"Now Yearbook '86" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Smiths, George Michael, Duran Duran, Kate Bush, Eurythmics, Kim Wilde, Fine Young Cannibals, The Blow Monkeys, The Human League, Spandau Ballet, Bananarama, The Housemartins, Robert Palmer, Big Audio Dynamite, Jaki Graham, Whitney Houston, Level 42, The Bangles, New Order, It’s Immaterial , Belouis Some, Five Star and many more (February 2023 UK Sony Music/EMI 4CD 80-Track Compilation with Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Classic Albums, Compilations, 45s

All In-Depth Reviews from the Discs Themselves

Over 1,650 e-Pages of Info

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Digging The Scene..."

 

The reinvention by Sony Music and EMI of the Now That's What I Call Music Series has to be one of the great reissue coups for the last two decades. Suddenly everyone is so 80ts baby it makes me want to buy a drum machine!!

 

In February and March 2023, we've arrived at the most interesting reissue years for that much maligned decade - 1985 to 1989 - where it should be argued that real genius emerged that is still beloved four decades on. 

 

And so to this amazing value-for-money series of "Now Yearbook..." compilations - and in this case a 4CD glut of big hair dos, shoulder pads, girls who are pretty in pink, male teachers who don't want even prettier students to stand too close and cannibals caught in a trap (aren't they always). There's a wad of stuff to get through, so let's have at 1986...

 

UK released 24 February 2023 - "Now Yearbook '86" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Sony Music/EMI CDYBNOW86 - 0196587627621 (Barcode 196587627621) is a 4CD 80-Track Compilation (Many Remasters) that plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (79:22 minutes):

1. A Different Corner - GEORGE MICHAEL

2. The Sun Always Shines On TV - A-HA

3. Notorious - DURAN DURAN

4. Hounds Of Love - KATE BUSH

5. Thorn In My Side - EURYTHMICS (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart)

6. Rock Me Amadeus - FALCO

7. Lessons In Love - LEVEL 42

8. You Keep Me Hangin' On - KIM WILDE

9. Each Time You Break My Heart - NICK KAMEN

10. My Favourite Waste Of Time - OWEN PAUL 

11. Manic Monday - THE BANGLES 

12. Don't Get Me wrong - THE PRETENDERS

13. You Can Call Me Al - PAUL SIMON

14. Marlene On The Wall - SUZANNE VEGA

15. Suspicious Minds - FINE YOUNG CANNIBALS

16. Too Good To Be Forgotten - AMAZULU

17. Sing Your Own Song - UB40

18. I Want To Wake Up With You - BORIS GARDINER 

19. Holding Back The Years - SIMPLY RED

20. Through The Barricades - SPANDAU BALLET

 

CD2 (79:57 minutes): 

1. The Edge Of Heaven - WHAM!

2. Don't Leave Me This Way - THE COMMUNARDS with SARAH JANE MORRIS

3. Venus - BANANARAMA

4. Showing Out (Get Fresh At The Weekend) - MEL & KIM

5. New Beginning (Mamba Seyra) - BUCKS FIZZ

6. Bad Boy (7" Shep Pettibone Mix) - MIAMI SOUND MACHINE featuring Gloria Estefan

7. So Macho - SINITTA 

8. Touch Me (I Want Your Body) - SAMANTHA FOX

9. French Kissing (In The USA) 7" Edit - DEBBIE HARRY

10. Imagination - BELOUIS SOME

11. Digging Your Scene - THE BLOW MONKEYS

12. Breakout - SWING OUT SISTER

13. Who's Zoomin' Who (Single Version) - ARETHA FRANKLIN

14. Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent - GWEN GUTHRIE  

15. Set Me Free - JAKI GRAHAM

16. Word Up! (Single Version) - CAMEO

17. Can't Wait Another Minute - FIVE STAR

18. We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off - JERMAINE STEWART

19. How Will I Know (Remastered) - WHITNEY HOUSTON

20. Dancing On The Ceiling - LIONEL RICHIE 

CD3 (78:46 minutes):

