“Frankie Miller …That’s Who! The Complete Chrysalis Recordings (1973-1980)” by FRANKIE MILLER (May 2011 EMI/Chrysalis 4CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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This Review and Many Others Like It Are In My E-Book...

"…Be Good To Yourself…Be True To One Another…"

Most Frankie Miller fans have despaired of seeing their hero’s output on a decent CD retrospective – well all of that ends with this superb EMI mini-box set which puts 7 albums (plus 1 remixed version) and 3 single sides onto 4CDs – and all of it with great remastered sound. There’s a lot on here, so let’s get to the details first…

UK released May 2011 (re-issued 14 September 2018) - "Frankie Miller…That's Who! The Complete Chrysalis Recordings (1973-1980)" by FRANKIE MILLER on EMI/Chrysalis 50999909777125 (Barcode 5099909777125) is a 4CD Set of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (69:18 minutes):

1. You Don't Need To Laugh

2. I Can't Change It

3. Candlelight Sonata in F Major

4. Ann Eliza Jane

5. It's All Over

6. In No Resistance

7. After All (Live My Life)

8. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues

9. Mail Box

10. I’m Ready

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut album “Once In A Blue Moon” released January 1973 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1036

11. High Life

12. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)

13. Trouble

14. A Fool

15. Little Angel

16. With You In Mind

17. The Devil Gun

18. I'll Take A Melody

19. Just A Song

20. Shoo-Rah

21. I'm Falling In Love Again

22. With You In Mind

Tracks 11 to 22 are his 2^nd studio album “High Life” released January 1974 in the UK and USA on Chrysalis CHR 1052

Disc 2 (78:52 minutes):

1. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)

2. Trouble

3. Little Angel

4. With You In Mind

5. I'll Take A Melody

6. High Life (Filler)

7. Shoorah Shoorah

8. Devil's Gun

9. A Day In The Life Of A Fool

10. I'm Falling In Love Again

11. Just A Song

Tracks 1 to 11 are “High Life – The Original Mix” – this is a previously unreleased version of the album with the running order re-arranged

12. A Fool In Love

13. The Heartbreak

14. The Rock

15. I Know Why the Sun Don't Shine

16. Hard On The Levee

17. Ain't Got No Money

18. All My Love To You

19. I'm Old Enough

20. Bridgeton

21. Drunken Nights In The City

Tracks 12 to 21 are his 3^rd studio album “The Rock” released September 1975 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1088

Disc 3 (78:26 minutes):

Tracks 1 and 2 are “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever” and “I’m Old Enough”, the A & edited B-side of an August 1976 UK 7” single on Chrysalis CHS 2103 [Previously Unavailable on CD]

3. Be Good To Yourself

4. The Doodle Song

5. Jealous Guy

6. Searching

7. Love Letters

8. Take Good Care Of Yourself

9. Down The Honky Tonk

10. This Love Of Mine

11. Let The Candlelight Shine

12. (I'll Never) Live In Vain

Tracks 3 to 12 are his 4^th studio album “Full House” released August 1977 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1128

13. Have You Seen Me Lately Joan

14. Double Heart Trouble

15. The Train

16. You'll Be In My Mind

17. Good Time Love

18. Love Waves

19. (I Can't) Break Away

20. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow

21. Love Is All Around

22. Goodnight Sweetheart

Tracks 13 to 22 are his 5^th studio album “Double Trouble” released April 1978 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1174

Disc 4 (76:40 minutes):

1. When I'm Away From You

2. Is This Love

3. If I Can Love Somebody

4. Darlin'

5. And It's Your Love

6. A Woman To Love

7. Falling In Love With You

8. Every Time A Teardrop Falls

9. Papa Don't Know

10. Good To See You

11. Something About You

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 6^th studio album “Falling In Love” released January 1979 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1220 (it was called “A Perfect Fit” in the USA)

12. Easy Money

13. The Woman In You

14. Why Don't You Spend The Night

15. So Young, So Young

16. Forget About Me

17. Heartbreak Radio

18. Cheap...Thrills

19. No Chance

20. Gimme Love

21. Tears

Tracks 12 to 21 are his 7^th studio album “Easy Money” released July 1980 in the UK and the USA on Chrysalis CHR 1268

Track 22 is “Sail Away” (a Randy Newman cover) and a non-album B-side to the November 1977 UK 4-Track 7” EP “Alveric’s Elfland Journey” [Previously Unavailable on CD]

The 8-page booklet is a fairly functionary affair with a small history of the albums taken from a 1998 Documentary for BBC Scotland. It gives a track-by-track list and pictures some album covers and rare European 7” picture sleeves. A nice touch is that Discs 1 and 2 are coloured with the Green Chrysalis label while 3 and 4 are Blue - reflecting the original vinyl issues. Beneath the two see-through CD trays are pictures of each album with the production credits below the picture. It’s good, but hardly great. But the real deal lies in the AUDIO…

After years of budget label compilations, the remastered sound quality comes as a genuine shock – done by ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM at EMI – it’s full, warm and at last the music has the muscle its always deserved. The material itself (mostly self-penned) isn’t all genius of course, but when this Glaswegian was good – he was the absolute business. And like many rockers, he had loveliness in his ballads too, which in turn inspired cover versions from people as diverse as Cher, UFO and Ray Charles.

