"A Wizard, A True Star" by TODD RUNDGREN - June 1973 US Album on Bearsville Records (May 2014 UK Edsel Deluxe Edition Book Pack Reissue/Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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CADENCE /CASCADE 

PROG ROCK, PSYCH, AVANT GARDE...
And Others Genres Thereabouts
Exceptional CD Remasters

Covering 1967 to 1977 - It Also Focuses On

Fusion Rock, Acid Folk, Art Rock and Underground 

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"…Le Feel Internacionale..."

Coming after the double-album artistic high of "Something/Anything?" in March 1972 – in the eyes of most fans June 1973’s single LP "A Wizard, A True Star" only cemented Rundgren’s genius even more. It was psychedelic, fun, melodic and more adventurous than the double that preceded it – and it was cool too. It’s hardly surprising therefore that Edsel have chosen it as one of many Todd Rundgren albums worth celebrating with a packaging (book pack) upgrade. Here are the Zen Archer details…

UK released 19 May 2014 (27 May in the USA) - "A Wizard, A true Star" by TODD RUNDGREN on Edsel EDSA 5028 (Barcode 740155502836) is a single CD reissue of their October 2011 Expanded Version - only this time it’s in a limited edition Hardback Book cover (56:00 minutes).

1. International Feel [Side 1]

2. Never Never Land

3. Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off

4. You Need Your Head

5. Rock And Roll Pussy

6. Dogfight Giggle

7. You Don't Have To Camp Around

8. Flamingo

9. Zen Archer

10. Just Another Onion Head - Da Da Dali

11. When The Shit Hits The Fan - Sunset Blvd.

12. La Feel Internacionale

13. Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel [Side 2]

14. Does Anybody Love You

15. Medley: (a) I'm So Proud (b) Ooh Baby Baby (c) La La Means I Love You (d) Cool Jerk [Impressions, Miracles, Delfonics and The Capitols]

16. Hungry For Love

17. I Don't Want To Tie You Down

18. Is It My Name?

19. Just One Victory

Tracks 1 to 19 are the vinyl album "A Wizard, A True Star" – released June 1973 in the USA on Bearsville BR 2133 and in the UK on Bearsville K 45513.

The attached booklet within has liner notes by Paul Myers from his superb tome "A Wizard, A True Star – Todd Rundgren In The Studio" and is an excellent read. The gatefold sleeve to the Bearsville vinyl album is here – as is the lyric insert that came with original copies. Unfortunately the barely legible hand-written details and lyrics on that page insert are now shrunk – and even more unreadable. The hard card case bound book has a details sticker on the outer shrink-wrap that easily peels off (if you want to attach it to the book cover).

There is no new remaster that I can hear – this is the Edsel October 2011 version - that in itself was a PETER RYNSTON UK master using the 1993 American Rhino remasters. Don’t get me wrong – the sound is superb – but the only real upgrade here is the packaging - which is a rather lovely thing to behold…

Producing and playing every instrument whilst being (admittedly) stoned out of his tiny fuzzed-up mind – "Wizard's" various 19 tracks sound like a splurge – but a good one at that. "Zen Archer", "Le Feel Internacionale", "Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel", "I Don't Want To Tie You Down" and the fabulous upbeat glory to "Just One Victory" – it's all so melodic and trippy cool. Tracks like "You Don't Have To Camp Around" and "Rock And Roll Pussy" with their one-minute madness can admittedly irritate and the four-cover-versions medley of 10 minutes may overstay its welcome somewhat especially when it gets into the mad "Cool Jerk" end piece (David Sanborn, Mike & Randy Brecker guest on Horns) - but the melodies are all gorgeous. 

And at a playing time of 56 minutes – the original vinyl LP was always a compromise as a listening experience – so the remaster alters all of that – and so much for the better. The "...gimme gimme gimme..." piano and guitar of "Hungry For Love" segues into the gorgeous piano warmth of "I Don't Want To Let You Down" – one of the albums true masterpieces of melody. It ends on a song that is somehow now synonymous with Rundgren - the anthemic hope of "Just One Victory" – a tune that would melt the hardest of hearts – especially in a live setting.

