"The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS - Five Studio Albums from February 1968, November 1968, March 1969, March 1970 and October 1971 on Warner Brothers – guests featuring James Burton, Jennifer Warren, John Hartford, Sons Of The Pioneers, Rick Cunha, Hal Blaine, Milt Holland, Larry Knechtel, Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham, Steve La Fever and more (June 2022 UK Beat Goes On Compilation – 5LPs onto 2CDs – Remastered by Andrew Thompson) - A Review by Mark Barry....

 

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"...Classical Gas..."

 

First up, I've picked up this 2CD set in October 2022, and despite claims of issues by other purchasers with the mastering on Track 1 of Disc 1, I don't detect any such thing on my copy - no gaps - so these new variants must be replacements. The audio on this 2CD set is clean, full and really good. I just wish the content across five whole albums were worth it.

 

I'm old enough (64) to remember these US and UK platters in secondhand stores back in the day as always being dirt cheap for a reason - few wanted them. But what I will say in 2022 is that this twofer from England's Beat Goes On (BGO) sounds beautiful in places and presents these five studio albums (all originally on Warner Brothers between 1968 and 1971) in their very best light to date. Let's get to the details for the moment...

 

UK released Friday, 24 June 2022 - "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1481 (Barcode 5017261214812) offers 5 Studio LPs from 1968 to 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (80:16 minutes):

1. Overture [Side 1]

2. All The Time

3. Dylan Thomas

4. Wanderlove

5. She's Gone Away

6. Here I Am

7. Classical Gas * [Side 2]

8. Long Time Blues

9. Baroque-A-Nova

10. The Prince's Panties

11. Life Song

12. Sunflower

Tracks 1 to 12 are his (music) debut album "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record" - released February 1968 (charted Top 2000 in May 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1729 in Stereo (also WS 1729 in the UK). Produced by MIKE POST - it peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Rock LP charts (didn't chart UK).

* = The original version of the hit single "Classical Gas" - he re-recorded it for the "Hand Made" albums of 1970 - different take

 

13. Road Song [Side 1]

14. Baroque-A-Nova

15. Whistle (Hear)

16. The Last Great Waltz

17. One Minute Commercial

18. $13 Stella [Side 2]

19. Love Are Wine

20. Cinderella-Rockefella

21. Generatah-Oscillatah

22. Saturday Night At The World

Tracks 13 to 22 are his second studio album "The Mason Williams Ear Show" - released November 1968 (charted December 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1766 (W 1766 Mono and WS 1766 Stereo in the UK). Produced by DICK GLASSER - it peaked at No. 164 in the USA (didn't chart UK). $13 Stella refers to the brand name of his old guitar bought for that amount and featured on the cover artwork.

 

23. Greensleeves [Side 1]

24. Bucko's Memoirs

25. La Chanson De Claudine

26. Come To Me

27. Cowboy Buckaroo

28. The Brother's Theme [Side 2]

29. J. Edgar Swoop

Tracks 23 to 29 see Notes on CD2

 

CD2 (78:23 minutes):

1. Sunflower

2. A Major Thang

3. A Gift Of Song

Tracks 23 to 29 on CD1 and Tracks 1 to 3 on CD2 are his third studio album "Music By Mason Williams" - released March 1969 (charted May 1969) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1788 in Stereo (no UK issue). Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it peaked at No. 44 on the US Billboard LP charts

 

4. Jose's Piece [Side 1]

5. Find A Reason To Believe

6. Saturday Night At The World (Re-Record)

7. I've Heard That Tear Stained Monologue You Do There By The Door Before You Go

8. All The Time

9. Classical Gas (Re-Record) [Side 2] *

10. The Tomato Vendetta

11. Manha De Carnival

12. It's Over

13. The Exciting Accident

Tracks 4 to 13 are his fourth studio album "Hand Made" - released March 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1838 in Stereo (UK the same). Produced by BOB and DICK GLASSER - It didn't chart in either country.