With regard to the remaster the opening plaintive double of “You Don’t Need To Laugh” and “I Can’t Change It” from “Once In A Blue Moon” are good examples – the backing band is BRINSLEY SCHWARZ featuring Ian Gomm and Nick Lowe - and suddenly the piano, the acoustic guitars and even the backing girly vocals are all clear and alive. It’s not loud for the sake of it - just present – a treat to listen to.

His 2^nd album “High Life” was originally produced by New Orleans R’n’B genius ALLEN TOUSSAINT (who also wrote many of the tunes), but without his or Miller’s permission it was remixed before release – hence it’s on here twice – the released mix and now the previously unreleased original version. One of my favourites is “A Fool” – the new version brings the guitars, percussion and brass solo to the front more and also lessens the hiss levels that were on the released version. “Trouble” is really clear too – it’s fantastically well done.

1975’s “The Rock” benefited from the production values of Elliot Mazer (Neil Young and Joni Mitchell) with the songs featuring brass on almost every track with that rock backbeat. Two of my personal favourites are the driving boogie of “Hard On The Levee” and the epic Otis Redding type ballad “All My Love To You” (poignant lyrics given his later incapacity and his wife’s devotion to his recovery).

A polished production by Chris Thomas (Sex Pistols, Roxy Music, Pink Floyd) on 1977’s “Full House” made it his most commercial release and for me features one his best tracks - the truly fantastic “Be Good To Yourself”. Written by Free’s Andy Fraser, it epitomises what fans love most about Miller - a top tune fronted by a great voice – an uplifting gem that hasn’t dated a jot (lyrics above). His cover of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” is soulful and full on, but his speeding up of Ketty Lester’s “Love Letters” is less successful. “This Love Of Mine” is a soulful brass-driven Stax Records kind of ballad co-written with ace guitarist Robin Trower and is another highlight. Proceedings were also graced with Chris Spedding, Gary Brooker, John “Rabbit” Bundrick and the brass of The Memphis Horns.

1978’s “Double Trouble” featured a guest backing vocals from Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler as well as songwriting collaborations with Paul Carrack on 5 songs (Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, solo career) and a rocking Free-sounding “Double Heart Trouble” not surprisingly written by Andy Fraser. 1979’s “Falling In Love” (titled “A Perfect Fit” for its American release) features Frankie’s biggest hit single “Darlin’”, but like 1980’s “Easy Money” it all becomes a bit run-of-the-mill – too many average cover versions. The ballad “Good To See You” and the rollicking “Heartbreak Radio” are good though.

Name-checked by Rod Stewart, Phil Lynott, Bob Seger, Joe Walsh, Kid Rock and too many others to mention – Frankie Miller was possessed of a voice and a way with a song that literally engendered hero worship – and this huge remastered haul finally does his criminally forgotten recorded legacy proper justice.

Like Terry Reid, Long John Baldry, John Martyn and Maggie Bell – this great singer will always be held in genuine affection...

The HOT WAX Record Label - UK 7” SINGLES DISCOGRAPHY (1970 to 1973)

The HOT WAX Record Label - UK 7” SINGLES DISCOGRAPHY
(Soul and Funk Music - Holland-Dozier-Holland involvement)
Compiled May 2011 by MARK BARRY

Titles, Catalogue Numbers, Release Dates etc...
Taken from EMI Catalogues 1971 - 1974
(EMI distributed Hot Wax and Invictus Records in the UK)

RELEASE DATE ORDER:
1. “Westbound No. 9” b/w “Why Don’t You Stay” – THE FLAMING EMBER
October 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 101

2. “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” b/w “I’ve Come To Save You” – 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL
November 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 102
[Reissued on HWX 108 in Aug 1971]

3. “While You’ve Been Out Looking For Sugar” b/w “The Feeling’s Gone” – THE HONEY CONE
November 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 103

4. “I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper” b/w “Mind, Body And Soul” – THE FLAMING EMBER
February 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 104

5. “Girls It Ain’t Easy” b/w “Take Me With You” - THE HONEY CONE
March 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 105

6. “Shades Of Green” b/w “Stop The World And Let Me Off” – THE FLAMING EMBER
April 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 106

7. “Want Ads” b/w “We Belong Together” – THE HONEY CONE
May 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 107

8. “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” b/w “I’ve Come To Save You” – 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL
August 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 108 [Reissue of HWX 102]

9. “Take Me With You” b/w “ Deaf, Blind And Paralysed” – HONEY CONE
October 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 109

10. “Frightened Girl” b/w “Colours Of My Love” – SILENT MAJORITY
October 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 110

11. “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” b/w “Stick-Up” – HONEY CONE
February 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 111

12. “The Day I Found Myself” b/w “When Will It End” – HONEY CONE
April 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 112

