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US AND THEM - 1973
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"...To Be Free Again..."
After four albums of wavering brilliance and shifting line-ups (ace keyboard-man Rick Wakeman had departed for Yes), STRAWBS (shortened from Strawberry Hill Boys) finally rewarded the patience of A&M Records A&R men with a big fat hit long-playing record hit. The fondly remembered "Grave New World" from February 1972 finally made everyone sit-up and notice The Strawbs. Even without a seven-inch single to plug it, but armed with a tri-gatefold sleeve and natty booklet within original copies – it absolutely looked the 1972 part too and "Grave New World" climbed up to No. 11 in the UK LP charts.
That success paved the path towards this – their sixth album (fifth studio) and their 'Rock' record breakthrough - "Bursting At The Seams" from February 1973. Hell, "Bursting At The Seams" even sported an annoyingly catchy - and dare we suggest such an abomination in the presence of Prog Rock cognoscenti – a commercially winning 45-single in the shape of the knees-up-Mother-Brown party-swagger of "Part Of The Union" (penned by the combo Hudson-Ford).
That somewhat unintentional sing-a-long seven-inch single (that hardly represented Strawbs music) was launched by A&M only four days into January 1973 on AMS 7047 - a month prior to the LP. With the Non-album cover version of an old Celtic air "Will You Go" on the flipside (Bonus Track No.1 here) – British radio loved it and A&M Records were rewarded with a No. 2 placing on the singles charts – spots on Top Of The Pops etc.
When the LP arrived next month (February 1973), the public wanted more and bought the thing in serious numbers resulting in their highest LP placing (it peaked at No. 2) and the band’s genuine arrival on the Rock scene. And that’s where this dinky little Re-Remaster-Piece reissue comes a lollygagging in. Here are the sagging waistlines...
UK released July 1998 - "Bursting At The Seams" by STRAWBS on A&M Records 540 936-2 (Barcode 731454093620) is an A&M ReMasterPieces Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Three Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (52:11 minutes):
1. Flying [Side 1]
2. Lady Fuschia
3. Stormy Down
4. The River
5. Down By The Sea
6. Part Of The Union [Side 2]
7. Tears And Pavan
8. The Winter And The Summer
9. Lay Down
10. Thank You
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 6th album "Bursting At The Seams" (fifth studio LP) - released February 1973 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 68144 and April 1973 in the USA on A&M Records SP-4383. Produced by THE STRAWBS with Engineer TOM ALLOM – it peaked at No. 2 in the British LP charts and No. 121 in the USA.
All songs written by Dave Cousins except "Lady Fuschia" and "Part Of The Union" by Richard Hudson and John Ford, "Pavan" by Hudson, Ford and Cousins, "The Winter And The Summer" by Dave Lambert and "Thank You" by Blue Weaver and Dave Cousins.
NOTE: on the original 1973 album, Side 1 placed "The River" as Track 5 and "Down By The Sea" as Track 4. It was done so because the vinyl LP had difficulty with heavy bass at the centre of the format. However this CD reissue puts the songs in the order the band wanted them in originally - "The River" at No. 4 and "Down By The Sea" at No.5. Those who want to hear the original running order can of course program their CD players to play it that way. Also the correct spelling for the flower is fuchsia, but the Hudson-Ford track is presented as Fuschia – possibly in error.
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Will You Go
January 1973 UK 45-single on A&M Records AMS 7047, Non-LP B-side to "Part Of The Union" – it is a variant of the Scottish Folk song "Wild Mountain Thyme" by the McPeake Family that has the lyrics "...will ye go lassie go..."
12. Backside
13. Lay Down (Single Version)
Tracks 13 and 12 (note playing order) are the A&B-sides of an October 1972 UK 45-single on A&M Records AMS 7035 (A-side differs from the LP version, B-side is Non-LP). "Backside" is credited on the single as by Ciggy Barlust & The Whales From Venus – a tongue-in-cheek tribute to David Bowie and his Ziggy Stardust persona enjoying huge commercial success in 1972. It was reputedly going to be The Tits From Venus but A&M intervened on the grounds of good taste (or the law).
