"Nashville Skyline" by BOB DYLAN - April 1969 US Album on Columbia Records (September 2003 UK Columbia Hybrid SACD In A Card Digipak and March 2004 Jewel Case Reissue – Greg Calbi Remaster) - A Review of his 1969 LP by Mark Barry...

"...I Reach For You..."

Recorded in haste in February and released April 1969 (he’d only 4 tunes when he started sessions apparently), Dylan's ninth studio album "Nashville Skyline" sort of stumbled out of the artistic blocks like a drunk in the early hours of the morning.

Ten short tunes (the CD runs to a paltry 27:13 minutes) one of which is a throwaway picker instrumental on Side 1 that could have been done by any Country fool to fill up shellac space - and you could be forgiven for thinking that in 2019 - this is yet another lightweight amble from the Bobster - here you go punters and screw you if you don't like it. But "Nashville Skyline" (photo of the same on the rear sleeve) is far from that – in fact I’d argue that the very brevity of NS is what makes it such a great listen – that and some of his most heartfelt and loveliest of tunes.

Following on from the Country-fied "John Wesley Harding" (issued December 1967) - 1969's "Nashville Skyline" seemed to be that album's more relaxed baby brother. Rock was everywhere, Blues Rock, Psych, early Prog and more – not that BD was listening. Indeed its known that Dylan contemplated calling it just that for a while - "John Wesley Harding II" - but sense prevailed. And with Johnny Cash's "At San Quentin" released just a few months later on 4 June 1969 and itself going to the unlikely No. 1 slot on both the Country and Rock charts – it seemed that Bob had been on the Musical Genre money all along.

But why do I love it so. Up alongside the monumental brilliance of "Bringing It All Back Home", the Nashville recorded double game-changer "Blonde On Blonde" and 1975's falling apart at the seems meisterwerk "Blood On The Tracks" - its the records easiness on the brain that makes me come back to it so much. And despite the gatefold slip of paper masquerading as an inlay (some nice colour period photos though) and zero discussion of the LP’s importance or even Johnny Cash’s involvement and poem on the rear sleeve dedicated to Dylan – this CD's upgraded audio made me fall in love with the album all over again.

"Nashville Skyline" is, and never has been, the audiophile recording of the century (many tracks are obviously done live in the studio and have intruding hiss) - but Greg Calbi's masterful transfer to SACD and CD is breathtaking - a genuine case of decades lifted and the beauty underneath allowed to shine. As I say – there is hiss – but the tunes are breathing – a fantastic warmth emanating off of each. These renditions are suddenly even more gorgeous and not weighed down by six to nine minutes of Dylan's Poet-God legend – their soothing nature is even more amplified. Our Bob is happy here, smiling on the cover, clutching George Harrison's guitar and sparring with the mighty Johnny Cash in the studio on their new cover of his "Freewheelin'..." classic "Girl From The North Country". He'd stopped smoking too and his voice was warmer and sexier for it. But it’s the plain and unadorned approach that thrills - songs sung with openness - devoid of endless showy rhyming couplets and slick production. Here Dylan is relaxed and damn it - happy. His crew too - beautifully following in from behind, filling in gaps with guitar licks, pedal steel, organ additions and other classily complimentary moments. Let's get to the Zim done good...

In the UK and Europe - there are two variants of the GREG CALBI REMASTER – the first is Columbia 512346 6 (Barcode 5099751234661) issued 15 September 2003 that is an SACD Hybrid Reissue in a card digipak. For those who don’t have SACD playback features on their machine – these Hybrid versions are playable on all players - standard CD players simply engaging the CD layer with the new Remaster. The second is the more common and still available standard Jewel Case reissue of 29 March 2004 on Columbia 512346 2 (Barcode 5099751234623). It has a gatefold slip of paper as an inlay (both have 27:13 minutes total playing time). The standard version can be purchased for under a fiver and is the one used in The Complete Albums Box Set too.