1. Panic - THE SMITHS 

2. Rage Hard - FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

3. Love Missile F1-11 - SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK 

4. The Wizard (Part 1) - PAUL HARDCASTLE

5. Bizarre Love Triangle (Single Remix) - NEW ORDER

6. Pretty In Pink ("Pretty In Pink" OST Version) - THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS

7. All The Things She Said (Edit, 2005 Remaster) - SIMPLE MINDS 

8. Life's What you Make It (Edit) - TALK TALK

9. Brilliant Mind - FURNITURE

10. Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune) - IT'S IMMATERIAL

11. Rise (7" Edit) - PUBLIC IMAGE LIMITED (PIL featuring John Lydon)

12. E=MC'2 - BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE (Mick Jones of The Clash, Don Letts)

13. Sinful (7" Version) - PETE WYLIE

14. For America - RED BOX

15. I've Been Losing You - A-HA

16. Move Away (2004 Remaster) - CULTURE CLUB

17. (Forever) Live And Die (2019 Remaster) - ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK

18. No One Is To Blame - HOWARD JONES 

19. Eloise (Single Version) - THE DAMNED

20. Spirit In The Sky - DOCTOR  & THE MEDICS

CD4 (79:00 minutes): 

1. Take My Breath Away (Love Theme From 'Top Gun') - BERLIN

2. Livin' On A Prayer - BON JOVI

3. The Final Countdown - EUROPE

4. Walk This Way - RUN DMC feat AEROSMITH

5. Addicted To Love - ROBERT PALMER

6. Typical Male - TINA TURNER

7. Harlem Shuffle - THE ROLLING STONES

8. Don't Stand So Close To Me '86 - THE POLICE 

9. In The Army Now - STATUS QUO

10. Broken Wings - MR. MISTER

11. The Lady in Red - CHRIS De BURGH

12. Every Loser Wins - NICK BERRY

13. Reet Petite - JACKIE WILSON 

14. When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - BILLY OCEAN

15. Higher Love - STEVIE WONDER 

16. Human - THE HUMAN LEAGUE

17. I Can't Wait - NU SHOOZ

18. Rain Or Shine - FIVE STAR

19. Greatest Love Of All - WHITNEY HOUSTON

20. Caravan Of Love - THE HOUSEMARTINS

 

The now familiar but barely functional fold-out card sleeves house the four discs in inner flaps - but there's only copyright details and a date - no catalogue numbers - no history - zip. But for a tenner English and with all 4CDs pushing the total 80-minutes playing time barriers (as you can see from the details above) - you cannot say anything other than these sets represent astonishing value for money. Given so many disparate sources, the Audio is uniformly excellent too and when they do use remasters as in say the case of Simply Red's "Holding Back The Years" or Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" - the audio impact is noticeably spectacular. To the tunes and coats of many Synth-Pop colours...

 

CD1: As it's the mid-Eighties, bombastic is everywhere and unfortunately not in a good way at times. You're still amazed by Kate Bush ("Hounds Of Love"), Paul Simon ("You Can Call Me Al"), Pretenders ("Don't Get Me Wrong") and Simply Red's slinky sexy white boy soul of "Holding Back The Years" (gorgeous audio too). And you forget the magic of a Prince song in someone else's hands - The Bangles doing "Manic Monday" or those forgotten nuggets like Suzanne Vega doing "Marlene On The Wall" and Fine Young Cannibals cool cover of the Elvis classic "Suspicious Minds" - so good they almost made it there own. And how genuinely touching and yes even lovely "Through The Barricades" by Spandau Ballet. But awful comes in the shape of Falco's over-the-top "Rock Me Amadeus", Nick Kamen's anaemic "Each Time You Break My Heart" and the sickly cod-Reggae of "I Want To Wake Up With You" by Boris Gardiner - yuck that makes you want to reach for the skip button. 

 

CD2 gets it spandex pants, roller skates and sparkly 80ts Pop socks on being almost all boppers aimed at the feet and the groin. While I never want to hear The Communards doing Gloria Gaynor again with "Don't Leave Me This Way" (great audio or no) - I can so dig the gals in Bananarama doing Shocking Blue's 1970 winner "Venus" (again stompin' audio). I'm sure Disco fiends will love the relentless beats of Mel & Kim and even Bucks Fizz - but they're not for me. Far better is Shep Pettibone's irresistible seven-inch mix for Gloria Estefan's "Bad Boy" (then fronting the Miami Sound Machine) and the party joyful "Breakout" by Swing out Sister - both with great audio. Awful comes in the shape of Sam Fox and Sinitta - buxom babes who couldn't hold a tune but could ignite something else. And you've forgotten the great pop of Debbie's "French Kissing (In The USA)", Beloise Some's Heatwave-groovy "Imagination", the Saxophone and Synths sexy "Digging The Scene" by The Blow Monkeys - a seriously musical tune that still stands up - even it is it wannabe Hall & Oates. And you can still dig the money worries chorus of "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent" and the sheer codpiece fun of Cameo's brilliant and seriously funny "Word Up!" (no time for psychological romance y'all).

