“Is This What You Want?” by JACKIE LOMAX (October 2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Rolls Royce...Does It Make You Happy?"

Despite "Sour Milk Sea" being written by George Harrison at a time when all-things-Beatles was at an-all-time fever pitch – Jackie Lomax's debut album on their Apple Label has never really raised the goose bumps on collector’s arms (or the public’s interest - his next albums on Warner Brothers were the same despite some quality tracks). But on rehearing this 1969 opening salvo – there is much to enjoy here. One of 14 Apple Label albums Remastered and Reissued on 20 October 2010 - here are the questionable details...

Using the Stereo Mix of the album – the October 2010 Expanded Edition CD Remaster of "Is That What You Want?" by JACKIE LOMAX [featuring Eric Clapton, Nick Hopkins, Tony Newman, Madeline Bell and Doris Troy] on Apple 5099990825521 (Barcode the same) breaks down as follows (60:09 minutes):

1. Speak To Me

2. Is This What You Want?

3. How Can You Say Goodbye

4. Sunset

5. Sour Milk Sea

6. Fall Inside Your Eyes

7. Little Yellow Pills [Side 2]

8. Take My Word

9. The Eagle Laughs At You

10. Baby You’re A Lover

11. You’ve Got Me Thinking

12. I Just Don’t know

Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "Is That What You Want?" released 14 March 1969 on Apple APCOR 6 (Mono) and Apple SAPCOR 6 (Stereo) in the UK and on Apple ST-3354 in the USA (Stereo only).

BONUS TRACKS:

13. New Day

14. Thumbin’ A Ride

15. How The Web Was Woven

16. You’ve Got To Be Strong

17. You Make It With Me

18. Can You Hear Me

Tracks 13 to 15 were the 3 bonus tracks given with the 1991 reissue while 16 to 18 are previously unreleased and exclusive to this 2010 version. There are also 5 more extra tracks available via Digital Download from iTunes or Amazon as an extra payment (see either site for details).

Using both album and bonus tracks, this CD will allow fans to sequence his 3 Apple UK 7" singles as follows: 

1. "Sour Milk Sea" b/w "The Eagle Laughs At You" [Tracks 5 and 9]

(Released 31 August 1968 in the UK on Apple APPLE 3)

2. "New Day" b/w "Fall Inside Your Eyes" [Tracks 13 and 6]

(Released 2 May 1969 in the UK on Apple APPLE 11; the A-side is a non-album track and is a MONO mix)

3. "How The Web Was Woven" b/w Thumbin' A Ride [Tracks 15 and 14]

(Released 6 February 1970 in the UK on Apple APPLE 23. Both sides are cover versions, the A-side by Clive Westlake and David Most while the B is a Coasters song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It is also the only single on the Apple catalogue produced by a Beatle on each side - George Harrison on the A and Paul McCartney on the B. Both songs were non-album at the time of release)

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:

Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy booklet (they all appear to be this generic length - 12 pages - EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty black and white photos of Lomax in Hyde Park in 1969 (two more adorn the inner gatefold) - and colour portraits of Jackie with George Harrison and Paul McCartney in the studio.  It's cute, but you do wish there was more...

PLAYERS/CONTENT:

Like so many of the sessions of the time, the recordings included three of The Beatles and many famous and talented friends - George played Guitar, Ringo was on Drums, Paul McCartney and Klaus Voormann contributed Bass - others musicians included ERIC CLAPTON on Guitar, NICKY HOPKINS on Keyboards and TONY NEWMAN of Sounds Incorporated on Drums. Although the liner notes don't state it - the backing vocals are probably DORIS TROY and MADELINE BELL. Excepting "Sour Milk Sea" (written by George Harrison) - the other 11 tracks on the album are Jackie Lomax originals.

SOUND:

The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters has done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. The audio quality is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. It also makes you reassess a lot of the songs and especially the musicianship involved.

