Performance".

For damn sure after wading through a bruiser like "I'm A Freak 2 Baby..." you may need a very tall Scotch with no ice, half a bottle of Kalms and a three-month holiday in tranquil-land by the sea. But what great fun those halcyon mad musical pirate years were. And a times me hearties, genuinely cocked and loaded blunderbuss-exciting too. Well done to Grapefruit and all involved...

"Walk In The Night: The Motown 70s Studio Albums" by JR. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - Including The Albums "A Gasssss" (1970 USA and UK), "Rainbow Funk" (1971 USA, 1972 UK), "Moody Jr." (1972 USA and UK), "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" (1973 USA and UK), "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" (1975 UK) and "Hot Shot" (1976 USA and UK) – Featuring Johnny Bristol and Gladys Knight (24 May 2019 UK SoulMusic Records Clamshell Box Set – 6LPs onto 3CDs - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Groove Thang..."

The big sell here for Saxophone and Soul Instrumental fans is the official reissue (for the first time) of six Motown albums covering Jr. Walker's primo period at the Home of Young America – 1970 to 1976 - issued on Gordy's Soul Records label imprint Stateside and on Tamla Motown in the UK (one of them from 1974 only available in Blighty).

And it has to be said that SoulMusic Records of the UK (part of Cherry Red) has done a very sweet job with this 2019 reissue (and at an affordable price too). There's a walk-in wardrobe-full of detail to wade through, so let's have ourselves an all-star gas and groove thang (if you catch my drift)…

UK released Friday, 24 May 2019 - "Walk In The Night: The Motown 0s Studio Albums" by Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS on SoulMusic Records SMCR5183BX (Barcode 5013929088337) is a Clamshell Box Set featuring Six Albums Remastered onto 3CDs (with booklet) that plays out as follows:

Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SIX ALBUMS:

Disc 1 (74:43 minutes):

1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Side 1]

2. And When I Die

3. I Was Made To Love Her

4. Carry Your Own Load

5. Shut Up, Don't Interrupt Me

6. Groove And Move

7. Holly Holy [Side 2]

8. Honey Come Back

9. Riding High On Love

10. Hey Jude

11. At A Saturday Matinee

Tracks 1 to 11 are his ninth album "A Gasssss" - released October 1970 in the USA on Soul Records SS 726 and November 1970 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11167. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 28 on the US R&B LP charts (none of Walker's albums charted in the UK top 50)

12. Way Back Home - Instrumental [Side 1]

13. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready

14. Feeling Alright

15. Right On Brothers And Sisters

16. Teach Them To Pray

17. Something [Side 2]

18. Psychedelic Shack

19. Pieces Of A Man

20. These Things Will Keep Me Loving You

Tracks 12 to 20 are his tenth album "Rainbow Funk" - released July 1971 in the USA on Soul Records SS 732L and February 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11198. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 12 on the US R&B LP charts

Disc 2 (72:16 minutes):

1. Way Back Home - Vocal [Side 1]

2. I Don't Want To Do Wrong

3. Bristol's Way

4. Don't Blame The Children

5. Me And My Family

6. Groove Thang

7. Still Water Medley

8. Never Can Say Goodbye

9. Walk In The Night

10. Moody Junior

Tracks 1 to 10 are his eleventh album "Moody Jr." - released January 1972 in the USA on Soul Records SS 733L and August 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11211. Produced by JOHNNY BRISTOL - it peaked at No. 22 on the US R&B LP charts

11. I Ain't Going Nowhere [Side 1]

12. I Don't Need No Reason

13. It's Alright, Do What You Gotta Do

14. It's Too Late

15. Soul Clappin'

16. I Can See Clearly Now [Side 2]

17. Gimme That Beat (Part 1)

18. Gimme That Beat (Part 2)

19. Country Boy

20. Peace And Understanding (Is Hard To Find)

Tracks 11 to 20 are his twelfth album "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" - released May 1973 in the USA on Soul Records S S38L and July 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11234 (it peaked at No. 47 on the US R&B LP charts)

Disc 3 (78:35 minutes):

1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life [Side 1]

2. All In Love Is Fair

3. Killing Me Softly With This Song

4. My Love

5. Boogie Down [Side 2]

6. I Ain't That Easy To Lose

7. Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train

8. Break Down And Sing

9. Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I Gonna Do)

Tracks 1 to 9 are his thirteenth album "Jr. Walker & The All Stars" - recorded in 1974, it was released July 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11274 (no US issue)

