"Back Stabbers" by O'JAYS (2011 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Please Don't Miss This Train..."

Reissued by Big Break Records of the UK (also known as BBR) – their Internet blurb claims to have 'lovingly remastered' the O’JAYS famous album “Back Stabbers” for a new audience. And one minute into this amazing remaster and I know they're right. I've loved this fabulous Soul platter to distraction for decades and what a blast it is to finally hear it sound 'so' good. Let's get to the 'people all over the world' details right away...

UK released in June 2011 – "Back Stabbers" by O’JAYS on Big Break Records CDBBR 0051 (Barcode 5013929035126) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster of their 1972 album with Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (49:07 minutes):

1. When The World’s At Peace

2. Back Stabbers

3. Who Am I

4. (They Call Me) Mr. Lucky

5. Time To Get Down

6. 992 Arguments [Side 2]

7. Listen To The Clock On The Wall

8. Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind Of People

9. Sunshine

10. Love Train

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Back Stabbers" - originally released September 1972 in the USA on Philadelphia International KZ 31712 and October 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S 65257 (it peaked at Number 3 on the US R&B charts in October 1972). It was reissued March 1973 in the UK on Philadelphia International S PIR 65932.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. 992 Arguments (7" Single Edit) - 2:24 minutes (the full album version is 6:10 minutes)

12. Love Train (Tom Moulton Mix) - a remix from 1977 running to 6:15 minutes (the album version is 3:03 minutes).

Housed in one those 'Deluxe' rounded jewel cases, the superlative 16-page booklet has a knowledgeable and hugely affection essay on the Group, Philly and the album's making by CHRISTIAN JOHN WIKANE. It includes interviews with surviving members of the group (Eddie Levert), shows Foreign picture sleeves, UK and US trade adverts, 7" single labels and other promo photos - it's very well done and a lovely read. But the really great news is the sound...

Remastered from the first generation master tapes by WAYNE A. DICKSON at the BBR Mastering Studios - the sound quality is mindblowingly good. To put this into a context - I've had the 1996 Columbia 'Legacy' CD of this album to have the music, but I've always found their issues to be very hit and miss. Take the criminally forgotten beautiful ballad "Who Am I". The sound upgrade from 1996 to this is vast - the song has HUGE feeling to it now and isn't trebled up the nines for effect either. It's warm, present and a joy to listen to. The same apples to the big singles we've probably all heard one-to-many times - "Back Stabbers" and "Love Train" (lyrics above). It comes as a genuine shock to hear them here - how good they sound - it's like meeting old friends you've missed. I can't praise this remaster enough. 

Content - for most people "Back Stabbers" is the beginning of the Philly Sound - both on 7" single and LP. Nearly 40 years after the event - even its front sleeve portraying the 3 Canton, Ohio Soul boys (Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and William Powell) has become iconic and instantly recognisable. Musically the LP was an embarrassment of riches too featuring a lethal crew of staff writers penning all the ace dancers and ballads - Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Bunny Sigler, Phil Hurst and of course the dynamic duo themselves - Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff (who also produced). Loaded with hits, 8 of its 10 tracks made it onto 45s and this CD reissue will allow you to sequence all of them as follows:

1. Back Stabbers b/w Sunshine (June 1972 USA, September 1972 UK)

2. 992 Arguments b/w Listen To The Clock On The Wall (October 1972 USA, November 1972 UK)

3. Love Train b/w Who Am I (December 1972 USA, February 1973 UK)

4. Time To Get Down b/w Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind Of People (April 1973 USA, May 1973 UK)

Other highlights are the funky opener "When The World's At Peace" - reflecting the political and social turmoil of the time - and the vibes and strings mellowness of the lovely "Sunshine" - boasting an aching heartfelt vocal.

To sum up - BBR dedicate this reissue to songwriters McFadden & Whitehead and William Powell - one of the original group members who sadly died of cancer in 1977 aged only 35. Well - in my books - they've done the absolute business by him and opened up The O'Jays recorded legacy for a new generation. Is this an upgrade you must own – absolutely…

Along with the launch of "Stax Remasters" (see review for "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" by The Staple Singers) - this is one my Soul Reissues Of 2011.

PS: I’ve reviewed these Big Break Records (BBR) CDs – all quality remasters:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

11. I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

12. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

13. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

14. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

15. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

16. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

17. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

18. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

29. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

30. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

31. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

32. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

33. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

34. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

35. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

36. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"McLemore Avenue” by BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S. A Review Of The 1970 Album Now Remastered With Bonus Tracks On A 2011 "Stax Remasters" CD.

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"...Here Comes The Sun King..."