* The version of "Classical Gas" on this album is a re-record, not the hit single – see CD1 Track 7

 

14. Here I Am Again [Side 1]

15. Largo De Luxe

16. (I'm A) Yo-Yo Man

17. A Little Bit Of Time

18. Linda Crest Lament

19. Little Beggar Man/Hamilton County [Side 2]

20. Poor Little Robin

21. Godsend

22. Train Ride In G

23. Orange Blossom Special

Tracks 14 to 23 are his fifth studio album "Sharepickers" - released October 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1941 and Warner Brothers K 46120 in the UK. Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it didn't chart in either country.

 

The 28-page booklet (housed in an outer card slipcase) is substantial - repro'ing all the album artwork and musician credits and from Page 16 onward is bolstered up with typically in-depth liner notes from Mojo and Record Collector contributor CHARLES WARING. Our Charles does a valiant job in convincing us (and maybe even himself) that Mason Williams LPs are overlooked, but they were cheap back in the day for a reason - they mostly aren't any good. His moment of glory came with "Classical Gas" - an acoustic-lead instrumental that caught the public's imagination and he seemed to be playing catch up to it every day afterward.

 

The music across all of these LPs is a sort of unclassifiable mixture of acoustic ditties, easy listening, Sunshine Pop, Country-Pop interspersed with awkward humour that rarely amounts to a tune (he wrote comedy for The Smother Brothers). For sure there are moments - his tribute to Jose Feliciano in "Jose's Piece" is lovely - another instrumental dedicated to Claudine Longe in the shape of "La Chanson De Claudine" on the "Music..." LP - but they are few and far between. It all feels like someone desperate to be Jimmy Webb or Gordon Lightfoot without the capability of writing a song that moves you like they both could on even their worst day.

 

What is good news is gorgeous Audio courtesy of ANDREW THOMPSON. A lot of these tracks begin with and feature Spanish Acoustic Guitar throughout, and BGO's resident Audio Engineer has done a truly lovely job transferring the Warner Brothers tapes - none too much hiss (if any) and plenty of body when needed. Musician Guests included Guitarist James Burton, singer Jennifer Warren, Country Music legends Sons Of The Pioneers, songwriters Rick Cunha and John Hartford, Drummers Hal Blaine and Milt Holland, Bassist Larry Knechtel, Steve La Fever of the famous Wrecking Crew Rhythm Section, plus Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham and many more. I just wish the music were better.

 

Fans will absolutely have to own it for the superb audio and classy presentation, but the curious should nab a listen first...

"Who Are You" by THE WHO – August 1978 UK Eight LP on Polydor Records (MCA Records in the USA) featuring Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon with Guests Rod Argent, Andy Fairweather-Low, Michael and Billy Nichols, String Arrangements by Ted Astley with Production by Glyn Johns and Jon Astley (November 1996 UK Polydor 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue with Five Bonus Tracks and Jon Astley/Bob Ludwig Remixes/Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Guitar And Pen..."

 

Released October 1975 around the world, their seventh album "The Who By Numbers" had done respectable business on the UK and US LP charts too – No. 7 and No. 8. But in 1978 – a full three years on - and with British Punk and New Wave in the absolute full-throws of destroying all in its inventive three-minute path – The Who were beginning to seem like the dinosaurs the Young Turks were all snarling about. Even Townshend himself was saying it in press interviews.

 

Unfortunately – and with my lifelong affection for the band undiminished even an iota – you cannot call much of "Who Are You" anything other than just so-so. Outside of the killer title track and a few other moments of melody, I thought it was half-assed and coming three long years after 1975's "...By Numbers" - felt like critics were being fueled with and not starved of go-go juice. "Only frustration and overload..." Townshend sang on the disturbingly good outtake "No Road Romance".

 

But never underestimate the power of a killer riff and a single that distills it – July 1978 giving fans and lapsed buyers the cool of an edited "Who Are You" on 45-single three months before its parent LP arrived on Polydor Records in the UK and MCA Stateside. And the album was a huge hit. It reached No. 6 in the UK and a staggering No. 2 in the USA – beating its predecessor by a considerable country mile. Musically I can vividly recall thinking then that both "The Who By Numbers" and "Who Are You" were good-ish Who LPs – not great ones – the days of "Who's Next" and "Quadrophenia" already gone.