13. “Everything Good Is Bad” b/w “I’d Rather Fight Than Switch” – 100 PROOF
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 113

14. “Love Machine” b/w “Free You Mind” – THE POLITICIANS
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 114

15. “Rip Off’ b/w “Two Lovely Pillows” – LAURA LEE
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 115

16. “Sittin’ On A Time Bomb” b/w “It’s Better To Have Loved And Lost” – HONEY CONE
September 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 116

17. “The Empty Crowded Room” b/w “If It’s Good To You (It’s Good For You (Instrumental)”– FLAMING EMBER
29 September 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 117

18. “Wedlock Is A Padlock” b/w “Since I Fell For You” – LAURA LEE
January 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 118

19. “You’ve Got To Save Me” b/w “Crumbs Off The Table” – LAURA LEE
May 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 119

20. “Never My Love” b/w "Since You Been Gone” – 100 PROOF
September 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 120


----------------------------------------------------------------


ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
1. FLAMING EMBER - “The Empty Crowded Room” b/w “If It’s Good To You (It’s Good For You) (Instrumental)”
September 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 115

2. THE FLAMING EMBER - “I’m Not My Brother’s Keeper” b/w “Mind, Body And Soul”
February 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 104

3. THE FLAMING EMBER - “Shades Of Green” b/w “Stop The World And Let Me Off”
April 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 106

4. THE FLAMING EMBER – “Westbound No. 9” b/w “Why Don’t You Stay”
October 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 101

5. HONEY CONE - “The Day I Found Myself” b/w “When Will It End”
April 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 112

6. THE HONEY CONE – “Girls It Ain’t Easy” b/w “Take Me With You”
March 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 105

7. HONEY CONE - “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show” b/w “Stick-Up”
February 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 111

8. HONEY CONE - “Sittin’ On A Time Bomb” b/w “It’s Better To Have Loved And Lost”
September 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 116

9. THE HONEY CONE - “Take Me With You” b/w “ Deaf, Blind And Paralysed”
October 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 109

10. THE HONEY CONE - “Want Ads” b/w “We Belong Together”
May 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 107

11. THE HONEY CONE - “While You’ve Been Out Looking For Sugar” b/w “The Feeling’s Gone”
November 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 103

12. LAURA LEE - “Rip Off’ b/w “Two Lovely Pillows”
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 115

13. LAURA LEE - “Wedlock Is A Padlock” b/w “Since I Fell For You”
January 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 118

14. LAURA LEE – “You’ve Got To Save Me” b/w “Crumbs Off The Table”
May 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 119

15. 100 PROOF - “Everything Good Is Bad” b/w “I’d Rather Fight Than Switch”
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 113

16. 100 PROOF - “Never My Love” b/w Since You Been Gone”
September 1973 on Hot Wax HWX 120

17. 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL - “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” b/w “I’ve Come To Save You”
November 1970 on Hot Wax HWX 102 [Reissued on HWX 108 in Aug 1971]

18. 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL - “Somebody’s Been Sleeping” b/w “I’ve Come To Save You”
August 1971 on Hot Wax 108 [Reissue of HWX 102]

19. THE POLITICIANS - “Love Machine” b/w “Free You Mind”
June 1972 on Hot Wax HWX 114

20. SILENT MAJORITY - “Frightened Girl” b/w “Colours Of My Love”
October 1971 on Hot Wax HWX 110

“Johnny Rocks” by JOHNNY BURNETTE. A Review Of The 2008 Bear Family CD Compilation.

"…C'mon Little Baby…Let’s Tear That Dancefloor Up…"

As you can see from the list at the bottom of this review, in 2011 Bear Family’s “Rocks” series is by now fairly extensive and still growing (Big Joe Turner was added in March 2011). This is one of those titles – and it’s a jewel in the crown of this definitive series.

Issued September 2008, "Johnny Rocks” is on Bear Family BCD 16992 AR and features 36-recordings from 1958 to 1960 (76:05 minutes). Like all titles in this series it’s housed in a 3-way foldout card digipak which holds a detachable 44-page oversized booklet in the centre. The CD itself and see-through tray beneath it picture his “Tear It Up” Coral 45 from 1956 (a nice touch – lyrics above) while the detailed and affectionate liner notes are by noted musicologist COLIN ESCOTT. There are lots of black and white photos, tape boxes pictured, and a full discography for the set by RUSS WAPENSKY and Bear Family’s own RICHARD WEIZE on Pages 33 to 40. There’s even a lovely colour reproduction of the Alan Freed "Rock Rock Rock!" film poster from 1956 on Page 14 – it name-checked Johnny’s band because the movie featured . It’s a typically great job done.

