"Foghat / Rock And Roll" by FOGHAT. A Review Of Their 1st and 2nd LPs From 1972 and 1973 - Now Reissued On CD In 2012 By Edsel Of The UK.

Bands like FOGHAT are 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

 "…Gonna Rock 'Til I Drop…"

In 2011 Edsel of the UK acquired some of the 'WEA Catalogue' and began releasing value-for-money 1CD and 2CD album sets from that vast repertoire. So far I've reviewed Hall & Oates, Greenslade, Little Feat and 4 of their Doobie Brothers releases – and they've been great on all fronts. This '2LPs on 1CD' FOGHAT set is part of that reissue campaign (see full 14-album FOGHAT list below)…

UK-released 26 March 2012 (10 April in the USA) – Edsel EDSS 1066 breaks down as follows (76:44 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "Foghat" released July 1972 in the USA on Bearsville BR 2077 and June 1974 in the UK on Bearsville K 45503
Tracks 10 to 18 are their 2nd album "Foghat (aka Rock And Roll)" released November March 1973 in the USA on Bearsville BR 2136 and July 1974 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 45514

Like all of these Edsel reissues - the 20-page booklet is substantial. It features the front and rear artwork for each album, the lyrics, reproductions of Bearsville LP labels, photos of the band and foreign picture sleeves for "Long Way To Go" and "What A Shame". More importantly there's a detailed new essay by PAUL MYERS who has interviewed ROGER EARL of the band especially for this reissue and has included relevant previous comments by band-founder-member and principal songwriter "LONESOME" DAVE PEVERETT and long-time band associate NICK JAMESON. The mastering was done by PETER RYNSTON at Tall Order Studios and the sound apes the Rhino reissues of the Nineties – clear, punchy and full. It's boogie all the way. Also – this CD is pitched at less than mid-price – so it offers a lot of music for very little wedge.

"Lonesome" Dave Peverett (Guitar & Lead Vocals), Tony Stevens (Bass) and Roger Earl (Drums) came out of the ashes of British Rock-Blues band SAVOY BROWN while second guitarist Rod Price was in BLACK CAT BONES who managed one highly collectable album on Decca-Nova in 1970 (featured members of Leafhound and Free guitarist Paul Kossoff). Foghat's debut was recorded at Rockfield Studios in Wales by DAVE EDMUNDS who was working on his debut solo album "Rockpile" at the time (see review elsewhere for that). Their brief was non-nonsense boogie – rock and roll – with maybe some blues and soulful rock in between the cracks. And as a British band they were famously huge in the USA (charted 13 albums there) but less-so in their native land.

Highlights on the debut include the lead-off single that got them noticed – a great boogie version of the Willie Dixon penned/Muddy Waters classic "I Just Want To Make Love To You". There's a fast-as-we-can–go cover of Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" – but there's also the polar opposite – a very soulful near eight-minute take on Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Gotta Get To Know You" which finishes the album in great style. But the other 6 originals mainly written by Peverett and Price are just as impressive – especially "Leavin' Again (Again!)" where Edmunds treats the vocals and guitars to phasing which gives it such a "Rockpile" sound. "Sarah Lee" is excellent too while the rocking 'money-worries' song "A Hole To Hide In" was a B-side of their debut 7" single in the USA. "Highway (Killing Me)" is gritty too – boogie about life on the road.

Things heat up considerably on the 2nd LP as it opens with "Ride, Ride, Ride" which along with their 2nd US 45 "What A Shame” set down the template for their trademark rocking sound for years to come. But best of all for me is the legendary drummer Bernard Purdie and the Brass section on the blistering "Road Fever" (lyrics above) – they combine with Peverett and the band to incredible effect - rocking like mad men and then Peverett losing it with vocal enthusiasm as the tracks rushes to a manic finish.

To sum up – neither album is a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination – and sadly both Peverett and Price passed on in 2000 and 2005. But there are truly great moments of Rock meets the Blues meets Rock'n'Roll on both of these records – and at this price – worth a sky-diver of anyone's money.

Five-star presentation, great sound and a cheap price.
Rock on Rod and Dave…literally…

PS: titles in this March 2012 FOGHAT reissue series are:
1. Foghat (July 1972) / Foghat [aka Rock And Roll] (March 1973) – Edsel EDSS 1066
2. Energised (January 1974) / Rock And Roll Outlaws (November 1974) – Edsel EDSS 1067
3. Fool For The City (October 1975) / Night Shift (November 1976) – Edsel EDSS 1068
4. Foghat Live (September 1977) / Stone Blue (May 1978) – Edsel EDSS 1069
5. Boogie Motel (October 1979) / Tight Shoes (June 1980) – Edsel EDSS 1070
6. Girls To Chat & Boys To Bounce (July 1981) / In The Mood For Something Rude (November 1982) / Zig-Zag Walk (June 1983) / Rarities – Edsel EDSD 2130 (2CD set)

PPS: factoid – the cover art for their 2nd album was done by Robert Downey - father of the actor Robert Downey, Jr.

"Time Loves A Hero / Down At The Farm" by LITTLE FEAT. A Review Of The 1977 and 1979 LPs - Now Reissued In 2012 by Edsel Of The UK.