 

Which brings us to this...the November 1996 'Expanded Edition' single CD Remaster of "Who Are You". I cannot say that time has been kind to the 'oo' on this genuinely awkward outing - its lacklustre Side 1 stuff sticking out like a sore thumb and those strings on two tracks that feel intrusive and horribly out of touch. You have to worry when Entwistle produces the only ‘other’ real riffage moment of brilliance in "Trick Of The Light" and not Townshend.

 

But, this CD reissue is bolstered up with five Previously Unreleased goodies worthy of the moniker Bonus. A plus seventy-minutes playing time too. Guitar and Pen triumphant - let's get back to that Soho doorway; get up and walk away...

 

UK released 18 November 1996 - "Who Are You" by THE WHO on Polydor 533 845-2 (Barcode 731453384521) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (70:59 minutes):

 

1. New Song [Side 1]

2. Had Enough

3. 905

4. Sister Disco

5. Music Must Change

6. Trick Of The Light [Side 2]

7. Guitar And Pen

8. Love Is Coming Down

9. Who Are You

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Who Are You" – released 18 August 1978 in the UK on Polydor Records WHOD 5004 (Polydor 2490 147) and 25 October 1975 in the USA on MCA Records MCA 3050. Produced by GLYN JOHNS and JON ASTLEY – it peaked at No. 6 and No.28 in the UK and US LP charts. Tracks 1, 4, 5 7, 8 and 9 written by Pete Townshend with Tracks 2, 3 and 6 by John Entwistle

 

THE WHO were:

Roger Daltrey on Lead Vocals

Pete Townshend on All Guitars, Keyboards, Lead and Shared Vocals

John Entwistle on Bass, Synths and Vocals (Synth and Lead Vocals on "905", Horns on "Had Enough" and "Music Must Change")

Keith Moon on Drums and Percussion

 

Guests:

Rod Argent of Argent on Keyboards – Synth on "Had Enough", "Guitar And Pen" and Piano on "Who Are You"

Andy Fairweather-Low [ex Amen Corner] and Billy Nichols on Backing Vocals Ted Astley - String Arrangements on "Had Enough" and "Love Is Coming Down"

 

BONUS TRACKS (all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED):

10. No Road Romance (Demo), 5:05 minutes

11. Empty Glass (Rough Mix), 6:23 minutes

12. Guitar And Pen (Olympic ’78 Mix), 6:00 minutes

13. Love Is Coming Down (Work-In-Progress Mix), 4:06 minutes

14. Who Are You (Lost Verse Mix), 6:21 minutes

 

The 24-page booklet is substantial, packed with period photos of the band in studio and live modes - including a center spread shot of rows of people behind each band member that was going to be the front sleeve, but abandoned for the wires and equipment photo. Bolstering the text are a lot of great power live shots and new MATT RESNICOFF liner notes that not only outline the band's troubled history by 1978 (beloved drummer Keith Moon passing from drugs aged only 30 - even seeming to know his end was nigh by citing his out-of-control behavior as no longer being a laughing matter) - but they go into tremendously helpful track-by-track details. And yet despite his best efforts to convince me that much of the LP is a misunderstood gazelle – even a friendly re-listen does not hold that up at all (critics at the time weren't exactly bowled over by it either).

 

The tapes (and reissue) were prepared by long-time Who-associates and archivists JON ASTLEY and ANDY MacPHERSON with Remasters done by the legendary BOB LUDWIG and as I said earlier, this is a full WHO sound and the CD properly rocks because of it. I wish the actual album did, but to the music anyway...