Like "Electric Mud" by Muddy Waters, "McLemore Avenue" by Booker T. & The M.G.'s divided fans and critics alike at the time of release - and has done so ever since. Some call it a masterpiece - even visionary - while others see it as little more than an opportunistic cash-in that only half worked in Stax's otherwise impressively individualistic canon of releases.

More than 40 years after the event - I think it's fair enough to call it a bit of both - good and bad (much like this new reissue actually). Here are the details...

Released May 2011 - "McLemore Avenue" by BOOKER T. & THE M.G.'S on Concord Music Group, Inc 0888072328747 (Barcode 888072328747) is an 'Expanded Edition' with Six Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (59:03 minutes):

1. Medley: Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End/Here Comes The Sun/Come Together

2. Something

3. Because/You Never Give Me Your Money

4. Medley: Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window/I Want You (She's So Heavy)

Tracks 1 to 4 are the album "McLemore Avenue" released April 1970 in the USA on Stax Records STS 2027 and July 1970 in the UK on Stax SXATS 1031

BONUS TRACKS: 

5. You Can't Do That

6. Day Tripper 

7. Michelle 

8. Eleanor Rigby

9. Lady Madonna 

10. You Can't Do That (Alternate Take)  

Tracks 5 to 10 are all Beatles covers - 5 and 6 are from the 1960 album "Soul Men" - Tracks 7 and 9 are from the 1969 album "The Booker T. Set" - Track 8 is from the 1968 album "Soul Limbo" - while track 10 is a PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That" recorded in 1960.

The new 12-page booklet has very knowledgeable and affectionate liner notes by ASHLEY KHAN (author of books on the recording career of John Coltrane and Miles Davis). You also get the original artwork and production credits, a collage of 2 photos on the inlay beneath the see-through tray and the disc itself pictures the group too. But it's a shame the booklet doesn't go any further - there's no new photos, no memorabilia - not even a picture of the lone 7" single of "Something" (US or UK). It makes the inlay feel workmanlike at best - even a little dull - when it should have spread its wings a little. But the big news is the SOUND...

I bought and recently reviewed another title in this new "Stax Remasters" series - "Be Altitude: Respect Yourself" by The Staples Singers and I duly raved about the fabulous sound quality on that after years of lacklustre reissues in jewel cases and repro digipaks. This is the same. 24-bit remastered from the first generation tapes by JOE TARANTINO at Joe Tarantino Mastering in Berkeley, California - the audio quality is truly GORGEOUS - absolutely incredible clarity that will make you reassess every song. 

To the music - it probably seemed like a good idea at the time - "McLemore Avenue" would cover the recently released "Abbey Road" album by The Beatles (September 1969) and do it all in that distinctive Booker T & The M.G.'s instrumental style. They even aped the famous UK album sleeve and wittily called it after the street on which the Stax Studios resided in Memphis.  They also realigned the 17-songs of the original LP into four new tracks - three lengthy Medleys and one straight up shorter cover of "Something" (which was actually released as a 45 on both sides of the pond to some success). The problem for me is that of the four tracks only two really work - "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley. The playing and clever interpretation on each is superb. On the other two however - I feel the band sounds way too close to a poor man's Procol Harum without the vocals. But again I must reiterate that if you have any affection for these songs, you 'need' to hear them on this stunningly good new remaster.

Of the five bonus covers - the best is undoubtedly Track 5 - the first version of "You Can't Do That" (from "A Hard Day's Night") - it's really excellent. Unfortunately the cuts of "Day Tripper", "Michelle" and "Lady Madonna" don't fare so well - barely rising above a bar-band doing cheesy Lounge versions of famous Beatles songs - it's not good. The last track is an (Alternate Take) of "You Can't Do That" which is a lot rougher than the first and not as good either.

Too sum up - I wasn't prepared for two things on this reissue - the truly astonishingly remaster by Joe Tarantino - and secondly how it transformed the listen and made me reassess what I had formerly thought of as an anomaly - an LP on Stax best avoided.

If you're a fan of the record - this is no-brainer - it's an absolute must-own. If you're like me and aren't particularly bothered, I'd still say give "Something" and the "Because/You Never Give Me Your Money" Medley a try on iTunes - you'll be more than impressed...

