"Valentyne Suite" by COLOSSEUM – November 1969 UK Second Album on Vertigo Records and January 1970 US LP as "The Grass Is Greener" on ABC/Dunhill Records – featuring Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Dave Greenslade, Tony Reeves, Dave 'Clem' Clempson and James Litherland (28 July 2017 UK Esoteric Recordings 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue – Ben Wiseman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...The Grass Is Greener..."

Having prized-open the commercial jaws of the burgeoning Jazz-Rock beast with their March 1969 Gladiatorial debut "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" on Fontana Records - it seemed the British five-piece supergroup had enough material in them for two albums come release number two. And that's kind of what happened.

As most Prog Rock/Jazz Rock aficionados know (off by heart) - Colosseum got to launch the Vertigo label in the UK with their second album "Valentyne Suite" in November 1969 - their Vertigo VO 1 being the first album released on that most iconic of (spiral) labels.

But in the USA, the March 1969 UK debut of eight tracks ("Those Who Are About To Die Salute You") was released on Dunhill Records in July 1969 with the same name but sporting only six tracks, two of which were different. Included was a song called "The Kettle" and a long piece of music called "Valentyne Suite" (confusingly the name of their second British album not released until November 1969 in Blighty). As is to muddy the release-number waters even more, further re-recordings of the 22-minute "Valentyne Suite" track were issued Stateside in March 1970 – that US-only LP entitled "The Grass Is Greener".

So on this exemplary 2CD Expanded Edition Remaster - Esoteric Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) have decided to include both. The machine demands a sacrifice, so let's give it two. Here are the dancing daddies…

UK released 28 July 2017 - "Valentyne Suite" by COLOSSEUM on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 22599 (Barcode 5013929469945) is a 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue and Remaster containing both the UK and American versions of the 1969 album with One Bonus Track. It plays out as follows...

CD1 "Valentyne Suite" (39:00 minutes):

1. The Kettle [Side 1]

2. Elegy

3. Butty's Blues

4. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice

5. The Valentyne Suite [Side 2]

(i) Theme One - January’s Search

(ii) Theme Two - February’s Search

(iii) Theme Three – The Grass Is Always Greener...

Tracks 1 to 5 are their second UK LP "Valentyne Suite" - released November 1969 on Vertigo VO 1.

BONUS TRACK:

6. Tell Me Now

CD2 "The Grass Is Greener" (38:49 minutes):

1. Jumping Off The Sun [Side 1]

2. Lost Angeles

3. Elegy

4. Butty's Blues

5. Rope Ladder To The Moon [Side 2]

6. Bolero

7. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice

8. The Grass Is Greener

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second US LP ("Valentyne Suite" renamed as) "The Grass Is Greener" - released March 1970 on ABC/Dunhill Records DS 50079 with slightly altered artwork to the UK issue.

When James Litherland left, Dave 'Clem' Clempson of Bakerloo (one album on Harvest Records from 1969) was drafted in to replace him on guitar and some new songs along with re-recordings of "Valentyne Suite" material took place. This alternative or rejiggered US variant of "Valentyne Suite" called "The Grass Is Greener" on ABC/Dunhill Records DS 50079 and in slightly altered artwork (as you can see from the list above) contained three new songs unknown to UK fans. "Jumping Off The Sun" was by Dave Tomlin and Mike Taylor (not the Stones Mick Taylor) - "Lost Angeles" by Dave Greenslade, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Chris Farlowe and finally a cover version of a Jack Bruce (of Cream) and Pete Brown (of Battered Ornaments) song called "Rope Ladder To The Moon". The last two are mentioned because they turned up on "Colosseum Live" in June 1971 and of course were new to fans in England who bought that specially priced double album (the first release on Bronze Records in the UK). Colosseum then unleashed their third studio album (fourth overall) in December 1970 - "Daughter Of Time" – another Jazz Rock, Prog Rock beast on Vertigo Records. While they made no real inroads in the USA – the three British LPs had charted and done well – No. 15, No. 15 and No. 23 respectively. But back to the UK and their second record and Vertigo debut…