The album opens strongly with "Speak To Me" - strings, vocals, guitars - all sounding great. It's followed by the 'possessions are corrupting' title song (lyrics above) with a lovely Oboe floating over the loaded lyrics. In fact a lot of the album reflects a thinking-man's Rock 'n' Roller - "Little Yellow Pills" warning against doctor's helpful prescriptions and the plaintive album finisher "I Just Don't Know" ruminating about chasing dreams and girls - neither of which appear attainable to the dapper Jackie. Some of the slower songs don't work for me - a little forced and even twee in places - "Fall Inside Your Eyes" and "Baby You're A Lover"

But like the other issues in this series, the best is kept until last. What the 3 new bonus tracks lack in recorded finesse are more than made up for with heart and raw talent - "You Got To Be Strong" and "Can You Hear Me" are co-written with fellow label mate DORIS TROY - and they're excellent. Sort of hybrid Soul-meets-Rock songs, they suit his guttural vocals so well.  "Can You Hear Me" is even moving in a slightly Northern Soul way - a truly lovely melody.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). These are minor points I know but worth making...

Lomax went on to make "Home Is In My Head" and "Three" for Warner Brothers in 1971 and 1972 (both of which featured ace UK slide-guitarist Bryn Haworth - they've been reissued by Rhino with extra tracks) - but this forgotten and underrated album is where it all started proper.

Recommended - especially given the massive improvement in sound quality and those excellent bonus tracks…

“Doris Troy” by DORIS TROY. A Review Of Her Sole Album For The Beatles Apple Label In 1970 – Now Reissued Onto A 2010 Extended CD.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…Every Time I See You…You Keep On Coming On Strong…"

Monday 25 October 2010 has seen 14 of the 'Apple' label albums remastered and reissued in the UK alongside "Come And Get It" - a first-time-ever label 'Best Of'. This reissue is one of them.

Apple 5099990824326 breaks down as follows (65:07 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 13 are the LP "Doris Troy" released 4 September 1970 in the UK on Apple SAPCOR 13 (Stereo only) and on Apple ST-3371 in the USA. It was her only solo album for The Beatles label, but she also sang and co-wrote many songs on Billy Preston's two Apple albums - "That's The Way God Planned It" (1969) and "Encouraging Words" (1970) - see separate reviews.

Tracks 14 to 18 are the 5 bonus tracks on the 1992 reissue:
"All That I've Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" (14) is co-written with Billy Preston. The song was his 3rd single on Apple in January 1970 (APPLE 21) - this is a different funkier take.
"Get Back" (15) is a soulful cover of The Beatles classic. It turned up as the non-album B-side to Doris Troy's 2nd single "Jacob's Ladder" issued 28 August 1970 on APPLE 28 in the UK.
"Dearest Darling" and "What You Will Blues" (16 and 17) are Doris Troy originals - outtakes from the sessions first issued as bonuses on the 1992 reissue. "What You Will Blues" is essentially an instrumental version of "Give Me Back My Dynamite" with some extra wordless ad-lib vocals.
"Vaya Con Dias" (18) is a mid-Fifties song first covered by Les Paul and Mary Ford, then Chuck Berry in the Sixties and others. It translates into "Go With God" and was the non-album B-side to her 1st single "Ain't That Cute" issued 13 February 1970 on APPLE 24 (co-produced be George Harrison).

Track 19 is a new bonus for this 2010 issue - a previously unreleased `Alternate Version' of "All That I've Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)".

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:
Noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS does the new liner notes for the disappointingly weedy booklet (they all appear to be this generic length - 12 pages - EMI pushes the boat out again people). But with what little text he has been afforded, Davis does at least fill it with properly informative details - and it's peppered with some very tasty black and white photos of Doris, Stephen Stills and George all in the studio - with colour portraits of Doris solo and live with Billy Preston at the piano. It's cute, but you do wish there was more...

CONTENT:
Two are co-written with GEORGE HARRISON - "Ain't That Cute" and "Give Me Back My Dynamite" while "Gonna Get My Baby Back" and "You Give Me Joy Joy" are shared songwriting-credits with Harrison and two other famous fans of Doris - RINGO STARR and STEPHEN STILLS. Cover versions include "Special Care" (a Stephen Stills song from his Buffalo Springfield days), "Games People Play" (Joe South), "Exactly Like You" (a 1930's Jazz Standard written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields and brought to fame by The Ames Brothers) and "Jacob's Ladder" (a Traditional air arranged by George Harrison & Doris). "You Tore Me Up Inside" and "Don't Call Me No More" are co-written with New York blues guitarist RAY SCHINNERY and "I've Got To Be Strong" is with fellow label mate JACKIE LOMAX. The last two collaborations are "Hurry" with GREGORY CARROLL and "So Far" with bassist KLAUS VOORMAN (appeared on "Revolver"). Doris produced the whole album except "Ain't That Cute" which was done by George.