CD3 goes Rock, Indie and Alternative with some Synth Funk thrown in for good measure. There are gems on this third platter - the stunning "Life's What You Make It" by Talk Talk from their gorgeous "The Colour Of Spring" album, Public Image's utterly brill "Rise" (talk about a rediscovery you need in your life - anger is an energy) and the sheer so-80ts fun of It's Immaterial sassy "Driving Away From Home (Jim's Tune)" with its clean air Balleric beats (just get in and close the door). A very clever scheduling too goes to Sigue Sigue Sputnik's Guitar-Punk "Love Missile F1-11" being followed by Paul Hardcastle and his strangely Bowiesque Part 1 of "The Wizard" - a combo that so works. Other discoveries go to the Remastered punch in Simple Minds' "All The Things We Said", Furniture's "Brilliant Mind" and the post-Clash Pop-Funk of Big Audio Dynamite's "E=MC'2" - a great moment for Mick Jones. OMD, The Damned and even Pete Wylie all hold their own and how great is The Furs "Pretty In Park" - possibly one of the most perfect tunes. Hell, I even liked A-Ha's "I've Been Losing You", Boy George's beg and borrow I hurt you darling "Move Away" and especially Howard Jones' rather good "No One Is To Blame" (the insecurity is the thing that won't get lost).  

CD4 unfortunately contains three of the tunes I most hate in the Universe - Berlin's Top Gun schlock "Take My Breath Away", the turgid Europe tune "The Final Countdown" and Chris De Burgh's Royal choice "The Lady In Red". Thankfully Mr. Mister's fabulous "Broken Wings", Stevie Winwood's "Higher Love" and The Rolling Stones cover version of "Harlem Shuffle" lift things up a tad. The Fifties uh-oh-oh "Reet Petite (The Finest Girl You'll Ever Meet)" is a bygone joy that caught the 80ts crowd loving it whilst Robert Palmer and The Housemartins and The Human League showed the world just how diverse British bands could musically be. But for sure - there is a fair share of cack on CD4 that may have you reaching for the skip.

 

For sure "Now Yearbook '86" doesn't have Madonna or Prince or a load of other un-licenceible artists in its massive 4CD haul, but half the fun of these sets is the remembering, the re-discoveries (Simple Minds and Public Image Ltd) and the surprises too (Sigue Sigue Sputnik & Paul Hardcastle). Many will probably take the best from each disc and make one killer comp - but with another 'Extra' 3CD set for the year 1986 due 7 April 2023 with 60 more cuts and again a sub ten-spot price tag - you have to tip your Fedora to Sony/EMI for giving lovers of the "Life's What You Make It" decade all the spray tan they can slap on. 

 

Buy it and punish the neighbors with a sing-along to "Touch Me (I Want You Body)" - well of course you will! 

"True Blue" by MADONNA – June 1986 Third Studio Album on Sire Records featuring Pat Leonard, Bruce Gaitsch, Brian Elliot, John Putnam, David Williams, Dan Huff, Fred Zarr, Richard Marx, Siedah Garrett and more (May 2001 UK 'Warner Remasters' CD Reissue with Two Bonus Tracks – Ted Jensen Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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All In-Depth Reviews from the Discs Themselves

Over 1,650 e-Pages of Info

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...I've Learned My Lesson Well..." 

Some albums are absolute juggernauts and I doubt even their creators knew it.

 

When sexpot Madonna burst on the scene in the early Eighties with her first two albums "Madonna" (September 1983) and "Like A Virgin" (November 1984), the hits were calculatedly aimed at the feet and her reviewer detractors could therefore scream about her girly voice, the obvious sexual ploys to garnish controversy and the general lack of what you might call substance in her songs. 

