Sounds Good, Looks Good...

Welcome to Mark Barry's Review Blog - SOUNDS GOOD, LOOKS GOOD... It features in-depth reviews for Quality CD Reissues and Remasters - all with Discography Info (six times Amazon 'Hall of Fame' Reviewer). With over 2,700 posts - genres covered include Rock, Pop, Soul, Funk, Jazz Fusion, Blues, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Doo Wop, Vocal Groups, 1960s and 1970s, Prog, Psych, Folk, Blues-Rock, Goth, Punk, New Wave, 1980s, Reggae and more. I also review FILMS, TV Shows, BLU RAYS and BOOKS. Enjoy the reads...

Monday 1 February 2021

"Spring NYC Soul" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Rarities from New York's SPRING, EVENT and POSSE labels issued between 1967 and 1983 (mostly 70ts) including Six Previously Unreleased Tracks – featuring Joe Simon, The Determinations, Ray Godfrey, Clare Bathe, The Joneses, Garland Green, The Internationals, (Prince) Phillip Mitchell, C-Brand, Maxine Weldon, Tavares and more (January 2020 UK Ace/Kent Soul CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 289 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

HIGHER GROUND
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95 (2021 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Your Time To Cry..."

The truth lies somewhere in-between. A cleverly put together CD compilation on New York's Spring Records and its imprints Event and Posse that takes in a broad-spectrum of dates (1967 to 1983). Problems lie in those titles that veer aware from its 70ts heyday - later syrupy concoctions from 1980 and 1983.

But still, with that huge playing time of nearly 79-minutes as a genuine plus, and enough Northern Soulish late 60ts and early 70ts dancer-orientated B-sides towards the end – we can declare CDKEND 487 yet another winner in Ace's cannon of exemplary Kent Soul reissues. Let's get determined baby...

UK released 31 January 2020 - "Spring NYC Soul" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records/Kent Soul CDKEND 487 (Barcode 029667097529) offers Rarities from New York’s SPRING, EVENT and POSSE labels issued between 1967 and 1983 including Previously Unreleased and plays out as follows (78:58 minutes):

1. Save The Best For Me - THE DETERMINATIONS (2020, Previously Unissued Edited Version, Original opens Side 1 of the 1976 US LP "One Step At A Time" on Event Records EV-7001)

2. Do You Feel It - ACT 1 (November 1974 US 45-single on Spring SPR-152, B-side of "Party Hardy People")

3. I Love You More Than Anything - RAY GODFREY (2020, Previously Unissued 1970 Spring Recording)

4. Since You've Been Gone - GARLAND GREEN (2020, Previously Unissued Unedited Version, Original on the 1990 UK LP "The Spring Sides" by Garland Green on Kent Records KEND 090)

5. Magic's In The Air - RONNIE WALKER (August 1975 US 45-single on Event Records EV 225, A-side)

6. If You Could Turn Into Me - THE FATBACK BAND (from the August 1975 US LP "Yum Yum" on Event Records EV-6904)

7. Your Time To Cry - JOE SIMON (November 1970 US 45-single on Spring SPR 108, A-side)

8. I'm The Other Half Of You - MAXINE WELDON (2020, Previously Unissued 1973 Spring recording)

9. Forever - CLARE BATHE (1980 US 45-Single on Posse POS 5004, A-side)

10. The Storm Is Passing Over - JACKIE VERDELL (from the 1986 US LP "Lay My Burdon Down" on Spring 33-6739)

11. Plenty Of Love - C-BRAND (1982 US 45-single on Spring SP 3029, B-side of "Wired For Games")

12. (Beauty (Is In The Eye Of The Beholder) - THE JONESES (1980 US 45-single on Posse POS 5003, A-side)

13. Hold on - RAY GODFREY (2020, Previously Unissued 1979 Spring recording)

14. Kill The Monster - FLOWER SHOPPE (March 1971 US 45-single on Spring SPR 111, B-side of "You've Come A Long Way Baby")

15. If We Get Caught, I Don't Know You - PHILLIP MITCHELL (1975 US 45-single on Event EV 223, B-side of "There's Another In My Life")

16. If You Say You Love Me - US (2020, Previously Unissued 1975 Spring recording)

17. Falling In Love - VICTOR TAVARES (2020, Previously Unissued 1975 Spring recording)

18. (I Have Fallen Into) The Tender Trap - LEROY RANDOLPH (January 1972 US 45-single on Spring SPR 121, A-side)

19. Boiling Like Water - THE EQUATIONS (August 1971 US 45-single on Spring SPR 117, B-side of "You Make Me Feel So Good")