10. I'm So Glad [Side 1]

11. Why Can't We Be Lovers

12. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman

13. Just Can't Get Enough

14. Love (Keep Us Together) [Side 2]

15. I Need You Right Now

16. Probe Your Mind

17. Don't Lose What You Got (Trying To Get Back What You Had)

18. Hot Shot

Tracks 10 to 18 are his fourteenth album "Hot Shot" - released February 1976 in the USA on Soul Records S6-745S1 and March 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12018 (it peaked at No. 45 on the US R&B LP charts)

Jr. WALKER and THE ALL STARS - SINGLES:

1. Do You See My Love (For You Growing) [Edit] b/w Groove And Move

17 June 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35073

25 September 1970 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 750

2. Holly Holy b/w Carry Your Own Load

24 November 1970 US 7" single on Soul S 35081 [A-side is a Neil Diamond cover]

21 September 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 872

(UK single used the 1973 song "Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find" as its B-side with the 1970 song on the A)

3. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready b/w Right On Brothers And Sisters

8 July 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35084F

12 January 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 840 with "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong" on the B-side

4. Way Back Home (Vocal) b/w Way Back Home (Instrumental)

4 November 1971 US 7" single on Soul S 35090F

1 June 1973 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 857 (some UK copies have "Country Boy" as an extra track on the B)

5. Walk In The Night b/w I Don't Want To Do No Wrong

29 February 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35095F

21 July 1972 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 824

(UK issues have "Right On Brothers And Sisters" and "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" as its B-sides

6. Groove Thang b/w Me And My Family

June 1972 US 7" single on Soul S 35097F

7. Gimme That Beat (Part 1) b/w Gimme That Beat (Part 2)

11 January 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35104F

8. I Don't Need No Reason b/w Country Boy

1 May 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35106F

9. Peace And Understanding Is Hard To Find b/w Soul Clappin'

3 July 1973 US 7" single on Soul S 35108F

(for UK issue of "Peace And Understanding..." see "Holly Holy" entry from 1970)

10. Don't Blame The Children b/w Soul Clappin'

1 February 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 889

11. Gotta Hold On To This Feeling b/w I Ain't Going Nowhere

19 April 1974 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 894

12. Dancing Like They Do On Soul Train b/w I Ain't That Easy To Lose

9 May 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35110F

13. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life b/w Until You Come Back (That's What I Gonna Do) - UNRELEASED

July 1974 US 7" single on Soul S 35114S - UNRELEASED

14. What Does It Take To Win Your Love b/w Country Boy

May 1975 US 7" single on Motown M 1352F

24 October 1980 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 962

(UK B-side is Take Me Girl, I'm Ready)

15. I'm So Glad b/w Soul Clappin'

5 January 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35116F

23 April 1976 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1027

(UK B-side was "Dancin' Like They Do On Soul Train"

16. You Ain't No Ordinary Woman b/w Hot Shot

27 May 1976 US 7" single on Soul S 35118F

17. I Ain't Going Nowhere b/w B1. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)? B2. Take Me Girl, I'm Ready

6 May 1977 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1070

18. Walk In The Night b/w I Need You Right Now

1 September 1978 UK 7" single on Tamla Motown TMG 1118

(B-side is Jr. Walker with Thelma Houston)

The card-sleeves cleverly double-up the albums so the CD cover features the front sleeves and A-sides of both LPs – the rear CD card sleeve has Side 2 of each and their rear album artwork. The 24-page booklet boasts seriously in-depth liner notes from SHARON DAVIS as well as page after page of 45 labels and foreign picture sleeves peppering the text. There are track-by-track credits that mention American 45 issues where relevant and other reissue credits. NICK ROBBINS of Ace Records fame handled the remasters and they sound great – very punchy – the rhythm sections kicking your speaker cones with bad intent. As this is a Studio Albums set, his first LP of the Seventies from May 1970 "…Live" is not included and although the single "What Does It Take To Win Your Love" is not in this box, I’ve included it because the B-side is. Let’s get to the music…

The multiple-times 's' Gas LP opens with a total winner "Do You See My Love (For You Growing)" penned by the mighty dancing duo of Johnny Bristol and Jacky Beavers - Juniors well-underrated lead vocal sending its joyous dancer groove to No. 3 on the US R&B charts (what you get here is the Stereo LP cut - the mono single version is only on "The Complete Motown Singles Volume 10: 1970" book pack from 2008). Not so sure about Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" or The Beatles "Hey Jude" but his take on Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" shows a smart head. But my poison is the instrumental sax-strutter "Groove And Move" followed quickly by the old-time Motown do-do Northern Soul vibe of "Riding High On Love"  (a co-write with Edwin Starr).  