Titles in the "STAX REMASTERS" Series are (all reviewed):

1. Green Onions - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1962) 

3 September 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072339606

2. McLemore Avenue - BOOKER T. & THE M.G.s (1970)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328747

3. Woman To Woman - SHIRLEY BROWN (1975)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331778 

4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get - THE DRAMATICS (1972)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331761

5. Born Under A Bad Sign – ALBERT KING (1967)

June 2013 UK CD on Barcode 888072343344

6. I'll Play The Blues For You - ALBERT KING (1972)

22 May 2012 UK CD on Barcode 888072337169 

7. Be Altitude: Respect Yourself - THE STAPLE SINGERS (1972)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328761

8. Taylored In Silk - JOHNNIE TAYLOR (1973)

10 May 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072328754

9. Do The Funky Chicken - RUFUS THOMAS (1970)

13 September 2011 UK CD on Barcode 888072331785

"Tear Down The Walls/Bleecker & MacDougal" by VINCE MARTIN & FRED NEIL/FRED NEIL (2001 Elektra/Warner Brothers 2LPs onto 1CD Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…If I Should Leave You…Try To Remember The Good Times…"

This clever reissue series first turned up in late 2001 as part of the ‘2 Classic Elektra Albums’ Series of CD Reissues with each title usually featuring the first 2 albums by an American Folk artist on the Elektra Label (with some Blues and Country Rock acts included too). Almost all of the LPs featured on these single disc reissues were Early to Mid Sixties vinyl rarities - most seeing the CD light-of-day for the first time anywhere. The ‘2 Classic Elektra Albums’ CD Series continued into August 2004 with releases by diverse American Country and Folk artists such as Paul Siebel, Harry Chapin and Earth Opera. This Fred Neil/Vince Martin set (from the first vanguard) is one of those 2LPs on 1CD gems...

Released October 2001 - "Tear Down The Walls/Bleecker & MacDougal" by VINCE MARTIN & FRED NEIL and FRED NEIL on Elektra/Warner Strategic Marketing 8122 73563-2 (Barcode 081227356323) offers 2LPs on 1CD and plays out as follows (74:35 minutes):

1. I Know You Rider

2. Red Flowers

3. Tear Down The Walls

4. Weary Blues

5. Toy Balloon

6. Baby

7. Morning Dew

8. I’m A Drifter

9. Linin’ Track

10. Wild Child In A World Of Trouble

11. Dade County Jail

12. I Got ‘Em

13. Lonesome Valley

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Tear Down The Walls" by VINCE MARTIN and FRED NEIL issued 1964 in the USA on Elektra Records EKL-248 [Mono] and EKS-7248 [Stereo] - Stereo Mix Used

14. Bleecker And MacDougal

15. Blues On The Ceiling

16. Sweet Mama

17. Little Bit Of Rain

18. Country Boy

19. Other Side Of This Life

20. Mississippi Train

21. Travellin’ Shoes

22. Water Is Wide

23. Yonder Comes The Blues

24. Candy Man

25. Handful Of Gimme

26. Gone Again

Tracks 14 to 26 are the album "Bleecker & MacDougal" by FRED NEIL issued June 1965 in the USA on Elektra Records EKL-293 [Mono] and EKS-7293 [Stereo] - Stereo Mix Used

By the time Florida-born Fred Neil had teamed up with folky Vince Martin (real name Vincent Marcellino) to record their debut album in 1964, Neil was 27 and had been on the New York folk scene for 3 years. In 1961 in Greenwich Village he'd sparred with many players who would later shape American music to an almost ludicrous degree - Karen Dalton, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and a young whippersnapper from Minnesota called Bob Dylan. Dylan later recounted his memories of Neil's deep tonal voice and cited him as a major influence - while Stills openly called him a 'hero' and has name-checked his guitar tunings. Neil had tasted minor chart success with a tune he'd co-written with Brill-building veteran Beverly Ross called "Candy Man" - it was a Top Twenty hit for Roy Orbison on Monument Records in late 1961. Which history lesson brings us to what's on offer here...

Both albums are firmly in the USA Folk vein with some Bluesy acoustic elements thrown in. "Tear Down The Walls" features an impressive six originals by Neil (2, 3, 6, 10, 11 and 12) with "Toy Balloon" by Martin and the six others being covers of contemporary artists and Old Time Traditionals. Martin and Neil played 6 and 12-string guitars alongside each other and shared the vocals on almost all the songs. Guests included Felix Pappalardi on an instrument called a 'Guitarron' (sounds like an Acoustic Bass) while John Sebastian providing Mouth Harp on certain tracks and guitar on "I Got 'Em". Pappalardi later produced and featured on Cream's "Disraeli Gears" and went on to be in Mountain - while Sebastian of course formed The Lovin' Spoonful.

"Bleecker & MacDougal" was 'all' Fred Neil except the aforementioned "Candy Man" and a cover of the lovely Gospel standard "The Water is Wide". In fact the title of the album name-checks the intersection of two New York streets - in particular the "Café Wha?" on MacDougal Street where he played for so many nights in the early Sixties.