20. Sugar Plum (Give Me Some) - LITTLE EVA HARRIS (Previously Unreleased 1968 recording first issued on the 2004 CD compilation "Where The Girls Are - Volume Six" on Ace Records CDCHD 1032)

21. Get Right - RICHARD BARBARY (January 1968 US 45-single on Spring SK701, B-side of "When Johnny Comes Marching Again")

22. Daddy's Coming Home - PRINCE HAROLD (January 1968 US 45-single on Spring SK702, B-side of "Ain't It Amazing")

23. Of Your Life - VERNON BROWN (March 1971 US 45-single on Spring SPR 112, B-side of "I'm A Lover")

24. I Ride Alone – THE INTERNATIONALS (August 1972 US 45-single on Spring SPR 129, B-side of "Lead Me On")

Tracks 7, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are MONO - all others STEREO

Prompted by multi-track finds in the Spring Records vaults - Ace have once again dug deep (six Previously Unreleased on top of American vinyl-only rarities). ADY CROASDEL pours on the charm and details in 20-pages of liner notes - giving a song-by-song analysis - itself peppered with those fab repro labels and classy black and white publicity photos of names less seen like Richard Barbary, Clare Bathe and Phil Flowers who is sporting a floral shirt with a collar so big there may indeed be a law against it somewhere. There is a trade advert for Spring Records, an elated Joe Simon being interviewed by an even more-pleased white DJ and a rarely seen Kent LP in the shape of Garland Green's "The Spring Sides" - Kent 90 being only the ninth last vinyl LP in the series before CDs took over completely (as I recall). The details are of course fascinating - The Fatback Band doing a Soulful smoocher when they are of course more associated with booty-waddling Funk - Jackie Verdell and her modern-Gospel LP from 1982 (once a member of The Davis Sisters in the 50ts) and how most copies of the secular 45s put out by The Internationals feature "Lead On Me" on both sides, hence Ace have chosen the rarer and more sought after B-side "I Ride Alone" for inclusion. The usual class act in other words. Audio is care of the vastly experienced DUNCAN COWELL and again – these transfers have oomph and lovely warm vitality - poppermost of the toppermost. To the music...

Things start dancing immediately with the 'everything that glitters may not all be gold' stepper "Save The Best For Me" - a joyful slice from The Determinations that will have Northern Soul fans weeping in the aisles. "Do You Feel It" by Act 1 graces all of the rear of the 20-page booklet, resplendent in its Spring Records label bag - another shimmy-shaker. Next up is the first of six new discoveries - a 1970 brassy upbeat tune called "I Love You More Than Anything" by Ray Godfrey - not quite NS-magical but more than respectable and a pretty damn cool discovery after 50 long years in oblivion (produced and co-written by Joe Simon).

The deep-as-walnut voice of Garland Green lifts up the truly lovely "Since You've Been Gone" - a very smart choice indeed - especially as the LP isn't that easy to find (the edit is small, 3:36 minutes for the original LP cut but 3:17 for this newer version). The unnervingly heavy synth and Stylistics type beat/strings of "Magic's In The Air" may be a skip for many and The Fatback Band sound frankly uncomfortable with the sappy "If You Could Turn Into Me" (a bad vocal too). But things are rescued by the genuinely gorgeous expressiveness of Joe Simon's "Your Time To Cry" - his 1970 voice and ache - a hundred times more real than the two cheese-puffs that preceded it (a highlight for me this).

Another newbee is the 'feeling sad and blue' of Maxine Weldon giving it some hey baby come on over because "I'm The Other Half Of You" - a fabulous ballad find and truly worthy of the moniker 'Bonus'. Clare Bathe is a Jazz singer who had stints with August Darnell's Kid Creole & The Coconuts and actually sang on the Chic debut LP - but her "Forever" has that big 80ts polish that almost threatens to drown the otherwise pretty tune. Better is a Joe Simon co-write with Jackie Verdell - her straight-up 1983 Gospel anthem "The Storm Is Passing Over" just the right side of hallelujah righteous Soul - the 1970's sounding LP famously featuring a young gal called Whitney Houston pre superstardom. The slap-bass chugging Funk of "Plenty Of Love" combined with its 1982 Pop-Soul Heatwave backbeat has made it a sought after 45 - and again - a smart inclusion here - if not a wee bit out of place.