The 20-page booklet with new MALCOLM DOME liner notes does a good job of untangled the 'variant' mess that surrounded not just "Valentyne Suite", but the US variant of their debut "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You". You get repro's of both LP artwork, a Montreaux Jazz Festival poster from June 1969, live photos, Hiseman's original LP liner notes and the usual reissue credits - Mark and Vicky Powell coordinating with new BEN WISEMAN Remasters. A return to the master tapes for both variants of the VS LP has really lifted the Audio - punchy and vibrant - Wiseman having handled all the reissues (to my knowledge) in the Esoteric Colosseum reissues. You can hear Dick Heckstall-Smith on those Saxophones, Dave Greenslade on the keyboards, Tony Reeves on that punchy Bass, Jon Hiseman on Drums and wonder axe-boy Dave 'Clem' Clempson on all things geetar.

Things open with the rather doomy guitar-and-drum battle that is "The Kettle" and while it sounds great, it also sounds a tad dated 51 years on. Things go positively jaunty with the baby-don't-you-leave-me "Elegy" - a chipper little shuffle from the pen of James Litherland with Neil Ardley arrangements - Heckstall-Smith soloing to its three-minute close. That's cleverly followed by the near seven-minutes of "Butty's Blues" - a slow Blues Rock crawl done a la Organ - Dave Greenslade perfectly catching the groove as the brass builds and builds and Clempson begs her not to do him wrong (fat chance) - properly great Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff. Flutes ahoy for "The Machine Demands A Sacrifice" - a band co-write with Pete Brown of Battered Ornaments. Musically its interesting but some criminally dated animal reference lyrics kind of drag it down. The album's centerpiece - seventeen minutes of "Valentyne Suite" is split into three parts - all vibes and Jazz syncopations and cool guitar complimenting those big fat chunky organ notes. You can't help feel that this piece is Colosseum shining. Unfortunately hammy lyrics and a plodding feel to the 'it's all your fault' vocals doom "Tell Me Now".

The American album is probably not that well known to the less committed but as a listen it's just as good as the English LP. Church Bells are the lead-in to "Jumping Off The Sun" - a summer of cigarettes and flowers and too many pies with more mushrooms than steak (good rocking guitar towards the end). The second new cut is better - "Lost Angeles" - most British fans hearing it for the first time on the June 1971 "Colosseum Live" double.  The rat-at-tat "Bolero" (a cover of Ravel's most famous ditty) is played with guitar gusto that quickly feels like its overstaying its welcome, but "Rope Ladder To The Moon" is very cool and could be Cream circa 1968 or 1969.

For sure recordings by Colosseum in 1969 is fifty-year-old Avant Jazz Rock seriously showing its age in 2020. But those moments of playing brilliance still thrill and this Remaster has only lifted these innovative recordings onto another rung. If you have any love for them and that seminal album, then this is the 2CD one to own. Well done to all involved...

"Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" by COLOSSEUM – March 1969 UK Debut Album on Fontana Records STL 5501 and July 1969 USA on Dunhill Records with Different Tracks and Artwork (both Stereo) – featuring Jon Hiseman, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Dave Greenslade, Tony Reeves, James Litherland and Jim Roche (28 July 2017 Esoteric Recordings Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Three Bonus Tracks – Ben Wiseman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Ides Of March..."

On holiday with his wife in Italy, Jon Hiseman was clearly impressed by some building in Rome that's apparently been there a while. Having studied Roman History in school as an A-level, our Drummer even got to stick (if you'll forgive the pun) the Gladiatorial chant "Morituri Te Salutant" on the mural photo adorning his band's debut LP. Colosseum stuck as a band name for sure, but the English language translation of his fave Latin phrase to one's emperor was deemed more commercial - so Colosseum's debut LP became the very AC/DC-sounding "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You". Bring your daughter to the Jazz-Rock slaughter. Beware the girl-guides of March etc.