LITTLE FEAT are 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

 "…There's A Love Here After All…"

In 2011 Edsel of the UK acquired some of the 'WEA Catalogue' and began releasing value-for-money 1CD and 2CD album sets from that vast repertoire. So far I've reviewed Hall & Oates, Greenslade and 4 of their Doobie Brothers releases – and they’ve been great on all fronts. This 2CD Little Feat set is part of that reissue campaign…

UK-released 26 March 2012 (12 April in the USA) – Edsel EDSD 2113 breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (35:29 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Time Loves A Hero" released May 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3015 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56349

Disc 2 (37:32 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Down On The Farm" released November 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers HS 3345 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56667

The 20-page booklet is substantial – it features the front and rear artwork for each album, the lyrics, reproductions of the original LP labels, colour photos of the band and a new essay by ALAN ROBINSON. The mastering was done by PHIL KINRADE at Alchemy Studios in London (it doesn’t say it’s been remastered) – and the sound on both discs is excellent – punchy, clear and to my ears improved on what went before. Also – they’re pitched at less than mid-price – so this release offers a lot of music for very little lay out.

Fans will instantly recognize that these are the last two Little Feat studio albums featuring founder member LOWELL GEORGE. "Time Loves A Hero" was released amidst major band acrimony about direction and suffers the most from lack of decent songs and George's wit and voice. Completed after Lowell's untimely death in June 1979 aged only 34 - "Down At The Farm" came out in late 1979 and is a surprisingly good set – especially re-listening to it in retrospect.

"Time Loves A Hero" features only two George songs – the fabulous funk of "Rocket In My Pocket" and a co-write with Paul Barrere on "Keepin' Up With The Joneses". The other seven are a very mixed bag. Although derided at the time as a step too far – the fusion-rock instrumental "Day At The Dog Races" comes across like mid-Seventies Weather Report meets Todd Rundgren's Utopia – but I’ve always liked it. And it's a blast to finally hear it receive some muscle on the audio front. The backing vocals of Patrick Simmons and Michael McDonald from The Doobie Brothers lift "Red Streamliner" considerably and former Steely Dan guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (and fellow Doobie) contributes subtle Dobro playing to the largely-acoustic album finisher "Missin' You" – a very pretty Paul Barrere song.

"Down On The Farm" again features cover artwork by painter Neon Park and this time has five of the nine tracks with contributions from Lowell – "Six Feet Of Snow", "Kokomo", "Be One Now", "Straight From The Heart" and "Front Page News". The album features guest guitarists Robben Ford and Fred Tackett (Tackett would later join Little Feat) as well as Bonnie Raitt on backing vocals. Highlights for me include the witty "Shut Up!" frog beginning of the excellent return to form song "Down On The Farm" – the band suddenly sounding like the glory of old. "Six Feet Of Snow" isn't great but "Perfect Imperfection" is a lovely slow melody written by Paul Barrere with Tom Snow. It has a great guitar solo – and overall sounds like smooth-as-silk Boz Scaggs. "Kokomo" is a Lowell George winner with that sly guitar/keyboard funk and those lady-of-the-night "...Miss Demeanor..." lyrics. Their follows probably the album's highlight – the forlorn swing of "Be One Now" – a really lovely melody about friendship (lyrics above). "Straight From The Heart" is good too with great clarity in the mastering - while I so dig "Front Page News" which sounds like a Steely Dan "Aja" outtake (not a bad thing in any man's language). "Wake Up Dreaming" rocks it up a beat - while "Feel The Groove" is like a different band on a funky/disco tip. It's nice in places - but it's possibly not the best way to end that phase of the band's illustrious history…

To sum up – this is a five-star reissue of two-to-four star material. For me "Time Loves A Hero" is a bit of a dog frankly – but very much in this release's favour is "Down On The Farm". I was shocked at how good it stands up - a full 30+ years after the event – especially given the difficult circumstances in which it was made.

Well laid out, great sound, cheap price. Recommended.

PS: let's hope that their earlier classic LPs finally get a Western World remaster by Edsel after decades in the wilderness. Now that really would be something worth getting into a sweaty lather about…

"The Help". A Review Of The 2011 Film Now Available On BLU RAY.

"…You Is Kind…You Is Smart…You Is Important…"

Some have criticised "The Help" and its depiction of racism as way too easy on the eye and cheery on the ear - slyly dodging the 'physically violent' reality of segregation in 1960's Southern America in favour of entertainment. But I think that's being massively unfair to the movie's genuine achievement - it's brilliant portrayal of the 'mental' apartheid levelled every day at black people - which ran hand-in-hand with the opposite side of the coin - the love given to white children by black maids. This is a story you can't help but feel 'needed' to be told - and a rare balancing act that got it right on so many fronts. In fact I was left with two stark impressions as the end credits rolled (a) this movie is a real gem in a sea of sequels and mediocrity and (b) how did the likeable but essentially gimmicky fluff that is "The Artist" ever take the Best Picture Oscar over this?

Adapted from Kathryn Stockett's first book of the same name (itself the subject of a nasty court case over character likeness - the lawsuit was eventually thrown out) and Directed by Tate Taylor in 2011 - "The Help" has a virtual flood of truly blistering performances from black and white actresses at the top of their game - women given meaty material they want to do justice to. It's resulted in global box office success and a whopping 53 nominations - followed by as many wins (BAFTA and OSCAR included).

While Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Aunjanue Ellis have rightly been praised for their layered portrayals - I was blown away by the most difficult role of all - that of the odious Hilly Holbrook played by Bryce Dallas Howard. All nail-manicured, freckled-faced and shocked at any suggestion of impropriety - Howard is awesome as a truly hateful white woman with meanness literally hardwired into her DNA. Hilly Holbrook lords it over her cackling local ladies with the fist of a dictator - she sits in her car and spitefully takes pleasure as she watches a black maid who crossed her be arrested by white cops - in the bathroom she marks the individual toilet sheets with a pen to see if her black maid crosses that sanitation line. You literally despise this vacuous witch with every molecule of your being and would gladly whack her across her perfectly combed-back hairdo with a large still-hot skillet. Jessica Chastain too as the blonde and ample social outcast Celia Foote who is perceived as a husband robber but is just lost - another belter of a performance. Lesley Jordan as the less-than-subtle newspaper editor, Sissy Spacek as the mentally ailing mum, Mary Steenburgen as a New York book editor - so many class acts.