1. Girl From The North Country [Duet Vocals with Johnny Cash] - Side 1
2. Nashville Skyline Rag
3. To Be Alone With You
4. I Threw It All Away
5. Peggy Day
6. Lay Lady Lay - Side 2
7. One More Night
8. Tell Me That It Isn't True
9. Country Pie
10. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
Tracks 1 to 10 are his 9th studio album "Nashville Skyline" - released April 1969 in the USA on Columbia CS 9825 (Stereo Only) and May 1969 in the UK on CBS Records M BGP 63601 (Mono) and S BGP 63601 (Stereo) – only the STEREO MIX is used. The album peaked at No. 3 on the US LP charts, but hit No. 1 in the UK. It was also his last album issued in Mono in the UK but is NOT featured in "The Original Mono Recordings" Box Set of October 2010 probably because it was a false fold-down master – that Box Set ends with the Mono Mix of "John Wesley Harding" from 27 December 1967 (USA).

To the sound – the much-praised and sought-after Audio Engineer GREG CALBI has handled mastering old and new for the catalogues of Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Supertramp, The Allman Brothers, KD Lang, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, James Taylor, Ryan Adams and his first band Whiskytown, Patti Smith, Jim White, Robert Gordon and many more – so he knows his way around a decent tape of two. A beautiful job done...

The album produced three 45s - April 1969 saw "I Threw It All Away" b/w "Drifter's Escape" (from "John Wesley Harding") on Columbia 4-44826 reach No. 85 in the USA (No. 30 in the UK) - July 1969 launched "Lay Lady Lay" b/w Peggy Day" on Columbia 4-44926 that smashed its way up to No. 7 and No. 5 on the US and UK charts respectively - and finally October 1969 produced "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" b/w "Country Pie" on Columbia 4-45004  - its equally sensual feel giving it a No. 50 placing in the States. In fact the album's most famous song "Lay Lady Lay" nearly never made it as a 45; a song that was commissioned for John Schlesinger’s film Midnight Cowboy but didn’t make it because of deadlines (Nilsson nailed it anyway with his cover of Fred Neil’s "Everybody’s Talkin’") - Dylan famously felt "Lay Lady Lay" was not that good - nor representative of his sound. But Columbia’s resident talent-spotting genius Clive Davis begged to disagree and his commercial instinct of course turned out to be spot on - to a point where in 2019 - a Bob Dylan Anthology or Best Of without that song would seem bare and lesser for it and probably elicit howls of derision from fans worldwide.

"To Be Alone With You" has beautiful audio and one of the album's quiet masterpieces surely has to be "I Threw It All Away" - a low-key heartbreak all the way to the chair squeak as it quickly fades out at the end. "Peggy Day" too - revealing audio - while over on Side 2 Bob is as lonesome as he can be on "One More Night", a tune whose stroll had more than a musical nod melody-wise to his Country heroes Hank Williams and Johnny Cash (Charlie Daniels picking some fab guitar). Our hero is left spurned in "Tell Me That It Isn't True" when his girly holds the hand of some handsome no-good - offset by the jovial "Country Pie" with an organ sound that's straight out a Trojan Reggae session over in England. The album ends on a high - "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" - a typical Dylan love song that has his heart in her hand while his free musician's foot is holding open the bedroom door.

Simple, touching, musical manna for the mangled soul - "Nashville Skyline" is a keeper and especially with audio like this for less than a packet of non-carcinogenic cigarettes (pleasurable but killer nonetheless)...

"Blood, Sweat And Tears" by BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS (December 2004 Repertoire Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue of Their 2nd Album – EROC Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Variations On A Theme..."

In 2019 the musical term 'Fusion' can have a myriad of overtones and even be overused. But 50 years back (yes the album is over half a century old) - fusion was the new buzzword and in the form of Blood, Sweat & tears – the dancing Rock-Jazz-Soul-Blues hybrid that took listeners everywhere by the musical ticklers.

BST's uber-cool debut "Child Is Father To The Man" from February 1968 on Columbia Records (USA) and July 1968 on CBS Records (UK) was a fabulous starter album with Al Kooper at the helm and hipster tunes galore (see separate review for the superb Legacy Edition CD Remaster). But when AK left to go solo (1969's "I Stand Alone" opened his long career account with aplomb) - BST needed a vocalist and maybe even a new direction – a bigger tapestry – and man did they hit pay dirt.