Rundgren would release the massively disappointing double album "Todd" next in May 1974 - but would regain his crown with November 1974's "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" which was an entirely Prog Rock album - and is a masterpiece of the genre in my eyes – especially the astonishing 30-minute Side 2 opus "The Ikon".

"A Wizard, A True Star" won't be everyone's cup of Darjeeling for sure and some may feel that in 2015 it's rather dated now. But for me this is a very cool reissue indeed – and from here its jump back Jack to "Something/Anything?" for more of the Toddster's glory daze… 

"Todd" by TODD RUNDGREN (May 2014 Edsel 'Deluxe Book Edition Reissue' CD using 2011 Master) - A Review Of His 1974 Double LP on Bearsville Records by Mark Barry...

"...Join Me Within My Dream..."

Coming after the artistic high of "Something/Anything?" in 1972 (a double album) and "A Wizard, A True Star" in 1973 - March 1974's further 2LP effort "Todd" on Bearsville Records promised so much. But despite its size (written, played, engineered and produced by TR) - the two Elpee's worth of tunes delivered precious little of them. "Todd" landed with a huge disappointing thud - and in my mind has stayed there ever since. Here are the reissue details...

UK released 19 May 2014 (27 May in the USA) - "Todd" by TODD RUNDGREN on Edsel EDSA 5029 (Barcode 740155502935) is a 'Casebound Book Edition' single CD Reissue (and Remaster) of the March 1974 Double-Album originally on Bearsville Records with an additional Three Bonus Tracks. It plays out as follows (76:41 minutes)...

1. How About A Little Fanfare? [Side 1]

2. I Think You Know 

3. The Spark Of Life 

4. An Elpee's Worth of Tunes 

5. A Dream Goes On Forever 

6. Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song 

7. Drunken Blue Rooster [Side 2]

8. The Last Ride 

9. Everybody's Going To Heaven/King Kong Reggae 

10. No. 1 Lowest Common Denominator [Side 3] 

11. Useless Begging 

12. Sidewalk Cafe 

13. Izzat Love?

14. Heavy Metal Kids 

15. In And Out The Chakras We Go (Formerly: Shaft Goes To Outer Space) [Side 4]

16. Don't You Ever Learn 

17. Sons Of 1984  

Tracks 1 to 17 are the double-album "Todd" - released March 1974 in the USA on Bearsville 2 BR 6592 and in the UK on Bearsville K 85501. 

BONUS TRACKS:

18. Ooh Baby Baby [Live Broadcast On WMMR-FM, 30 June 1971]

19. A Dream Goes On Forever [Live In St. Louis, 9 November 1974]

20. Do Ya [Live In St. Louis, 9 November 1974]

The expanded booklet within has liner notes by PAUL MYERS from his superb tome "A Wizard, A True Star – Todd Rundgren In The Studio" and is an excellent read. Lyrics are provided – but unfortunately the poster that accompanied the original vinyl double with a massive collage of fan names is AWOL (probably due to licensing reasons).

Five of the 17-songs are meandering instrumentals, two are vaudeville Gilbert & Sullivan pastiches and it ends on a live track (“Sons Of 1984”) that should have been a studio recording. The rest are a very mixed bag – the cod New York Dolls rock of "Heavy Metal Kids" irritates rather than pleases – but "I Think You Know" and "Do You Ever Learn" are good ballads. In truth the only real light in the tunnel is the gorgeous "A Dream Goes On Forever" which hankers back to the glory of the 1972 double "Something/Anything?" It was an obvious choice for a lead off 7" single (March 1974 USA on Bearsville BSV 0020 and May 1974 in the UK on Bearsville K 15515) - both countries sporting the unpleasant "Heavy Metal Kids" as its flipside. 