The story goes like this - a headstrong 22-year Southern gal called Eugenia 'Skeeter' Phelan decides to step up from her bottom-of-the-ladder job on a local newspaper as a columnist on 'cleaning tips' and become a real writer (anything to avoid her mother's constant scheming towards marriage). Her subject matter is going to be the black maids who raised the white children of Alabama and their side of the story. The author will be 'Anonymous' and the book will be entitled "The Help". But of course because of fear and intimidation it doesn't prove easy to document and the journey tests Skeeter's loyalties and personal courage to the maximum too (spot-on casting in the lovely and hugely talented Emma Stone). It proves even more traumatic to her 'one-of-the-gals' mother Charlotte (a stupendous turn from Allison Janney) who makes a staggeringly crass mistake on the back of white peer pressure.

But to get started - Skeeter needs a cohort. So when a middle-aged maid she knows gets fired - Skeeter gets her first interviewee. Giving a deeply touching and humane performance, Viola Davis plays Aibileen Clark. Aibileen is 53, works 8 am to 4pm six days a week as a cook, cleaner, maid and full-time nanny (she's mothered 17 children in her life) - and all for peanuts money. And like her mother and grandmother before here - she is virtually a house slave to whatever white family will employ her. This time it's Raleigh and Elizabeth Leefolt and their 3-year daughter Mae Mobley. Aibileen has also lost her grown-up son Treelore to haphazard white working practices and now her job over a trumped-up 'theft of silver' charge. Aibileen may be reluctant at first - but when she sees the sincerity of Skeeter - and feels the need to tell the truth - the stories and details of home-by-home racism come pouring out. But Aibileen loves children - and even when useless mom Elizabeth callously fires her - Aibileen grabs the vulnerable and hurting child Mae Mobley - and in tears - reiterates her mantra of life positivity to her (its dialogue titles this review).

Aibileen's best friend is Minny Jackson - an ace cook and rotund force of nature (despite her husband's occasional beatings). After a hilarious incident involving pie and a non-nutritional substance contained within it (a really great joke that is milked for a good twenty minutes) - she too becomes involved (an unbelievably good Octavia Spencer).

Skeeter's nanny is the elderly and wise Constantine (beautifully played by veteran actress Cicely Tyson) - a source of love, encouragement and constancy in Skeeter's life. Skeeter has so many warm memories of her. Constantine pleating her hair on the porch as a child, Constantine comforting her as young teenager on prom night when the local boys cruelly label her as 'ugly'. But Skeeter can't find out why Constantine suddenly left after 29 years of loyal service. What her mum is hiding is later played out to chilling effect. Allison Janney's character Charlotte is verbally browbeaten into firing Constantine by some cold-blooded Daughter Of The South for some menial infringement. And as Charlotte closes the screen-door on a woman who has given her family a lifetime of love - her trembling hurt is raw like an open wound. It's absolutely heartbreaking. It can't have been an easy scene for even the experienced Janney to do. Her character's later redemption of sorts is convincing and moving.

Getting back to the darker side - there are scenes that shock - make you feel deeply uncomfortable. Black people stream up the concrete steps at the side of the cinema marked `colored entrance' - rich beauty-parlour white mothers talk about diseases being passed from negroes to their white children through toilets in the presence of their maids (they actually try to pass a bill to build separate latrines in every home) and worst of all - the chilling reading out of the "Mississippi" Law Book which will have you wincing in your seat in disbelief. There's the word 'nigra' used as a weapon - the hypocrisy of raising 'benefit' money for children in Africa - the husband who quickly bails from the dinner table as his black maid asks for a loan to put both of her sons through college…

Filmed on location in Greenwood, Mississippi - the homes and interiors are all real - and Stephen Goldblatt's incredible cinematography of the local scenery gives all of its 146 minutes a deeply rich hue. Better still - it's defaulted to 1.85:1 aspect ratio - so the picture fills your entire screen (no bars top or bottom). It means that the BLU RAY image is full-on beautiful all of the time. Add to this a gorgeous and emotive score by THOMAS NEWMAN ("The Shawshank Redemption", "Green Mile", "The Road To Perdition" etc) and the whole thing feels special the moment it opens. The only downer for me came at the film's end in the form of the ubiquitous saccharine ballad - the cheesy and formulaic 'Living Proof' by Mary J. Blige. It would have been far better to simply play out to Newman's affecting music - and classier too.

EXTRAS: even though it's only 24 minutes long - the 'Making Of' is genuinely informative and even moving in places. The Author Kathryn Stockett and Director Tate Taylor are from Jackson, Mississippi and have known each other since childhood. More importantly they both came from broken homes and had black maids whom they loved and admired. It was a story they felt had to be told. Combining this with the magic touch of Steven Spielberg (one of the Executive Producers) - and you begin to understand why and how the lovely tone of the film was achieved and maintained - the right people were let do the job and not some Hollywood name. At just under 12 minutes duration - the 'In Their Own Words...' extra where Tate Taylor and Octavia Spencer talk to real 'Maids of Mississippi' is too short - but what there is of it - is wonderfully insightful and uplifting.

To sum up - touching, funny, horrifying and ultimately moving - "The Help" blew my family and myself away.

Well done to Kathryn Stockett, Tate Taylor, DreamWorks and all the good souls who fought to see it made.