Recorded in the winter of 1968, the five-piece Fusion outfit had shed guitarist Jim Roche by the time the album hit Blighty shops in March 1969 - adorned, as it was by that eye-catching Fontana Records laminated cover. Roche plays only on the Leadbelly cover "Backwater Blues" - for all other tracks he was replaced with Vocalist and Guitarist James Litherland. Colosseum's rip-roaring debut has had a bit of a strangulated history on digital, but as ever, Cherry Red's Esoteric Recordings has done the business it and in fact by all five of their originals albums up to the seminal "Colosseum Live" in June 1971 and beyond into the band's late Seventies incarnation Colosseum II. But now back to the beginning; time to explore the road she walked on before...

UK released 28 July 2017 - "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" by COLOSSEUM on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2598 (Barcode 5013929469846) is an Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (53:16 minutes):

1. Walking In The Park [Side 1]

2. Plenty Hard Luck

3. Mandarin

4. Debut

5. Beware The Ides Of March [Side 2]

6. The Road She Walked Before

7. Backwater Blues

8. Those About To Die

Tracks 1 to 8 are their debut album "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" - released March 1969 in the UK on Fontana STL 5501 and July 1969 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill Records DS-50062 with Six Tracks, a different running order (see notes below) and slightly altered artwork. Original copies of the British LP credit the album title on the label simply as "Colosseum" - while US originals insert the correct coma in the title "Those Who Are About To Die, Salute You".

BONUS TRACKS (recorded in London, November 1968 at Pye Studios):

9. I Can't Live Without You

10. In The Heat Of The Night

11. Those About To Die (Demo)

NOTES (US Variant of the LP):

The US LP of "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" featured re-recorded tracks from their second British LP "Valentyne Suite" and was sequenced as follows with only six cuts instead of eight:

Side 1:

1. The Kettle

2. Plenty Hard Luck

3. Debut

4. Those About To Die

Side 2:

1. Valentyne Suite

(i) Theme One - January’s Search

(ii) Theme Two - February’s Search

(iii) Theme Three – Beware The Ides Of March

2. Walking In The Park 

You might wonder why neither The Kettle or Valentyne Suite are on this CD, that’s because they are dealt with on the 2CD reissue of "Valentyne Suite" as those songs were appropriate to that second UK album and not this American debut (see separate review).

The 16-page booklet starts out with Jon Hiseman's original 1969 LP liner notes - quickly followed by several pages of a MALCOLM DOME history of the band's genesis as far back as the early 60ts. There are photos of Jon Hiseman (Drummer), Dave Greenslade (Keyboards), Tony Reeves (Bass), James Litherland (Guitar) and Dick Heckstall-Smith on the Horns. There are a few other memorabilia bits like Tony Barrow's called card from Fontana and the usual reissue credits.

But the big news is a new Remaster by Audio Engineer BEN WISEMAN. Produced by Tony Reeves and Gerry Bron, you wouldn't call the original LP an audiophile experience by any means - but take the Dave Greenslade solo that suddenly explodes into the speakers on "Plenty Hard Luck" and Hiseman's manic whacking of the kit in the background - it's way better than any transfer I've heard before.

They open proceedings with a Graham Bond cover version, "Walking In The Park" - firmly establishing the Jazz-Rock credentials with Henry Lowther guesting on Trumpet. Although the vocal leaves a tad to be desired in terms of range and impact, "Plenty Hard Luck" is impressive. "Mandarin" is based on some Japanese Jazz scales and gives Heckstall-Smith centre stage at first only to be followed by a Chris Squire-like Bass solo from Tony Reeves - no doubt dreaming of gigs with Peter Gabriel in the 80s and 90s. The six-minutes of "Debut" amps up the horns and drums and apparently is what it claims to be on the tin, the first piece the band played together. Litherland gets to give it some marching guitar licks alongside Hiseman's shuffling beat - Heckstall Smith soloing over the top - building and building on the speed.

