"Unearthed" by JOHNNY CASH – Four Themed Compilations of Unreleased Material from 1994 to 2003 - Plus A Further 'Best Of' CD Compilation Covering The Four American Recordings CD Sets Issued To 2002 – Guests Include Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nick Cave, Glen Campbell, Carl Perkins, Willie Nelson, Fiona Apple, Joe Strummer, The Red Devils, Flea and Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, June Carter Cash and more with Rick Rubin Productions (November 2003 UK American Recordings/Lost Highway Records 5CD Cloth-Bound Hardcover Brick Block Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...God Is Never Far Away..."

 

"She stood in a crowd and shed not a tear..." Cash sings about infidelity (not for the first time) on "Long Black Veil" – an acoustic chill about a ghost walking the hills looking for her lover who gave up his life for her even when the judge gave him a chance to cop out. It is the opening outtake on CD1 and typical - the jaw dropping continuing unabated throughout the next four compilations of Folk, Folk-Rock, Country-Rock and Acoustic Gospel. Disc 2 has Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers as the House Band - Cash in superb vocal form backed up by the perfect musical foil - all of it just working no matter what genre they take on.

 

Like the entire American Recordings series – and even when his voice was cracking and health disappearing fast – the giant that was Johnny Cash still shone through and "Unearthed" is full of that. There are black and white photos too of Cash with Tom Petty and Joe Strummer in the hardback booklet – other heroes taken way too soon too. So with heavy heart and hat clutched in the hand of a sinner, let us get to the humbling details...

 

US released 25 November 2003 - "Unearthed" by JOHNNY CASH on American Recordings/Lost Highway Records B0001679-02 (Barcode 602498613351) as a 5CD Clothbound Brick Block Box Set that plays out as follows (the UK variant of the Box Set is American Recordings/Lost Highway Records 986 133-5 – Barcode 602498613351):

 

CD1 "Who's Gonna Cry" (51:22 minutes):

1. Long Black Veil [Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin cover]

2. Flesh And Blood [Johnny Cash song]

3. Just The Other Side Of Nowhere [Kris Kristofferson cover]

4. If I Give Me Soul [Billy Joe Shaver cover]

5. Understand Your Man [Johnny Cash song]

6. Banks Of The Ohio [Johnny Cash song]

7. Two Timin' Woman [Johnny Cash song]

8. The Caretaker [Johnny Cash and Gordon Jenkins song]

9. Old Chunk Of Coal [Billy Joe Shaver cover]

10. I'm Gong To Memphis [Johnny Cash, Holly Dew and Alan Lomax song]

11. Breaking Bread [Randy George cover]

12. Waiting For The Train [Jimmie Rodgers cover]

13. Casey's Last Ride [Kris Kristofferson cover]

14. No Earthly Good [Johnny Cash cover]

15. The Fourth Man In The Fire [Arthur Smith cover]

16. Dark As A Dungeon [Merle Travis cover]

Bonus Tracks:

17. Book Review [Bobby George and Charlie Williams cover]

18. Down There By The Train (Alternate Take) [Tom Waits cover]

NOTES:

All tracks are just Johnny Cash and Acoustic Guitar

 

 

CD2 "Trouble In Mind" (52:17 minutes):

1. Pocahontas [Neil Young cover]

2. I'm A Drifter (Version 1) [Dolly Parton cover, band is Tom Petty/Heartbreakers]

3. Trouble In Mind [Richard Jones song, Joe Turner and Bob Wills covers]

4. Down The Line [Roy Orbison cover]

5. I'm Movin' On [Hank Snow cover]

6. As Long As The Grass Shall Grow [Johnny Cash & Peter LaFarge song, a duet with June Carter Cash]

7. Heart Of Gold [Neil Young cover]

8. The Running Kind [Merle Haggard cover, duet with Tom Petty]

9. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby [Carl Perkins cover]

10. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man [Chuck Berry cover, duet with Carl Perkins]

11. "T" For Texas [Jimmie Rodgers cover]

12. Devil's Right Hand [Steve Earle cover]

13. I'm A Drifter (Version 2) [Dolly Parton cover]

Bonus Tracks:

14. Like A Soldier [Johnny Cash song, duet with Willie Nelson]

15. Drive on (Alternate Lyrics) [Johnny Cash song]

16. Bird On A Wire (Live With Orchestra) [Leonard Cohen cover]

 NOTES:

