"Trouble Man: 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition" by MARVIN GAYE - Soundtrack Album from December 1972 (USA) on Tamla and February 1973 (UK) on Tamla Motown (November 2012 (US) and January 2013 (UK) Universal/Hip-O Select 2CD Reissue And Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…A Little Different Time Wise…"

As I sit here listening to Marvin instructing Trevor Lawrence (the Saxophone player) on Disc 1's Alternate Version of "T" Stands For Trouble" (dialogue above) – I’m properly drooling. This is just stunning stuff - and as a veteran of over 2000 reviews (hundreds for Soul) – I can safely say that this gorgeous 2CD set may just well be the coolest reissue ever put out in digital history.

While 1971’s "What's Going On" and 1973's "Let's Get It On" are regularly acknowledged as Soul masterpieces and name-checked by everyone who is everyone in love with music that genuinely touches you – real MG fans have always had a rush to the head at the mere sight of 1972's "Trouble Man" on vinyl. 

Gaye himself seemed to rate it as his best work and on the evidence presented to us on this fabulous 2013 overhaul – hot like an oven – doesn’t even come close to how good Marvin was at the time. So let’s get to the Blax facts right away…

Released November 2012 in the USA (January 2013 in the UK) – "Trouble Man" by MARVIN GAYE is a 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition 2CD Remaster on Universal/Hip-O Select B0017676-02 (Barcode 602537184040) and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (73:41 minutes):

1. Main Theme From Trouble Man (2)

2. "T" Plays It Cool

3. Poor Abbey Walsh

4. The Break In (Police Shoot Big)

5. Cleo’s Apartment

6. Trouble Man

7. Theme From Trouble Man

8. "T" Stands For Trouble

9. Main Theme From Trouble Man

10. Life Is A Gamble

11. Deep-In-It

12. Don't Mess With Mr. T

13. There Goes Mr. T

Tracks 1 to 13 are the album "Trouble Man" – originally released December 1972 in the USA on Tamla T322L and February 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11225. The American issue famously came in a die-cut sleeve with a flap that had him seated beneath the flap – the UK version came in a single laminated cover with no flap and only the seated photo.

The "T" Sessions: 

14. Main Theme From Trouble Man (2) – Alternate Take With Strings

15. "T" Plays It Cool – Unedited Version

16. Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 – Take 1

17. Poor Abbey Walsh, Part 2 – Take 2

18. Trouble Man – Extended Version

19. Theme From Trouble Man – Vocal Version

20. "T" Stands For Trouble – Unedited Vocal Version

21. "T" Stands For Trouble – Alternate Version

22. Man Theme From Trouble Man – Vocal Version)

Tracks 14 to 22 are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED BONUS TRACKS

Disc 2 (47:37 minutes):

1. Trouble Man

2. Pool Hall

3. "T" Plays It Cool

4. Cadillac Interlude/Cleo’s Apartment

5. Man Tied Up/Jimmy’s West/Conversation With Cleo

6. Crap Game (A.K.A. The Break In)/Getting Rid Of Body/Talking To Angel

7. Outside Police Station

8. Bowling Alley Parking Lot

9. Stick Up

10. Cleaners/Cleo

11. Closing Jimmy’s

12. Police Break In

13. "T" Cleans Up/Police Station

14. Packing Up/Jimmy Gets Worked/Saying Goodbye/"T" Breaks In/Movie Theatre

15. Car Ride/Looking For Pete

16. Parking Garage/Elevator

17. Penthouse

18. Getting Pete

19. My Name Is "T"/End Credits

Tracks 1 to 19 are "Trouble Man Original Film Score" (in MONO) which features the movie score chronologically reconstructed for the first time since release over 40 years ago. It is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED in this form.

Track 20 is a Film Band Bonus - "T" At The Cross

The three-way fold out digipak looks the business – the CDs are the same colour as the 1973 American Tamla label while the centre pages of the booklet picture the shot of Marvin sat in his chair from the die-cut sleeve. Under the see-through plastic trays are snaps of tape boxes for Side 1 and 2 and each flap has lovely colour shots of the great man. Very tasty…

But the booklet is a mixture of the beautiful and the baffling – it’s 28 pages are gorgeous – filled with Motown Archive memorabilia, stuff from the collection of Mathieu Bitton, British and American trade adverts from the time, full colour spreads - even Turkish and Japanese pressings of rare singles. There are superb contributions from fans like Joni Mitchell, Lenny Kravitz, movie legend Cameron Crowe and filmmaker George Tillman Jr. (Soul Food, Men Of Honor and Notorious) –as well as reminiscences from the album’s song arranger Dale Oehler (Joni used him for "The Hissing Of Summer Lawns") and the lone guest musician Trevor Lawrence who played Saxophone (Marvin played everything else). All this and detailed annotation on the sessions on the last set of pages etc.  All good…

But then when you get to Page 17 of the Andrew Flory liner notes and the last sentence starts "Less than a year after its release, Trouble…" – you turn over the page – and nothing! It’s not continued because someone’s obviously missed a whole set of paragraphs. It’s staggering sloppy for such a classy looking reissue.