Side 2 opens with "Beware The Ides Of March" - an impressive Jazz-Rock smooch that feels like it's a 'Whiter Shade Of Pale' cover version in the opening minute. Soon it settles as Heckstall-Smith allows Dave Greenslade take over soloing on Organ. The short doubled Vocal/Sax of "The Road She Walked Before" is cute - written by Dick Heckstall-Smith although it predominantly features Dave Greenslade on straight-up piano threatening to go into a New Orleans jellyroll at any moment. We then go to a cool Blues-Rock-Jazz moment (seven and half minutes of them) when England's Colosseum tackle Huddie Leadbelly's "Backwater Blues" - Jim Roche shining on that lean and mean Fender Strat like a young Robert Cray (love that Bass Guitar and Saxophone solo moment - the transfer so damn good). It ends on five-minutes of frantic organ like Georgie Fame gone 'really' Jazz - and again Hiseman's drums up there all the time as Litherland gets to let rip on the Guitar.

The three extras are amazing finds. The first of the three "I Can't Live Without You" is a James Litherland song - a guitar-funky sort of Deep Purple "Hush" moment that clearly didn't fit in with the overall Jazz-Rock musical theme of the album. But it's a winner - the kind of Rock-Dance funky little brute that's bound to turn on a 3CD RPM box set soon as 'one we missed'. Studio cut number two "In The Heat Of The Night" is a cover of the Qunicy Jones theme song to the 1967 race-relations movie with Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger (both eating up the screen in Oscar performances). Colosseum give it a slow drawl across the shuffling hi-hats - sweetly complimentary Sax soloing upholding a great Vocal (a fantastic find). Last is a Demo of "Those About To Rock" which at 4-minutes is still pretty faithful to the manic racehorse pace of the finished LP version.

I don't quite subscribe to Dome's assertion that Colosseum's debut is a masterpiece, but it sure as Hell made its mark. And that is hammered home on this exemplary CD transfer. Top job done (again)...  

"Hydra/Land Of Money/Rock The World" by HYDRA – Debut Album From September 1974 (USA) and November 1974 (UK) on Capricorn Records, Second Album from August 1975 (USA) and November 1975 (UK) on Capricorn Records with Their Third And Last Studio Album from April 1977 on Polydor Records – featuring Spencer Kirkpatrick and Ad Wayne Bruce (10 April 2020 UK Beat Goes On Reissue – 3LPs onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 424 Others are available in my e-Book:



"...Glitter Queen..."

Forever the support band and never the mainliner, Southern Rockers HYDRA were more Allman Brothers meets Montrose than the ludicrously inept Prog Rock-looking Hipgnosis artwork of their Debut Album suggested.

Issued in mid September 1974 in the USA on all things good-ole-boys-boogie 'Capricorn Records' – neither the band Hydra nor their debut barely registered in the UK – their third album from 1977 on Polydor Records not even issued in Blighty. And unfortunately, apart from some great moments of Foghat-like Slide Boogie on the overlooked self-titled debut album – it's easy to hear why.

After the initial excitement and flurry, records two and three here are sort of poor man’s Bad Company circa 1979 when the English Band didn't care. Both Hydra albums huff and puff and try hard but there are no real tunes or decent hooks. If you put say the stunning "Second Helping" album by Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1974 alongside Hydra's 1974 debut effort – the Sweet Home Alabama boys wipe the floor with Hydra. Hell, even Skynyrd's half-assed "Nuthin' Fancy" album of 1975 had more genuine Southern Rock charm than the dreadfully dated "Land Of Money" LP from the same year. As a Vocalist Wayne Bruce is good, but never great, Guitarist Spencer Kirkpatrick can slash those strings but the finished studio albums never go on fire  – you get the picture.

That brings us to this April 2020 '3LPs-onto-2CDs' reissue from England's Beat Goes On Records – the first time to my knowledge that their three albums have been brought together in the one place for a proper digital dust off. And BGO has excelled here. These albums now really Rock! ANDREW THOMPSON, BGO's resident Audio Engineer has delivered on the Audio front, even if the material (especially on those last two records) doesn't quite come up to snuff. Let's get seven-headed…

UK released Friday, 10 April 2020 - "Hydra/Land Of Money/Rock The World" by HYDRA on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1408 (Barcode 5017261214089) offers 3LPs from 1974, 1975 and 1977 Remastered onto 2CDs (no Bonus material) and plays out as follows:

CD1 (46:41 minutes):