All tracks are with a full band, in most cases it's Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - The Red Devils play on Tracks 11 and 12 - Flea and Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers feature on Track 13 - Vocal Duets noted on Tracks 6, 8, 10 and 14

CD3 "Redemption Songs" (48:04 minutes):

1. A Singer Of Songs [Tim O'Connell cover]

2. The L & N Don't Stop Here Anymore [Jean Ritchie cover]

3. Redemption Song [Bob Marley & The Wailers cover, a duet with Joe Strummer of The Clash]

4. Father And Song [Cat Stevens cover, a duet with Fiona Apple]

5. Chattanooga Sugar Babe [Norman Blake cover]

6. He Stopped Loving Her Today [George Jones cover]

7. Hard Times [Stephen Foster cover]

8. Wichita Lineman [Glen Campell cover, Jimmy Webb song]

9. Cindy [Traditional, a duet with Nick Cave]

10. Big Iron [Marty Robbins cover]

11. Salty Dog [Traditional cover]

12. Gentle On My Mind [Glen Campbell cover, John Hartford song]

13. You Are My Sunshine [Jimmie Davis cover]

14. You'll Never Walk Alone [Rogers and Hammerstein cover]

Bonus Track:

15. The Man Comes Around [Early Take]

 

CD4 "My Mother's Hymn Book" (38:33 minutes): 

1. We'll Never Grow Old 

2. I Shall Not Be Moved

3. I Am A Pilgrim 

4. Do Lord 

5. When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder 

6. If We Ever Meet Again This Side Of Heaven

7. I'll Fly Away

8. Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies

9. Let The Lower Lights Be Burning 

10. When He Reached Down

11. In The Sweet By And By 

12. I'm Bound For The Promised Land

13. In The Garden

14. Softly And Tenderly

 

CD5 "Best Of Cash On American" (52:48 minutes):

1. Delia's Gone [Johnny Cash song] (from "American Recordings", April 1994)

2. Bird On A Wire [Leonard Cohen cover] (from "American Recordings", April 1994)

3. Thirteen [Glenn Danzig cover] (from "American Recordings", April 1994)

4. Rowboat [Beck cover] (from "Unchained", November 1996)

5. The One Rose [Jimmie Rodgers cover] (from "Unchained", November 1996)

6. Rusty Cage [Soundgarden cover] (from "Unchained", November 1996)

7. Southern Accents [Tom Petty/Heartbreakers cover] (from "Unchained", Nov 1996)

8. Mercy Seat [Nick Cave cover] (from "American III: Solitary Man", October 2000)

9. Solitary Man [Neil Diamond cover] (from "American III: Solitary Man", Oct 2000)

10. Wayfaring Stranger [Traditional] (from "American III: Solitary Man", Oct 2000)

11. One [U2 cover] (from "American III: Solitary Man", October 2000)

12. I Hung My Head [Sting cover] (from "American IV: The Man Comes Around", November 2002)

13. The Man Comes Around [Johnny Cash song] (from "American IV: The Man Comes Around", November 2002)

14. We'll Meet Again [Vera Lynn WWII song] (from "American IV: The Man Comes Around", November 2002)

15. Hurt [Trent Reznor song/Nine Inch Nails cover] (from "American IV: The Man Comes Around", November 2002) 

 

Like the albums - the first CD here is Cash and Acoustic only - an American Recordings type of deal. The 2nd and 3rd CDs deal with the primarily Rock stuff where Tom Petty or The Red Devils or members of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are essentially the backing band on the track - all hugely complimentary to that Cash-Rock sound. The fourth CD is where his heart is - Gospel sung deep and lonesome and on his own. The fifth disc is a Bonus of sorts but it makes for a fabulous listen all by itself - the rawk riffage of "Rusty Cage" sitting comfortably alongside the WW II anthem "We'll Meet Again". After November 2003's "Unearthed" and Cash's sad passing - American Recordings 'The Series' continued for another two volumes - "A Hundred Highways" (Volume 5 in 2006) and "Ain't No Grave" (Volume 6 in 2010). Which brings us to the musical choices...