But although that’s a goof worth pointing out – in truth it’s a sideshow to the real deal for long-time Gaye fans and lovers of this nugget album – the BEAUTIFUL NEW REMASTERED SOUND and STUNNING PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED EXTRAS…

ANDREW SKAROW did tape Research, JOHN MORALES mixed the bonus tracks and long-standing Universal Engineer KEVIN REEVES did the overall remaster. The work is exceptionally good – full of muscle and power. The booklet informs us that the 'reconstruction of the score for Disc 2 was painstaking' and it sounds it – segments I’ve never heard finally mixed in with what punters saw on the night. Some of it seems to fade out prematurely but I suspect that is to do what they had to work with. Other than that – track after track – and you’re hit with sonic clarity and warmth that is thrilling.

I’ve had the 1998 CD remaster for years and this version is better – more detail and without being over-trebled for the sake of it. The punch off some of the tracks is shocking – and who can resist the only single taken off the album "Trouble Man" b/w "Don’t Mess With Mister "T"" – it sounds glorious.

The Bonus Tracks on Disc 1 for me are the best – the Unedited Vocal Version of "T" Stands For Trouble is brill – huge sound and sexy rhythms – with Marvin scatting over the cool rhythm and Sax. WOW!

Over 300 tiny sound cue segments were recorded for the movie and for this reissue the usable cues have been painstakingly cobbled together to make a cohesive whole. It’s easy to see why music-hall crud like "Pool Hall" was left off the album but slink like "Cadillac Interlude/Cleo's Apartment", "Crap Game…", "Outside Police Station", "Cleaners/Cleo" and the sexy patter of "Penthouse" are so good and moodily atmospheric that they make you want to check out the actual movie itself (well almost). Although the Film Band Bonus "T" At The Cross is probably the worst audio on here – its string arrangement is lovely and I can hear why it was included despite the wall of hiss that comes at you as it plays.

Apart from the presentation glitch – this is yet another superb Hip-O Select Motown release (they did the award-winning Singles Box Sets Volumes 1 to 12A).

As the years go by – Marvin Gaye's legend only grows. And I'll be honest – this fabulous reissue made me shed a tear. Put the blame on Mister T people…

"Live At Last! / Sails On Silver" by STEELEYE SPAN – A Review Of Their 1978 and 1980 Albums – Now Reissued And Remastered By Beat Goes On of The UK Onto a 2014 2CD Set…

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this 2CD remaster at the best price:

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"…Set My Sails For The Sun…" – Live At Last! and Sails Of Silver by STEELEYE SPAN on CD

Steeleye Span fans are going to enjoy BGO’s remasters of these forgotten English Folk Rock albums from 1978 and 1980 – both CDs sporting top quality audio and classy presentation. Here are the bonnie wee details…

UK released June 2014 – Beat Goes On BGOCD 1147 (Barcode 5017261211477) breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (49:39 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 7 are the album “Live At Last!” – originally released November 1978 in the UK on Chrysalis Records CHR 1199. It was their 11^th album and first live set (recorded 8 March 1978 in Bournemouth) - issued shortly after the band had disbanded.

Disc 2 (37:32 minutes):

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album “Sails On Silver” – originally released November 1980 in the UK on Chrysalis CHR 1304. It was their 12^th album and the first studio LP with the re-formed band.

Housed in a pretty card slipcase – the 16-page booklet is extensive and features new liner notes by noted writer John O’Regan. But the big news is the Andrew Thompson remasters which are superbly done – clarity and muscle – even if the cluttering instruments of “Sails” threaten to drown everything.

For an onstage album – the sound quality is incredible on “Live At Last!” – amazing clarity and presence. In fact at times it sounds like the record was recorded ‘live’ in a studio – every instrument beautifully reproduced and the vocals full of resonance and depth. The prelude chat to the crowd before “Bonnets So Blue” about fertility dances and things that go limp in the night is very witty and greeted with appreciative hoots. But at 14 minutes plus I find “Montrose” just too long for comfort. “Saucy Sailor” combines with the Brecht/Weill song “Black Freighter” and features Maddy Prior in great voice – convincingly switching between Folk Rock one moment and English lullaby the next. 

The first studio album of the new decade moved away from purist Folk and into the Eighties penchant for multi-layered production and slick songs. I remember it was met with praise and derision at the time. “Sails On Silver” opens up with the rocking title track (lyrics above) where the band sounds like Fairport Convention on a Prog Rock bender. The slick Gus Dudgeon production values continue on the sophisticated and lovely melody of “My Love” with its treated acoustic guitars and electric pianos. But neither “Barnet Fair” nor “Senior Service” has dated well – hustling to be singles at the time - but sounding utterly naff now.