1. Glitter Queen [Side 1]

2. Keep You Around

3. It's So Hard

4. Going Down

5. Feel A Pain

6. Good Time Man [Side 2]

7. Let Me Down Easy

8. Warp 16

9. If You Care To Survive

10. Miriam

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "Hydra" – released September 1974 in the USA on Capricorn Records CP 0130 and November 1974 in the UK on Capricorn Records 2429 120. Produced by DAN TURBEVILLE – it didn't chart in either country

CD2 (70:22 minutes):

1. Little Miss Rock 'N Roll [Side 1]

2. The Pistol

3. Makin' Plans

4. Land Of Money

5. Get Back To The City [Side 2]

6. Don't Let Time Pass You By

7. Let The Show Go On

8. Slow And Easy

9. Take Me For My Music

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 2nd studio album "Land Of Money" - released August 1975 in the USA on Capricorn CP 0157 and November 1975 in the UK on Capricorn Records 2429 130. Produced by JOHNNY SANDLIN - it didn't chart in either country

10. Rock The World [Side 1]

11. Wasting Time

12. Can You Believe

13. You Love Gets Around

14. Shame [Side 2]

15. To The Willowed

16. Feel Like Running

17. You're The One

18. Diamond In The Rough

Tracks 10 to 18 are their third and final studio album "Rock The Nation" - released April 1977 in the USA on Polydor PD-1-6096 (no UK release). Produced by MICHAEL STEWART - it didn't chart

HYDRA was:

WAYNCE BRUCE – All Vocals and Guitar

SPENCER KIRKPATRICK – Lead Guitar, Slide and Acoustic

ORVILLE DAVIS – Bass

STEVE PACE – Drums

Guests (Debut Album):

Dan Turbeville on Keyboards

Randall Bramblett on Alto Sax with Oscar Jackson on Tenor Sax

Earl Ford on Trombones with Todd Logan on Trumpets

Guests (Land Of Money album)

Chuck Leavall (of The Allman Brothers Band and later The Rolling Stones) – Keyboards and Synths on all tracks

Will Boulware – Organ on “Take Me For My Music”

Bill Stewart and Johnny Sandlin – Percussion

As always with these BGO reissues, the outer card slipcase lends the 2CD set a classy feel while the 16-page booklet with liner notes features new liner notes from NEIL DANIELS. You get most of the original artwork and recording credits alongside the reissue details. But the big news as already mentioned is the 2020 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters giving everything here real muscle.

As you can see from the details listed above, the debut album in particular had a four-piece Brass Section added on to two key tracks - "Glitter Queen" and "Good Time Man". This was done without the band's knowledge or even permission and Hydra were none too pleased. But their loss is our gain because I suspect Producer Dan Turbeville had maybe been listening to what horns did to the "Call Me The Breeze" J.J. Cale cover that ended Side 2 of Skynyrd's "Second Helping" (lifted it into the boogie stratosphere) and probably though the same would work here (especially on the great "Glitter Queen") - and for my money, the man right. 

A bit more about that Spencer Kirkpatrick-written track which I suspect is most people's entry into the band Hydra. "Glitter Queen" opened the debut in real Rock Boogie style and was featured on the "Peaches – Pick Of The Crop" Capricorn Records label sampler in the UK in the same month as the LP was released – November 1974 on Capricorn 2476 105 (you could pick up the sampler for 97p). "Peaches" came as a promo-only double-album sampler compilation in the USA on Capricorn PRO 588 as part of their 'Loss Leaders' series (it was on Side 4). Such was the punch in this song that Capricorn Records used it on both sides of the pond as a lead off single for the album. While the October 1974 British 45 on Capricorn 2089 008 had the lesser album-track "It's So Hard" on the flipside (perhaps killing its potential in Blighty), the US variant (also issued October 1974) has the far better "Going Down" (a Don Nix cover version) on its B-side for Capricorn CPS 0216. That US 45 feels like a bit of a forgotten Rocking classic to me. Other goodies on the Debut Album included "Good Time Man" – a tune that shows off Spencer Kirkpatrick as a hot Slide Guitarist (he had been part of The Atlanta Vibrations who managed one 1966 privately-pressed US 45 on Sim-Cor 101).