 

"New Song" comes screaming out of your speakers – all big-daddy riffs pumped up underneath by synths. Coming on very quickly as a lyrical parody on the public's need to hear the same old riffage just being done with different words (everyone wants to cheer it). "New Song" is angry and cynical and I can't help thinking that if it had had better lyrics about something else – it wouldn't have the awful feeling of a band taking the piss out of itself. Strings and Disco Synth Beats fill up "Had Enough", but again it just feels wrong to me – the strings hamming it something awful. Recorded in March 1978 at St. John's Wood, "905" is the second of three Entwistle songs ("Had Enough" was the first) and it would have opened the album on a winner. In his usual heavy-strings attack, it's hard to know what's lead electric guitar or his Bass – either way it is one of the better tracks on Side 1. "Sister Disco" has always been a hateful tune to me, but the version we get of "Music Must Change" is a new mix with different guitar parts than that which first appeared on the 1978 MCA LP. The Audio is spectacular – as are Daltrey's vocals – snarling out wild stallion lyrics.

 

Side 2 opens with the fantastic "Trick Of The Light" where apparently all that guitar riffage is not a guitar at all but his Atlantic Bass strings hammered out like a lead guitarist. Rod Argent steps in to help Pete Townshend on the very Quadrophenia feeling "Guitar And Pen" – both giving it layer after layer of keyboards over Pete’s biting guitar stabs. For me, it's always been a highlight on the album. The lonely "Love Is Coming Down" comes in two forms – the recording done in October 1977 with its heavy strings arrangement added in December – far better is the Work-In-Progress Mix which strips it back to a guide vocal with different piano and Bass parts. The LP finally delivers a bona fide classic in the title track – the stunning and musically complex "Who Are You" – quite possibly in the top five of everyone's fave raver by the band - six-minutes and seventeen seconds of why people love THE WHO to distraction.

 

And here for me lies the weird thing about the CD reissue of "Who Are You" - it's Five Previously Unreleased Tracks feel like a better album that the released deal! 

 

"No Road Romance" is first - an almost finished album outtake that was considered superfluous to requirements at the time - but I absolutely love it. Sporting a huge array of melody breaks, backing vocals and astute lyrics, Townshend's lead vocal has an urgency to it that makes much of the released album stuff feel staged. I could imagine Daltrey would have eaten this alive had it been put on the record in finished form.

 

Next is a gem - recorded in April 1978 and originally called "Choirboy" - we get a Rough Mix of his second solo LP's beloved title track "Empty Glass" and again it's ALIVE! Both Entwistle and Moon play on it and if you're unconvinced by the 'Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Drummer Ever' moniker so easily lumped onto Keith Moon - then check out his work here! Because he rocks - you can actually here it - Moony playing a blinder. Entwistle too does Bass Harmonics as the tune begins and again, you can really hear both his huge signature sound allied with what he brought to the Who dance, innovation not flattened or buried by mixing. Great stuff... 

The last three are more alive in my books in all cases than their finished versions - frenzied guitar parts - "Love Is Coming Down" stripped of those intrusive strings - that spiky unheard second verse in "Who Are You" that was re-written by Townshend (both work). Now here's the innards of a great band - brilliant...

I hate to dis a Who LP, but 1978's "Who Are You" was a serious regular sell-in at Reckless Records in Berwick Street for decades on end when I worked there - not something fans fretted over when they needed a few bob or a swap. But the kick-ass audio, the first-rate considered presentation and those five tag-on Bonuses have moved it up from three to four stars. And I'll take that kind of upgrade on a reissue CD any day of the week...

"But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH – May 1978 Fourth Studio Album on Asylum Records featuring Joey Murcia on Second Guitar, Joe Vitale of Barnstorm on Drums, Keyboards and Flute, Jay Ferguson of Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne on Keyboards with Willie Weeks on Bass – Guests included Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Don Felder and Timothy B. Schmit of Eagles with Jody Boyer on Backing Vocals and Production by Bill Szymczyk (December 2012 US-Only Audio Fidelity 24 KT Gold Audiophile CD Reissue in Die-Cut Numbered Card Sleeve (5000 Copies) with Original Artwork and a Steve Hoffman Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Life's Been Good..."