The sound quality on both albums is gorgeous –Stereo remasters by Rhino's long-time engineer and tape handler DAN HERSCH (the Mono mixes remain unreleased on CD). The superb and hugely informative liner notes are written by PETER DOGGETT - a long time contributor to England's famous 'Record Collector' magazine and author of the acclaimed books - "There's A Riot Going On: Revolutionaries, Rock Stars and The Rise and Fall of the 60's Counter Culture", "You Never Give Me Your Money - The Battle For The Soul Of The Beatles" and "The Man Who Sold The World - David Bowie And The 1970's".

Highlights on the first album include the Traditional "Weary Blues", the lovely Vince Martin original "Toy Balloon" and two excellent cover versions - a rendition of Bonnie Dobson's slightly sinister "Morning Dew" and Travis Edmonson's country tune "I'm A Drifter".  The "Wild Child..." track in particular is powerfully emotive Folk with Sebastian expertly warbling on the harmonica alongside the acoustic guitar and deep voice of Neil. "I Got 'Em" and "Lonesome Valley" end the album on a high too.

If "Tear Down The Walls" was a four-star starter, then "Bleecker & MacDougal" was the 5-star next step. The track "Little Bit Of Rain" in particular showed Fred Neil's full potential - pretty as anything - his voice deep and monumental (lyrics above). It was later used as the title to "Bleecker & MacDougal" when it was reissued in 1970 with different artwork on the back of Neil's success with Nilsson covering his gorgeous "Everybody's Talkin'" in the movie "Midnight Cowboy". The album once again benefited from John Sebastian and Felix Pappalardi on Harmonica and Bass - they shine on the lyrically pissed-off "Travelin' Shoes" and "Handful Of Gimme". The slide guitar on the album finisher "Gone Again" always sends me - the strings cleverly being made to warble like his vocals. Brilliant stuff indeed...

Neil famously withdrew from the music business in the early Seventies to take care of Dolphins - creatures he spent the next 35 years loving and nurturing. He died in Florida after a long battle with cancer in 2001 - an enigma to the end - leaving reviewers and music lovers like me reaching for adjectives to do him and his lovely musical legacy justice.

At less than a fiver online - this is one of those bargains that beggar's belief and cries out for your credit card.

Answer the call - lovers of music and musical heroes... 

PS: collectors should note there are also beautiful Sundazed remasters of each album on HIGH-QUALITY VINYL - "Tear Down The Walls" on Sundazed LP 5142 (issued 2006) and "Bleecker & MacDougal" on Sundazed LP 5107 (issued 2001)

PPS: other titles listed in the '2 Classic Elektra Albums' CD series are:

1. David Blue (1966) / Singer Songwriter Project (1965) - DAVID BLUE

2. Tim Buckley (1966) / Goodbye And Hello (1967) - TIM BUCKLEY

3. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1965) / East West (1967) - THE BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND

4. The Resurrection Of Pigboy Crabshaw (January 1968) / In My Own Dream (August 1968) - THE BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND

5. Heads & Tails (March 1972) / Sniper And Other Love Songs (October 1972) – HARRY CHAPIN

6. A Maid Of Constant Sorrow (1961) / Golden Apples Of The Sun (1962) - JUDY COLLINS

7. Judy Collins No. 3 (1963) / The Judy Collins Concert (1964) - JUDY COLLINS

8. Wildflowers (1967) / Who Knows Where The Time Goes (1968) - JUDY COLLINS

9. Back Porch Bluegrass (1963) / Live!!!! Almost!!!! (1964) - THE DILLARDS

10. Earth Opera (1968) / The Great American Eagle Tragedy (1969) – EARTH OPERA

11. Judy Henske [Live] (1963) / High Flying Bird (1964) - JUDY HENSKE

12. The Incredible String Band (1966) / The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of Onions (1967) – THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND

13. Blues, Rags & Hollers (1963) / Lots More Blues, Rags & Hollers (1964) – "SPIDER" JOHN KOERNER, DAVE "SNAKE" RAY & TONY "LITTLE SON" GLOVER

14. All The News That's Fit To Sing (1964) / I Ain't Marching Anymore (1965) - PHIL OCHS

15. Ramblin' Boy (1964) / Ain't That News (1965) - TOM PAXTON

16. Outward Bound (1966) / Morning Again (1968) - TOM PAXTON

17. Tom Rush (1965) / Talk A Little Walk With Me (1966) - TOM RUSH
18. Woodsmoke And Oranges (1970) / Jack-Knife Gypsy (1971) - PAUL SIEBEL