1. The Train Kept A-Rollin'
2. Tear It Up
3. Oh Baby Babe
4. All by Myself
5. Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
6. Honey Hush
7. Lonesome Tears in My Eyes
8. Please Don't Leave Me
9. Rock Therapy
10. Rock Billy Boogie
11. Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track)
12. Sweet Love on My Mind
13. Your Baby Blue Eyes
14. If You Want It Enough
15. Butterfingers
16. Eager Beaver Baby
17. Warm Love
18. Come on Baby
19. Boppin' Rosalie
20. My Little Baby Came Rockin'
21. Do Baby Do
22. Lizzy Dee
23. My Honey
24. Rock Away Baby
25. Sweet Baby Doll
26. Boppin' Rock
27. Kiss Me
28. We're Gonna Rock It
29. Me and the Bear
30. Little Girl (Aka Kiss Me Sweet)
31. Crazy Legs
32. Mule Boy
33. Bertha Lou
34. You Gotta Get Ready
35. Wampus Cat
36. Cincinnati Fireball

Some artists in the Rock 'n' Roll period engender extraordinarily loyalty and affection – Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent and Little Richard of course – why – because they were the real deal. Memphis-born Johnny Burnette and his storming band are the same. You ‘re only 3 or 4 tunes into this superb CD and it’s easy to hear why – this guy rocked. It was a smart move on the part of Bear to include almost all of his most famous platter – the incendiary debut album “Johnny Burnette And The Rock ‘N Roll Trio”. It was issued as an 11-track 10” LP in the UK (a hugely sought-after vinyl rarity) while the booklet quite properly references the 12-track US original on Coral. It encapsulates why Rock 'n' Roll so grabbed the kids by the scruff of the neck – exciting, dangerous and terrifying to their parents. “The Train Kept A-Rollin’” is typical of his Rock 'n' Roll output – slap bass, frantic guitar, ragged vocals at one-hundred miles an hour with intermittent shouts - while “Tear It Up” is pure Rockabilly genius (lyrics above). So good…

Musically it breaks down like this - 9 of the 12 tracks on his December 1956 US debut LP – the explosive “Johnny Burnette And The Rock ‘N Roll Trio” are on here - with a further 6 from the 12-track “Tear It Up” compilation from 1969 issued in the UK on Coral CP 10 which mopped up the rare American Coral single sides. Tracks 18 to 24 are roughly Imperial and Freedom label US 45’s - while 26 to 36 are “Demo Recordings” from varying dates all of which appeared for the first time on the 9CD Bear Family Box Set “The Train Kept A-Rollin’ – Memphis To Hollywood” in 2003. The lone track from his 2nd album proper – 1961’s “Dreamin’” is “Cincinnati Fireball” - while there are some other tracks from posthumous compilations like “Tear It Up” on Solid Smoke SS 8001 in 1978 (USA) and “Johnny Burnette Rock ‘N” Roll” in 1983 on Skyline 1254 (USA).

The remasters are done by one of Bear’s top engineers – JURGEN CRASSER. I’ve raved about this guy’s work before – the 16 Volumes of the "Blowing The Fuse" series (1945 to 1960) and the 10 Volume of the "Sweet Soul Music" series (1961 to 1970). It’s the same here – warm, full of life, rockin' – just great sound quality.

To sum up – as a one-stop for this man’s great music, “Johnny Rocks” is all you need. I’m gonna save up now for their “Train Kept A-Rollin’” Box set.

Wonderful stuff and warmly recommended.

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Pat Boone
2. Johnny Burnette
3. The Cadillacs
4. Eddie Cochran
5. Bobby Darin
6. Fats Domino
7. Connie Francis
8. Don Gibson
9. Glen Glenn
10. Bill Haley
11. Roy Hall
12. Dale Hawkins
13. Ronnie Hawkins
14. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
15. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]
16. Sonny James
17. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids
18. Sleepy LaBeef
19. Jerry Lee Lewis
20. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]
21. Bob Luman
22. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers
23. Carl Mann
24. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]
25. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]
26. Ricky Nelson
27. Carl Perkins
28. Roy Orbison
29. Lloyd Price
30. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]
31. Charlie Rich
32. Jack Scott
33. Shirley & Lee
34. The Treniers
35. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]
36. Conway Twitty
37. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
38. Rusty York

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton
2. Marvin Rainwater
3. Marty Robbins Vol.1
4. Marty Robbins Vol.2
5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

"The Gospel Truth: The Gospel Soul And Funk Of Stax Records" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (August 2010 UK Ace Records/Beat Goes Public (BGP) CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 289 Others Is Available In My

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70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
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This cleverly put together set of 20 tracks is a tribute to one man – Alvertis Isbell – or Al Bell to you and I. Bell joined Stax Records in 1965 straight from two successful Radio shows in Washington and Memphis and would eventually own the label several years later. He had a passion for Gospel and its message of love and racial integration and saw the fusion of Soul and Gospel Music as an obvious and natural progression. 