 

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*** This Review for 2012 Audio Fidelity CD – Steve Hoffman Remaster ***

 

On first listen - and certainly without giving your stereo some welly - this rather pricey and now long-deleted American-only Audiophile CD comes on as a tad underwhelming. But crank it and the Audio is absolutely gorgeous (no hiss, all muscle).

 

The name of Audio Engineer STEVE HOFFMAN is enough to have most Audiophile aficionados gripping their arthritic knees in too much excitement – and on the evidence of this so subtly brilliant transfer on a really well produced album – it's easy to hear why. To the Boat Weirdos and the display windows at a Second Hand Store and the Maserati that does 185...

 

US-only released 11 December 2012 – "But Seriously, Folks..." by JOE WALSH on Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 (Barcode 780014207922) is a '24 KT + Limited Numbered Edition' CD Reissue with a STEVE HOFFMAN Remaster that plays out as follows (35:53 minutes):

 

1. Over And Over [Side 1]

2. Second Hand Store

3. Indian Summer

4. At The Station

5. Tomorrow [Side 2]

6. Inner Tube

7. Theme For Boat Weirdos

8. Life's Been Good

Tracks 1 to 8 are his fourth studio LP "But Seriously, Folks..." – released 16 May 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E-141 and June 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53081. Produced by BILL SZYMCZYK – it peaked at No. 8 in the USA and No. 18 in the UK. 

 

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8 written by Joe Walsh – Track 4 co-written with Joe Vitale – Track 2 co-written with Mike Murphy of REO Speedwagon – Track 7 co-written with Bill Szymczyk, Jay Ferguson, Joe Vitale and Willie Weeks.

 

PLAYERS were:

JOE WALSH – Lead Guitar, Synths and Lead Vocals

JOEY MURCIA – Second Guitar

JAY FERGUSON – Keyboards

WILLIE WEEKS - Bass

JOE VITALE – Drums, Percussion, Synths and Flute and Backing Vocals on Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8

(Producer) BILL SZYMCZYK – Tambourine on "At The Station" and Backing Vocals on "Life's Been Good"

 

GUESTS were:

DON FELDER of Eagles – Pedal Steel Guitar on "Second Hand Store" and Guitar on "At The Station"

DON HENLEY, GLENN FREY and TIMOTHY B. SCHMIT of Eagles – Background Vocals (arranged by Frey) on "Tomorrow"

JODY BOYER – Backing Vocals on "Second Hand Store", "Indian Summer" and "Life's Been Good"

 

I am a self-confessed Joe Walsh worshipper - 1972's studio debut "Barnstorm", 1973's "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get", 1974's "So What" [1975 in the UK] and the live platter from 1976 "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind" – are all albums that make me wobble on the inside (his three with The James Gang before he went solo are the same - reviewed the lot). So the idea that I could nab a genuinely real Audio Upgrade of his underrated fourth studio platter "But Seriously, Folks..." was always going to get my headspace in a dither.

 

Audio Fidelity AFZ 079 certainly looks the part - the die-cut outer card sleeve showing the jewel case beneath, itself numbered in gold on the rear (5000 copies), the 8-page booklet repro'ing the US LP labels on Asylum Records, the inner gatefold and even that rather pointless table-cloth inner too. Unfortunately there isn't any new liner notes apart from the AF credits – Mastered for compact disc by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering – but as an audio experience - it rocks and is wonderfully detailed (crank it). To the music...

 

The tunes come across as simple at first – like the soft opener "Over And Over" and the gorgeous "Second Hand Store" (which fades out and in again towards the end of the song) – Eagle Don Felder playing an absolute blinder on Pedal Steel. But perceived as slight or not, they get their hooks into you. I mean was there anyone out there making a single like "Life's Been Good" on the A-side with "Theme For Boat Weirdos" on the flip-side in 1978? Not really...