Al Kooper is a good singer (a little similar in tone to ex Zombies writer Colin Blunstone as one reviewer has already quite rightly noted) - but ragamuffin and reform school dropout David Clayton-Thomas was and is another kettle of angry trout. His is a great voice – not good – but great – and there is a real difference. British born but raised in Canada since the age of 3, DCT had left home at 14 (family fall-outs), troubled a few institutions in his teens and by the time he was approaching his twenties, had been hustling microphones at bars and dives where ever they’d let him. Not surprisingly, David gravitated not to the sun and sand of California, but the grit and sweat of the Big Apple.

Apparently tipped off by Elektra Records folky Judy Collins, one of BST's founder members Bobby Colomby went to see Clayton-Thomas in Greenwich Village and was duly floored. His growl, his passion, his full-throated delivery seemed to actually mimic the scream of the bombs that actually dropped on his London Air Raid shelter when he was being born! With Blues and Soul Music oozing out of his Rock swagger, coupled with like minded Jazz players in the band - it turned out the Canadian lad could also pen a neck-jerking tune – the mighty "Spinning Wheel". With him on board, the huge nine-piece band had the stage set.

Blood Sweat & Tears self-titled second LP "Blood, Sweat & Tears" issued in January 1969 on Columbia Records took the American charts by storm - hitting the number one spot soon after release and stayed there for seven weeks. When issued April 1969 in Blighty, it too managed a healthy No. 15 spot and has as of this year (2019) reputedly sold over 38 million copies worldwide. Spinning Wheel - turned around indeed. Here be the Variations On A Theme...

UK and German released December 2004 - "Blood, Sweat & Tears" by BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS on Repertoire Records RES 2324 (Barcode 4009910232422) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Two Bonus Live Tracks (recorded 1968 in NYC) in a card digipak packaging that plays out as follows (69:13 minutes):

Side 1:

1. Variations Of A Theme by Erik Satie 

(1st and 2nd Movements, Adapted from "Trois Gymnopedies")

2. Smiling Phases (Traffic cover - written by Chris Wood, Jim Capaldi and Stevie Winwood)

3. Sometimes In Winter (Steve Katz song)

4. More And More (Little Milton cover – written by Don Juan Mancha and Pee Vee)

5. And When I Die (Laura Nyro cover)

6. God Bless The Child (Billie Holiday cover)

Side 2:

7. Spinning Wheel (David Clayton-Thomas song)

8. You've Made Me So Very Happy (Brenda Holloway cover)

9. Blues - Part II (Blood, Sweat & Tears song)

10. Variations On A Theme by Erik Satie (1st Movement, Adapted from "Trois Gymnopedies")

Tracks 1 to 10 are their second studio album "Blood, Sweat & Tears" - released January 1969 in the USA on Columbia CS 9720 (Stereo) and April 1969 in the UK on CBS Records M 63504 (Mono) and S 63504 (Stereo). The STEREO Mix is used for this CD. 

BONUS TRACKS:

11. More And More (Live)

12. Smiling Phases (Live)

Recorded live in 1968 at The Café Au Go Go in New York – first appeared on the Legacy Expanded Edition CD Reissue in 2000 as Bonuses

The album produced three monster singles all making the No. 2 slot in 1969 on the US Billboard charts - first out of the gate in February 1969 was "You've Made Me So Very Happy" b/w "Blues - Part 2" on Columbia 4-44776. The A and B-sides were both single edits - 3:26 and 5:26 minutes respectively where their album compatriots clocked in at 4:20 and a whopping 11:45 minutes for the expansive Blues jam. "You've Made Me So Very happy" had in fact been a 45 for Soul Siren Brenda Holloway on Tamla T-54155 in August 1967 but I'd argue that our boys improved it - the BST arrangement retaining its Soulful upbeat vibe while stamping their distinctive Brass-Rock sound on it (that final piano 'wanna thank you girl' portion gets me every time). Not surprisingly, US 45 number two was the huge "Spinning Wheel" b/w "More And More" in May 1969 on Columbia 4-44871 - and again both sides were single edits at 2:39 and 2:38 minutes respectively. The David Clayton-Thomas classic made No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary charts for two weeks. Last was their cover of Laura Nyro's "And When I Die" b/w "Sometimes In Winter" on Columbia 4-45008 with only the A being an edit at 3:26 minutes. I'd argue that it would have been better to have all five of the Single Edits as Bonus Tracks and not the two live cuts lazily taken off the Columbia 2000 reissue CD - but alas.