STRAWBS was:
DAVE COUSINS – Lead and Backing Vocals, Acoustic, 12-String and Electric Guitars and Electric and Acoustic Banjo
DAVE LAMBERT – Lead and Backing Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitar
BLUE WEAVER – Organ, Piano and Mellotron
JOHN FORD – Lead and Backing Vocals and Bass
RICHARD HUDSON – Backing Vocals, Drums and Sitar
GUESTS:
Robert Kirby (of Nick Drake fame) did the String Arrangements (with most of The London Symphony Orchestra) on "The River" and "Down By The Sea" (Tristan Fry from Sky plays an uncredited Timpani on "Down By The Sea")
JOHN TOBLER provides the new liner notes in the admittedly skimpy 8-page booklet. However, what it lacks in pictures and memorabilia (where are the 45s, trade adverts, American tours etc) – it makes up for with a DAVE COUSINS interview that throws light and affection on the album and how the songs were written and made. Fans will know that the original British LP sported a silver inner sleeve and the Dave Cousins liner notes (complete with the Robert Kirby arrangements acknowledgment in the PS) are reproduced on the last page. But disappointingly there is no sign of the lyrics on the other side of the inner sleeve or that rare advert for the LP that came with some copies. It’s good rather than being great.
But at least Cousins provides cool and illuminating details – the Hudson-Ford song "Lady Fuschia" being based on Mervyn Peake's gothic castle horror novel "Gormenghast" – Cousins own "Flying" featured a Rickenbacker Ban-Tar Electric Banjo that is now owned by Elvis Costello (he regrets that sale) – that his daughter Joelle can be heard in the corridors of her Hounslow school on "Thank You" (where the head teacher allowed Strawbs to record it) or that A&M nervously stepped in when the boys wanted to credit the "Lay Down" B-side "Backside" to Ciggy Barlust & The Tits Of Venus - a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Bowie and his Ziggy Stardust phase - and changed the offensive bosoms word to the entirely less dreadful whales word (wow, really).
Mostly recorded at Morgan Studios, Willesden in late 1972 with prior work at Sound Techniques in Chelsea - the tapes are clearly in great shape because the ROGER WAKE Remaster (done at Bourbery-Wake Studios) is gorgeous to listen too - all that great original production shining through. For sure there is a wee bit of hiss here and there, but none too bad to distract. This album is great and you have to say that the three bonuses actually do add to the listen – rounding up thing nicely. Lets get to the music...
Tony Hopper leaves and is replaced by Lead Guitarist Dave Lambert and a new era for the STRAWBS begins. But what hasn’t changed is the musicality – so evidenced by "Flying" – pinging guitar notes fading in to a young girl flying away melody – flying to be free again - gorgeous stuff. And don’t you just love that acoustic and banjo break that is accompanied by a wave of Mellotron – Prog Folk at its Rock best. There is even a touch of Horslips in this or is it the other way around. The Rock guitar arrives in "Lady Fuschia" – a sort of Moody Blues meets Mellow Candle meets Acoustic Yes song – a gem in their impressive catalogue.
I kind of understand the re-placing of the Marillion-rocking "Down By The Sea" at the end of Side 1 instead of "The River" – it actually works (love that riffage and those distant vocals). Over on Side 2 the two-part six-and-a-half minute "Tears & Pavan" is probably the most Prog the album gets. But I love those delicate guitar and triangle bell moments even if the Mellotron does threaten to drown out everything. There is something so melodic in the acoustic playing on "The Winter And The Summer" – a sort of mellow Yes vibe that once again has echoes of The Moody Blues. And it ends on the school halls of "Thank You" where Cousins leads a group of schoolkids in glorious and silly disharmony. But there is still a gorgeous cover of "Wild Mountain Thyme" masquerading as "Will You Go" to savour – a great B-side rather than filler (check out The Silencers sublime cover of this song in 1995 – the one they used in the Scotland tourist ads).
For sure this 1973 album and its slightly fay sound is showing its near 50-year age, but for me (and I suspect many more) – there is a beauty to this Prog-Folk-Rock that is so alluring and frankly reminds me of a time when albums were magical things. I used to always feel like I was a lucky lad to just have one in my hand – turn it over – again and again.
"...Feels deep down inside, flying to be free again..." – Cousins sang on the lovely and hopeful opener "Flying". Free up some time of your own to re-hear this time capsule – fill your boots right here...