Other highlights for me are "Kill The Monster" by Flower Shoppe featuring the Sly Stone exciting vocals of Phil Flowers - a warning song for kids in the neighbour. It seems that sexpot (Prince) Phillip Mitchell finds that everything is the 'other' girl's fault - his witty and funky B-side "If We Get Caught, I Don't Know You" (I have reviewed his 1978 and 1979 albums for Atlantic Records - "Make It Good" and "Top Of The Line" - they were part of Rhino's "Classic Soul Album - Expanded And Remastered" Series of CD reissues in 2007). The old-stylee Vocal-Group performance of "(I Have Fallen Into) The Tender Trap" benefits greatly from Leroy Randolph's expressive pipes (Don Covay's brother) - while fans of future disco divas Tavares will have to have the Victor Tavares ballad outtake "Falling In Love" (not my cup of Java mind). And it ends on a flurry of Mono single-sides aimed squarely at the hips and not the quivering lips.

For sure the CD stumbles a few times mid-stream (as others have mentioned), but there is still just so much to like and dig on "Spring NYC Soul". And isn't that typical of Ace's Kent Soul releases - the quality far outweighs everything else...

Saturday 30 January 2021

"Small Talk/High On You/Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back" by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE – US Albums from July 1974, November 1975 and December 1976 on Epic Records – guests featuring Eric Gale, Bobby Lyles and Peter Frampton (September 2017 UK Beat Goes On Reissue (BGO) – 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 289 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

HIGHER GROUND
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95 (2021 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Loose Booty..."

Time is a cruel mistress, especially in the music business. Sly & The Family Stone are a case in point. They had achieved what few could have managed outside of Isaac Hayes and his extraordinary LP run on Stax.

"Greatest Hits" from November 1970, the huge November 1971 opus that was "There's A Riot Goin' On" and "Fresh" from June 1973 had all achieved Number 1 status on the US R&B LP charts for Sly & The Family Stone – three in a row - with "...Riot..." going to Number 1 on the Rock LP charts also. Very, very rare that any Soul acts outside of Isaac Hayes and James Brown ever got to do this. Even before the 1970 "Greatest Hits" set – their fourth album "Stand!" from April 1969 had peaked at No. 3 (material from it was featured at Woodstock) - high numbers and high praise all round. Impressive stuff.

But by June 1974 when the "Small Talk" LP came out – he made No. 15 on the Rock charts (didn't register with R&B) - "High On You" from October 1975 made No. 45 (No. 11 R&B) and December 1976's "Heard Ya Missed Me... " seemed to have a ego-title too far because it didn't bother the Rock charts at all and scraped No. 33 on R&B (even with complimentary liner notes from top Philly Producer and admirer Kenneth Gamble). What had started out as Sly & The Family Stone mixed-race mixed-cultural world-changing stellar-music in the late 60ts - was by 1974, 1975 and 1976 – old hat and fizzling out fast. This was Sly on the downturn, lost in power and accolades, obscene amounts of money and schizoid drugs dependence despite the cosy holding a baby/we're all wholesome now album sleeve. This is Sylvester Stewart before unreliability destroyed any chance of gigs, shabby RVs and homelessness thirty ears later and no calls returned - newspapers preparing obituaries.

So in some respects – these three albums have been ignored over the years (the second is credited to Sly Stone only, the other two to Sly & The Family Stone) – and that's where this superb twofer reappraisal from BGO of England comes a-boogieing in. It's not all primo Soul-Funk for sure, but there are enough nuggets across the three platters, great new Audio and quality presentation to soften the sub-Booty blow (guitarist Eric Gale and Peter Frampton guest alongside keyboard whizz Bobby Lyles too). I'm givin' and livin' y'all. To the Mother Beautiful...

UK released Friday, 1 September 2017 - "Small Talk/High On You/Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back" by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE on Beat Goes on BGOCD1294 (Barcode 5017261212948) offers 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 (37:25 minutes):
1. Small Talk [Side 1]
2. Say You Will
3. Mother Beautiful
4. Time For Livin'
5. Can't Strain My Brain
6. Loose Booty [Side 2]
7. Holdin' On
8. Wishful Thinkin'
9. Better Thee Than Me
10. Livin' Where I'm Livin'
11. This Is Love
Tracks 1 to 11 are their seventh studio album "Small Talk" - released July 1974 in the USA on Epic PE 32930 and August 1974 in the UK on Epic S EPC 69070. Musicians included Freddie Stone on Vocals and Guitar, Rose Stone Banks on Vocals and Keyboards, Cynthia Robinson on Trumpet, Vet Stewart on Vocals and Keyboards, Jerry Martini on Saxophone, Pat Rizzo on Flute and Saxophone, Sid Page On Violin with Rusty Allen on Bass and Bill Lordon on Drums. Produced and Arranged by Sly Stone - he features on Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards and Bass.