The card digipak mimics the original vinyl gatefold sleeve but the 12-page booklet expands the LP's story with new liner notes from noted writer CHRIS WELCH (of Melody Maker fame). There are photos, a potted history of the band and detailed recorded credits on the last few pages. The Audio Restoration and Remaster is by EROC at The Ranch and it sounds incredible. For sure the music is terribly dated in places (that Nyro cover has never been a fave of mine) but Audio lovers have always sought this platter out on MOFI and Japanese SHM-CD reissues - well Repertoire are up there with the best of them. The stunning "Blues - Part 2" track that dominates Side 2 only to segue into another clever instrumental take of Erik Satie's "Variations On A Theme" (1st Movement) is an example. When the band goes into "Spoonful" half way through, the sonic punch is a wow. Hell - you can almost forgive Steve Katz and his weak-kneed lead vocal on "Sometimes In Winter".

For sure after 50 years - certain elements of this 1969 platter are showing their 60ts hipster age - but it is also a milestone that deserved its Grammy for Best Album of the Year and warrants your spondulicks in 2019. "Blood, Sweat & Tears" would be followed by "3" in 1970 (another No. 1) and "4" in 1971 (No. 10) - but when Clayton-Thomas departed thereafter for the first of two cracking solo albums, the downward slide began. Remember them this way...

"Johnny Cash At San Quentin" by JOHNNY CASH – Featured Guests June Carter Cash, Carl Perkins, The Carter Family and The Statler Brothers (February 2007 Sony BMG Legacy 2CD+1DVD Reissue/Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Scarred Through And Through..."

Following on from the extraordinary and surprising success of "Johnny Cash At Fulsom Prison" (a deserved No. 13 placing on the US Rock LP charts in June 1968) - 1969 turned out to be an even more blistering chart year for the mighty man of Country.

It seemed everything Cash did or had done in the past, sold. Sun Records repacked his 50s material into five volumes, other labels like Harmony joined in, he did a religious LP on Columbia called "The Holy Land" in February and a seasonal outing not surprisingly called "The Christmas Spirit" in December resulting in an astonishing 9 LP chart entries in the Top 200 for that year. All of it course culminated in his biggest success of all - after its 4 June 1969 release on Columbia Records (USA) and CBS Records (UK) - "Johnny Cash At San Quentin" climbed the mountain to the coveted No. 1 slot on both the Country and Rock charts (an unprecedented achievement for a Country singer to hit the Pop top spot). And the prison LP duo of Fulsom and Quentin has remained beloved ever since - and too damn right. Cash had even quit Amphetamines, found God, persuaded the gorgeous and savvy June Carter to marry him (bolstered no doubt by him dropping the destructive first and embracing the nurturing second) and soon he would have his own prime-time TV show syndicated all over the world. All good for Mister Badass...

But which version of "At San Quentin" do you buy (and there are a few to consider)? There is the truly excellent 2005 'Legacy Deluxe Edition' 2CD reissue of with Vic Anesini remasters (always a sign of quality). Or if you wanted both the Prison LPs, you could opt for the doubled up 2CD budget-priced combo of Folsom and Quentin issued January 2006 that simply lumps the two Remastered CDs together (each with some bonus material) – two jewel cases in a card wrap (Barcode 828767665825).