It's not all bad news though - the 3 bonus tracks are shockingly good. First up is a 30 June 1971 Live Broadcast for WMMR-FM in the USA – a cover of Smokey Robinson and The Miracles Motown classic "Ooh Baby Baby". It's properly gorgeous and makes me think of Rundgren's recent sessions with Daryl Hall on his Live From Daryl's House Internet broadcasts (and the arrangement Linda Ronstadt used when she covered it in 1978 for her "Back In The USA" album. That's followed by two more live cuts from a concert at St. Louis on 9 November 1974. He covers "Do Ya" by The Move - an obscure rocking Jeff Lynne B-side to "California Man" on Harvest Records in 1972.  And he plays a lovely keyboard version of "A Dream Lives On Forever" – complete with a witty intro about hit singles…

Rundgren would regain his crown with November 1974's "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" which was an entirely Prog Rock album and is a masterpiece of the genre in my eyes – especially the astonishing 30-minute Side 2 opus "The Ikon".

There are other releases using this Deluxe 'Casebound Book Edition' packaging – "Runt" (1970), "Something/Anything?" (1972), "A Wizard, A True Star" (1973), "Initiation" (1975) and "Hermit of Mink Hollow" (1978). 

As a double-album, you'd think that 1974's "Todd" would be ripe for reappraisal - but re-listening to it in May 2014 (in this admittedly gorgeous Deluxe Edition Book Pack upgrade) doesn't change my mind about it. Better to start with the aforementioned two and work towards the dream…

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"The Slider" by T.REX [feat Marc Bolan] (2002 Edsel 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Remaster - Reissued 2014) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Eagle On The Wind..."

Having had their appetites whetted in May 1972 with the compilation album on Fly Records "Bolan Boogie" (which hit Number 1) – by July 1972 the wait was over. And on the 23rd of the month T.Rex and Marc Bolan fans got what they wanted - "The Slider" album hit the record shops and burnt its way into UK consciousness. Even now in 2014 (42 years later) it still gives me a thrill just to look at it (the same applies to "Electric Warrior" from 1971). And this stunning May 2002 2CD DELUXE EDITION from Edsel (reissued in 2014) gives me the same tingles. Here are the Golden Nose Slim and Jungle Face Jakes…

Originally released May 2002 – "The Slider" by T. REX on Edsel MEDCD 715 (Barcode 740155171520) is a 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Reissue and Remaster and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (53:54 minutes):

1. Metal Guru

2. Mystic Lady

3. Rock On

4. The Slider

5. Baby Boomerang

6. Spaceball Ricochet

7. Buick Mackane

8. Telegram Sam

9. Rabbit Fighter

10. Baby Strange

11. Ballrooms Of Mars

12. Chariot Choogle

13. Main Man

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "The Slider" – originally released on vinyl in the UK on 23 July 1972 on EMI BLN 5001

Tracks 14, 15 and 16 are Extended Play – "Cadillac" (14) is a non-album track - it was one of the B-sides to "Telegram Sam" (January 1972 on EMI/T.Rex Wax Co. Label T-REX 101). The other B-side was album track "Baby Strange".  "Thunderwing" and "Lady" (15 and 16) were both non-album track B-sides to the UK 7” single of "Metal Guru" (May 1972 on EMI/T.Rex Wax Co. Label MARC 1).

Disc 2 (53:00 minutes):

1. Metal Guru

2. Mystic Lady

3. Rock On

4. The Slider

5. Thunderwing

6. Spaceball Ricochet

7. Buick Mackane

8. Telegram Sam

9. Rabbit Fighter

10. Baby Strange

11. Ballrooms Of Mars

12. Cadilac

13. Main Man

Tracks 1 to 13 are "The Alternate Slider ("Rabbit Fighter")" – alternate versions of almost every track with similar sounding tracks where alternates could not be found (the initial album title was going to be "Rabbit Fighter").