 

All of that changed with June 1986's "True Blue" - a giant album for her that produced a record-breaking 5 No. 1 singles (in varying markets) and Box Office sales for a female artist that were unprecedented. She lowered her vocal range for several tracks, took on subjects that were racy in a socially aware way and most of all – through good songwriter collaborations with the like of Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch and Brian Elliot – she became admired and adored in the same way Prince and others were.

 

Madonna's "True Blue" hit the top spot in something like 40 countries around the world - a feat that few if any had ever achieved. And when you listen back to this little Remastered raver in 2023 - you can so hear why it caught the zeitgeist of a decade that was kind of in love with itself. And the album was dedicated to 'the coolest guy in the Universe' - her then husband - actor Sean Penn. 

 

Let's get to Papa who mustn't preach and needs to reorder diapers...

 

UK released 22 May 2001 - "True Blue" by MADONNA on Warner Brothers 9362-47902-2 (Barcode 093624790228) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue in their 'Warner Remasters' Series. It has Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (52:34 minutes): 

 

1. Papa Don't Preach [Side 1]

2. Open Your Heart 

3. White Heat 

4. Live To Tell

5. Where's The Party

6. True Blue

7. La Isla Bonita 

8. Jimmy Jimmy 

9. Love Makes The World Go Round 

Tracks 1 to 9 are her third studio album "True Blue" - released late June 1986 in the USA on Sire 9 25442-1 (LP) -4 (MC) -2 (CD) and July 1986 in the UK on Sire WX54 (925 445-1) LP. Produced by MADONNA, PATRICK LEONARD and STEPHEN BRAY - it peaked at No. 1 in both countries. Guest Musicians and Collaborators include Pat Leonard, Bruce Gaitsch, Brian Elliot, John Putnam, David Williams, Dan Huff, Fred Zarr, Richard Marx, Siedah Garrett and more.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

10. True Blue (The Color Mix) - Shep Pettibone Remix

11. La Isla Bonita (Extended Remix) - Chris Lord-Alge Remix

 

The 'Digitally Remastered' logo along the inlay spine distinguishes these 'Warner Remasters' CD reissues - the ten-leaf foldout inlay faithful to the front cover artwork and lyric inner bag of the original release. As is the same with these Remasters - you don't get any extra liner notes - period photos - memorabilia - fan stuff - just the basics with a note that GREGG GELLAR oversaw the Series and TED JENSEN did the Remaster from original tapes. And man can you hear it - everything is super clear - even the Cagney Film Clip dialogue that starts "White Heat". But it's the synths and that huge Bass that thumps. I must admit that at times the vocals seem to disappear into the background a tad too much as your ears are assaulted with pings and pongs and pumping Disco rhythms - but that opening to "Live To Tell" is now gorgeous.

 

The album whacked out five beasts - all numero uno – the first of which was and still is the best of the bunch. "Live To Tell" was issued March 1986 before the album's arrival - a gorgeous ballad co-write with her mainman songwriting partner - PATRICK LEONARD. The teen pregnancy song "Papa Don't Preach" hit the shops two weeks before the album in the second week of June 1986 - a stunning piece of Pop and Social Conscience written by Brian Elliot from conversations he overheard local schoolgirls having.

 

The title track and obvious love song to her heartthrob hubby "True Blue" made the shops in September 1986 (a co-write with Stephen Bray), then the get-up-on-the-floor Synth-Pop of "Open your Heart" in November 1986. Finally, the Spanish rhythms of "La Isla Bonita" came in February of the following year – 1987 – and was a surprise smash. But whilst the Pettibone and Lord-Alge Bonus Track Remixes of "True Blue" and "La Isla Bonita" are known fan faves, I have to say that neither the overdone mania of "Where's The Party" nor the too-cluttered "Jimmy Jimmy" album tracks have weathered the years very well and "White Heat" is just the sort of curio you skip (four out of five stars then).

 

Madonna would go on to break more box office records and court controversy like it was candy to a child, but "True Blue" is where Ms. Ciccone found her voice and you could even say, her spell-binding skill - her mojo. She had and has learned her lesson indeed and lived to tell the tale...