CD2 (68:46 minutes):
1. I Get High On You [Side 1]
2. Crossword Puzzle
3. That's Lovin' You
4. Who Do You Love?
5. Green Eyed Monster Girl
6. Organize [Side 2]
7. Le Lo Li
8. My World
9. So Good To Me
10. Greed
Tracks 1 to 10 are the group's eight studio outing "High On You" and his first (technically) solo LP as SLY STONE - released October 1975 in the USA on Epic PE 33835 and December 1975 in the UK on Epic S EPC 69165. Musicians included Dawn Silva, Tiny Melton, Vet Stewart and Rudy Love on Vocals, Freddie Stone on Vocals and Guitar, Cousin Gale on Guitar, Bobby Lyles and Tricky Truman Governor on Keyboards (Little Moses plays Organ on "I Get High On You" only), Jerry Martini and Dennis Marcellino on Saxophones, Cynthia Robinson on Trumpet and Vocals, Bobby Vega on Bass (Rusty Allen plays Bass on "Organize" only), Michael Samuels and Jim Strassburg on Drums (Bill Lordon Drums on "That's Lovin' You" only and Willie Wild Sparks Drums on "Le Lo Li" only). Sly Stone plays multiple instruments – everything else.

11. Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back [Side 1]
12. What Was I Thinkin' In My Head
13. Nothing Less Than Happiness
14. Sexy Situation
15. Blessing in Disguise
16. Everything In You [Side 2]
17. Mother Is A Hippie
18. Let's Be Together
19. The Thing
20. Family Again
Tracks 11 to 20 are the group's ninth studio album "Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back" - released December 1976 in the USA on Epic PE 34348 and December 1976 in the UK on Epic EPC 81641. Musicians included Cynthia Robinson on Trumpet, Joe Baker on Guitar and Vocals, John Colla and Steve Schuster on Horns, John Farey on Keyboards with Dwight Hogan and Anthony Warren on Bass and Drums (and others). Peter Frampton [ex The Herd and Humble Pie] plays Guitar on "Let's Be Together".

The seven players on "Small Talk" are pictured in the 24-page booklet, the Steve Lake of Melody Maker 1974 liner notes and other aspects of the gatefold sleeve (but not the lyrics). Same for the other two albums, but its CHARLES WARING (principal Soul and Jazz contributor to "Mojo" magazine) that provides the thoroughly even-handed liner notes. As fans will know, the press and reviewers have always given Sly's mid-70ts output a snoot - some good stuff sided with treading water and rehashes of old flames. And I guess some of that is unfortunately true. But hearing these albums again - and this time with 2017 High Def Remasters from BGO's long-standing Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON – and I'm feeling a wee bit more generous. And the card slipcase always makes these BGO reissues feel that just that little bit classier than most. To the music...

I never could stand that baby crying throughout the title track no matter how good the funky backdrop (like he was deliberately trying to reflect the chaos in his brain), but things pick up with the chilli con carne sexiness of "Say You Will" – lovely brass and synth backdrops to the life worth living lyrics. For every season, Sly's best friend is "Mother Beautiful" – the kind of Family Stone Soul-Funk tune that wouldn't have been out of place on albums as far back as the "Everyday People" of "Stand!" in 1969. Hardly surprising that Epic chose the sheer clavinet commerciality of "Time For Livin'" as the lead-off 45-single for the album in June 1974 (Epic 5-11140 was b/w "Small Talk") - rewarded as they were with a No. 10 on the US R&B singles charts. Other faves on a 'good' Sly/Family album would be funky-bass chug of "Better Thee Than Me", the 'I might as well admit it' smoocher LP finisher "This Is Love" and the second single off the album "Loose Booty" that should have done better than No. 22.

Bare-chested and grinning or not – I recall the "High On You" album arrived with a yawn. Which is a damn shame because there are tremendous grooves in the title track, while Funkadelic would have killed for the crossover AWB-underpinned saxophone swing in "Crossword Puzzle" – never loose a round – all you have to do is be you – everybody getting down. The terribly titled and slightly lame right on sister and right on brother of "Le Lo Li" was issued as a single in December 1975 (Epic 8-50175) – but the hard-hitting Funk of its flipside "Who Do You Love?" interested me more. Unfortunately the War and Peace words of "Greed" felt preachy and not enlightened in 1976.