But (and even despite the inexplicable change of artwork which I must say I find slightly disconcerting) - I'd argue that the extra bits here (unissued CD cuts and the 1969 Granada TV Special DVD) make this February 2007 Three-Disc baby the one to get. There's a lot to swallow so let's get behind those bars, flip the bird, pump the shotguns (in case anyone gets rowdy) and break this sucker down...

UK released 15 February 2007 - "At San Quentin 1969" by JOHNNY CASH on Sony BMG Music Entertainment/Columbia/Legacy 88697060932 (Barcode 886970609326) is an Expanded 2CD and 1DVD reissue featuring guests CARL PERKINS, JUNE CARTER CASH, THE CARTER FAMILY and THE STATLER BROTHERS and that plays out as follows:

CD1 (54:27 minutes):

1. Blue Suede Shoes - CARL PERKINS (Previously Unissued)

2. Flowers On The Wall - THE STATLER BROTHERS (Previously Unissued)

3. The Last Thing on My Mind - THE CARTER FAMILY (Previously Unissued)

4. June Carter Cash Talks To The Audience - JUNE CARTER CASH (Previously Unissued)

5. Wildwood Flower - THE CARTER FAMILY (Previously Unissued)

6. Big River - JOHNNY CASH

7. I Still Miss Someone - JOHNNY CASH

8. Wreck Of The Old 97 - JOHNNY CASH

9. I Walk The Line - JOHNNY CASH

10. Medley: The Long Black Veil/Give My Love To Rose - JOHNNY CASH (Previously Unissued)

11. Fulsom Prison Blues - JOHNNY CASH

12. Orange Blossom Special - JOHNNY CASH (Previously Unissued)

13. Jackson - JOHNNY CASH and JUNE CARTER CASH (Previously Unissued)

14. Darlin' Companion - JOHNNY CASH

15. Break My Mind - THE CARTER FAMILY (Previously Unissued)

16. I Don't Know Where I'm Bound - JOHNNY CASH

17. Starkville City Jail - JOHNNY CASH 

CD2 (45:29 minutes):

1. San Quentin (4:09 minutes) - JOHNNY CASH

2. San Quentin (3:13 minutes) - JOHNNY CASH

3. Wanted Man - JOHNNY CASH

4. Restless - CARL PERKINS (Previously Unissued)

5. A Boy Named Sue - JOHNNY CASH

6. Blistered - JOHNNY CASH (Previously Unissued)

7. (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley - JOHNNY CASH

8. The Outside Looking In - CARL PERKINS (Previously Unissued)

9. Less Of Me - THE STATLER BROTHERS (Previously Unissued)

10. Ring of Fire - JOHNNY CASH with THE CARTER FAMILY

11. He Turned The Water Into Wine - JOHNNY CASH with THE CARTER FAMILY, STATLER BROS & CARL PERKINS

12. Daddy Sang Bass - JOHNNY CASH with THE CARTER FAMILY, STATLER BROS & CARL PERKINS

13. The Old Account Was Settled Long Ago - JOHNNY CASH with THE CARTER FAMILY, STATLER BROS & CARL PERKINS

14. Closing Medley: Fulsom Prison Blues/I Walk The Line/Ring of Fire/The Rebel-Johnny Yuma - JOHNNY CASH with THE CARTER FAMILY, STATLER BROS & CARL PERKINS

DVD "Johnny Cash At San Quentin", All Regions, 60 minutes, 1969 Documentary by Granada TV (UK)

Includes footage of the concert that became the LP, a full performance of "A Boy Named Sue" and one-on-one interviews with several prison guards and inmates talking about their experiences of jail. The music footage shown is:

This 3-Disc release goes to some pains to present the full concert as 'played' – a whopping 30-songs in chronological order including a spoken intro. But the original 10-song album of course had a different configuration and none of the guests. To sequence it, use the following tracks, [3/2] = Track 3 on Disc 2 etc

ORIGINAL LP "Johnny Cash At San Quentin", TRACK LIST SEQUENCE

Side 1:

1. Wanted Man [3/2]

2. Wreck Of The Old 97 [8/1]

3. I Walk The Line 9/1]

4. Darlin' Companion [14/1]

5. Starkville City Jail [17/1]

Side 2:

1. San Quentin [1/2]

2. San Quentin [2/2]

3. A Boy Named Sue [5/2]

4. (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley [7/2]

5. Folsom Prison Blues [11/1]

LP originally released June 1969 on Columbia Records CS 9827 (USA) and August 1969 on CBS Records S 63629 (UK) - both in Stereo. All songs by Johnny Cash except "Wanted Man" (Bob Dylan cover), "Wreck Of The Old 97" (Traditional song arranged by Johnny Cash, Bob Johnson and Norman Blake), "Darlin' Companion" (John Sebastian song, Lovin' Spoonful cover), "A Boy Named Sue" (Shel Silverstein cover) and "(There'll Be) Peace In The Valley" (Reverend Thomas Dorsey cover). It peaked at No. 1 on the US Country and Rock charts and at No. 2 in the UK LP charts. 

As it is with all these issues that come without an outer slipcase, the four-way foldout card digipak is a bit of a clunky and easy to damage affair – so you need to be careful with it. The 2CDs and 1DVD take up three of the four flaps (period pictures beneath the see-through trays) with a photo on the first flap of the prison crowd waiting for the show to begin - a sound engineer untangling cables in front of an empty microphoned stage. The colour booklet is an impressive 32-page melting pop of what unfolded on 24 February 1969 at San Quentin Prison - June and Johnny being interviewed on Page 2 with Page 31 showing the whole band ensemble taking a bow to the rapturous audience. There are reminiscences and critiques from Sylvie Simmons, Marty Stuart's liner notes to the 4 July 2000 single reissue CD on Legacy, Marty interviewed Merle Haggard (who was at the show and has admitted to having been forever changed by it), afterthoughts by both Johnny and June and promoter Lou Robin from March 2000 and finally Bob Irwin's notes on this latest issue and its improvements and completeness.

But of course the big news is the Audio - Remastered by VIC ANESINI. His is a name associated with Elvis Presley, The Byrds, Carole King, Mott The Hoople, Santana, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Nilsson, Spirit and so many more. The original live record famously bristled with life and danger and it does so even more now. Its like a beast unleashed. Fantastic and those unreleased tracks expand the listen so much...huge life around the sound. I also appreciate the Carter Family harmonies more now – giving an almost spiritual nature to the words and the feelings they elicited.

DVD: Some have expressed disappointment with the DVD and I can understand this. Its not been cleaned up for a start (scratchy and blotched), but I’d argue the content is so powerful you soon forget about that. It was a Granada TV show (UK), a documentary and NOT a film of the entire concert although 10 tunes are given sizeable chunks of footage in this order: Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Orange Blossom Special, Jackson (with June Carter Cash), Darlin’ Companion, Daddy Sings Bass (with Carl Perkins, The Carter Family and The Statler Brothers), San Quentin, Wanted Man, A Boy Named Sue (Long Version) and (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley. But for me the DVD offers a welcome sobering counterbalance to the slight bravura macho streak of the LP. 

As a stand alone, the record feels at times like a celebration – this DVD does not. If anything its a chilling reminder as shot after shot of the actual existence they lived is paraded in front of you – haunted faces behind scraped steel bars, lonely figures parading in the yard, the pump-action shotguns of the guards resting on railings, cold cups of coffee on the concrete with barbed wire overhead, pictures of kids and family on the walls they may never see again. But it's the inmates and guard interviews that amaze and unsettle – one officer with a grizzled face straight out a thousand cop precinct movies describing his 23 years of seeing young lives wasted – his California Correctional Department badge immaculate on the sleeve of his shirt, black cap on his head with its gold badge shining. 

You can see he has a heart, but you can also literally taste the weariness emanating off of him – his voice almost slurring as he talks with barely contained sadness of how the inmates survive – interracial gangs – homosexuality – toilet tissue under their shirts to make their muscles seem bigger and avoid a beating. One inmate who avoided death literally as he was being brought down to the notorious leather straps of the SQ gas chamber (always used at 10 a.m. ever Friday morning) talks calmly about he strangled a woman and her 12 year old son after a drunken liaison but still doesn't know why - his gaze lost as he describes it. Its not very romantic or uplifting but it is stone cold brutal and sobering. As Cash sings how San Quentin "...left me scarred through and through..." and "...I walked out a wiser but weaker man..." - there is an eruption from the crowd – this is their guy and he knows their language.