BLU RAY Specifications:
PICTURE: 1080p High Def, 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; French, Spanish and Russian Dolby Digital 5.1
SUBTITLES: English SDH, French, Spanish, Russian, and Ukrainian
EXTRAS:
1. The Making Of The Help: From Friendship To Film (24 minutes)
2. In Their Own Words: A Tribute To The Maids Of Mississippi (12 minutes)
3. Deleted Scenes With Introductions by Director Tate Taylor (3 scenes)
4. "The Living Proof" Video (by Mary J. Blige)

"Nightlife: Deluxe Edition" by THIN LIZZY (2012 Universal/Mercury 2CD DE Reissue - Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Time Has A Way Of Healing..."

With a lacklustre sounding CD of this album in the marketplace since 1989 - Lizzy fans will know that only 4 tracks from this criminally-overlooked and long-forgotten 1974 LP have been remastered properly - they're on the 2001 4CD Box Set "Vagabonds, Kings, Warriors, Angels".

Well all that changes with this 2012 'Deluxe Edition' of "Nightlife" - the first time the entire album has been sonically upgraded and now including relevant bonus material on Disc 2. It's also being released on the same day as a DE version of its 1975 follow-up "Fighting" (see separate review). Here are the finite details...

UK released Monday 12 March 2012 (1 May 2012 in the USA) – "Nightlife: Deluxe Edition" by THIN LIZZY on Mercury 2792226 (Barcode 602527922263) is a 2CD Reissue/Remaster that plays as follows:

Disc 1 - The Album (37:40 minutes):
1. She Knows
2. Night Life
3. It’s Only Money
4. Still In Love With You
5. Frankie Carroll
6. Showdown [Side 2]
7. Banshee
8. Philomena
9. Sha-La-La
10. Dear Heart
Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Nightlife" released 8 November 1974 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 116 and on Vertigo VEL-2002 in the USA (later on Mercury SRM-1-1107).

Disc 2 - Bonus Tracks (46:21 minutes):
1. She Knows
2. Sha-La-La
3. It's Only Money
4. Philomena
5. Dear Heart
6. Banshee  - Tracks 1 to 6 live 'BBC Sessions' - 1 to 4 were recorded 3 October 1974 with 5 and 6 done on 23 October 1974
7. Showdown (Demo with Gary Moore)
8. Still In Love With You (Demo with Gary Moore)
9. It's Only Money (Demo with Gary Moore)
10. Showdown (Alternate Take)
11. Still In Love With You (Rough Vocal Mix) - features Frankie Miller

As with "Fighting" - there's no wrap-around plastic on these new Deluxe Editions (miss them actually) and it's nicely laid out. The 12-page booklet has liner notes by MALCOME DOME which features interviews with guitarist Brian Robertson and drummer and founder member Brian Downey. The collage photos that pepper the text are a mixture of trade adverts, concert posters, a New Spotlight Magazine cover and rough drafts of Jim Fitzpatrick's iconic album artwork. At two pages shorter than the "Fighting" booklet - it's hardly pushing the boat out in terms of content - but the real fireworks come in the 2011 remaster by ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM - which is absolutely superb.

The opening track "She Knows" is not one of the four remasters available previously - so fans will immediately be blown away by its clarity here. It's also a very accomplished recording - the fastidious RON NEVISON and his original production values coming to the fore now. It continues with the slinky barroom shuffle of "Night Life" (the words are separated for the song title) where the string arrangements by JIMMY HORROWITZ are particularly lovely and just the right distance into the back of the mix. Great stuff. We then get the album's first out-and-out rocker - the brilliant "It's Only Money" - a typical Lynott winner that grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.

But what follows is the record's big hitter - the aching blues of "Still In Love With You". Featuring guest duet vocals with FRANKIE MILLER and Lead Guitar by GARY MOORE - it would of course be completely trounced by the Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham live version on 1978's legendary double-album "Live And Dangerous". Still - it's nice to hear this more subdued studio original get decent sound at last (lyrics above). Side 1 ends with the family morality tale of "Frankie Carroll" which features keyboards by JEAN RUSSELL and sounds like a throwback to a "Vagabonds Of The Western World" story-song. And again the string arrangements on it are beautifully done.

"Showdown" is great Side 2 opener and I love the huge melodies and production on the instrumental "Banshee" that follows it - both sound fantastic. Next up is the only UK 7" single issued off the album - "Philomena" b/w "Sha-La-La". A song about his Lynott's mum - "Philomena" was released October 1974 on Vertigo 6059 111 - and like the album - it didn't chart. It's not surprising that the band hated this record-company decision because it's not a great leadoff track. The lone US 45 was an altogether better double-sided choice - "Showdown" b/w "Night Life" - released January 1975 on Vertigo VE-202. In Europe there was also "It's Only Money" on the back of the laid back "Night Life" as a single (a picture sleeve of it is featured in the booklet)). The album ends with the manic pace of "Sha-La-La" - followed by the mellow guitar and string vibes of the lovely "Dear Heart".

The bonus tracks on Disc 2 are a mixed bag of the polished and the Billy Goat gruff. First up - missing in action is the USA 7" edited version of "Showdown" at 3:29 minutes that turned up on Promo Copies of Vertigo VE-DJ-7 (a variant of VE-202). The B-side carried the full album version at 4:33 minutes. It's sloppy not to have included it on here. The 6 live 'BBC Session' tracks are much better that I'd expected - especially the rocking first three that show just how tight the band were. In complete contrast to the 3 Oct date - the 23 Oct session that produced "Dear Heart" and the stretched-out-more instrumental "Banshee" hears the boys in a supremely mellow and melodious mood.