 

His cover version choices were truly extraordinary - truthful to him - a man who had lived the hurt and pain - so he knew how to sings the lyrics because he had been around love, guns, marriage and infidelity and was now looking death in the face. When you hear how Cash supercharges Nick Cave's death-row song "Mercy Seat" with all that organ and piano crescendo and lyrics like "...I'm not afraid to die...God is never far away..." - you know it comes from a well of real and not cheesy Country angst for the sake of it. It embibes each of these late-career performances with a power that is undenible - and yes - even cool. And who would think that the King of Soppy love songs with flowers Neil Diamond could be grist for the JC mill - but his "Solitary Man" is fantastic where it combines audiophile-worthy Production values from Rick Rubin and is then given huge oomph by Tom Petty's backing vocals - a match made in Heaven indeed.  And even if his voice is clearly failing him for "Wayfaring Stranger" - his croak and weariness adds pathos to the rendition - a lonely violin note going over Jordan, going over home.  

 

The two hardback booklets are beautiful - song-by-song explanations for Disc 1 to 4 with Cash adding his own reasons - but it's frustrating that there is none for the Disc 5 compilation. The photos are gorgeous and classy - but it is nothing to CD2 and CD3 where the band is featured - stunning stuff. Even the live "Bird On A Wire" where he jokes with the audience before duetting with an orchestra - is so good. 

 

If the fire comes, "Unearthed" is one of the ones I grab when exiting the house. What a giant he was...

 

"Treasure Hiding: The Fontana Years" by COCTEAU TWINS – Featuring Two Albums "Four Calendar Café" (October 1993), "Milk & Kisses" (March 1996) Both on Fontana Records plus Two Exclusive CD Compilations "EPs & Rarities" (6 EPs, 20 Tracks), "Sessions & Rarities" (EP, Outtakes and Two BBC Sessions, 13 Tracks) featuring Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde (October 2018 UK Universal Music Company/Fontana 4CD Hard Card Slipcase Box Set Mastered by Alex Gordon at Abbey Road) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Exploration...Creating..."

 

There are some Box Sets that I just love to pieces and this unassuming little sucker from Universal covering the Cocteau Twins brief but beautiful stay at Fontana Records in the mid Nineties is one of them.

 

If I am completely honest however, after the wonder of the 4AD Records years especially the double-whammy crescendo of "Blue Bell Knoll" (1988) and "Heaven Or Las Vegas" (1990) – the opening salvo "Four Calendar Café" with Fontana in October 1993 left me (and quite a few others) feeling a little underwhelmed. This possibly explains why the second LP did not have the huge impact it should have done. But unlike their Fontana debut of 1993, the March 1996 album "Milk & Kisses" blew my convoluted Irish noggin away – some tracks on it literally sublime to me ("Calfskin Smack", "Rilkean Heart" and the carry-me carrying-me "Tishbite").

 

And then there were the two CD singles for "Tishbite" which featured four new tracks – all in my book utterly gorgeous – especially "An Elan" on CD2 that brings me to tears. "Mud And Dark" and the 'I’m doing a fine job...' "Summer-Blink" from the superb "Evangeline" CD single of September 1993 are the same. The Kate Bush-shimmering vocal acrobatics of Liz and sheer prettiness of both "Rilkean Heart" and "Golden-Vein" from the 1995 "Twinlights" EP is devastating stuff (they are radically different versions to what I think are overdone versions on the "Milk & Kisses" album). It seemed to me that they were touched with greatness at this time and few seemed to notice or care anymore. But I love it. In fact, I play CD3 "EPs & Rarities" more than I do the albums. Let's get to he details and the ethereal...

 

UK released 12 October 2018 - "Treasure Hiding: The Fontana Years" by COCTEAU TWINS on Universal Music Group (UMC)/Fontana 5771558 (Barcode 602557715583) is a 4-Disc Compilation Hard-Card Slipcase Box Set that plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 "Four Calendar Café" (41:06 minutes):

1. Know Who You Are At Every Age [Side 1]

2. Evangeline

3. Bluebeard

4. Theft, And Wandering Around Lost

5. Oil Of Angels

6. Squeeze-Wax [Side 2]

7. My Truth

8. Essence

9. Summerhead

10. Pur

Tracks 1 to 10 are their seventh studio album "Four Calendar Café" – released 18 October 1993 in the UK on Fontana 518 259-1 (LP), 518 259-4 (MC), 518 259-2 (CD) and 518 259-5 (DCC).