The final two albums have their moments – the frantic guitar chug of "Little Miss Rock 'N Roll" and the funky keyboard-driven "The Pistol" clearly considered by Capricorn Records as a potential 45 but it went to only Promo stage (no stock copies). But stuff like "Land Of Money" and "Let The Show Go On" are trying too hard and Boulware's lone song contribution "Take Me For My Music" is as cringing as its title sounds. By the time we reach 1977 "Rock The World" is hardly Lizzy in their prime and "Your Love Gets Around" feels like Foghat in second gear and going down further.

This is a five-star reissue of three-star material. But for fans of the band and lovers of Southern Rock (best exampled on the debut) - given the audio and quality presentation - this will be a must own...

"Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth" by NATURAL FOUR – Second and Third Albums from May 1974 and July 1975 on Curtom Records (April 2010 UK Soul Brother Reissue – 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review and 100s more like it inside my e-Book

"…What's On The Inside…"

Putting two Curtom LP rarities from the golden period of Seventies Soul back into the digital marketplace (and with 4 bonus tracks tagged on) smacks of a good idea to me.

THE NATURAL FOUR aren't as well known as their Curtom Records label mate Curtis Mayfield for sure (I admit that I’ve never actually seen a copy of their rare 1970 US debut album "Good Vibes!" on ABC Records ABCS-706) - but these following two platters contain wonderful Seventies Soul. And in this great sound quality - it's a proper blast to hear them again. Here are all-natural details...

Released April 2010 in the UK (reissued September 2010) – "Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth" by NATURAL FOUR on Soul Brother CD SBPJ 41 (Barcode 5013993674122) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD and plays out as follows (76:33 minutes):

1. Can This Be For Real [Side 1]

2. You Bring Out The Best In Me

3. Try Love Again

4. You Can't Keep Running Away

5. This Is What's Happening Now [Side 2]

6. Love That Really Counts

7. Try To Smile

8. Love's Society

9. Things Will Be Better Tomorrow

Tracks 1 to 9 are their second album "Natural Four" issued May 1974 in the USA on Curtom CRS 8600 (No UK release) – peaked at No. 36 on the US R&B LP charts

10. Heaven Right Here On Earth [Side 1]

11. Love's So Wonderful

12. Count On Me

13. Baby Come On

14. What Do You Do [Side 2]

15. Give This Love A Try

16. What's Happening Here

17. While You’re Away

Tracks 10 to 17 are their 2nd album "Heaven Right Here On Earth" issued July 1975 in the USA on Curtom CU 5004 and August 1975 in the UK on Curtom K 56142 – peaked at No. 49 on the US R&B LP charts (didn’t chart UK)

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 18 is a rare USA-only 7" single issued in late 1973 on Curtom CR 1984 - it's a cover version of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should Know Better". The original Mayfield version is on his 1972 "Superfly" soundtrack album – here it’s given a different arrangement here by The Natural Four.

Tracks 19, 20 and 21 are "I Think I Found The Girl", "How Have You Been" and "Get It Over With" - taken from their 3rd album "Nightchaser" issued in 1976 in the USA on Curtom CU 5008 and April 1976 in the UK on Curtom K 56224

Charly reissued "Natural Four" on CD in 1996 and Sequel reissued both albums in 2000 - but this is the first time they've been paired together and had 4 bonus tracks thrown in too (from their 3rd LP). But the big draw on these albums for Seventies Soul and Funk fans is the songwriting genius and involvement of LeROY HUTSON - not to mention the fact that original vinyl issues of these 2-Step monsters have been costing punters huge amounts of money for years. The booklet is a fairly basic 8-page colour affair with liner notes by Laurence Prangell and musician/album credits. It doesn't say who remastered what and where but the sound quality is superb - very clear, clean and good on the ear.

This is classy Soul - sort of Philly International meets Cadet meets Brunswick - funky love songs one minute ("Try Love Again" - lyrics above) and social commentary tunes the next ("Things Will Be Better Tomorrow"). When they slow it down on "Can This Be Real" (a R&B chart hit Stateside in December 1973) or the lovely "Heaven Right Here On Earth", you're reminded of The Dells, The Chi-Lites, The Main Ingredient, Blue Magic and of course - LeRoy Hutson solo stuff. There's even a Hall & Oates vibe going on in there too.