"Passion: Music From The Last Temptation of Christ - A Film By Martin Scorsese" by PETER GABRIEL - June 1989 Soundtrack Album (2LPs or 1CD) on Real World Records featuring David Bottrill, David Rhodes, Manny Elias, Nathan East, Shankar, Baaba Maal, Youssou N'Dour, Billy Cobham, Jon Hassell, David Sancious and many more (June 2002 UK Real World Records/Virgin 'Limited Edition Mini Vinyl Compact Disc' CD Reissue - Tony Cousins Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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Classic Albums, Compilations, 45s

All In-Depth Reviews from the Discs Themselves

Over 1,650 e-Pages of Info

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...It Is Accomplished..."

 

How do you describe this Soundtrack masterpiece? Art Rock, Eastern Mysticism, Tribal Rhythms, Sand and Synths, World Music with some Folk and Finger Cymbals? 

 

I've loved Peter Gabriel's output since I was a geeky kid in the early Seventies and like most of my adolescent crew, we worshiped at the needs a wipe down feet of all things GENESIS. Albums like "Foxtrot", "Selling England By The Pound" and the glory of the double concept album "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway" in 1974 wre literally magical to my dandy danglers and I. After a shaky start in 1977 and 1979, his solo career veered into brilliance with 1980's "Peter Gabriel" (III) and 1982's "Peter Gabriel" (IV). And then came the wildly commercial "So" in 1986 that blew everybody away. His "Birdy" Soundtrack was good too (if not all great, truth be told) - but little prepared me for the epic sweep of "Passion". A few years back (2018), I bought the 3LP Remastered 45RPM Reissue just to have it and pet it and stroke it like a man needing medication in a hurry. 

Which brings me to this rather cool if not entirely satisfying CD Remaster from 2002 where PG reissued his catalogue as stand-alone Remasters in cool Mini LP die-cut card sleeves - minus any bonuses (mores the bloody pity), but still looking like a must own to yours truly. There is much to get Surdo, Duduk and Kemenche about (if you know what I'm saying Eastern Instrument hip types). So indeed let's get acquainted and accomplished...

UK released June 2002 - "Passion: Music From The Last Temptation Of Christ - A Film by Martin Scorsese" by PETER GABRIEL on Real World Records RWCDX1 - Virgin 7243 8 11787 2 0 (Barcode 724381178720) is a straightforward transfer of the 1989 2LP/1CD release onto a Series of 'REMASTERED: Limited Edition Mini Vinyl Compact Disc' Artwork that plays out as follows (67:04 minutes):

 

1. The Feeling Begins [Side 1 of 2LP set]

2. Gethsemane 

3. Of These, Hope

4. Lazarus Raised 

5. Of These, Hope (Reprise)

6. In Doubt 

7. A Different Drum

8. Zaar [Side 2]

9. Troubled 

10. Open 

11. Before Night Falls 

12. With This Love

13. Sandstorm [Side 3]

14. Stigmata 

15. Passion

16. With This Love - Choir

17. Wall Of Breath [Side 4]

18. The Promise Of Shadows

19. Disturbed 

20. It Is Accomplished 

21. Bread And Wine

Tracks 1 to 21 are the Soundtrack 2LP set (1CD) to "Passion: Music From The Last Temptation Of Christ (A Film by Martin Scorsese)" - released June 1989 in the UK on Real World Records RWLP 1 (Vinyl) and Real World Records RWCD 1 and Geffen GHS 24206 (2LPs) and Geffen 9 24206-2 on 1CD. Produced, Composed and Mixed by PETER GABRIEL (additional mixing by David Bottrill) - it peaked at No. 29 in the UK and No. 60 in the USA. Track 14 composed by Mahmoud Tribrizi Zadeh and Track 12 composed by Shankar.

PETER GABRIEL - Vocals, Synths, Bass, Whistle, Shakers, Surdo, Percussion Instruments 

Some of the Guest Musicians include:

ANTHRANIK ASKARIAN and VACHE HOUSEPIAN - Duduk

MUSTAPHA ABDEL AZIZ - Woodwind (Argul) 

DAVID BOTTRILL - Tambourine, Distorted Slide and Mixing 

BILLY COBHAM - Drums and Percussion (Tracks 9, 18 and 20)

COR ANGLAIS (Robin Canter) - Choir (Track 16), Oboe (Track 12)

NATHAN EAST - Bass  

MANNY ELIAS - Surdo and Percussion Instruments (Octabans, Skins) 

RICHARD EVANS - Tin Whistle (Track 21)