Penned by Wilton Felder of The Crusaders - the second LP's irrepressibly catchy "Way Back Home" turns in both Instrumental and Vocal form on this set - the first being closest to that Jazz-Funk sound we're used to - the ladies cleverly harmonizing all the way to the close with "...way back home..." refrains. Gladys Knight would have a hand in the lyrics to the vocal take of "Way Back Home" on the third LP in this set "Moody Jr.". You can so here why Tamla UK used "Take Me Girl, I'm Ready" on so many single-sides - its lovely shuffling rhythms and Walker vocal being like honey to Northern Soul bees. And once again the fabulous Dave Mason classic he did for Traffic "Feeling Alright" gets another cover though I'd personally reach for the wah-wah geetars of The Temps' "Psychedelic Shack" where Junior manics up the Funk pace to clever effect before his 'do your thang' vocal comes in.

Highlights for "Moody Jr." album include the 'I just can't help myself' girly smooch of "I Don't Want To Do No Wrong", the hard Funk pump behind "Groove Thang" and the almost Blaxploitation feel to "Walk In The Night" as it Barry White's its groovy posterior across your mind's movie screen. Walker once again upbeats his Soul to chart-winning effect with "I Ain't Going Nowhere" - a dancer with gravel vocals and his trademark saxophone dancing over the top. Carole King's magisterial "Tapestry" took 1971 by storm and its hardly surprising that many Soul and Rock acts leaped on the inherent Soulfulness inside one of its Grammy winners "It's Too Late" - Walker giving it a dirty shame vocal before he assures us there'll be good times once again for me and you. We get a wee bit JB with the two-part Funk of "Gimme That Beat" where he asks y’all to have a ball (ok junior) - but for my money the Willie Hutch tune "It's Alright, Do What you Gotta Do" is far better than the promise of musical greatness in the title song "Peace And Understanding…" The last two records simply deliver more of the same…

Not everything on here is Aretha or Marvin or Donny H magical – and Walker could be accused of hacking the same sound over and over again – but within these six long forgotten platters are nuggets I’ve so enjoyed rediscovering and that’s a tip-top recommendation in my patch…

"Nothing But The Truth: 3 Motown Albums On 2CDs Plus Bonus Tracks" by THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH – Includes Their First, Third and Fourth Albums on Gordy Records (USA) and Tamla Motown (UK) - "The Undisputed Truth" (July 1971 USA, February 1972 UK), "Law Of The Land" (June 1973 USA, September 1973 UK), "Down To Earth" (August 1974 USA, January 1975 UK) Plus Six Bonus Single Sides – Featuring Joe Harris, Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Evans with Production, Arrangements and Musical Direction from Norman Whitfield (25 August 2017 Ace Records/Kent Soul 2CD Anthology – Duncan Cowell Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Just My Speed..."

INCLUDING THE ALBUMS 
"The Undisputed Truth" (US Debut Album, US 1971, UK 1972)
"Law Of The Land" (Third Album, US and UK 1973)
"Down To Earth" (Fourth Album, 1974 USA, 1975 UK)

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah!

Amidst my coveted original vinyl LPs lies the rear sleeve of a debut album from 1971 with a cool duderino and his two hipster girl-cats walking in some American park - all multi-coloured jackets, leather onesies, bellbottoms and satellite-receiving afros looking so damn right on man - it hurts. The album is "The Undisputed Truth" by The Undisputed Truth and the bodies are the three lead vocalists - Joe Harris, Billie Rae Calvin and Brenda Evans. 


The two ladies of TUT (Calvin and Evans) emerged from a Sixties Girl Group called The Delicates while Harris had been on the scene since 1962 - first with The Fabulous Peps and later joining The Ohio Untouchables who would go on to become the hugely successful Ohio Players - major Soul players in the Seventies. The other key element came in the shape of Motown's rebel-child Writer, Producer and Arranger Norman Whitfield and his work with The Temptations as they re-wrote the R 'n' B playbook by practically inventing Psychedelic Soul/Funk With A Message For The People. Let the music take me higher indeed...