Genius choice goes to the lone 45 cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should No Better" sounding not unlike a more string-filled outtake - it's superb and a real rediscovery. They've even included the better dancer tracks from the disco-fuelled 3rd album which sounds like AWB with Ben E King in places, but you're likely to return to the first two albums more because that's where the real quality is...

Very tasty indeed - another excellent reissue from Soul Brother Records of the UK…

"The Best Of" by ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON and ALICIA MYERS (April 1996 USA MCA CD Anthology – Erick Labson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Get Up And Do Your Thang…"

One Way's most famous hit - 1979's "You Can Do It" - is the kind of infectious funky little Soul/R’n’B number that I loved then and still do now – and it's a guaranteed floor filler to this day - 30 years after the event. It's one of a few goodies on this rather excellent but overlooked CD reissue and remaster from MCA America. Here are the can-do details...

Released in the USA-only in April 1996 - "The Best Of" by ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON and ALICIA MYERS on MCA Records MCAD-11432 (Barcode 008811143220) plays out as follows (69:32 minutes):

1. Cutie Pie (1982 USA LP "Who’s Foolin' Who" on MCA 5279)

2. Lady You Are (1984 USA LP "Lady" on MCA 5470)

3. You Can Do It (1979 USA LP "Happy Feet" on ABC 1136)

4. I Want To Thank You (1981 USA LP "Alicia" on MCA 5181)

5. Mr. Groove (1984 USA LP "Lady" on MCA 5470)

6. Something In The Past (1980 USA LP "One Way featuring Al Hudson" on MCA 5127)

7. Pop It [Single Edit] (1980 USA 7" single on MCA 41298 [A]) (The full album version is on "One Way featuring Al Hudson" (as per 6))

8. Don’t Think About It (1986 USA LP "One Way IX" on MCA 5823)

9. Appreciation (1984 USA LP "I Appreciate" on MCA 5485)

10. Push [Single Edit] (1981 USA 7" single on MCA 51110 [A]) (The full album version is on "Love Is…One Way" 1981 USA LP on MCA 5163)

11. If You Play Your Cards Right (1981 USA LP "Alicia" on MCA 5181)

12. Pull Fancy Dancer/Pull, Part 1 (1981 USA 7" single on MCA 51165 [A])

(The full album version is on "Fancy Dancer" 1981 USA LP on MCA 5247)

13. You Better Quit (1986 USA LP "One Way IX" on MCA 5823)

14. You Get The Best From Me (Say, Say, Say) (1984 USA LP "I Appreciate" on MCA 5485)

Tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 13 are credited to ONE WAY

Tracks 6 and 7 are credited to ONE WAY featuring AL HUDSON

Track 3 is credited to AL HUDSON and THE PARTNERS

Tracks 4, 9, 11 and 14 are credited to ALICIA MYERS

The sound quality is fabulous throughout because all tracks have been remastered by one of Universal’s top audio engineers ERICK LABSON (has over 800 mastering credits to his name) while the 12-page inlay features affectionate and informative liner notes by one of Britain’s most famous soul aficionados DAVID NATHAN.

Personally I find some of the early solo Alicia Myers tracks difficult to take in all their over-the-top Eighties production and cheesy lyrics (her "Say, Say, Say" is however a genuine highlight here). What is smart though is to finally see the three rare 7" single edits of "Pop It", "Push" and "Pull Fancy Dancer…" make their way onto a good CD. In fact the superb remastered sound lifts them and all the other tracks out of their squashed vinyl muddiness into real clarity. The whack out of the funky and soulful "You Better Quit" (their last R&B hit) will make your feet tap and shake your booty (as they say in all the best commentaries)…

It’s not all genius of course, but this well-endowed "Best Of" compilation is still a cracking good soul listen – and it’s bolstered up with really great sound too.

One Way, Al Hudson and Alicia Myers are remembered with affection and on the strength of this – it’s easy to see why…