FATALA - Percussion  

JON HASSELL - Trumpet (Track 15)

NUSRAT FATAH ALI KHAN - Vocals (Track 15)

MANU  KATCHE - Percussion (Track 13)

BAABA MAAL - Vocals (Tracks 5)

YOUSSOU N'DOUR - Lead Vocals (Tracks 7 and 15)

HOSSAM RAMSY - Finger Cymbals, Tabla and Daf

DAVID RHODES - Guitar

DAVID SANCIOUS - Backing Vocals (Track 9), Sampler Keyboards (Track 12), Organ (Track 20) 

SHANKAR - Violin

 

The artwork for each of these 'Limited Edition Mini Vinyl Compact Disc' sleeves all looked the same, gatefold card sleeves with a CD and inner on one side and the booklet stuck into the other. Each right flap however has a die-cut look that is unique, reflecting the LP in question - a '4' for Peter Gabriel 4, '3' for Peter Gabriel 3 and so on. Here you get two curved semi-circles. The inner sleeve holding the CD shows rows of tape boxes with tempting outtakes and differing variants - none of which are available to us even now in March 2023 as I write this - and the inner sleeve is exactly the same for all issues in this series - frankly a bit of a waste of space and an annoyance (see photos). Of all his albums, I would love to hear outtakes from "Passion" - a surefire cry out for 2CD Deluxe Edition if ever there was one (including the Scorsese film itself on a DVD). The 12-page booklet has pictures from the movie - Willem Defoe as Christ - some words from Gabriel about the album and its sources and musician credits - nothing that wasn't in the June 1989 CD. The gorgeous and innovative artwork isn't expanded upon which is a damn shame. In fact it's more cluttered than it should be when you're trying to work out who played on what and where.

But the great news is a new Remaster by TONY COUSINS who did those fantastic GENESIS Remasters for the now expensive and deleted Box Sets - the best I've ever heard any of those dense LPs of the Seventies sound. Here the effect is revelatory. By the time you get to three minutes into the drums assault that is "The Feeling Begins" - the sheer power of it may have you reaching for the volume control. But it's the punching Eastern Rhythm of "Of These, Hope" and its treated whispering instruments reprise in "Lazarus Raised" where you feel the music's power and majesty. There is real menace in the throbbing soundscape that is "In Doubt" - the whale like wails wafting across your speakers as it segues into a huge Drum and Percussion moment - "A Different Drum". It's here that you hear his arrangement genius - building - building - until the synths and vocals from Youssou N'Dour and Gabriel bring it into a strange but utterly brilliant focus - Shankar's Violin too. 

 

The mesmerizing, disturbing and ultimately uplifting "Zaar" was used as the Passion album's lone representative on the "Shaking The Tree: Sixteen Golden Great" hits set that came out on Real World in 1990 - and you can hear why. It's inventive, moving, thrilling - and so Peter Gabriel. The remaster is HUGE too. And stuff like "Open" where it's only Gabriel and Shankar providing all the swirling synth, violin and vocal treatments - it's just fabulous and moving too. 

"With This Love - Choir" - Richard Canter plays Oboe and has a Choir (Cor Anglais) give it some echoed requiem - you hear them taking breaths and noises around them. And on it goes to piano and church-bell rapture of "It Is Accomplished" - both David Sancious (once part of Bruce Springsteen's Seventies band for "Born To Run") and "Spectrum" Fusion Drummer Billy Cobham playing a big part in its magnificent enrapt closure. Love triumphant.

I love it. I love it. Few artists could have even come close to this brilliance and our PG is one of them. He issues his first new work in 20 years in 2023 and I for one am there with the "Bread And Wine". The kind of album you return to as a friend - a thing of beauty that makes you smile - get this greatness into your living room...

"Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol.16 – 1980 to 1985" by BOB DYLAN - Features Outtakes and Alternate Versions from the Albums "Shot Of Love", "Infidels" and "Burlesque Empire" and more - Guests Include Mark Knopfler and Alan Clark of Dire Straits, Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Ian McLagan, Clydie King and more (September 2021 UK Columbia/Legacy 2CD Compilation of Outtakes Remastered) - A Review by Mark Barry

 

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"...I Will Always Be Emotionally Yours..."