 

Disc 2 "Milk & Kisses" (42:48 minutes):

1. Violaine [Side 1]

2. Serpentskirt

3. Tishbite

4. Half-Gifts (4:17 minutes)

5. Calfskin Smack

6. Rilkean Heart (4:02 minutes) [Side 2]

7. Ups

8. Eperdu

9. Treasure Hiding

10. Seekers Who Are Lovers

Tracks 1 top 10 are their eight studio album "Milk & Kisses" – released March 1996 in the UK on Fontana 514 501-1 (LP), 514 501-4 (MC) and 514 501-2 (CD) – April 1996 in the USA on Capitol CDP 7243 8 37049 2 7 on CD. There was also a Limited Edition 5-Flap Special Packaging CD available for "Milk & Kisses" in the UK on Fontana 532 363-2.

NOTE: Both "Half-Gifts" and "Rilkean Heart" appear on the "Twinlights" EP on Disc 3 but in radically different versions and playing times

 

Disc 3 "EPs & Rarities" (78:28 minutes):

1. Mud And Dark

2. Summer-Blink

Tracks 1 and 2 Non-LP tracks from the CD single to "Evangeline" released September 1993 in the UK on Fontana CTCD1

 

3. Winter Wonderland

4. Frosty The Snowman

Tracks 3 and 4 Non-LP tracks from the EP CD "Snow" released December 1993 on Fontana COCCD1

 

5. Three-Swept

6. Ice-Pulse

7. Bluebeard (Acoustic Version)

Tracks 5, 6 and 7 Non-LP tracks from the "Bluebeard" UK CD Single released February 1994 on Fontana CTCD2

 

8. Rilkean Heart (2:22 minutes)

9. Golden-Vein (2:49 minutes)

10. Pink Orange Red (4:29 minutes)

11. Half-Gifts (4:15 minutes)

Tracks 8, 9, 10 and 11 are the "Twinlights" EP CD released September 1995 in the UK on Fontana CTCD3. The tracks "Rilkean Heart" and "Half-Gifts" appeared again on the "Milk & Kisses" CD album in March 1996 but in radically altered versions (hence noting the playing times). "Pink Orange Red" first appeared on the November 1985 "Tiny Dynamine EP" 12-Inch Single on 4AD Records BAD 510 as the lead song (4:38 minutes); the version here is different at 4:29 minutes.

 

12. Feet Like Fins (5:30 minutes)

13. Seekers Who Are Lovers (5:41 minutes)

14. Violaine (5:07 minutes)

15. Cherry Coloured Funk (5:49 minutes)

Tracks 12, 13, 14 & 15 are from the October 1995 UK CD EP "Otherness" on Fontana CTCD4.

NOTE: "Feet Like Fins" originally appeared on the 1986 4AD Records album "Victorialand" with a playing time of 3:26 minutes; the version here is much longer and altered. Both "Seekers Who Are Lovers" and "Violaine" appeared in March 1996 on the "Milk & Kisses" album, but also in radically altered versions (hence the playing times are noted). "Cherry Coloured Funk" was originally on the September 1990 album "Heaven Or Las Vegas" on 4AD Records with a playing time of 3:13 minutes; the version here is extended and different

 

16. Tishbite

17. Primitive Heart

18. Flock Of Soul

Tracks 16, 17 and 18 are CD-single 1 of 2 for "Tishbite" released March 1996 in the UK on Fontana CTCD5 – Tracks 17 and 18 Non-LP

19. Round

20. An Elan

Tracks 16, 19 & 20 are CD-single 2 of 2 for "Tishbite" released March 1996 in the UK on Fontana CTDD5 – Tracks 19 and 20 Non-LP

 

Disc 4 "Sessions & Rarities" (50:27 minutes):

1. Smile

2. Tranquil Eye

3. Circling Girl

4. Alice

Tracks 1 to 2 are the Non-LP B-sides to CD-single 1 of 2 of "Violaine" released July 1996 in the UK on Fontana CTCD6. Tracks 3 and 4 are the Non-LP B-sides to CD-single 2 of 2 of "Violaine" on Fontana CTDD6

 

5. Circling Girl (released 1996 on the compilation CD/Magazine Volume 15)

6. Touch Upon Touch (released 1996 on the compilation CD/Magazine Volume 17)

 