After a few years of aborted attempts with 'Chalice' Records, he struck pop and message gold by signing The Staple Singers in the late Sixties. With them in tow and more label successes following, he formed the Stax offshoot label 'Gospel Truth' for the Seventies – which is where this CD compilation comes in…

Most tracks are culled from that label's rare and lesser-seen album catalogue issued between 1971 and 1976 (later edited down to just 'Truth' Records). There’s a lot of here that’s new to CD, so let’s get to the details first…

UK released 30 August 2010 - "The Gospel Truth: The Gospel And Funk Of Stax Records" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace/Beat Goes Public CDBGP 222 (Barcode 029667522229) is a CD Compilation of Remasters that breaks down as follows (78:01 minutes):

1. Son Of The Deacon – THE SONS OF TRUTH (from the 1973 USA LP "A Message From The Ghetto" on Gospel Truth GTS-2714)

2. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child – CLARENCE SMITH (from the 1973 USA LP "Whatever Happened To Love" on Gospel Truth GTS-2716)

3. Do Your Thing – THE MARION GAINES SINGERS (from the 1972 USA LP "This Too Is Gospel" on Gospel Truth GTS-2713)

4. We're Gonna Have A Good Time – JACQUI VERDELL (1972 USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1211, A-side)

5. Brand New Day (Theme From The United Artists Motion Picture "The Landlord") – THE STAPLE SINGERS (1970 USA 7" single on Stax STA-0074, A-Side)

6.  Talk That Talk (Part 1) – THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP (from the 1975 USA LP "A Soulful Experience" on Truth TRS-4207)

7. I Got The Vibes – JOSHIE JO ARMSTEAD (1973 USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1207, B-side of "Ride Out The Storm")

8. You Need A Friend Like Mine – ANNETTE THOMAS (1974 USA 7" single on Truth TRA-3208, B-side of "What Good Is A Song")

9. (There's Gonna Be A) Showdown – THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP (1972 USA 7” single on Gospel truth GTA-2014, A-Side)

10. Let Me Come Home – THE HOWARD LEMON SINGERS (from the 1973 album catalogued as "I Am Determined" on GTS-2724)

11.  It Will Soon Be Over – THE MARION GAINES SINGERS (from the 1972 USA LP "This Too Is Gospel" on Gospel Truth GTS-2713)

12. I Don't Know Where We’re Headed – THE SONS OF TRUTH (from the 1973 USA LP "A Message From The Ghetto" on Gospel Truth GTS-2714)

13. Better Get A Move On – LOUISE McCORD (from the 1972 USA LP "A Tribute To Mahalia Jackson" on Gospel Truth GTS-2711 – also issued as a USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1206)

14. When Will We Be Paid For The Work We Did – THE STAPLE SINGERS (1969 USA 7" single on Stax STA-0052, A-Side)

15. If The Shoe Fits, Wear It – THE 21st CENTURY (1973 USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1209)

16. Keep My Baby Warm – CHARLES MAY & ANNETTE MAY THOMAS (1973 USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1206, A-Side)

17. I'll Keep On Trying – CLARENCE SMITH from the 1973 USA LP "Whatever Happened To Love" on Gospel Truth GTS-2716)

18. Stumblin' Blocks, Steppin' Stones (What Took Me So Long) – JOSHIE JO ARMSTEAD (1973 USA 7" single on Gospel Truth GTA-1214, A-Side)

19. You Can't Stop Me Now – THE MARION GAINES SINGERS (from the 1972 USA LP "This Too Is Gospel" on Gospel Truth GTS-2713)

20. Name The Missing Word – THE STAPLE SINGERS (from the 1972 USA LP "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" on Stax STS-3002)

Compiled and annotated by Soul lover and expert DEAN RUDLAND, the 12-page booklet features full-colour plates of rarely seen album sleeves by Clarence White, The Marion Gaines Singers, The Rance Allen Group, The Howard Lemon Singers and Louise McLoud. There’s a couple of USA 45s pictured, a trade advert and a Bible on the cover with the BGP and Stax logos on it – nice! Excepting The Staple Singers, very few of these artists are household names, so Rudland’s researched and informative liner notes make for an enlightening read. NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London has once again done the remastering and a typically great job it is too – full of life and presence. He always seems to get a better sound than I have on other Stax CDs.

The material as you can imagine is as funky as it is righteous – great grooves, positive vibes and all of it imbibed with a feeling of black pride finally breaking through - what heady times they were. Highlights include the fuzzed-up guitar rhythms of the opener "Son Of The Deacon" which is cleverly followed by "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" a Traditional given a radical funky reworking. You’ll also notice from the total playing time that 20 tracks take up 78 minutes – this is because quite a few are over 5 minutes long – feeling like extended workouts (something a lot of listeners love).

A truly fantastic inclusion is the Isaac Hayes cover of "Do Your Thing" by The Marion Gaines Singers – a perfect marriage of soul, funk and gospel (..."better pray on"...). As writers - Gamble & Huff provide a typically Philly sound to Rance Allen’s high-vocal acrobatics on "(There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown". There’s almost a pre-disco feel to Joshie Jo Armstead’s lovely "I Got The Vibes" (she was a member of The Ikettes), while "You Need A Friend Like Mine" is written by another Stax label stalwart – Frederick Knight. Soul-songwriting heroine Bettye Crutcher (provided hits for William Bell, Carla Thomas, Johnnie Taylor and The Staple Singers among others) penned my favourite on here - "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord. It features irresistible funky guitar licks while her great vocals rap lyrical about a woman ditching a mistreating man in a very Marlena Shaw kind of a way – superlative stuff.