Ace Records of the UK have used their Kent-Soul label imprint for some seriously revered releases before - the 2008 "Take Me To The River" Book Set for instance and its two 3CD Book sequels "The Fame Studio..." from 2011 and "Back To The River - More Southern Soul" from 2015. Or even the five compilations in their Dave Godin Soul Treasures Tribute Series for instance. But if I'm to be a truthful Christmas bunny, then this little twofer from 2017 is the peach I return to most. The Temptations were fabulous too throughout this period - but there's just something cooler about The Undisputed Truth that makes me want to seek out everything they ever did. There's a lot of smiling faces (sometimes) to get through, so here goes...

UK released Friday, 25 August 2017 - "Nothing But The Truth: 3 Motown Albums On 2CDs Plus Bonus Tracks" by THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH on Ace/Kent-Soul CDTOP2 469 (Barcode 029667084628) is a 2CD Anthology offering three American Gordy Records albums from 1971, 1973 and 1974 (1972, 1973 and 1975 UK on Tamla Motown) plus Six Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows:

CD1 (69:38 minutes):

1. You Got The Love I Need [Side 1]

2. Save My Love For A Rainy Day

3. California Soul

4. Aquarius

5. Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)

6. Smiling Faces Sometimes [Side 2]

7. We've Got A Way Out Love

8. Since I've Lost You

9. Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone

10. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

11. Like A Rolling Stone

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut album "The Undisputed Truth" - released July 1971 in the USA on Gordy G-955L and February 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11197 (Stereo). Produced by NORMAN WHITFIELD - it peaked at No. 7 on the US R&B charts (didn't chart UK)

12. Law Of The Land [Side 1]

13. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

14. Girl You're Alright

15. Killing Me Softly With His Song

16. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)

17. This Child Needs Its Father

Tracks 12 to 17 are Side 1 of their third album "Law Of The Land" - released June 1973 in the USA on Gordy G 963L and September 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11240 (Stereo) - peaked at No. 52 in the US R&B charts (didn't chart UK). Their second album "Face To Face With The Undisputed Truth" released February 1972 in the USA on Gordy G-959L and July 1972 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8004 is not covered by this 2017 Ace release (is available separately - see my review).

CD2 (70:20 minutes):

1. Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don't Say No) [Side 2]

2. Feelin' Alright?

3. Love And Happiness

4. With A Little Help From my Friends

5. If I Die

6. Walk On By

Tracks 1 to 6 are Side 2 of their third album "Law Of The Land" (see Disc 1)

7. Help Yourself [Side 1]

8. Big John Is My Name

9. Brother Louie

10. I'm A Fool For You

11. Our Day Will Come

12. Just You 'N' Me [Side 2 - see Notes below]

13. The Girl's Alright With Me

Tracks 7 to 13 are their fourth studio album "Down To Earth" - released August 1974 in the USA on Gordy G6-968S1 and January 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11277 - peaked at No. 35 in the US R&B charts (didn't chart UK). Probably dues to a lack of songs at the time of release - Side 2 of the US "Down To Earth" LP on Gordy Records reissued two songs from the "Law Of The Land" LP and one from the debut - so Side 2's US 5-track running order is "Just You 'N' Me", "Love And Happiness", "Law Of The Land", "This Girl's Alright With Me" and "Save My Love For A Rainy Day". This 2CD obviously doesn't duplicate them on Disc 2. Just to confuse matters further, the February 1975 British LP for "Down To Earth" ran differently also - to 12 Tracks instead of 10. The first added song is "Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love" as Track 6 on Side 1 - while Side 2 saw "Let's Go Back To Day One" mixed into its six songs in this order - "Just You 'N' Me", "Love And Happiness", "Law Of The Land", "The Girl's Alright With Me", "Save My Love For A Rainy Day" and "Let's Go Back To Day One".   

BONUS TRACKS:

14. Let's Go Back To Day One – appeared only on the January 1975 UK variant of the "Down To Earth" LP on Tamla Motown STML 11277

15. What It Is (Single Version) – A-side of a 25 January 1972 US 7” single on Gordy G 7114F – B-side was "California Soul"

16. What's Going On (Edit) – B-side to "Help Yourself", a 14 February 1974 US 7” single on Gordy G 7134F. The single edit is 4:58 minutes while the full album version of 9:25 minutes can be found on their second LP "Face To Face With The Undisputed Truth" (February 1972 on Gordy G-959L)

17. You Make Your Own Heaven And Hell Right Here On Earth (Single Edit) – A-side of a 16 November 1971 US 7” single on Gordy G 7112F – B-side was a 7:03 minute edit of the 10:46 minute album track "Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" on the debut LP

18. Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love – first issued as the B-side to "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing (Don't Say No)", a 15 February 1973 US 45 on Gordy G 7124F. Also used as the last track on Side 1 of the UK variant of the "Down To Earth" LP in January 1975 (not on the US album)

19. Law Of The Land (Single Version) – A-side of a 5 May 1973 US 45 on Gordy G 7130F

The chockers 24-page booklet features typically superb detailed liner notes from long-time Ace Records contributor TONY ROUNCE – clearly enthused by a band he digs. You get the front cover artwork to the three LPs (not the rears) – rare Euro picture sleeves to stuff like "Help Yourself", "Law Of The Land" and "Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing..." – a 9-single page worth of US and UK demos on Gordy and Tamla Motown - complimented by sheet music for "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and pictures of our groovy threesome giving it some righteous shuffle on some Soul Train bandstand. The Remasters by DUNCAN COWELL are absolutely cracking even when the hiss of the early 1971 stuff is amplified – it’s not overdone – and besides the music quickly drowns out any quibbles. By the time you get to the "Law Of The Land" album – Joe Harris and his ladies are clear as a bell. To the music...

As much as I treasure owning it and being top heavy with other people's hip songs – the debut is not all Soul-Funk genius for damn sure and could have easily condemned The Undisputed Truth to being a glorified covers band and vanity project for Norman Whitfield. Some of the covers must undoubtedly have felt cheesy even at the time they were released and are almost unlistenable now – a terrible version of Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" is one culprit while the Hair Musical and 5th Dimension hit "Aquarius" just about aligns with Mars. But these are saved by fabulous Northern Soul shufflers like the Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield opener "You Got The Love I Need" - actually a Temptations tune from 1966 called "I Got Heaven Right Here On Earth" with The Undisputed Truth's lead vocals laid down in March 1971. It was issued as US 45 flipside in May 1971 to the band-breaker "Smiling Faces Sometimes" on the A (Gordy G 7108). Prior to that, their debut US 45 came in the shape of another talcum powder shuffler called "Save My Love For A Rainy Day". Issued February 1971 on Gordy G 7106 (USA) - it was paired with Side 2's "Since I've Lost You" - another Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield catchy hit. Hell, they liked it so much and obviously out of viable material, "Save My Love..." got used yet again to flesh out the tracks on their fourth platter "Down To Earth" in 1974 and 1975 (see discography notes below).

Ashford & Simpson's lovely "California Soul" still holds up but my fave (and I suspect I'm not alone in this) is the heavy-heavy Psych-Soul of "Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)" - a stunning 10-minutes-plus cover of the Temptations "Puzzle People" track from 1970. It's all echoed fuzz and shouted chants (right on honey) and leads into the masterpiece that Side 2's opener and defining moment for the band - "Smiling Faces Sometimes". While UK fans had to wait until February 1972 for an actual album, the October 1971 British 45 on Tamla Motown TMG 789 set pulses racing even if it didn't chart (inexplicable giving its utter brilliance). No such problem Stateside where after a steady DJ and Radio build up from its May 13th release on Gordy G 7108, it finally entered the US R&B charts in early July 1971 and promptly charged all the way up to No. 2 - impressive for only their second single-release there.

I've always felt that "Law Of The Land" to be one of 'the' great forgotten Soul/Funk LPs. Their cover of the Roberta Flack hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song" just about stays on the right side and while the ladies take lead on the Temps masterpiece "Just My Imagination..." – a cosy little home out in the country – what a gorgeous melody and sentiment. The social conscience of "This Child Needs Its Father" urges Joe to come back home – a mother walking with her baby – holding her head up high even if she is aching - dying down inside - those strings and brass arrangements making you feel her tired loneliness. Undisputed Truth tackle the Dave Mason Traffic belter "Feelin' Alright?" by slowing it down to a cool-as-ice groove - but then sexy up Al Green's "Love And Happiness" in that battling brass/strings Norman Whitfield way (sounds kinda good y'all).

But more impressive is the trio's fabulous vocals on the stunning Funk of "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing (Don't Say No)". What a tune – your son and his guitar are going to go far...well they did in my book. He tackles a barnstorming "With A Little Help From My Friends" (possibly his best ever vocal) while "If I Die" is a funky black-man's burden declaration that's brilliant both lyrically and musically. "Big John Is My Name" continues the cool on the "Down To Earth" album and how good is it to have those exclusive British tracks at last.

A genuinely great anthology from Kent-Soul – keeps me smiling faces all the ruddy time. Buy it and I envy you the right on...