7. Serpentskirt

8. Golden-Vein

9. Half-Gifts

10. Seekers Who Are Lovers

Tracks 8 to 10 are a BBC Session done for Mark Radcliffe, 12 March 1996)

 

11. Calfskin Smack.

12. Fifty-Fifty Clown

13. Violaine

Tracks 11 to 13 are a BBC Session done for Robert Elms, 10 April 1996)

 

The hard-card slipcase box set holds four gatefold card sleeves and a 24-page oversized colour booklet. The distinctive James Isaacs artwork for all the EPs is reproduced, a release date poster for the first album (18 October 1993) and a publicity photo of the Scottish Band looking all Alt-ethereal while CHRIS ROBERTS waxes profundis about this extraordinary band in his April 2018 liner notes. It's all very tasteful and the credits do the contents justice too – crisp, clear, well laid out. Mastering was done by ALEX GORDON at Abbey Road Studios (fab all of it) and the notes rightly point out that two tracks are missing - "Serpentskirt" featuring Faye Yong and the Judge Dredd soundtrack oddity "Need-Fire" –neither of which could appear due to licensing issues.

 

Can you even categorize what sound Elizabeth Fraser, Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde make – is it Scottish moppets do Trio Goth, throw an Ethereal in the mushroom stalls of Sainsbury's, Alternative Rock for lonely thistles, Confuse Inmates in the House of the Bewildered? All I know is that once the Cocteau Twins sound gets its swirling gorgeous hooks into you – you are done for. Take album tracks like "Theft, And Wandering Around Lost" and this box sets title tune "Treasure Hiding" – the only other band that maybe gets close is Dead Can Dance or perhaps the shoegazing of My Bloody Valentine. And what can you say about the utterly extraordinary thing that is Elizabeth Fraser singing. Check out "Ice-Blink Luck" or "Heaven And Las Vegas" on YouTube where fan comments have described her largely indecipherable warbling as like hearing angels singing when you get to Heaven (I’m getting to Heaven?).

 

You can locate the albums at a reasonable rate and most of the EPs too – but this clumping together makes for a fabulous listen – especially Discs 3 and 4 that feel like long-lost CT classic albums both 4AD and Fontana forgot to issue. 

 

Hidden treasure indeed – get your honeypot-emptied out baby, because you need these musical bumble-bees in your home making all that drab other genre stuff seem unoriginal by comparison...

"The Alternate Collection" by FLEETWOOD MAC – Six Albums Presented As 'Alternate' Versions, Each with Different Artwork and Including Only Alternate Tracks Taken From The Deluxe And Super Deluxe Edition Box Sets Issued Between 2013 and 2020 – 'The Alternate' Albums Are "Fleetwood Mac" (1975), "Rumours" (1977), "Tusk" (1979 2LP Set), "Live" (1980 2LP Set), "Mirage" (1982) and "Tango In The Night" (1987) – Band Featured Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood (November 2022 UK/WORLDWIDE Warner/Reprise Records 6CD Clamshell Box Set with Mini LP Card Sleeves and Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters - A 'Record Store Day' 2022 Limited Edition) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...What Makes You Think You're The One... "

 

Now this is a very clever reissue – a Record Store Day Limited Edition from April 2022 that came out in both 6CD and 8xVINYL Formats, was then made available to the public at large in November 2022 and is still on general sale here in mid 2023.

 

However, the true die-hard FLEETWOOD MAC fan might look at this 6CD mini Clamshell Box Set and consider it a waste of time as they will already own the Super Deluxe LP-Sized variants of all six albums. But the six original LP-Sized Multiple-Format Box Sets issued between 2013 and 2020 would have put you back hundreds of quid (and still can/do) – which makes this little nugget currently languishing unloved and forlorn on Amazon in 2023 for a paltry 30-quid (new and shrink-wrapped) frankly a bit of a deal and a wee belter.

 

Presented here as The Alternate of "Fleetwood Mac" (1975), "Rumours" (1977), "Tusk" (1979 2LP Set), "Live" (1980 2LP Set), "Mirage" (1982) and "Tango In The Night" (1987) - "The Alternate Collection" looks great, sounds great (Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters from original tapes, two outstanding Engineers Rhino of the USA has used for over four decades now) and most of all – it plays great - offering punters a different and strangely satisfying listen to overdone F Mac territory. To the details and runthroughs...