Charles May penned both his own "Keep My Baby Warm" and "If The Shoe Fits, Wear It" for The 21st Century – both are more soul than gospel – and are lovely additions. Not surprisingly The Staples Singers are featured three times – their excellent cover of Al Kooper's theme to "The Landlord" movie – “Brand New Day” (lyrics above). But as much as I adore the ground any of The Staple Singers walk on – “When Will We Be Paid…” has never been a rave of mine. Still - the set's closer is a very clever choice – a gem tucked away on their “Be Altitude: Respect Yourself” album from 1972 called "Name The Missing Word" which is lyrically relevant to the comp's theme.

To sum up – it’s an embarrassment of riches if you dig this sort of thing – and even if you don’t – there’s so much on here worth taking a chance on.

Ace Records deliver again folks – another job well done. On to Volume 2 please…

“Wild Target”. A Review Of The 2009 Film on DVD.

"…It’s A Rembrandt!
And Where Does He Live Then?”

I had a feeling from seeing the trailer for "Wild Target" that I’d enjoy it – and like many others - I am more than pleasantly surprised.

Jonathan Lynn's 2009 film is a hugely enjoyable romp – a kicking little movie with a very witty and warm script. That it stars the truly scrumptious Emily Blunt is good enough for most guys - but mix in real comedic talent like Bill Nighy, Rupert Everett, Martin Freeman and Gregor Fisher - and you’re going to have your funny bones tickled - a lot.

What's also unexpected is the genuine (if unlikely) chemistry between Blunt and Nighy. And while the camera simply adores our Em in every scene she appears in - it’s the twitchy Nighy who’s steals the entire film. He is just superb as the stuffy po-faced assassin Victor Maynard still unable to live without his mother and properly pleased with his lifetime of strangulations, poisonings and a good clean bullet in the head (his preferred trademark). His mad upper-crust mother Louisa has even made him a lovely newspaper-clippings memento of all these killings and put them in a scrapbook for his 52nd birthday (how thoughtful). Veteran and classy British actress Eileen Atkins gives an equally scene-stealing performance here too - a great combo with Nighy.

The story goes like his - Ruby (Blunt) falsifies a rare painting, pawns it off on bad guy Rupert Everett for a cool million quid, but gets rumbled. Victor is called in to ‘remove’ said rumbler. But of course he is completely unhinged by the lovely kleptomaniac Rose and their initial mutual loathing eventually develops into something worth fighting for. Rose doesn't need to be extinguished by Victor, but protected by him instead (even if it costs £30,000 a week to do so). And Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley from Harry Potter) is cleverly cast too as the footloose and parentless young lad Tony - who simply gets tangled up in the whole shooting match, but turns out to have natural gun-slinging capabilities – and therefore become the apprentice Victor never had. They form an unlikely trio as (slightly bumbling) professional killers pursue them (Martin Freeman and a very funny Geoff Bell).

Hardly original stuff I know – but as other reviewers have said, I'd rather watch this 'again' than sit through some of the truly awful rom-com pap thrown at us these days by Hollywood. It may not be an oil painting, but it’s a bloody good copy mate.

Like "Tamara Drew" - "Wild Target" is a very likeable British Ealing-Comedy kind of movie - with a great cast and a very, very witty script. It's a good night in and well worth a punt.

I’m off now to dream of lovely Emily and put down the fact that's she's happily married as a minor inconvenience and trivial detail…

“Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1967-1978” by VARIOUS ARTISTS. A Review Of The Ace/Beat Goes Public (BGP) CD Compilation.

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

"…They’re Socking It To Me…Everywhere I Go…"

"Shattered Dreams – Funky Blues 1967-1978" is the latest release on Ace Records label imprint Beat Goes Public (also known as BGP) and typically it’s an absolute belter. I had a feeling it would be good, and it is. Here’s the details first…

Released 28 March 2011, Ace/Beat Goes Public CDBGP 229 breaks down as follows (73:26 minutes):