 

Truthfully, I have had my problems with Audio Fidelity releases – the Randy Newman one, the Rod Stewart and Faces issues all felt decidedly ordinary to me – better Remasters available Universal and at a fraction of the cost. But here – you crank "Tomorrow" and those Eagles harmony vocals come soaring out – that fantastic break in the middle – the huge riffage in "Life's Been Good" rattling the cones (as it should). But that floating keyboard ditty called "Inner Tube" – even at one-minute and twenty-five seconds sounds more substantial too. "At The Station" and it's guitar chugging is superb and at 4:20 when it fades out and returns with the "Over And Over" guitar refrain, it is so clean yet ballsy. And the instrumental "Theme From Boat Weirdos" is just magnificent – Bass, Guitars, all those swirling keyboard and flute ideas from Walsh and Vitale – fabulous. 

 

You could argue that it wouldn't have taken a whole lot of effort to include the 4:35-minute single edit of the near nine-minute "Life's Been Good" as a Bonus Track – but no such luck. Man what a great tune, knowing, funny as fuck and still relevant. About five minutes in – when all those guitars start to crescendo – what a glorious sound Walsh and his band made – including the very silly flock of wah-wahs at the end (8:56 minutes).

 

"I make hit records, my fans they can't wait, they write me letters, tell me I'm great, just leave a message, maybe I'll call..." – Joe Walsh sang on the fabulous "Life's Been Good". He was/is a journeyman who had made it out of the insanity alive. And in 2022, he is still with us and never stops thanking the Universe and Friends for being able to play and enjoy life in sobriety – a fate that was not to be for far too many of his contemporaries.

 

I love Joe Walsh – this world-class guitarist and songwriter - always have and always will. And CD Remaster of "But Seriously, Folks..." is a great way to celebrate one of his undervalued albums from that halcyon decade – the Seventies. Joe for President folks (and I don't mean Biden)...

 

PS: Check out my review for (Audio Engineer) Kevin Gray's equally magnificent Audio Fidelity Remaster of JW's second studio album "The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get". AFZ 059 was issued in 2009 and is also deleted, but in October 2022 – still remains the best version of a great album ("Rocky Mountain Way" and "Meadows")...

"Deceptive Bends" by 10cc – May 1977 UK Fifth Studio Album on Mercury Records (USA also) featuring Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman with Guests Paul Burgess on Drums and Del Newman on String Arrangements (July 1997 UK Mercury 'Digitally Remastered' CD Reissue – Expanded Edition with Three Non-LP B-sides as Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Will Feel The Benefit..."

 

This Review Along With Over 220 Others Is Available In My

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Music Of 1977 to 1979 

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After the January 1976 release of their fourth studio album - "How Dare You!" – the original fab-foursome of 10cc split into two – Kevin Godley and Lol Crème exploring the Gizmo Guitar and their experimental October 1977 3LP Box Set "Consequences" - while Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman kept the 10cc moniker and the band going.

 

Much was muted in the press at the time about a supergroup splitting up (Beatles comparisons abounded) – but the overall winning comerciality of "Deceptive Bends" shocked many in May 1977 – the 10cc sound still fresh and inventive – and all of it handled by the dynamic remaining duo (with help from Drummer Paul Burgess and Strings Arranger Del Newman). Fans even got three singles out of "Bends" – the hooky-as-it-gets "Good Morning Judge" and "The Things We Do For Love" that open the LP and the lesser rather-sappy 45 "People In Love".

 

And then there was the brilliance of the eleven-and-a-half minute three-part "Feel The Benefit" – an absolute showstopper that finished the LP over on Side 2. I've seen 10cc do it live in the 80s and it tears up the crowd every time – reminding you of the melodies chopping and changing and flitting in and out (there is even a Prog Rock element to it). "Deceptive Bends" even came in cool Storm Thorgerson Hipgnosis gatefold sleeve artwork. So it's hardly surprising that with Three Bonuses – this old but great-sounding CD Remaster offers a punter loads to nibble on. Lots to discuss...