 

UK and WORLDWIDE released 25 November 2022 - "The Alternate Collection" by FLEETWOOD MAC on Warner/Reprise Records R2 671020 / 603497842209 (Barcode 603497842209) is a 6CD Limited Edition Clamshell Box Set that plays out as follows (LB = Lindsey Buckingham on Lead Vocals, CMcV = Christine McVie and SN = Stevie Nicks):

 

CD1 "The Alternate Fleetwood Mac" (43:22 minutes):

1. Monday Morning (Early Take, LB Vocals) [Side 1]

2. Warm Ways (Early Take, CMcV Vocals)

3. Blue Letter (Early Take, LB Vocals)

4. Rhiannon (Early Take, SN Vocals with Spoken Lead-In)

5. Over My Head (Early Take, CMcV Lead Vocals)

6. Crystal (Early Version, LB Lead Vocals)

7. Say You Love Me (Early Version, CMcV Lead Vocals) [Side 2]

8. Landslide (Early Version, SN Lead Vocals, LB on Guitar)

9. World Turning (Early Version LB and CMcV on Duet Lead Vocals)

10. Sugar Daddy (Early Take, CMcV on Lead Vocals)

11. I'm So Afraid (Early Version, LB on Lead Vocals)

The original album (Tracks 1 to 11) of "Fleetwood Mac" was released August 1975 in the UK on Reprise K 54043 and in the USA on Reprise MS 2281.

 

CD2 "The Alternate Rumours" (41:28 minutes):

1. Second Hand News (Alternate, LB and SN on Lead Vocals) [Side 1]

2. Dreams (Alternate, SN on Lead Vocals)

3. Never Going Back Again (Acoustic Duet, LB and SN on Duet Lead Vocals)

4. Don't Stop (Alternate, LB and CMcV on Duet Lead Vocals)

5. Go Your Own Way (Alternate, LB on Lead Vocals)

6. Songbird (Alternate, CMcV on Lead Vocals)

7. The Chain (Demo, SN on Lead Vocals with Different Lyrics) [Side 2]

8. You Make Loving Fun (Alternate, CMcV on Lead Vocals)

9. I Don't Want To Know (Early Take, LB on Lead Vocals)

10. Oh Daddy (Alternate, CMcV on Lead Vocals with SN on Backing Vocals)

11. Gold Dust Woman (Early Take, SN on Lead Vocals)

NOTES:

The original album (Tracks 1 to 11) of "Rumours" was released February 1977 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56344 and Warner Brothers BSK 3010. It reached Number 1 on both the UK and USA charts and is one the biggest selling albums of all time. When "Rumours" was reissued (once again) in January 2013 as a 3CD Expanded Edition - CD1 of that release contained the only Non-LP track from the sessions called "Silver Springs" (originally the B-side of the January 1977 45-single "Go Your Own Way") as a Bonus Track. CD3 of that Expanded Reissue also had "Silver Springs (Early Take)", but unfortunately it is not included as a Bonus Track here when it could have been.

 

CD3 "The Alternate Tusk" (79:47 minutes):

1. Over & Over (2 April 1979, CMcV on Lead) [Side 1]

2. The Ledge (13 March 1979, LB on Lead)

3. Think About Me (18 February 1979, )

4. Save Me A Place (18 October 1978)

5. Sara (10 March 1979)

6. What Makes You Think You're The One (24 February 1979) [Side 2]

7. Storms (2 June 1979)

8. That's All For Everyone (20 October 1978)

9. Not That Funny (19 May 1979)

10. Sisters Of The Moon (12 November 1978)

11. Angel (2 April 1979) [Side 3]

12. That's Enough For Me (29 September 1978)

13. Brown Eyes (20 September 1978 with Lindsey and Peter Green)

14. Never Make Me Cry (8 February 1979)

15. I Know I'm Not Wrong (2 November 1978)

16. Honey Hi (11 October 1978) [Side 4]

17. Beautiful Child (9 October 1978)

18. Walk A Thin Line (6 April 1979)

19. Tusk (19 July 1979)

20. Never Forget (29 June 1978)

NOTES:

Tracks 2, 5 and 10 first appeared on the March 2004 2CD Remaster of "Tusk" and were Previously Unreleased at the time

Tracks 1, 3, 4, 6 to 9 and 11 to 20 first appeared on the December 2015 3CD Expanded Edition of "Tusk" and were Previously Unreleased at the time

Track 13 features Peter Green, founder member of Fleetwood Mac in the 60ts

The original album (Tracks 1 to 20) of the double-album "Tusk" was released October 1979 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 66088 and in the USA on Warner Brothers 2HS 3350. It reached Number 1 in the UK and No. 4 in the USA LP charts.