1. Shake ‘Em Up – SLIM GREEN (from the 1971 USA LP “Stone Down Blues” on Kent KST 549)
2. It Took A Long Time – FINIS TASBY (1977 Big Town label recording, exclusive to this compilation)
3. Bad Understanding – AL KING (Previously Unreleased until the 2010 CD compilation “Together: The Complete Kent And Modern Recordings” by Al King and Arthur K Adams on Ace CDCHD 1292)
4. Mellow Together - LOWELL FULSON (USA 7” single on Kent 489, B-side of “Blues Pain”, 1968)
5. Country Girl – THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW (USA 7” single on Kent 506, A-side, 1969)
6. That’s What Love Will Make You Do – LITTLE MILTON (USA 7” single on Stax STA-0111, 1971)
7. Your Love Is Good Enough For Me – ICEWATER SLIM (USA LP on Hawk Sound 1002, 1974)
8. Playing On Me – ALBERT KING (USA 7” single on Stax 0166, 1973)
9. You Shattered My Dreams – SMOKEY WILSON (USA 7” single on Big Town 725, Non-Album Track, 1978)
10. The Whole World’s Down On You – LARRY DAVIS [Previously Unreleased]
11. Cloudy Day – FINIS TASBY 1977 (Big Town label recording, exclusive to this compilation)
12. I’m Not The Best – BUDDY GUY (USA 7” single on Vanguard 35080, B-side of “Fever”, 1968)
13. Comin’ At Ya Baby Part 2 – THE JOHNNY OTIS SHOW [Previously Unreleased]
14. Eli’s Pork Chop – LITTLE SONNY (From the 1972 USA LP “New King Of The Blues Harmonica” on Enterprise ENS 1005)
15. Gimme Some Of Your Lovin’ – ARTHUR K ADAMS (USA 7” single on Modern 1034, 1967)
16. Welcome Home – LOWELL FULSON (Previously Unreleased until the 2001 CD compilation “Black Nights: The Early Kent Sessions” on Ace CDCHD 831)
17. No Matter What The Cost May Be – ALBERT WASHINGTON (from the 1973 USA LP “Sad And Lonely” on Eastbound EB 9007)
18. High Time – SMOKEY WILSON [Previously Unreleased Big Town Recording]
19. You Got Me Movin’ – BIG DADDY RUCKER [Previously Unreleased]
20. Good Feeling – FREDDY ROBINSON (Previously Unreleased until the 1999 CD compilation “Bluesology” on Ace CDCHD 728)
21. Tough Competition – RAY AGEE [Previously Unreleased]

It’s been mastered by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London and each track is superbly rendered especially the Seventies stuff which has a full and ballsy sound. The 12-page booklet has knowledgeable and informative liner notes by DEAN RUDLAND with 7” singles and colour photos of some artists featured.

Proceedings open very nicely with “Shake ‘Em Up” – a Guitar Slim 'chugger' boasting an incessant backbeat overlaid with spoken lyrics – it makes you want to boogie and it’s not surprising that it’s a huge hit on the dancefloors of UK clubs. It’s followed by a rediscovery - the unlikely sounding FINIS TASBY - a Texan Bluesman who comes over as a funky Albert King on a Meters tip. “It Took A Long Time” is a fantastically good cut (the second on here is an equally cool harmonica funker called “Cloudy Day”). His self-titled album was supposed to come out on Big Town Records in 1977 (even has a catalogue number) but I’ve never seen one (the company apparently went bust before it was issued). Both tracks are exclusive on CD to this comp – and what finds they are…

There follows two brassy Blues numbers by Al King and Lowell Fulson, which are very good, but even better is “Country Girl” by Johnny Otis. It sounds like a Blues reworking of “Tramp” by Otis Redding and features the 19-year genius Shuggie Otis providing the tasty guitar solo on his father’s cut. The double-whammy of Little Milton’s 1971 track “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” on Stax and Icewater Slim’s “Your Love Is Good Enough For Me” from 1974 sum up this great compilation – funky Blues tunes that are practically irresistible – top Seventies production values too.

The six-minute slow blues of “You Shattered My Dreams” by Smokey Wilson sounds a little like Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around And Fell In Love” from 1976 on Capricorn but with more brass and piano. The bass and guitar on the Previously Unreleased “High Time” by Smokey Wilson has production chops so good, you’d swear it was a Niles Rodgers and Bernard Edwards session – very funky and very cool.
Page 6 of the booklet pictures a nattily dressed Freddy Robinson whose “Good Feeling” is a standout track on here – and again previously unreleased until Ace put it out in 1999 on their “Bluesology” compilation. It all ends on a genuine high – the hard-grooving “Tough Competition” by another lesser-known name - Ray Agee. It sounds not unlike a Shuggie Otis outtake and is just brilliant - how has this gem remained in the can until now (lyrics above)?

Niggles - although the booklet’s good, I would have liked more of it – and the detailed track list I provided above, I had to dig out myself. The back inlay gives an original vinyl catalogue number and year, but not what ‘album’ the track is from. The 7” is the same – is it an A or a B? I also think the front artwork doesn’t do this release any favours because in a crowded marketplace, it would be a real shame to see this cool little reissue go unnoticed.

To sum up – “Shattered Dreams” does exactly what it says on the tin – it gives you Funky Blues from 1967 to 1978 - and I’ve been playing it to death since I got my grubby hands on it a few days ago.

Lustier than a Knickerbocker Glory in Wimpy and tighter than a nun’s knickers in the Vatican (both endangered species) - you need this Funky Blues nutrition in your life.

I’m off now to buy a Banana Boat - while I still can…

"Fully Qualified Survivor" by MICHAEL CHAPMAN (2011 Light In The Attic Records CD Reissue And Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This review is part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" 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

"…Like Jewels In Your Hand…"

Seventies Rock aficionados will no doubt have read gushing reviews telling them to invest their hard-earned in long lost classics - and having been burned a few times before - would view another such review with a certain amount of scepticism. 