Tracks 14 and 15 are Extended Play – "Lady" and "Sunken Rags" - both of which are Outtake Versions of 1972 B-sides ("Sunken Rags" was one of the two B-sides to "Children Of The Revolution').

It opens up with two winners "Metal Guru" and the acoustic strum of "Mystic Lady" then barely lets up. "Buick Mackane" is his Led Zeppelin T.Rex and rocks like a monster. "Telegram Sam" was the second number 1 single ("Metal Guru" was the other) and is followed by the song that might have titled the album – the cool "Rabbit Fighter". It’s so quintessentially T.Rex with its acoustic guitars backing lead electric guitars and his "Moondog's a prophet to the end…" lyrics. I’ve always loved "Baby Boomerang" – it was used as a B-side for the infectious "I Love To Boogie" in June 1976 – and its words oozed that Bolan confidence (lyrics from it title this review). More Rex rockers appear in the guise of "Baby Strange" and "Chariot Choogle" and it ends on the languid "Main Man" – job done.

The end of 1972 would see two more huge singles – the non-album "Children Of The Revolution" in September and "Solid Gold Easy Action" in December (themselves heavy with unique non-LP B-sides). In fact in the Summer of 1972 and by year’s end - Marc Bolan seemed to own the world – he really was flying.

The three-way fold-out digipak is pretty – alternate artwork on the inner flaps – press adverts and promo stuff beneath the two see-through CD trays - detailed liner notes by T.Rex/Marc Bolan expert MARK PAYTRESS – lyrics – track-by-track annotation (with Bolan’s own recollections) and both CDs carrying the T.Rex Wax Co 7” single Logo (I remember for all those 45s we ought in Woolworths with the excitement of buying the next Beatles seven).  The remasters are fabulous too – full of power and muscle – giving the alternate acoustic versions of "Metal Guru" and the spoken '1, 2, 3 and a 4' leads in to "Rock On" and "The Slider" an eerie feel of being close to genius.

What a blast...and what a loss. I miss him...

" First / Never Let Her Go /Goodbye Girl / Falling In Love Again " by DAVID GATES (of BREAD) – A Review Of His First 4 SOLO Albums On Elektra Records Between 1973 and 1980 – Now Reissued in 2013 By Edsel Of the UK On A 2CD Remastered Set…

"…Always Been Simple…"

As the principal songwriter and voice of BREAD – singer DAVID GATES won legions of fans with his beautifully melodic tunes. This cool-looking British 2CD reissue gives us his first four Solo albums for Elektra Records between 1973 and 1980 - and as you can imagine – it’s a mixed bag of the inspired and insipid. Here are the singer-songwriter details…

UK released September 2013 (October in the USA) – "First/Never Let Her Go/Goodbye Girl/Falling In Love Again" by DAVID GATES on Edsel EDSK 7034 (Barcode 740155703431) is a 2CD set offering 4 Remastered LPs and breaks down as follows…

Disc 1 (64:52 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 9 are his debut solo album "First" – released October 1973 in the USA on Elektra EKS-75066 and K 42150 in the UK

Tracks 10 to 19 are his 2nd album "Never Let Her Go" – released February 1975 on Elektra 7E-1028 in the USA and May 1975 on Elektra K 52012 in the UK

Disc 2 (52:33 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 6 are the album "Goodbye Girl" – released July 1978 on Elektra 6E-148 in the USA and K 52091 in the UK

Tracks 7 to 16 are the album "Falling In Love Again" – released June 1980 on Elektra 6E-251 in the USA and K 52206 in the UK

The generic card wraps that Edsel now uses on their reissues are lovely – classy looking too. The chunky 36-page booklet inside is jam-packed with details – album sleeves, 7” singles, Quad album labels, lyrics to the songs and informative liner notes by noted writer Alan Robinson. It’s beautifully done.

Sound – these albums were remastered by Rhino initially and Phil Kinrade at Alchemy has clearly used those versions because this is sonically brilliant stuff. The audio is amazing – well produced – not overdone – muscle and clarity on every track.