 

If I'm being brutally truthful about this latest addition to Columbia's amazing 'Bootleg Series' for all things Big Dill and unreleased - I can't help think that almost all of CD2 slaughters much of the tad underwhelming stuff on CD1. But more of that laterkins.

 

There are two variants of "Springtime In New York: The Bootleg series Vol. 16 - 1980-1985" - the 2CD Highlights Set commonly referred to as a 'Deluxe Edition' and it's 5CD brother - the 'Super Deluxe Edition'. Let's deal with door number one - the 2CD Highlights variant. 

 

Long time fans will know that in 1991, "The Bootleg Series Volumes 1 to 3" caused a sensation with the quality of its unreleased material across its 3CD/5LP haul. I mention this because seven of the alternatives presented to us here in September 2021 were on that 1991 first volume in better outtake form. The seven on this release (Tracks 1, 2, 9 and 10 on CD1 and Tracks 1, 3 and 5 on CD2) are to my ears not nearly as good. And the same unfortunately applies to a lot of the others - especially on CD1. 

 

There are of course amazing versions here and the list of guest musicians is mouth watering - Guitarist Mark Knopfler and Keyboardist Alan Clarke of Dire Straits - Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main Street" period with Sly and Robbie providing Rhythm section. There's Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers, Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Ian McLagan of The Small Faces, Faces and The Who, Danny Kortchmar of James Taylor's band, singers Clydie King, Madelyn Quebec and Carolyn Dennis and more. There's a lot to unravel, so let's get into it...

 

UK and EUROPE released 17 September 2021 (16 September 2021 USA) - "Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series Vol.16 - 1980-1985" by Bob DYLAN on Columbia/Legacy 19439868832 (Barcode 194398688329) is a 2CD 25-Track Compilation of Previously Unreleased Studio and Live material. It plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (61:35 minutes):

1. Angelina ("Shot Of Love" outtake, recorded 26 March 1981)

2. Need A Woman (Rehearsal, 20 March 1981) 

3. Let's Keep It Between Us (Rehearsal, 26 Sep 1980)

4. Price Of Love ("Shot Of Love" outtake, 1 May 1981)

5. Don't Ever Take Yourself Away ("Shot Of Love" outtake, 23 April 1981)

6. Fur Slippers ("Shot Of Love" outtake, 2 April 1981)

7. Yes Sir, No Sir ("Shot Of Love" outtake, 2 April 1981)

8. Jokerman ("Infidels" Alternate Take, 14 April 1983)

9. Lord Protect My Child ("Infidels" outtake, 2 May 1983)

10. Blind Willie McTell (Take 5, "Infidels" outtake, 11 April 1983)

11. Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight (Version 2) ("Infidels" Alternate Take, 12 April 1983)

12. Neighborhood Bully ("Infidels" Alternate Take, 19 April 1983)

13. Too Late (Band Version) ("Infidels" outtake, 23 April 1983)

CD2 (62:44 minutes):

1. Foot Of Pride ("Infidels" outtake, 25 April 1983)

2. Sweetheart Like You ("Infidels" Alternate Take, 18 April 1983) 

3. Someone's Got A Hold On My Heart ("Infidels" outtake, 26 April 1983)

4. I And I ("Infidels" Alternate Take, 27 April 1983)

5. Tell Me ("Infidels" outtake, 21 April 1983)

6. Enough Is Enough (Live at Slane Castle in Ireland, 8 July 1984)

7. Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love) ("Empire Burlesque" Alternate Mix, 15 January 1985, overdubbed March 1985)

8. Seeing The Real You At Last ("Empire Burlesque" Alternate Take, 14 February 1985)

9. Emotionally Yours ("Empire Burlesque" Alternate Take, 12 February 1985)

10. Clean Cut Kid ("Empire Burlesque" Alternate Take, 26 July 1984)

11. New Danville Girl ("Empire Burlesque" outtake, 6 December 1984)

12. Dark Eyes ("Empire Burlesque" Alternate Take, 6 March 1985)

 

Many have (quite rightly) complained about the flimsy nature of the card sleeve that houses three items inside - two card sleeve holders for CD1 and CD2 and the 58-page booklet that gets slotted in-between. It's eminently crushable and even in shrink-wrap as supposedly new - so many copies are exactly that. So be careful opening the thing. DAMIEN LOVE provides the seriously in-depth liner notes that are peppered with period photos. Dylan disappeared - not seen live or otherwise for nearly two years - found religion - did religous albums whether the world shared his faith transformation or not. And bluntly few cared after "Slow Train Coming" in 1979 - then the CD format was launched too and meant his back-catalogue of genuine brilliance began being re-discovered - a stark contrast with his first four years of the Eighties. 