The three Gary Moore demos are really hissy - but exciting to hear precisely because they're so raw. "Showdown" features great slide guitar flourishes that aren't on the more polished finished song - and a prize for fans is Gary on duet-vocals with Phil Lynott instead of Frankie Miller on "Still In Love With You". Even on this early take of six and a half minutes - the fabulous blues guitar playing he fills the song with is just so good - and far meatier in some ways than the rather wimpy final.  The 'Alternate Take' of "Showdown" shows both guitarists trying to find flicks and fills - and mostly succeeding. The last bonus track has Frankie Miller (uncredited on the packaging) cursing at the opening and joining Phil on lead vocals. It's kind of ruined by both boys talking about getting 'beer and wine' into the studio as the guitar solos in the background! To sum up Disc 2 - even though there aren't juicy album outtakes (as there is on the DE of  "Fighting") - it's an impressive set of bonuses nonetheless...

Niggles - the booklet is good - but similar to "Fighting" there is this unnerving lack of acknowledgement of the main man - PHIL LYNOTT. Both Downey and Robertson's quotes are selective to say the least. It's all "we" and "our" - without ever noting that Lynott wrote eight outright and co-wrote the other two, sang them, fronted the band, provided the hits etc etc. It's like the remaining members are slyly trying to rewrite the band's history in their favour. And the total lack of liner notes for the 11 tracks on Disc 2 is just lazy. There's also no interview with Jim Fitzpatrick - an integral part of the band's Seventies image. But overall - it's a good release - and one fans have been waiting for - for decades.

To sum up - the remaster is a belter, some of the extras are absolute must owns and the packaging is what you'd expect. Admittedly with its slightly languid and funky feel - "Nightlife" may not be everyone idea of twin-guitar nirvana - but there's still so much on here to admire - and I've especially loved rehearing the record in this really great sound. From here it was onwards and upwards to 1975's "Fighting" and the breakthrough "Jailbreak" in 1976. What a band...

Two of my friends are buried in the same cemetery as Phil in Dublin - and I visit all 3 whenever I go back. God bless them wherever they may be. And all are sorely missed...

PS: see also remaster reviews for "Thin Lizzy", "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage", "Bad Reputation" and 2CD Deluxe Editions of "Vagabonds Of The Western World", "Fighting", "Jailbreak", "Johnny The Fox" and "Live And Dangerous".

"All Quite On The Western Front". A Review Of The 1930 Film – Now Fully Restored And Reissued On Blu Ray In 2012 for Universal’s 100th Anniversary.

"...Neither An Account…Nor A Confession…"

In April 2012 Universal Studios is 100 years old - and to celebrate that movie-making centenary - they've had 13 of their most-celebrated films fully restored for BLU RAY. But it doesn't stop there. As many as 80 other titles will be given re-launches across the year as well each featuring distinctive "100th Anniversary" gatefold card-wrap packaging and in some cases a host of new features. Most (not all) of these re-issues will be two-disc sets containing the Blu Ray, the DVD and also means to obtain a Digital Copy via download.

1930's "All Quiet On The Western Front" is one of the thirteen singled out for full restoration (see list below) - and age hasn’t diminished its anti-war punch one jot. If anything this incredible new restoration finally gives this black and white masterpiece the care and attention it so thoroughly deserves.

US released 14 February 2012 (13 February in the UK) - it comes in a gorgeous limited edition 'book pack' (Barcode 5050582882773). The outer hardback holder has a card-pouch wrapped around it at the base and a 40-page booklet contained within. The book has a two-page preamble by American film historian and chronicler Howard Maltin followed by biog pages on Lewis Milestone the Director – whose other credits include "The Front Page" 1931, "Of Mice And Men" 1939, "Ocean's Eleven" 1960 and "Mutiny On The Bounty" 1962. Each of the principal actors is featured accompanied by a classy black and white photo. Unknown at the time - Lew Ayers played the disillusioned German soldier Paul Baumer - a burly and gruff Lewis Wolheim played Sergeant Katczinsky who fathers it over the rookie platoon - and wizened-up Arnold Lucy played the rabid almost Nazi-like teacher Kantorek - who whips the young idealists of his 'beloved class' into patriotic 'Fatherland' frenzy with a mixture of bullied-guilt and sly wording. There are some 'Not In Picture' stills from deleted scenes, pages of press clippings and telegrams… It's a visual feast and Universal are to be praised for it. But the real fireworks comes in the glorious new print...

Digitally remastered and Fully Restored from Original Film Elements - Universal are reputed to have stumped-up over $300,000 for the restoration - and the results are BEAUTIFUL. First up is the picture quality – when you see what it did look like before (covered in lines and scratches) – the new print is little short of miraculous. Lines, tears, blocking, flickering and rips in the negative – have all been repaired. Women buying flowers to throw at the troops marching through city streets at the beginning – the recruits exiting a train at the front when the town gets shelled - Katczinsky stealing a pig carcass at night in the rain – it all looks amazing. It isn’t perfect by any means – there are occasional scuffs and grain – but mostly the depictions of war are so authentic and the print so clean - that it feels like you’re eavesdropping on actual historical footage. And the sound is expertly woven in too – hiss gone, crackle - the voices now expressive and clear. Then you also notice the complete lack of music - which adds an almost eerie and maniacal feel to many of the scenes – especially in the trenches and bunkers where the soldiers are slowly losing it after days of shelling and starvation. An exemplary job done.

Unfortunately - after the copious amount of quality extras on “To Kill A Mockingbird” (which sent that release into the stratosphere – see separate review) the extras here are frankly a major let down. The 'Introduction' by Robert Osborne turns out to be barely two and half minutes long - but it's followed by The Library of Congress 'Silent Version' of the film (with word cards replacing the dialogue) which does at least show you how bad the original print was.
The two 'Universal' features are very interesting (and indeed informative) – but as generic titles to the series, they'll be on all releases and don’t advance this one. What was needed here was a dedicated 'Making Of' – and it's a very real let down not having it…

The movie itself has entered into folklore – based on the 1929 novel "Im Westen Nichts Neues" by Erich Remarque – he was a German World War One veteran who joined the Rhineland front in 1914 (his book's prologue printed on screen at the beginning of the movie titles this review). The adapted screenplay involved as many as 8 experienced writers including Maxwell Anderson and George Abbott. The huge production utilized the fearless skill of Arthur Edeson as principal cameraman and cost 1.5 million dollars to make – a staggering amount of money for the time.