This is the show where Cash couldn’t get to see his audience because there was too much equipment on stage and the Granada crew refused to budge themselves or any of it - so Cash gave his famous two-finger salute to the camera. It’s a shot that’s now on a thousand teeshirts – the man’s indomitable spirit. But re-listening and re-watching this amazing thing in 2019 – 50 years haven't lessened its power, just perhaps brought the reality more into focus. "Johnny Cash At San Quentin" is a seriously powerful piece of work and this reissue has brought home ALL sides of it – complete and in yer face.

And as I think about those faces in the crowd, smiling, longing, lifted up, given new hope if only for an afternoon – then the cameras cutting coldly to those blank stares from behind prison bars afterwards – I hope some of them made it...

"Hot Buttered Soul" by ISAAC HAYES (August 2009 Universal/Stax 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue – Bob Fisher 24-Bit Digital Remaster) - A Review of his 1969 US Masterpiece by Mark Barry...

 

"...You Socked It To Me!"

Not 30, not 40 - but 50 years old! Can the full-on sexpot that is "Hot Buttered Soul" really be the big fifty in 2019 – God Gawd y’all!

In July 1969, I was a spotty Dublin kid approaching eleven years of age that September and quickly assimilating all the blast furnace music changes emanating from both the UK and USA. Rock, Pop, Psych, Prog, Blues-Rock, Folk-Rock - I chewed it all up. Kind of with it for the times or at least the older lads around me who did all the advising were.

So one of my earliest memories was seeing the LP sleeve for Isaac Hayes’ second platter in a Dublin record shop window (probably Spring 1970) - a big bald black head, sunglasses and gold chains. People gawked at it – old biddies suspected it was rude and salacious but not sure how and quickly went by in a sort of cloudy catholic huff. Me - I'd never seen anything so damn cool.

My school-pal's bigger brother told me about the 'mistic' grooves contained within (courtesy of Stax's blistering backing band, The Bar Kays) and advised me to ask the rock dude in the shop to maybe play a slice (the bugger wouldn't). But it stuck with me. That Summer as I recall, I was back at his place and there it was on the Garrard – a secondhand copy with that yellow label grooving through "Hyper-unpronounceable" and then flipping over to the huge string section in the second half of the near 19-minute "By The Time I Get To Phoenix". And I was hooked.

We now know that over at Motown, Norman Whitfield and his like-minded musical cohorts were moving away from boy-gets-girl 3-minute love-ins and channelling something more serious, more socially conscious and dare we say - sexually expansive. They had The Temptations and The Four Tops opening up to spectacular effect – beginning that process – and the Rare Earth label beginning to take shape too. But with "Hot Buttered Soul" and its four uncompromising slabs of longevity, Isaac Hayes seemed to join up the loverman and psychedelic Soul dots for Stax Records faster than Marvin Gaye or Barry White or anyone else for that matter. And the man looked and sounded amazing too – yeah baby. Let's get to the hyperbolic details...

UK released August 2009 - "Hot Buttered Soul" by ISAAC HAYES on Universal/Stax 0888072314580 (Barcode 888072314580) is an 'Expanded Edition' 24-Bit CD Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (56:39 minutes):

1. Walk On By [12:03 minutes] - Side 1

2. Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic [9:39 minutes]

3. One Woman [5:11 minutes] - Side 2

4. By The Time I Get To Phoenix [18:42 minutes]

Tracks 1 to 4 are his second studio album "Hot Buttered Soul" – released July 1969 in the USA on Enterprise Records ENS-1001 and January 1970 in the UK on Stax SXATS 1028. Produced by AL BELL, MARVELL THOMAS and ALLEN JONES - it peaked at No. 1 on the US R&B LP charts and No.8 on the US Pop LP charts