Musical proceedings open with a peach – "Sail Around The World" – and two things immediately hit you - the stunning sound quality and the prettiness of the melody (lyrics above). It was put out as a 7” in the UK in November 1973 (K 12126) but only charted in the USA (peaking at 50). Speaking of lost singles - the brilliant nine-minute epic of "Suite: Clouds, Rain" was edited down to the piano opening of "Clouds" (very Bread) and put out as a 7” in the UK in July 1973 with “Soap (I Use The)” as its B-side (K 12114). I mention this because its rare edited version is a no-show here - which is a bit of a missed opportunity. The debut album ends strongly with "Sight & Sound" (very Eagles) - while "Lorilee" gets a bit "Countdown To Ecstasy" Steely Dan slinky with Jim Horn on Alto Sax (tasty).

The second album picks up where the first left off (even with the two-year gap). "Never Let You Go" gets straight into "Baby I'm-A Want You" territory and it’s easy to see why it was chosen as the lead off single (the rocky "Watch Out" graced the flipside). The acoustic ballad "Part Time Love" was the second and last 45 from the LP (June 1975 in the UK on K 12157) – a lovely tune. “Strangers” ends the album well – but even at this stage – there’s a feeling of ordinariness about most of the record.

By the time we reach 1978’s “Goodbye Girl” and 1980’s sluggish “Falling in Love Again” – the muse seems to have abandoned him entirely. There are moments like the lightweight radio funk of “Took The Last Train” and the schmaltz of “Where Does The Loving Go” which is clearly trying to emulate the glory days of early Seventies Bread. But these albums have been dollar-bin fodder for years – and with reason.

So there you have it – a very mixed bag. But then there is that fabulous sound - and those melodic nuggets on the first two albums especially that make the purchase worthwhile.

David Gates could always pen a melody that would get to you...and that's what I like most about this excellent value-for-money Edsel double...

"Fly Away Home" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The Beautiful 1996 Carroll Ballard Movie

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this beautiful film on BLU RAY at the best price:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001QMCJ1Y

"…Rocks May Melt…Seas May Burn…" – Fly Away Home on BLU RAY

It begins in New Zealand with windscreen wipers washing away rain. A mother in her mid thirties is driving her 13-year old daughter home at night to Pukekohe. Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) is listening to music on her headphones - smiling lovingly at her cool mum who looks over at her spirited girl with pride. But as a beautiful and inspirational piano theme plays ("10,000 Miles" by Mary Chapin Carpenter – a Robbie Burns poem put to music) – a truck approaches just when Mummy is taking an ill-timed mobile phonecall. She swerves fast to avoid the oncoming juggernaut but flips the car in doing so. It rolls to a shattered stand still – paramedics pull only the injured Amy from the wreckage. Her father Thomas then comes all the way from Ontario to bring his traumatized daughter home (they parted when she was three).

Thomas Alden (Jeff Daniels) is an upbeat force – a self-made man – a Canadian dreamer, sculptor and madcap inventor – obsessed with flight, hang gliders and ultralight trikes (he’s even built an exact replica of the Moon Lander in his barn because the Earth no longer has one). And where Dad lives is beautiful – rural woodland and rolling hills surrounds his farmstead. But developers covet the land and one-day after bulldozers have illegally knocked down trees and natural habitat – Amy is out surveying the carnage. She spots a batch of goose eggs thrown by the dozers that haven’t hatched yet. Gathering all 16 in a pouch – she carefully places them in a disused cabinet in the hay barn – using straw as a bed and her mother’s old clothes as wraps. To keep them warm in the closed wooden drawer - she steals one of Dad’s old mobile lamps (when he’s not looking) and then hops the yellow bus to school. Busy sculpting a commission of a bronze Dragon – Dad hasn’t noticed the deep bond that’s going on in the barn. But then they hatch into goslings and soon the little fuzzballs are all over the kitchen table squawking, eating, pooping and following Amy wherever she goes.