But this is a Light In The Attic Records release - and after 60 peerless reissues of obscurities that truly deserve reappraisal – LITA have done it again. Beautiful presentation, extraordinary sound quality and songs that beggar the question – how the hell did this little gem get lost in the first place? 

MICHAEL CHAPMAN hails from Leeds in England and was 28 when he recorded his second LP "Fully Qualified Survivor" for EMI’s progressive label imprint Harvest. His debut album "Rainmaker" issued in July 1969 was only Harvest’s 5th LP at that time and signalled the arrival of a major Guitar Player and Rock singer-songwriter. 

1. Aviator

2. Naked Ladies And Electric Ragtime 

3. Stranger In The Room

4. Postcards Of Scarborough 

5. Fishbeard Sunset

6. Soulful Lady [Side 2]

7. Rabbit Hills

8. March Rain 

9. Kodak Ghosts 

10. Andru’s Easy Rider

11. Trinkets & Rings

The LP "Fully Qualified Survivor" by MICHAEL CHAPMAN was released March 1970 on Harvest SHVL 764 in the UK and Capitol/Harvest SW-816 in the USA – and even though it actually charted in the UK at No. 45 on the album charts - it’s a rare record on vinyl and UK originals can command upwards of £100. 

This February 2011 reissue on Light In The Records LITA 060 (Barcode 0826853006026) is a straightforward transfer of that 1970 album remastered from the 1st generation EMI tapes by NICK ROBBINS at Sound Mastering in London (46:32 minutes). The sound quality is fabulous - clear, warm and full of presence - and fully realises the original quality production values of GUS DUDGEON (of David Bowie and Elton John fame). 

The original gatefold artwork has been retained but upgraded to a lovely silver effect on the card digipak (they’ve also issued it on a beautiful Vinyl Version using the same silver effect artwork – a future collectable). The booklet is an impressive 32-pages long with liner notes by MICK HOUGHTON that feature new interviews with Chapman in 2010. Photos and archive material provided by the artist himself feature black and white snaps of him and the other musicians in the studio, on tour, reproductions of press releases and reviews and so on.

It opens with the epic "Aviator" – a nine and half-minute long acoustic song that has touches of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake in its languid pace. The cello is by Paul Buckmaster and the Violin by Johnny Van Derek. But – and this is a matter of taste – you’re met with his nasally drone of a voice which you will either embrace or loath. It all sounds a bit effected now, but if you give it time, there’s rewards later. Chapman was also a very accomplished guitar player (Bert Jansch, Stefan Grossman and John Renbourn jump to mind) and there follows the first of the album’s three acoustic-instrumentals "Naked Ladies & Electric Ragtime". With his foot tapping in the background, it’s a very pretty ditty and it also emphasises the superlative NICK ROBBINS remaster. The sheer musicality of "Postcards From Scarborough" is shocking – and the strings added by Dudgeon are lovely. "Fishbeard Sunset" is the second instrumental and is a 40-second introduction to a great song - "Soulful Lady". It also heralds a major playing talent – MICK RONSON on Guitar. He crops up again on "Kodak Ghosts" and his contributions are so exciting – rocking like a madman – loose and inspired ("The Man Who Sold The World", "Ziggy" and "Hunky Dory" with Bowie lay ahead). 

Side 2 is far better than Side 1 in my book – giving a run of truly superb tunes. "Rabbit Hills" is my favourite on here – a beautifully realised acoustic song with warm words and a haunting melody that still sounds sweet four decades on (lyrics above). "March Rain" with its Cello, Strings and Acoustic guitar arrangement could be Nick Drake circa "Bryter Layter" – so impressive. Mick Ronson adds lovely electric guitar licks to the treated Chapman acoustic guitars on the mid-tempo "Kodak Ghosts". The fantastically bluesy "Andru's Easy Rider" starts out with him on Piano but then goes into this huge John Fahey 12-string slide-guitar blues-boogie that you wish would overstay its mere two-minute duration. It segues into a funky Tabla and Guitar album finisher called "Trinkets & Rings" which features his trademark nonchalant vocals and electric guitar licks in the background. It’s impressive stuff, it really is…

To sum up - like his fellow Harvest Label mate Roy Harper (and nearest musical comparison), Chapman remains a bit of an unknown even in deep rock circles (Keef Hartley, Bryn Haworth, Mick Greenwood, Judee Sill, Karen Dalton and Fred Neil are others).  But you have to say that this is a smart reissue on the part of Light In The Attic Records in a long line of them (Lou Bond, Kris Kristofferson and Rodriguez come to mind - see reviews) and I’m glad I took a chance on it. I’ve subsequently bought the 2006 remaster of his "Millstone Grit" album from 1973 on Deram and it’s a cracker too. 

In 2015 at the age of 74 - it probably seems slightly odd to Michael Chapman now to be the subject of adoration and rediscovery for Folk/Rock he penned 45-years ago – but better late than never. A top job done boys and a major reissue for 2011…