 

UK released June 1997 - "Deceptive Bends" by 10cc on Mercury 534 974-2 (Barcode 731453497429) is a 'Digitally Remastered' Expanded Edition CD Reissue with Three Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (51:33 minutes):

 

1. Good Morning Judge [Side 1]

2. The Things We Do For Love

3. Marriage Bureau Rendezvous

4. People In Love

5. Modern Man Blues

6. Honeymoon With B Troop [Side 2]

7. I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor

8. You've Got A Cold

9. Feel The Benefit (Parts 1, 2 & 3)

(i) Reminisce And Speculation

(ii) A Latin Break

(iii) Feel The Benefit

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fifth studio album "Deceptive Bends" - released May 1977 in the UK on Mercury Records 9102 502 and May 1977 in the USA on Mercury SRM-1-3702. Produced by 10cc - it peaked at No. 3 in the UK and No. 31 in the US LP charts.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Hot To Trot

Track 9 is the 3 December 1976 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 022, Non-LP B-side of "The Things We Do For Love" (Dec 1976 USA on Mercury 73875)

 

10. Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste

Track 10 is the 1 April 1977 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 025, Non-LP B-side of "Good Morning Judge" (May 1977 USA on Mercury 73917 with "People In Love" as the A-side)

 

11. I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out

Track 11 is the 8 July 1977 UK 45-single on Mercury 6008 028, Non-LP B-side of "People In Love" (July 1977 USA on Mercury 73943 with "Good Morning Judge" on the A-side)

 

The 8-page booklet is both good and bad, but you can' help feel that it's functional at best. Only the front and rear cover of the LP is represented with the inner gatefold and the hugely detailed lyric inner-sleeve both AWOL (no tasty foreigh picture sleeves either). In their place is a new set of liner notes from CHRIS WHITE that convincingly covers their surprisingly good fifth LP for Mercury Records with archival interview quotes from Stewart and Gouldman (first time on CD Remaster too). And the three Non-LP B-sides will allow US and UK fans sequence the 45s – properly good additions for those who've waited decades for them.

 

ROGER WAKE who did all the Strawbs and Joan Armatrading CD Remasters on A&M Records – handles the Remaster here and it's an audio winner. Fans will go for deep LP cuts like the quietly gorgeous "Marriage Bureau Department" and the R&B chug of "Modern Man Blues" and find hugely improved sonic details (guitar soloing) – clear as a bell. After the "Art For Art's Sake" muffle on the decidedly mixed sound to "How Dare You!" – Bends is a welcome uplift. And again, crank it! To the music...

 

With every song written by Stewart and Gouldman – and both playing a huge array of instruments (leaving the Drums to Jethro Tull sessionman Paul Burgess) – the album is essentially theirs completely. Engineered by Eric Stewart, it also sounds so damn good. And as I said before – the Remaster has really brought out those discoveries - "Marriage Bureau Department" and the R&B chug of "Modern Man Blues". You could almost hear five 45s in its clever-clogs run.

 

After the general excellence of Side 1, the opening duo of Side 2 are very disappointing – neither "Honeymoon In B Troop" or "I Bought A Flat Guitar Tutor". Even if it is a tad B-side-ish, at least the hot toddy jaunt of "You've Got A Cold" feels like that cool 10cc of old – great guitar work too that's brought out by the speaker-to-speaker remaster. But the side is dominated by the three-parts of "Feel The Benefit" – a very One Night In Paris affair with an equal amount of melody changes and wild lyric runs. The Latin Break is still a hoot and that dual guitar battle in Part 3 is utterly brilliant and cranked with those strings too.

 

Bonuses: released a full five months ahead of its parent LP - "The Things We Do For Love" had the suggestive "Hot To Trot" – a very 10cc B-side – good not brill enough to be on the LP (she was smiling at me). The putty in my hands "Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste" is OK too, but again never rises too much else. But hell, it sounds great in Remastered form. Best of the three is "I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out" – a tune I would have replaced the Guitar Tutor LP track with.

 

Once again, I'm taken aback at the last-ability of 10cc's Seventies Music – goodies galore and a few gems worthy of re-discovery into the cheap-as-chips CD reissue bargain. Time to feel that benefit once again...