PLAYERS:
Like so many of the sessions of the time, the recordings included some of The Beatles and many famous and talented friends - George played Guitar, Ringo on Drums, Klaus Voormann did the Bass with Stephen Stills, PETER FRAMPTON, ERIC CLAPTON and DELANEY BRAMLETT all on Guitar. BILLY PRESTON added keyboards - and although it doesn't say it - MADELINE BELL is probably on backing vocals too.

Unlike some of the other Apple issues, there are no extra tracks via download. But the really big news is the SOUND...

SOUND:
The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters have done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. The audio quality is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. It also makes you reassess a lot of the songs and especially the musicianship involved.

The drums on "Give Me Back My Dynamite" (lyrics above) and the combined guitar licks on "You Tore Me Up Inside" (so Staple Singers on Stax) are nice and clear. The guitar and brass on "I've Got To Be Strong" are suddenly huge - great whack, but the strings on the orchestral "So Far" still seem too distant. Still, it's a lovely song and it features "you hurt me so" impassioned vocals. It's probably the nicest song on here and easy to see Doris wanted to work with Voormann more - a killer combination of his melodic rock with her Diva Soul. It all ends in the 'praise the Lord' bombast of "Jacob's Ladder" complete with spoken studio dialogue after the song finishes...

Issued 4 September 1970 - a week before Billy Preston's equally brilliant "Encouraging Words" on the 11th - both albums can be mentioned in the same breath because they were very confident soulful affairs - and must have made fans think that these white English guys at Apple were catalysts supreme. Two crackers in the same month...

But you could say that the best is kept until last - the new 'Alternate Version' of "All That I've Got (I'm Gonna Give It To You)" is a gem.
The version on Track 14 is a Piano led take (which is pretty), but this is a Funkier Guitar take and is a lot better for it. Like the previously unreleased from-the-vaults tunes on both Billy Preston CD reissues - this is that genuine rarity - a must-have bonus track.

Niggles - the gatefold card sleeve is nice to look at for sure, but the booklet and overall packaging feel lightweight (what EMI could get away with). The CD should have one of those gauze inner bags to protect it - a problem that no record company seems to want to acknowledge (scuffing and damage). They're minor points I know, but worth making...

To sum up - like the two Preston albums she was involved with in 1969 and 1970, I've loved rehearing this forgotten peach of an LP in this hugely improved sound quality - Seventies Soul lovers 'need' to discover this great record.

A brilliant reissue and recommended big time.

"James Taylor" by JAMES TAYLOR (2010 Apple 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster In Gatefold Card Repro Artwork) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

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"…In My Mind…I'm Going To Carolina…"

In 2008 I reviewed a reissue CD on Rhino called "The Circle Game" by American singer-songwriter-catalyst TOM RUSH. The original LP was issued in the USA on Elektra Records in 1968 - and apart from two original compositions from Rush - the album subsequently became famous for introducing 3 new writers and their extraordinary songs to the world (all on the same album) - Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and JAMES TAYLOR.

Bolstered by his need to capitalise on this modest success - Taylor arrived in London in March 1968 - was signed to The Beatles 'Apple' label within weeks - recorded his songs between June and October 1968 and then saw his own self-titled debut LP released in December of that fateful year.

This UK CD is an 'Expanded Edition' of that 1968 "James Taylor" debut album - one of 14 Apple Label albums remastered and reissued on 25 October 2010. 

Apple 5099990581120 comes in a card digipak (Barcode is also 5099990581120) and breaks down as follows (51:09 minutes):

1. Don't Talk Now

2. Something's Wrong

3. Knocking 'Round The Zoo

4. Sunshine Sunshine

5. Taking It In

6. Something In The Way She Moves [Side 2]

7. Carolina In My Mind

8. Brighten Your Night With My Day

9. Night Owl

10. Rainy Day Man

11. Circle Around The Sun

12. The Blues Is Just A Bad Dream

Tracks 1 to 12 are the LP "James Taylor" released 6 December 1968 in the UK on Apple APCOR 3 (Mono)/SAPCOR 3 (Stereo) and on Apple SKAO-3352 in early 1969 in the USA (STEREO Mix Used on the CD).