BONUS TRACKS:

5. Walk On By (Single Edit, 4:33 minutes)

6. By The Time I Get To Phoenix (Single Edit, 6:57 minutes)

Tracks 6 and 5 (note order) are the A&B-sides of a US 7" single released July 1969 on Enterprise ENA-9003 and October 1969 UK 45 on Stax Records STAX 133 with the sides reverse ("Walk On By" as the A)

The 12-page colour booklet sports typically informative and affectionate liner notes from long-time R&B and Soul writer BILL DAHL including archived interviews with one of the LP's principal producers Marvell Thomas (other contributors include Audio Engineers Terry Manning, Ed Wolfrum, Ralph and Russ Terrana). There's a few photos of the main man including a colour centre-spread shot of him receiving another Gold Disc from some label lady - her grin equalling his period sassy clothes (dig the duds baby). But the big news is a 24-bit Remaster by BOB FISHER at Pacific Multimedia and its sounds so good. The fuzz guitar solo on "Walk On By" – his voice to the fore – the string arrangements as they kick in – all are really good. For sure the age of the tapes and the speed at which the album was put down shows in some severe separating – but it’s a lively remaster – air around all of it – allowed to breathe. Let's get to the music...

The stories that surround this record are legend. Stax and Enterprise Records Producer Al Bell is on a plane to Jamaica and apparently sees an advert in an inflight mag about some sexy ‘hot buttered rum’ that awaits him when he lands. And the canny boy thinks – um – with a bit of word switch-er-roo – there’s an even sexier album title. Written by Jimmy Webb and of course made a huge hit by Glen Campbell over on Capitol Records, Hayes was more than enamoured with how Campbell arranged the song and had already begun to unravel it at live shows, practising and honing his spoken monologue before the groove kicked in. But in the studio as they recorded nineteen minutes of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" – Hayes pressing down one organ note and rapping the story intro – drummer Willie Hall had only a cymbal to tap (ding ding) and keep time. But nearly 10 minutes in and piano-player Marvell Thomas sees him catch his eye – something’s wrong. Hall the Drummer has cramp, so up pops Thomas, takes the stick and apparently without missing a beat, takes over while allowing Willie Hall to massage his hurting arm back to playing shape. Didn’t miss a beat and its on the tape!

The band was the re-made Bar Kays (after the fatal plane crash that killed most of them and Otis Redding) – with original member JAMES ALEXANDER on Bass, newcomers MICHAEL TOLES on Guitar and WILLIE HALL on Drums. Isaac of course sang and played organ/piano with co-producer MARVELL THOMAS also contributing piano. The three backing singers were Saxophonist CHARLIE CHALMERS, his soon to be wife SANDRA RHODES and her sister Donna. In fact it was Charlie Chalmers and Sandra Rhodes who gifted the lovely yet sensual "One Woman" to the sessions. It had already be covered by Al Green on his "Green Is Blues" LP and issued in June 1969 (a month before the HBS LP hit the shops) as a Hi Records 45 for Green (Hi 2164). The fourth tune is a 34-character long tune about bravado and hubris called "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic" which itself is a misspelling on the artwork – the mistic should read nistic – as sung by the trio throughout its funky bass-driven groove.

Revolutionary for the day, I would agree however with many critics who regularly throw up the word indulgence as being one of the albums downfalls. Both the centrepieces – a cover of the Bacharach/David song "Walk On By" (made a hit by Dionne Warwick in 1964 on Scepter records) and the cover of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" (already discussed) seriously test your patience in 2019. In fact I’ve often edited on computer "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" to play from after 09:30 minutes to the end to avoid the monologue. And the single edits possibly only go to proving their argument. But that doesn’t stop the whole LP from feeling like magnificence to me – a record that is and was artistically pushing it when so many would have played safe.

"Hot Buttered Soul" is obviously of its time – but man what a time it was. And to think that it still sounds sexy a full 50 years after the event is ample testament to its seductive brilliance. Take it for what it is brother, but take it – damn right!