As they grow – Dad realizes he’s at sea with those gorgeous but needy creatures – so he seeks advise. A local sheriff who knows something of their habits comes calling and explains. 'Imprinting' means that Canadian Wild Geese will follow anything and anyone they see after their born and presume them to be their mother. They migrate South each year come late Fall to the wetlands for warmth and abundant food (as they’ve done for millennium). Their mother will show them the way and they’ll return in the spring to the exact same spot. Unfortunately as per the law – domestic birds must have their wings clipped so they don’t fly away. But when Glen tries to engage in the act of 'pining' as per Ordinance 9314 – Amy goes berserk and hits him with a frying pan.

Dad, his lovely girlfriend Susan (Dana Delany), the recently arrived brainbox Uncle Dave (Terry Kinney) and local mechanical help Barry (Holter Graham) all now collude. Inventor Thomas realizes that as the geese fly at 31 miles per hour and view Amy as their mother – they could theoretically follow her in a specially modified ultralight. So the building of small planes and the imprint training of the geese begin in earnest for the arduous marathon ahead. Soon the Canadian media and even the military at Niagara Air Force Base become involved as the now 14-year old Amy engages in her epic 5000-mile flight home with Igor (one who has difficulty flying), chaperone Dad in a second ultralight trailing behind and the other 15 birds flying alongside "Mama Goose". They become a cause celebre and Amy an environmental hero…

It’s hardly surprising that Caleb Deschanel won the Oscar for cinematography – because "Fly Away Home" is a looker to say the least. As you can imagine the up close and personal shots of hatching chicks and fluffy mites would melt a heart of stone. Fully extended wingspans of gracious birds landing in slow motion on spring ponds, glorious Canadian dawns as Dad tries out his latest whacko flying machine, aerial shots that look down on Amy’s imitation goose ultralight with Autumn coloured terrain below as her trusting flock accompany her home – gorgeous stuff. Even a memory of Mum pushing Amy on the swing in the barn is beautifully rendered.

The American 2009 BLU RAY (Barcode 0433962955346) is REGION ABC (Region Free) so no compatibility issues for any buyers. The picture is fabulous and combined with Mark Isham’s sweeping score – the effect is magical in a truly cinematic way. It’s defaulted to 1.85:1 - Full Screen Aspect Ratio  - giving you the full visual whack. The Audio offers English, French and Spanish Dolby TrueHD 5.1 while the Extras include pieces on the autobiography of Bill Lishman (who actually did fly with geese in his tiny biplane), interviews with the principal actors and Californian Director Carroll Ballard discussing how he worked with Robert Rodat and Vince McKewin on the adapted screenplay. It’s pleasingly indepth and newly informative – even after you’ve watched the film.

But this would all amount to naught if the movie didn’t work on a deeply parental level – and "Fly Away Home" does. I saw this at the cinema and there were mums and dads clutching their kids and bawling like big girl’s blouses. By the time Mary Chapin Carpenter’s stunning musical rendition of “10,000 Miles” returns (it’s on her 1998 hits CD "Party Doll And Other Favorites") as Amy nears her destination with thousands waiting anxiously for her to appear on the horizon – resistance is utterly futile (lyrics from it title this review). I’ve seen family films get to the parents before - "Wall-E", "Despicable Me" and even Disney's remake of "The Parent Trap" – but never quite like this.

"You've been a friend to me…" Mary Chapin Carpenter sings - with words that reach into your soul.