Some scenes are seared into the memory – the transformation from youthful exuberance to terror as the new arrivals dig trenches and cut their hands on barbed wire to the muzzle flashes of artillery in the distance - the machine guns panning left to right as they mow down soldier after soldier in No Man’s Land on yet another pointless assault – Baumer trapped in a bomb crater haunted by the look of the young boy he’s just killed.

Being so old though, it’s not without problems. With talkies only beginning – it has to be said that some of the acting is seriously hammy – a throw back to silent films where over exaggeration was the way to get noticed. But it doesn’t stop the set pieces from being unnerving. We get the training 'before' they went to war where the men are brutalized ("Full Metal Jacket" really fleshed this out). On the other side of the coin we get the brief moments of elation and humanity - an officer lets the famished men have two rations of food instead of one despite a cook’s clumsy protests – laughing, flirting and swimming with the local farm girls in the moonlight.

To get authenticity they even brought in a German drill Sergeant who put 50 extras through their paces – callisthenics, marching, drill, discharging and maintaining arms – just as it would have been in the Hell Hole of the trenches. It was money well spent – "All Quiet On The Western Front" wowed audiences and critics alike and won Universal their 1st Academy Award for Best Picture in 1930. Director Lewis Milestone also received the Academy Award and there were nominations in two other categories – Cinematography and Writing. Its anti-war message has been a subject of scholarly debate ever since.

"All Quiet On The Western Front" and "To Kill A Mockingbird" are amongst the first vanguard of these 'restored' releases – and they’re superbly done. It's heartening to see Universal Studios finally throw some proper money at the preservation of its movie legacy - and be proud about doing so too. I for one will collect the whole series - and live in hope that other studios respect their past in the same glorious way.

To sum up - despite the lack of a documentary on the making of the film – this is an absolutely first-class release because the money's been spent on what matters – bettering and preserving the print for posterity. It won't be everyone's idea of a nice afternoon in – but that was of course the point – and "All Quiet On The Western Front" has proved its point very well for over 80-years. Impressive to say the least…

BLU RAY Specifications:
EXTRAS:
1. "Introduction By Film Historian Robert Osborne"
2. "All Quiet On The Western Front (Silent Version)"
3. "Theatrical Trailer"
(Blu RAY Exclusives)
3. "100 Years Of Universal Academy Award Winners"
4. "100 Years Of Universal: Restoring The Classics" - An in-depth look at the intricate process of preserving the studio's film legacy by those involved
5. Pocket Blu - download content to your Smartphone and Tablet

VIDEO: 1080p High-Definition Full Frame 1.33:1
(Print Digitally Remastered and Fully Restored from Original Film Elements)
AUDIO: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese DTS Mono 2.0
SUBTITLES: English SDH, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish, Traditional Mandarin

PS: The 13 'restored' Blu Ray titles in Universal's 100th Anniversary series are:

1. All Quiet On The Western Front (1930). Released 13 Feb 2012 in the UK. Restored, Remastered and a beautiful 40-page book pack...
2. The Birds (1963). Release date to be advised. Restoration, remastering and packaging probably as per 1...
3. Abbott And Costello's Buck Privates (1941). The Blu Ray is USA released 17 April 2012 (see Amazon.com for artwork) - a 2-disc "Collector's Edition" with Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Copy. It's fully restored, digitally remastered and in a book pack.
4. Dracula (1931). Release date to be advised. Restoration, remastering and packaging probably as per 1. Will include both English and Spanish versions.
5. E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial (1982). Release date to be advised.
6. Frankenstein (1931). Release date to be advised. Restoration and remastering as per 1 above, packaging probably the same...
7. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935). Sequel that's better than the 1931 original - release date yet to be advised and will probably be in the same packaging as "Western Front" and "Mockingbird"...
8. Jaws (1975). And about time too - Spielberg's masterful 1975 shark-movie finally gets to Blu Ray. Release date to be advised (probably June 2012) and as above....
9. Out Of Africa (1985). Many will be pleased to see this picturesque romance finally get the Blu Ray makeover. 6 March 2012 release in the States.
10. Pillow Talk (1959). 7 May 2012 UK release - two-disc set - Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Copy. Fully Restored and Digitally Remastered. In a beautiful book pack.
11. Schindler's List (1993). Release date to be advised. Restoration and remastering as above, packaging probably the same...
12. The Sting (1973). Release date to be advised. Restoration and remastering as above, packaging probably the same.
13. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) 10 January 2012 - reviewed above.

PPS: For a list of the 60 or so titles in the "100th Anniversary" series see the 'comment' section attached to this review

"Fighting: Deluxe Edition by THIN LIZZY - September 1975 Fifth UK LP on Vertigo Records (2012 Universal/Mercury 2CD Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and 199 More Like It Are Available In My

Amazon e-Book 

BLOW BY BLOW - 1975

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters 

All Reviews From The Discs Themselves 

(No Cut And Paste Crap) 

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"…Wild One…You've Been Away Too Long…"

Thin Lizzy fans have had something of a rollercoaster ride with the huge slew of DELUXE EDITIONS thrown at them in the last few years - some stunning - some maddeningly off the mark (remasters that aren't etc). But as a huge fan of these twin-guitar beginnings "Nightlife" (1974) and "Fighting" (1975) - I'm thrilled to say that these 2CD sets may indeed be the best in the series so far. Here are the details...