By the time he returned as Sly And The Family Stone for "Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I'm Back” album (surely a contender for top-twenty worst LP titles) - the world wasn't really interested anymore and that one-man-band artwork probably didn't help much either. Where once Sly seemed clued in - the Kenneth Gamble liner notes asking "...may almighty God give you the strength to control your emotions..." was somehow a sideways jab rather than a plea for understanding. "Blessing In Disguise" had a nice vibe to it (all those girly vocals) but apparently it only reached Promo-stages as a 45 - the album having no other 45 to plug it. Ex Humble Pie axeman Peter Frampton who had just become a global superstar with his "Frampton Comes Alive" double-LP) issued in April of 1976 guests on understated treated guitar for the busy "Let's Be Together". Better for me is swirling Brass and Bass Funk of "The Thing".

Niggles – the four Previously Unreleased bonus tracks that appeared on the 2007 Expanded Edition CD of "Small Talk" is AWOL on CD1 when there was room. But I suppose as neither of the other two LPs has received such accolades over the years (excepting expensive and deleted Japanese Editions) – their proper Remasters here are something of an exclusive and a bonus of a different kind.

For damn sure it's not all genius and by the time you get to "Heard..." - you may be hearing 'same old, same old' songs - but when he hits that groove and the stunning backing band he had backs him up - it is a 'high'. Nothing less than happiness? Well, it's close enough for moi...

Friday 29 January 2021

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 4 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 4 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

The SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS Series...

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE
Volume 4 of 7

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD

Exceptional Reissues and Remasters...

Including 1960s and 1970s ROCK and POP

PSYCH and UNDERGROUND

BLUES ROCK and PROG ROCK

* Over 1,565 E-pages of information, 195 in-depth reviews, CD reissues 1990 to 2023

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD [Super High Materials]

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

– Ace, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On, Big Break Records (BBR), Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Music On CD, Raven, Repertoire, Rev-Ola, Rhino, The Right Stuff, Salvo, Sundazed and Panegyric

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* Vinyl Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs)

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7” singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

* Find Artists and Guest Musicians (who played on what)

* Find Original Album Producers and Engineers

* Find your favourite Remaster Engineers and Authors of Liner Notes

SIXTIES and SEVENTIES RECORD LABELS covered by the book include:

ABC, ABC/Dunhill, A&M, Apple, Ardent, Asylum, Atlantic/Atco, Bearsville, Blue Horizon, Brain, Capitol, Capricorn, CBS, Charisma, Chrysalis, Columbia, Dawn, Decca, Deram (Nova), DJM, Elektra, EMI, Epic, Fantasy, Fly, Fontana, Harvest, Immediate, Island, Liberty, London, Marmalade, MCA, Mercury, MGM, Monument, Mooncrest, Parlophone, Parrot, Polydor, Probe, Purple, Pye International, RAK, Rare Earth, RCA Victor, Reaction, Reprise, Rolling Stones, RSO, Shelter, Smash, Straight, Track, Uni, Vertigo, Verve, Virgin, United Artists and Warner Brothers

Having worked for RECKLESS RECORDS in London for over 20 years as one of their principal Vinyl and CD buyers (one of the best secondhand record shops in the West End) and having over 4180 posts (CDs, DVDs, BLU RAYs) - as you can imagine I come across a huge number of reissues - some far more worthy than others.

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD books as guides to Exceptional CD Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it no longer has to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they’re the best I’ve included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Enjoy the reads – Mark Barry (2023)

"The Complete Westbound Recordings 1973-76" by JUNIE [Walter "Junie" Morrison, ex Ohio Players, later Funkadelic] – Including Three Full Albums "When We Do" and "Freeze" (both 1975) and "Suzie Super Groupie" (1976) Plus Seven Bonus Tracks (May 2017 UK Ace Records/Westbound 2CD Anthology of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 289 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

HIGHER GROUND
70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95 (2021 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Musical Son... "

Genius Musician, Arranger and all-round Funkmeister Walter "Junie" Morrison is looking rather pleased with himself on the outtake photo that adorns this fabulous 2CD set from England's Ace Records (and why wouldn't he be - pawed by an icon like that!).

Model Pat Evans is captured in all her beguiling bald sexiness by Joel Brodsky - the photographer who brought us so many of those memorable Ohio Players saucy LP covers – albums Junie wrote tunes for and was instrumental in the origins of. His other period claim to fame is of course the future Funkadelic P-Funk sound – Junie having co-written the anthem "One Nation Under A Groove" with George Clinton and Garry Shider – a US R&B No. 1 in October 1978 for Clinton's Funkadelic.