 

CD4 "The Alternate Live" (72:11 minutes):

1. Second Hand News (Live, 21 October 1981) [Side 1]

2. The Chain (Live, 20 May 1980)

3. Think About Me (Live, 24 August 1980)

4. What Makes You Think You're The One (Live, 23 August 1980)

5. Gold Dust Woman (Live, 29 August 1977)

6. Brown Eyes (Live, 22 October 1982)

7. The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown) (Live, 18 May 1977)

8. Angel (Live, 20 May 1980)

9. Hold Me (Live, 21 October 1982)

10. Tusk (Live, 24 August 1980)

11. You Make Loving Fun (Live, 19 May 1977)

12. Sisters Of The Moon (Live, 21 August 1980)

13. Songbird (Live, 21 August 1980)

14. Blue Letter (Live, 20 May 1977)

NOTES:

The original 18-Track double-album "Fleetwood Mac Live" was released December 1980 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 66097 and in the USA on Warner Brothers 2WB 3500. It reached No. 31 in the UK and No. 14 in the USA LP charts.

"The Alternate Live" however is only 14-Tracks and represents a radical re-working of the song line-up in that none of the original 18 appears on it. Also, while the bulk of the original December 1980 2LP set was recorded on the "Tusk" Tour of 1980, the songs for "The Alternate Live" were recorded between May 1977 and as far ahead as October 1982 – two years after the released "Fleetwood Mac Live" 2LP set. The above 14-Track line-up is therefore all new and first appeared on the April 2021 Super Deluxe Edition of "Fleetwood Mac Live". I have included recording dates in the entries above (they are not on the card sleeve) and some copies of the Record Store Day CDs reputedly had 'hidden tracks' at the end of the disc - these versions do not.

 

CD5 "The Alternate Mirage" (47:55 minutes):

1. Love In Store (Early Version, CMcV on Lead) [Side 1]

2. Suma's Walk [aka "Can't Go Back", Instrumental] (Outtake)

3. That's Alright (Alternate Take, SN on Lead)

4. Book Of Love (Early Version, LB on Lead)

5. Gypsy (Early Version, SN on Lead)

6. Only Over You (Alternate Version, CMcV on Lead)

7. Empire State (Early Version, LB on Lead) [Side 2]

8. Straight Back (Original Album Version, SN on Lead)

9. Hold Me (Early Version, CMcV on Lead)

10. Oh Diane (Early Version, LB on Lead)

11. Eyes Of The World (Alternate Early Version, LB on Lead)

12. Wish You Were Here (Alternate Version, CMcV on Lead)

NOTES:

The original album (Tracks 1 to 12) of "Mirage" was released June 1982 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56952 and Warner Brothers 9 23607-1 in the USA. It peaked at No. 1 and No. 5 on the US and UK LP charts.

 

CD6 "The Alternate Tango In The Night" (42:03 minutes):

1. Down Endless Street [Side 1]

2. Special Kind Of Love (Demo)

3. Seven Wonders (Early Version)

4. Tango In The Night (Demo)

5. Mystified (Alternate Version)

6. Where We Belong (Demo)

7. Juliet (Run-Through)

8. Isn’t It Midnight (Alternate Mix)

9. Ooh My Love (Demo)

10. You And I, Part I & II (Full Version)

NOTES:

The original 12-Track vinyl album "Tango In The Night" was released April 1987 in the UK on Warner Brothers WX 65 (925 471-1) and Warner Brothers 9 25471-1 in the USA. It peaked at No. 7 and No. 1 on the US and UK LP charts. Like CD4 (the Live album) – the track list here is again altered with some key songs like "Big Love" missing and replaced by other tunes.