Tracks 13 to 16 are FOUR PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DEMOS - bonus tracks new to this 2010 issue (there were none on the 1991 reissue):

13 and 14 - ”Sunny Skies" and "Let Me Ride" were recorded in Los Angeles in early 1969 with Danny Kortchmar on Guitars, Charlie Larkey on Bass and Bishop O'Brien on Drums.

15 and 16 - “Sunshine Sunshine" and "Carolina In My Mind" were recorded in London in the Summer of 1968 as MONO Solo Acoustic Demos.

"Sunshine Sunshine" was one of the tracks that appeared on the Tom Rush album - "Something In The Way She Moves" was the other. "Sunny Skies" was re-recorded for the "Sweet Baby James" album in 1970, while a longer version of "Let It Ride" turned on "Mud Slide Slim & The Blue Horizon" LP in 1971.

"Something In The Way She Moves" was covered by Matthews Southern Comfort on their "Second Spring" album in 1970 (a lovely version) - while Taylor famously returned to "Something..." and "Carolina..." with re-recorded versions on his 1976 "Greatest Hits" set for Columbia Records (these versions are truly beautiful and better known than the Apple originals).

BOOKLET/PACKAGING:

The liner notes are split in two - PETER ASHER explains Taylor's signing and how the album came about - while noted writer and music lover ANDY DAVIS follows this with very informational details on the songs and their history. Unfortunately, like all the other reissues in this series, the booklet is a disappointingly weedy 12-pages (EMI pushes the boat out again people). Having said that, both men do at least fill it with properly informative details, trade adverts, colour photos of a young Taylor and even an 'Internal Memo' from Asher to the US branch of Apple telling them to sign their new discovery. The playing credits are on the last page. Also - when the album was issued in the UK, it originally came with 'orange' lettering on the front cover which was then replaced with 'black' lettering on 1970 represses - the outer digipak has 'black' while the booklet 'orange' - a nice nod towards both issues. The MONO mix of the album is nowhere to be seen and not available as an extra download (nor are any other tracks).

SOUND:

The same team that handled the much-praised 09/09/09 Beatles remasters have done this - GUY MASSEY, STEVE ROOKES, PHIL HICKS and SIMON GIBSON. The audio quality is BEAUTIFUL - a massive improvement. I wish I could say the same of the music...

CONTENT:

As much as I love James Taylor's Warner Brothers albums (who doesn't), this 1968 debut is not great. First is the way it's presented - before each tune is a short musical ditty which flows into the song itself, but mostly it doesn't work - and worse - detracts from the music. Then the song itself is overdone. How to describe this - imagine someone taking one of the quieter acoustic songs off "Tea For A Tillerman" by Cat Stevens or Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" and preceding it with a English choral ditty that doesn't match the track (you can't cue up the beginning of the song because of it). Then it gets funked-up halfway through with brass and heavy-handed drum bits to make it a pop hit - you get the idea. They're not all like this of course ("Something's Wrong" is preceded by "Green Leaves" and is good), but most of the others are ruined with this lead-in gimmick and then an overloaded track.

It's easy of course to point the finger of blame 42 years after the event - Apple were trying to make a commercially viable album at the time (Asher mentions 'over-production' in the liner notes). But had Taylor been left alone or recorded in the States - how different things might have been. As it is, what we do get is a glimpse of that greatness in the shockingly good bonus tracks (two with a band, two alone) - especially the beautifully recorded acoustic demos of "Carolina In My Mind" and "Sunshine Sunshine". The tone of his voice is so sweet - and already he had his 'own' sound that is still recognizable to this day. A whole album of these pared-down band/solo numbers and Apple's belief in him as a 'major' songwriting force would have vindicated ten-fold.

To sum up - the improved sound quality will thrill fans and the bonus tracks are exactly that - bonuses. But "James Taylor" is on the way towards "Sweet Baby James" and "Mud Slide Slim..." and it would take a different country and label to get there...

A nice reissue then - but in a three-star kind of way.

PS: see also my reviews for other releases in this October 2010 series

"That's The Way God Planned It" (1969) and "Encouraging Words" (1970) by Billy Preston, "Doris Troy" (1970), "Is This What You Want?" (1969) by Jackie Lomax, "Magic Christian Music" (1969), "No Dice" (1970), "Straight Up" (1972) and "Ass" (1973) by Badfinger