The audio is handled by MARK WILDER, STEVE ADDABBO and CHRIS SHAW with a further team of seven and the whole shebang feels fantastic - even the live outdoor arena sound to the Slane Castle track is brilliant when it could have been crap. On stuff like "New Danville Girl" and "Dark Eyes" - the audio is release-quality storming. To the content...

A studio version of the unreleased song "Need A Woman" initially showed non The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3 in 1991 - you are given the 'rehearsal' here with Steve Ripley and Danny Kortchmer on Guitars, Carl Pickhardt on Keyboards , Tim Drummond and Jim Keltner on Bass and Drums with a bevy of three singers adding muscle - Carolyn Dennis, Madelyn Quebec and Clydie King. 

 

Word that the April 1983 "Infidels" sessions were filled with better songs, slicker production values via Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits and great playing are amply born out by "Foot Of Pride" - an outtake recorded 25 April 1983. The killer 5-piece band featuring Knopfler of Dire Straits and Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones on Guitars with Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar on Bass and Drums - while Dylan did hard-edged vocals and played guitar. And again Track 2 on CD2 whomps too - "Sweetheart Like You" - the gorgeous pained ballad from "Infidels" helped by Alan Clark of Dire Straits providing a church-like organ while Clydie King gives it some lone lady backing vocals (Knopfler and Taylor both give it some acoustic - gorgeous audio too - if anything it ends too soon). 

 

Messy yet slightly awkward sounding electric guitars open the Stones slapdash rock of "Someone's Got A Hold Of My Heart" - Dylan in passionate vocal form - Mick Taylor giving it the ramshackle. We settle into a classier guitar shuffle from Knopfler for "I And I" - his playing and Dylan's different and impassioned lyrics both highlights. In what is a rarity on this set, Dylan drags out the harmonica for "Tell Me" - a song that also sways and swims with a Sly and Robbie Caribbean shuffle - Dylan does Calypso. Not sure I like it, but it's interesting. First live track is from Slane Castle in Ireland where the Bobster laughs with the crowd before he rocks it up with "Enough Is Enough". The Irish outdoor crowd is hearing Mick Taylor of The Rolling Stones lay his guitar into what could easily have been The Fabulous Thunderbirds getting all message. Ian McLagan of The Small Faces and Faces is on piano while Colin Allen plays huge drums. It's a welcome interlude of 'Watching The River Flow' boogie. 

That's followed by a very poppy perhaps 'too full' "Tight Connection To My Heart..." where the 'Has Anybody Seen My Love' chorus is sung by a group of four ladies - Knopfler and Taylor on Guitars with Alan Clark of Dire Straits on Keyboards. Way better are two different moods of Bob - the angry "Clean Cut Kid" and the hurting for the outlaw "New Danville Girl" - a genuinely amazing outtake from "Burlesque Empire" - his band featuring three of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers - Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench and Howie Epstein. Co-written with actor and playwright Sam Sheppard - the liner notes quite rightly call it one of his great songs - a filmic epic that has it all - great vocals, lyrics, sympathetic band, his harmonica - wow. Dylan would officially put it out as a re-recorded and re-named "Brownsville Girl" for the much-derided album "Knocked Out Loaded" in 1986. But what a wow - all eleven-minutes and fifty-two seconds of it. 

 

And Vol.16 comes a dignified end with "Dark Eyes" - just Dylan, his guitar and Harmonica - a request by Co-Producer Arthur Baker to Bob for a simple 'acoustic' song for the otherwise heavily produced "Empire Burlesque" LP. Dylan came back the next day and offered up "Dark Eyes" which is again another stunner - like it was already there - having existed for decades.

 

There is a tendency to give all 'unreleased' Bob Dylan a Godlike sheen - but CD1 of this release proves that wrong in my books, but my God the goodies in-between and that CD2...

 

So four-stars instead of five for 1980 to 1985. But if this reissue tells me anything, it's never underestimate the Zim - even his throwaway attempts are often blow you away magic...