 

When you undo the shrinkwrap and its two stickers (Box Set Title sticker and a Record Store Day Exclusive one in Embossed Silver) – you notice there is no booklet or inlay - which is a damn shame. However, the six sleeves are fabulous – five singles while the live one is a gatefold and the only one that veers away from the artwork of the original LP. The rear artwork is another outtake photo and the Alternate Album artwork has the details but of course in the case of the CDs, the typeface is so small you can’t read it. However, another seriously tasty touch is that each CD comes with a protective polythene inner so they don’t get scratched being pulled out of the tight card sleeve. "The Alternate Fleetwood Mac" even has Penguin logos hidden on the inside of the card sleeve – nice.

 

The Remasters are obviously the ones done by DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT for the Six Super Deluxe Edition Box Sets and don’t let the words (Early Take) or (Alternate Version) make you think of less than stellar quality. The Audio on "Landslide" on the 1975 set is simply Stevie singing while Lindsey picks out an Acoustic and it is hair-raisingly gorgeous – clean, crisp, virtually hissless but not with suppression – just there. That is quickly followed by the shuffling "World Turning" where Lindsey lets rip with the band and frankly you may dig this softer version of the album more than the released version after a few listens. When you played "Second Hand News" which opened Side 1 of the "Rumours" opus, it always felt like a poor choice to me. Here this "Second Hand News" is rough around the edges yeah, but it has an urgency that the finished version somehow lacked.

 

The "Rumours" and "Tusk" material is the same Audio-wise – sharp, clean and beautifully remastered – try "Save Me A Place" – so damn good. To hear Christine McVie shimmer-singing with such tenderness on her piano to her own "Songbird" while LB strums along on an acoustic guitar – it is achingly gorgeous – and you understand so completely why someone at Warner Brothers and Rhino thought the Alternate Album idea a winner everyone needs to hear. Dig those different lyrics sung by Stevie on "The Chain" – it is good – but the finished version they did arrive at is the real winner. "You Make Loving Fun" is a full-band powerhouse of magic – gorgeous audio – that Funky keyboard sound – SN providing subtle chorus backing vocals – LB and his brilliant guitar solo almost identikit to the finished version. It does seem like a damn shame that "Silver Springs" – the Non-LP B-side to "Go Your Own Way" – which was put on as a Bonus Track on the CD reissue of "Rumours" in the Box Set – was not used in the same way here as there was/is an Alternate of it and it would have made the Alternate "Rumours" all the more amazing.

 

I honestly had not expected much from the entirely new configuration of a 14-song "Live" but if anything – you can now feel the sheer force of the band as a unit when they tear up nearly seven-minutes of "The Chain" (gatefold card sleeve is a nice touch as is the word 'live' written on the inside flap). And you have to remember that there is only Buckingham on Guitar – no rhythm or second to give it extra muscle – and yet when the Bass Break happens and Buckingham launches into that final trashing guitar crescendo – the Mac sound like they're going to storm into your living room with bovver boots on. Stevie Nicks gets to shimmer in that way only she can with "Gold Dust Woman" – Mick Fleetwood keeping the beat rock solid. 

 

Not to be outdone, you can so hear why the lovely Christine McVie was so important to them – her songs mellowed - exuded joy - "Brown Eyes" from "Tusk" and the fabulous "Hold Me" from "Mirage" are brought alive as they launch into those gorgeous joined-at-the-hip vocals (Daisy Jones and The Six ahoy). Nice touch too to go at "The Green Manalishi (With The Two-Pronged Crown)" from the Peter Green days of 1970 - a rare bit of old fart rocking. Somehow Buckingham makes Manalishi sound like an angry "Rumours" outtake. The beauty of the melody to "You Make Loving Fun" is still there, but a muddled stadium sound does for it - the live version from 1977 sounds a little too much like a good bootleg recording rather than a worthy inclusion. And on it goes to the sophistication of the two 80ts albums...

 

There are niggles I know - not having "Big Love" there - not having a booklet to give context - or even 'The Alternate Rumours' having its title on the rear of the card sleeve when it should have been on the front - no "Silver Springs". But these are minor points. Overall, this is a very cool Mac Box Set in a rather tasty run of them.

 

"I wanna be a star...I don't want to be a cleaning lady... " Stevie says into the microphone as she starts the mesmerizing "Sara". Well - all of you are because when you built your house even the formation of its walls rocked. A great reissue for both fans and the curious alike, and one I will return too often...