Pat Evans had featured on the Ohio Players "Pain" LP cover (February 1972) and the not-so-subtly titled "Ecstasy" LP from September 1973 - two hugely popular albums Junie had been instrumental in (Morrison was gone from their orbit by 1974's "Skin Tight"). So come his debut Solo album "When We Do" (recorded in 1973 and 1974 but not released until mid 1975) - hardly surprising then that Pat returns to give our hero some more temperature-rising cover-art strokes. And that's where this rarities haul comes stomping-in. There's a lot of Granny in her Funky Rolls Royce to groove through, so let's have at the details...

UK released 26 May 2017 - "The Complete Westbound Recordings 1973-1976" by JUNIE on Ace Records/Westbound CDSEW2 157 (Barcode 029667083720) features Three Full Albums "When We Do" and "Freeze" (both 1975) and "Suzie Super Groupie" (1976) Plus Seven Bonus Tracks Remastered onto 2CDs as follows:

CD1 (72:37 minutes):

1. Junie [Side 1]

2. Loving Arms

3. Johnny Carson Samba

4. The Place

5. Anna

6. Tight Rope [Side 2]

7. You And You

8. When We Do

9. Married Him

10. Walt's Third Trip

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album "When We Do" - released June 1975 in the USA on 20th Century Records/Westbound Records W-200

11. Freeze [Side 1]

12. Cookies Will Get You

13. Not As Good As You Should

14. Musical Son

15. Super J. [Side 2]

16. World Of Woe

17. Granny's Funky Rolls Royce

18. Junie II

Tracks 11 to 18 are his second solo album "Freeze" - released November 1975 in the USA on 20th Century Records/Westbound Records W-214

CD2 (56:53 minutes):

1. Junie III [Side 1]

2. Suzie Thundertussy

3. If You Love Him

4. What Am I Gonna Do

5. Super Groupie

6. Surrender

7. Suzie

8. Stone Face Joe

9. Spirit

Tracks 1 to 9 are his third studio album "Suzie Super Groupie" - released October 1976 in the USA on 20th Century Records/Westbound Records W228.

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Junie's Ultimate Departure (first appeared as a Previously Unreleased track on the April 1994 UK CD compilation "The Westbound Years" (by Junie) on Ace Records/Westbound CDSEWD 64 (Barcode 029667376426)

11. Walt's Second Trip

12. Tightrope (Single Mix)

Tracks 12 and 11 (note sequence) are the A&B-sides of his first US solo 45 released December 1973 on Eastbound E 619 - both tracks are on the debut LP "When We Do" in different forms with "Tightrope" credited on the album as "Tight Rope"

13. Loving Arms (Mono Single Mix) - July 1975 US 45 A-side for Westbound WT-5007

14. If You Love Him (Single Edit) - 1976 US 45 A-side for Westbound WT-5027

15. Super "J". (Single Edit)

16. Granny's Funky Rolls Royce (Mono Single Edit)

Tracks 16 and 15 (note sequence) are the A&B-sides of an October 1975 US 45 on Westbound WT-5013

The knowledgeable and erudite DEAN RUDLAND heads up the praises in the 20-page booklet – not surprisingly first mentioning Kanye West and Solange Knowles (sister of Beyoncé) – Kanye with his prominent sampling of "Suzie Thundertussy" for his "No More Parties In L.A.” track on the February 2016 album “The Life Of Pablo" - while Solange actually name-checked the great Dayton, Ohio man upfront as "Junie" - a cut on her "A Seat At The Table" album from September 2016. Not before time either. With none of his three albums featured here having troubled the R&B charts in their days of release – Walter Morrison has been an underground name ever since. Nice to know then that Junie got to feel the love of his contemporaries 'before' his tragic passing in January 2017 - only months after Solange's album release.

The booklet also features photos of the debut’s gatefold artwork, the second and third LPs and their rather plain and boring rear sleeves as well as those promo-only 45s that never seemed to make it to stock copies. Audio is care of Ace’s long-standing Engineer NICK ROBBINS and no stranger to Soul and Funk tapes – this twofer kicks in all the right places.

Before the delayed debut LP "When We Do" appeared label co-shared by 20th Century and Westbound Records – Westbound tried "Tightrope" b/w the instrumental "Walt's Second Trip" in December 1973 on their imprint label Eastbound but to no joy (very cool to see both mixes in amongst the bonuses - the versions on the album are different). The very Disco-Funk opener "Junie" is predominantly an instrumental workout featuring The Detroit Symphony. Punctuating the trippy voices and space-feel of "Loving Arms" - soon after a wickedly great 'keep me in your arms' groove is set up - come the Horns and Hammond - the Remaster kicking it. At only 2:32 minutes, the Salsa meets Bass meets shaker Drum rhythms of "Johnny Carson Samba" feels like The Crusaders having a cocktail - a fab little piano groove a la Joe Sample. Back to hard-hitting midnight-hour Pump-Funk with "The Place" - his guitar passages going all heavy Isley Brothers while a fantastic combo of Brass and Strings brings up the rhythmic rear. And it's hard to think now in 2021 why something as bum-shakingly fun-key-fun-kay as the title track "When We Do" wasn't a hit - maybe too many instruments cluttering the mix - but surely that Stevie Wonder clavinet backbeat should have garnished better attention. The whole LP is great really and yet period sales never reflected that.