Buy this gorgeous family movie on BLU RAY (where it deserves to be) and find out why it’s lovely story of redemption has touched the hearts of millions…

Amazon UK reference is B001QMCJ1Y

"Listen…/I'll Keep You Satisfied/Little Children/Trains And Boats And Planes by BILLY J. KRAMER and THE DAKOTAS (May 2014 Beat Goes On Reissue - 4LPs onto 2CDs - Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD - Volume 3 of 3

- Exceptional CD Remasters

As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On

Blues Rock, Prog Rock, Psych, Avant Garde, Underground

Folk-Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Country Rock and more

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"…Dance With Me…"

This cool-looking British 2CD reissue has good and bad points that need explaining - so let's get to the details right away. UK released 19 May 2014 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1146 (Barcode 5017261211460) breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (62:38 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 14 are their debut LP "Listen..." - released November 1963 in the UK on Parlophone PMC 1209 (Mono) and PCS 1209 (Stereo)

Tracks 15 to 26 are the US album version of it called "I'll Keep You Satisfied/From A Window" - released early 1964 on Imperial LP-9273 (Mono) and LP-12273 (Stereo)

Disc 2 (58:30 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 12 are the US album "Little Children" - released May 1964 on Imperial LP-9267 (Mono) and LP-12267 (Stereo)

Tracks 13 to 24 are the US album "Trains And Boats And Planes" - released early 1965 on Imperial LP-9291 (Mono) and LP-12291 (Stereo)

Fans will know that the 14-track debut album "Listen..." came out in both MONO and STEREO in the UK and was produced by the fifth Beatle George Martin. But of the 12 cuts on the American version (called "I'll Keep You Satisfied/From A Window") seven were duplicated - with the other five being new. Beat Goes On have therefore chosen to present the UK album in STEREO and the USA version in MONO to avoid needless duplication (they don't try to hide this - its stated as such on the outer box and in the liner notes). Disappointingly though - five of the Mono studio tracks on albums 2, 3 and 4 are presented here by 'live' versions (presumably because the tapes for the studio versions are lost?) They are "Sugar Babe", "Pride", "I'll Keep You Satisfied", "Tennessee Waltz" and "Irresistible You". Also on my copy of the CD - Track 5 on Disc 2 (a cover of The Platters "Twilight Time") is in the wrong place. It should be lined up as track 16 - the 3rd song on the "Trains And Boats And Planes" album. That's the bad news - let's get to the good.

The generic card wraps that Beat Goes On uses now on their reissues are lovely - classy looking too. The 16-page booklet inside features liner notes by BOB SOLLY and pictures gorgeous EPs in colour on the last page with the original liner notes for the albums as well as a potted history of the British Invasion group. For Beatles fiends there's some snaps of Billy with Brian Epstein and of course those exclusive Lennon/McCartney songs on the American debut. But the real shocker is the sound...

The Andrew Thompson remasters are amazing - full of power and clarity that leaps out of your speakers - especially the STEREO versions like the sappy ballad "The Twelfth Of Never" and Kramer's Roy Orbison take on the Stephen Foster traditional "Beautiful Dreamer" where he gives his best Liverpool accent on the word 'hair' (becomes 'her').

Other goodies on the American Mono version of "I'll Keep You Satisfied/From A Window" are three exclusive Lennon/McCartney compositions (a major coup at the time) - "I'll Keep You Satisfied", "I'll Be On My Own" and "From A Window" - very cool indeed. This is 1963 and 1964 - and the entre world is enveloped in the musical atomic bomb of The Beatles. There's a wonderful optimism in all of it - like the opener cover of The Drifters "Dance With Me" and the Fab Four feel to the lovely "I Know". The Beatles covers continue with versions of "Do You Want To Know A Secret" and "Bad To Me". There's a great vibe to "Take Her Place" and "Sneaking Around" In fact the whole "Trains And Boats And Planes" album is a bit of an unsung Sixties hero - and the sound on tracks like "I Live To Love You" is fabulous.

Downsides - the five 'live' versions are poor substitutes for the studio tracks (docked a star for that) and will disappoint fans a great deal - and the misplacing of "Twilight Time" on Disc 2 is an easy mistake to make but a tad sloppy really. Having said that - overall the rest of it is really great stuff.

In 2014 Liverpool's William Howard Ashton (Billy J Kramer) is largely forgotten - but on the evidence of this - our clean-cut hero and his boys in The Dakotas more than deserve your mop-top attention again...