UK released Monday 12 March 2012 - "Fighting: Deluxe Edition" by THIN LIZZY on Mercury 2792227 (Barcode 602527922270) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:08 minutes):

1. Rosalie

2. For Those Who Love To Live

3. Suicide 

4. Wild One

5. Fighting My Way Back

6. King’s Vengeance

7. Spirit Slips Away 

8. Silver Dollar 

9. Freedom Song

10. Ballad Of The Hard Man

Tracks 1 to 10 are their fifth studio album "Fighting" released 12 September 1975 in the UK on Vertigo 6360 121 and on Mercury SRM-1 1108 in the USA

[Note: the UK 'alley with weapons' artwork is used for this release and not the different US and European artwork - the 'standing outside a derelict house' cover used on US and Euro covers is featured as the lead page of the booklet]

Disc 2 - Bonus Tracks (61:40 minutes):

1. Half Caste - the non-album B-side to "Rosalie" - issued June 1975 in the UK as a 7" single on Vertigo 6059 124

2. Rosalie (US Album Mix)

3. Rosalie

4. Suicide

5. Ballad Of A Hard Man - tracks 3 to 5 live 'BBC Sessions' recorded 29 May 1975

6. Ballad Of A Hard Man (False Start and No Vocal) - an alternate version 

7. Try A Little Harder (Alternate Vocal) - an instrumental album outtake written by Phil Lynott

8. Fighting My Way Back (Rough Mix With Alternate Vocals) - an alternate version

9. Song For Jesse (No Vocal) - an instrumental album outtake written by Phil Lynott

10. Leaving Town (Acoustic, Bass & Drums - No Vocal) - an instrumental album outtake written by Phil Lynott

11. Blues Boy - an album outtake written by Brian Robertson

12. Leaving Town (Extended Take) - longer version of Track 10

13. Spirit Slips Away (Extended Version - Take Four) - an alternate version

14. Wild One (No Vocal) - an alternate version

15. Bryan's Funky Fazer (Silver Dollar) - an alternate version written by Brian Robertson

There's no wrap-around plastic on these new Deluxe Editions (miss them actually), but it is nicely done. The 16-page booklet has liner notes by MALCOME DOME which features interviews with guitarist Brian Robertson and drummer and founder member Brian Downey. The collage photos that pepper the text are a mixture of ticket stubs, concert posters, 7" single picture sleeves for the two releases off the album - "Rosalie" and "Wild One" - and well as a 'bloodied noses' photo of the band as rejected artwork. But the real fireworks come in the 2011 remaster by ANDY PEARCE and MATT WORTHAM - which is absolutely superb. 

The power of the album opener "Rosalie" as it exits your speakers is tremendous. One of only a handful of covers Lizzy ever did - it was originally on Bob Seger's 1973 album for Capitol Records called "Back in '72" (he even issued it as a 7" single in the UK and USA). Lizzy had been touring the States with Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Seger on the same bill - only to witness how the song came alive in a live environment. They took his slower studio cut and speeded it up - and to many people - it practically 'is' a Lizzy song now. I'm sure Bob approves - because to this day - "Rosalie" (with its anti-racist non-album B-side "Half Caste") is one 'the' great 45s of the Seventies (it also features Roger Chapman of Family on guest vocals - just before the solo comes in).

The power of "For Those Who Love To Live" is fabulous too as is the wonderfully melodic "Wild One" (lyrics above). In fact as you listen again to the album - its amazing how accomplished Lynott's writing had become (he penned/co-wrote 7 of the 10 songs) and how the band's new twin-guitar sound had 'gelled'. 1976's "Jailbreak" and its breakthrough was just a year away - but they found their true path on "Fighting" and with their cracking new material were already an awesome thing 'live'. I particularly love the slinky feel of Robertson's excellent "Silver Dollar" which just sounds huge all of a sudden (it features the second guest on the album - Ian McLagan of The Faces on keyboards). "King's Vengeance" has such muscle now too - and the rocking brilliance of "Suicide", "King's Vengeance" and the powerhouse album finisher "Ballad Of A Hard Man" have never sounded so good. 

As you can imagine the bonus tracks on Disc 2 are a mixture of the ordinary and the brill. I find the 3 BBC Sessions strangely lacklustre considering the material - but the rough in-the-studio alternate versions of "Ballad Of A Hard Man" and "Fighting My Way Back" are raw and powerful - they show a band that was so brilliantly tight - even in rehearsals. One of the real gems here is once again by Lynott - the lovely "Try A Little Harder" is in the same vein as the sleeker part of "Spirit Slips Away" and has a great guitar solo in it. "Song For Jesse" sounds suspiciously like an instrumental that was recently done - there's no recording date and no indication as to who does the superb piano work on it. "Leaving Town" is the real deal and is featured here twice. First is an Acoustic, Bass and Drum version - second is an extended version of that. But as pretty as it is in places - without vocals and emotion it's merely a curiosity (what a shame he never finished it). The brill and sneaky rock-blues of "Blues Boy" is different though - a truly great Brian Robertson penned outtake with Lynott giving it some mean vocals and the guitar work from both of the boys just fantastic. Lizzy fans will love this. It's a genuine highlight...

Niggles - the booklet is good - but there is this unnerving lack of acknowledgement of the main man - PHIL LYNOTT. Both Downey and Robertson's quotes are selective to say the least. It's all "we" and "our" - without ever noting that Lynott wrote the bulk of the tracks for God's sake, sang them, fronted the band, provided the hits. Its like the remaining members are slyly trying to rewrite the band's history in their favour. And the total lack of liner notes for the 15 tracks on Disc 2 is just lazy - or again - trying to hide something. But overall - it's a good release - and one fans have been waiting for - for decades. 