Album two "Freeze" goes up a notch and is closest to Funkadelic – the opener is a fast-hammering synth workout where voices and instruments are given that fazed-feel. "Cookies Will Get You" continues in a hard-hitting Brothers Johnson vein – thumping rhythm section, voices, piano and a huge Remaster that threatens to do damage. You touch the height is what you do, Junie claims in "Not As Good As You Should" – another rapid Funk workout that feels like Part 3 on a Side 1 suite. The LP comes close to a voicebox hit with the wild synth playing of "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce" – a ferocious piece of keyboard Funk that has Granny giving it some old mama ad libs (I hear you baby) – and I can so hear why Funkadelic and Parliament aficionados dig the LP so much (despite that poor no-sales artwork).

Highlights on album three "Suzie Super Groupie" feature the very Todd Rundgren soundscapes of the opener "Junie III" and of course that 'chance to be a star' "Suzie Thundertussy" chorus and backbeat. Junie needs the tenderness so desperately in "Surrender" where the clavinet and general rhythms feel so the "Contusion" instrumental on Stevie Wonder's 1976 double magnum opus "Songs In The Key Of Life". James Brown Funk fans will also dig the near five and half minutes of "Super Groupie" - a get on up moment on Side 2.

For sure the whole in-yer-face blasting-no-let-up Funkadelic Funk (truth be told) is an acquired taste and it's easy to see why Earth, Wind & Fire through to The Brothers Johnson and The Ohio Players were so commercially successful – they mixed in elements of P-Funk but just not so hard-hitting all the time. But that won't stop "The Complete Westbound Recordings 1973-76" by JUNIE from being a bit special to aficionados of P-Funk.

A humdinger of a release and surely (yet again) one of the myriad reasons why Ace Records of the UK are the bizz-schnizz when it comes to Soul and Funk reissues. Musical man remembered well, and with real affection...

Thursday 28 January 2021

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 3 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 3 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

The SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS Series...

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE
Volume 3 of 7

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD

Exceptional Reissues and Remasters...

Including 1960s and 1970s ROCK and POP

PSYCH and UNDERGROUND

BLUES ROCK and PROG ROCK

* Over 1,600 E-pages of information, 195 in-depth reviews, CD reissues 1990 to 2023

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD [Super High Materials]

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* Vinyl Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs)

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7” singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

* Find Artists and Guest Musicians (who played on what)

* Find Original Album Producers and Engineers

* Find your favourite Remaster Engineers and Authors of Liner Notes

SIXTIES and SEVENTIES RECORD LABELS covered by the book include:

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD books as guides to Exceptional CD Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it no longer has to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they’re the best I've included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Enjoy the reads – Mark Barry (2023)

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 2 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 2 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

The SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS Series...

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE
Volume 2 of 7

1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD

Exceptional Reissues and Remasters...

Including 1960s and 1970s ROCK and POP

PSYCH and UNDERGROUND

BLUES ROCK and PROG ROCK

* Over 1,575 E-pages of information, 195 in-depth reviews, CD reissues 1990 to 2023

* A huge 1,365 different reviews across all seven volumes

* Formats included - CD, SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD [Super High Materials]

* Major Label Box Set Retrospectives from – EMI, Sony/Legacy, Universal and WEA

* Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

* Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more)

* Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* Vinyl Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs)

* UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7” singles and EPs within each review

* Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted

* Packaging descriptions, size of booklets, what’s contained within, who wrote the liner notes, repro artwork explained

* Reference to the Audio Quality of the CD - analysis of songs

* Guest Musicians highlighted – Cover Versions noted

* Find Artists and Guest Musicians (who played on what)

* Find Original Album Producers and Engineers

* Find your favourite Remaster Engineers and Authors of Liner Notes

SIXTIES and SEVENTIES RECORD LABELS covered by the book include:

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD books as guides to Exceptional CD Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it no longer has to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they’re the best I've included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Enjoy the reads – Mark Barry (2023)

INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order

INTENTS and PURPOSES (Book of Poems - No.5 of 6)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/INTENTS-PURPOSES-Dublin-Margate-Luggage/dp/B0D6QJRJMY?crid=39GS7HHN2N7AH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.IK6PiOJplQpbgx34babHLJdp9ee2rjx5QhoYr5rCUYiG5Nj63i1J3WVkjELkKAU2MDjGfvuXb_P31zRgigF717-TjCG8G_UFOZ6PtFo_r4aCjRqfZN30y-GawtT8RtSa.Ytvzk9Mvbln0-jjyBwk6bPajymwvsq5p1YFvFXBylEw&dib_tag=se&keywords=intents+%26+purposes+barry&qid=1719672350&s=digital-text&sprefix=intents+%26+purposes+barry%2Cdigital-text%2C67&sr=1-1-catcorr&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=80182033932dee7bf45fcb18fa2699e8&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

BEATLES - "Let It Be: Super Deluxe" Fabulous Underdog Album Box Set - Best Price!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Let-Be-Super-Deluxe-Beatles/dp/B09CRTQ9N5?crid=2ZTF9PZB8348H&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xFeI0IhQm2r5jfrKQp_J_thWLWKSMnXgYOROUfYgTOlpuf6yClpN0gyVx8wO5unal5boUQO-uRz3ps0eM4QkL70cbVMAPZTPurxIrbffBWkR1P97AzLYL_gUXz8Q1aguRA0OdiOuAIMCB4WrhRGXo7LzNPAp8tR-DAHxeF2OG_x-dABeyQgI_iB9FuZDZPPmGU-JDuzsABIPiQDH8iIgjxUWoP7R5PjdMbwf9hqQsYY.gj5kBohc5CNm-OpEs6UYDjC7ujK8ii6UoVl3Y_KU9k8&dib_tag=se&keywords=let+it+be+super+deluxe&qid=1715418267&sprefix=let+it+be+super+deluxe%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=9c234995f89f649d9d631f3e487909db&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

BEATLES - Abbey Road (50th Anniversary Remaster from 2019) - Beautiful! SEE MY REVIEW

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Abbey-Road-Anniversary-Super-Deluxe/dp/B07VLMMG28?crid=2527JJJ8CE6UK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BKsZIwOddVk3NhkjhfiCgh1kfShw_x6HedXqMsiDMampO1RidsGJwrHg0pl43yM2P-tFS6UPCGLXI6S2Lzq5kP8S2M3eG-IwrfrF5-pKp9Tuu7y6QqxhCS792HfsmpfdyhBPOnFgNNLVqdeU52Ecle1oz7Vt81-nSTmfgSw8JNhdJXzUnejnJzKhqkbVhXKvGMOwRb7P5raSKcd4TgykS8ofYmi1YRLPUTrFso52cCA.k-5j__1fUkC-sjpebwrsTSXTMZY9utRUN4IArq6SRno&dib_tag=se&keywords=abbey+road+super&qid=1715418168&sprefix=abbey+road+super%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=89960e7a10fc345c910b4060650a9086&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Sounds Good, Looks Good...

Amazon Music Bestsellers and Deals

Monday 1 February 2021

Saturday 30 January 2021

Friday 29 January 2021

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 4 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 4 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

Thursday 28 January 2021

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 3 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 3 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 2 - 1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD Exceptional Remasters" by MARK BARRY. Volume 2 of 7...Each Volume With Different Entries

INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order

"Soulsville U.S.A. - STAX 60" Great 3CD Comp with Best Audio from Craft

Quality CD Player/Classy Bit Of Kit - Best Paired With PM 6007 UK Amp

Quality AMP from Marantz - Best Paired With Marantz CD 6007

B&W Speakers - I Have Black Variants of These and they are stunning!

RM Series Replacement Remote - Handy!

Cute As A Button and Practical Too...

More Fantastic 60ts 70ts Soul Than You Can Shake A Stick At - SEE MY REVIEW

Probably The Best Value Remasters Box Set Around - SEE MY REVIEW

Followers

BEATLES - "Let It Be: Super Deluxe" Fabulous Underdog Album Box Set - Best Price!

BEATLES - Abbey Road (50th Anniversary Remaster from 2019) - Beautiful! SEE MY REVIEW

Superb Socially-Conscious Soul/Funk from 1971 to 1974 - See Review

BEATLES - "White Album" - Amazing 2018 Remaster and Unplugged Demos - SEE REVIEW

Breakdown/Protection for SOUNDBARS for 2 Years

ALLMANS Forgotten But Brilliant Double from 1972 - SEE MY REVIEW...

BILL WITHERS Truly Great Multi-Disc Soul Box - SEE MY REVIEW

Great Deal on a great book