To sum up - the remaster is a belter, some of the extras are absolute must-owns and the packaging is what you'd expect. It's truly terrible front cover notwithstanding - "Fighting" is a properly great Thin Lizzy album - and this DE version finally does it justice. 

Two of my friends are buried in the same cemetery as Phil in Dublin - and I visit all 3 whenever I go back. God Bless them wherever they may be. And all are sorely missed...

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" on BLU RAY. A Review Of The 2011 Film.

"…Show Me Your Big Move..."

It appears that Ryan Gosling is going to take over the world - or at least your living room - because the guy is 'everywhere'. And like Bradley Cooper about six months ago - everyone wants Ryan. And I mean everyone. And on the strength of "Drive" and this - it's easy to see why. Women are drooling over him - and guys want to be his drinking buddy.

Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling play Cal Weaver and Jacob Palmer - two polar-opposites in the cool stakes. Cal has only ever had one woman and wife - the beautiful but slightly wayward Emily (Julianne Moore). Jacob has had more women in an hour that politicians have had billable brunches. His prey is sophisticated but loose business types that frequent the bar Jacob hangs out in - women with the corporate finesse of a piranha that hasn't eaten in a week. When Cal stumbles into an ill-advised divorce because of one mistake on the part of Emily - he enters Jacob's world - and with advice that appeals to a man's ego - enters into way too many easy lays. His journey back to his true love makes up the rest of the movie...

Clearly relishing the witty and smartly written script - the two wildly different male leads spar off each other very convincingly. Julianne Moore is her usual classy self as always (such a great actress). There's even a tremendously clever and funny pairing of young love in the 13-year old Robbie (Cal's son) who is besotted with his 17-year old babysitter Jessica (great work by both Jonah Bobo and Analeigh Tipton). On the bumbling adult front - Kevin Bacon and Marisa Tomei bump up the cringe and laugh count too.

But for me it's the fabulous Emma Stone who brings the whole macho proceedings to life - and like her breakthrough performance in "Easy A" - she injects some badly needed reality into the picture. Her character's bubbly nature is infectious and her palatable vulnerability fills her love scenes with Gosling with a sense of danger and thrill. Stone's Hannah wants her heart fulfilled - not used - not shattered by some smarmy barfly out to chalk up another notch on the headboard of his waterbed. Stone's Hannah is nervous, giddy, talkative, loving, trusting - she gives Hannah a 'this-is-how-a-real-woman-is' set of reactions - and the movie is so much the better for it - warm even.

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" is not pretending to be "War And Peace" - but it's a hugely enjoyable romp when those sort of things seem to be in short supply these days. Besides - it passed the ultimate litmus test - my missus and teenage daughter gobbled up every moment of it and could not be tempted away - even by morsels of Cadbury's Twirl...

Do my girls want to discover the true meaning of love? Find out the joys of marital bliss? Bath in the wisdom of enlightened relationships? Do they bo**ox! They want to lick strawberry Haagen Daz off the Gozzer's rippling abs and YouTube the experience afterwards to make all their friends jealous. It's enough to make me go back to the gym (well now - let's not be too hasty my dears...).

In fact - now that I think of it - forget the review. Can somebody please slip some soluble ugly tablets into Ryan Gosling's Spritzer...and do all of us mere mortals a favour...

PS: my 18-year old daughter watched "The Notebook" for the 40th time immediately after it...

“Welcome to The Rileys” on DVD. A Review Of The 2011 Film.

"…He's So Old School…"

Kristen Stewart will of course get the lion's share of publicity on this one as a prostitute that's one step away from oblivion (she actually deserves the hype that surrounds her) - but for me it's the combo of James Gandolfini and Melissa Leo who are astonishing.

Directed by Jake Scott and Executive Produced by his famous relations Tony and Ridley of Scott Free Productions - 2010's "Welcome To The Rileys" is a small independent movie with a big heart and even bigger performances.

Doug Riley is on autopilot - playing out his joyless poker games on Thursday night with the boys - sleeping with Vivienne the waitress in the local diner - not sleeping with Lois his wife of 30 years. But there's a reason for his wife's frigidity and her desperately lonely pill taking - not to mention Doug's quiet sobbing in the garage with a cigarette in the dark. Both Doug and Lois lost their 15-year old daughter Emily in an avoidable car accident in 2001 - and with unspoken hurt and unallocated blame - have been escalating damaged goods ever since. But when Vivien his diner-lover of 4 years dies (a subtle performance by Eisa Davis) and Doug goes on a business holiday to New Orleans - he gets more than he bargained for when he goes upstairs with a 17-year old pole dancer and hooker. And this is where the real story begins...

The acting in "Welcome To The Rileys" is top class and goes a long to forgiving the largely terrible picture quality (a lot of night shots with little or no clarity). First up is a magnificent turn by Gandolfini. In what could have been such a pervy role, he lends his big-bruiser Doug a good-man's gravitas that is wholly believable. Melissa Leo gets the toughest role - and she eats it up with a performance that keeps you glued. And then there's the talented and beautiful Kristen - her jumpy malnourished creation is all spotty skin, blurred eye shadow and bruised limbs. Mallory has been dumped on all of her life - and her street-fighting cornered-rat mistrust of everything takes some breaking through. But Doug is determined - and so is his wife - who comes after Doug and has to make some major life-adjustments herself. All three have been rightly applauded for their work in this...

Ok - "Welcome To The Rileys" is perhaps a little implausible at times - but the writing and the storytelling will slowburn their way into your heart. And it has an ending that isn't pat - despite the huge pressure there must have been on Jake Scott to deliver just that - happy families all the way...

A bit of an overlooked gem frankly. I liked this film a lot.

Put it high on your rental list.