Things pick up with the ballad “Gone To America” and Side 2 opens with the excellent “Where Are They Now” where the Rock and Folk traditions meet and work. “Let Her Go Down” is pretty too but “Longbone” has a poorly produced echo vocal that irritates. It ends on the violin melody of “Marigold/Harvest Home” and the acoustic builder “Tell Me Why” which is probably the best song on what I think is a patchy album.

Steeleye Span divide British Folk fans – they were neither here nor there – and on the evidence of what’s presented here – it’s easy to see why. When they were good – they were superb. But like so many acts in the Eighties – they seemed to lose track of everything that mattered – tunes and musical roots got replaced by technicality and polish and over-production.

Having said that – this is a quality reissue - superb presentation and great audio remasters…

"The Apartment" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 1960 Billy Wilder/I.A.L. Diamopnd Classic Movie Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred McMurray…

Here is a link to AMAZON UK to get this BLU RAY at the best price:

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"…It'll Be Our Little Secret…" – The Apartment on BLU RAY

It’s November 1959 - and sat at Desk 861 in the towering New York City Central Office of Consolidated Life (the 5^th biggest insurance company in the USA) – sits lowly worker C.C. Baxter. Clifford Charles (nicknamed Bud) is up on the 19^th floor every day at 08:50 a.m. precisely - monotonously tapping away on his Priden calculating machine like all the other 31,259 employees sat in long lines of square desks behind him. But Bud has a more pressing 'problem' than working out in his brain how far eight million New Yorkers will stretch if laid out side-by-side – access to his Manhattan apartment situated a short distance away from Central Park and near the office…

You see Apartment 2A in 51 West 67^th Street has become rumpy-pumpy central for a group of managerial types at Consolidated Life. There’s Mr. Eichelberger from Mortgage and Loans booked in on Friday, Mr. Kirkeby from Accounts going at it on Thursday and Mr. Vanderhoff from Public Relations having an extra-martial swing on Wednesday. Bluntly there’s barely enough room for Mr. Dobisch from Admin come the weekend - nor even space for Switchboard Sylvia partnered with the cheap but suavely dressed Mr. Lieberman on Tuesday.  

You wouldn’t mind if they were gentlemen about it either. “You mean you bring other dames up here! Certainly not! I’m a happily married man!” Lieberman complains as Sylvia asks for cab fare back to the Bronx. Bud has to wait outside his apartment in the cold night air for the two lovebirds to clear off. They said they’d be out by eight – but it’s already quarter before nine. “These things don’t run to a clock!” he explains to Bud when he has to go back to get Sylvia’s galoshes. It’s a wonder Bud finds time for a TV dinner, a classic movie on his black and white TV that never seems to arrive because of craftily placed advert breaks (“A word from our sponsors…a word from our alternate sponsors!”) or to clear away the Vermouth bottles and empty Cheese Cracker packets.

Worse – on hearing the noises emanating from his bachelor pad - his impressionable Jewish neighbours Dr. and Mrs. Dreyfuss think Bud’s a massive playboy - “Mildred! He’s at it again!” the Doctor cries. So why does Bud put up with it all? Because he’s really hoping that all those corporate promises made by randy execs back in the office will help him climb the promotion ladder to maybe 2^nd Administrative Assistant. But when he gets locked out of 2A until 4 a.m. one night and develops a fever from sleeping on a Central Park bench – he slowly twigs that his ‘loyal, resourceful and co-operative’ nature as described in their internal reports is being taken advantage of (dialogue above) - and for a wage of $95 a week – it’s all starting to become a bit much.

The only other human joy Bud gets is from his daily close-proximity meets with the pretty Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) – a nice respectable girl who operates one of the 16 elevators in the office skyscraper. Bud takes off his hat for her (the only one who does - which she likes) – and on occasion exchanges schmuck talk with her. Fran seems smart and wears a flower in the lapel of her immaculate uniform while fending off the roving hands of managers patting her buttocks as they exit on Floor 27. Then one night Bud musters up the courage to ask Fran out – but she has other plans - a date with Jeff Sheldrake from Personnel (Fred McMurray) – whom his secretary Miss Olsen (Evie Adams) knows is a notorious womanizer and is very, very good at it.

And on it goes to a hopeful Christmas party, a disastrous date with two tickets for the comedy show “The Music Man” where she doesn’t show and an unintentional personality reveal on her part with a broken vanity mirror that he recognizes to his horror. Will the hapless couple see the error of their ways – will they end up playing gin rummy together in ‘their’ apartment – in love – and free from manipulation and takers…

Much like “Pillow Talk” from the year previous – “The Apartment” was a staggeringly grown-up movie for 1960. It offered up probing dialogue, genuine wit on the battle of the sexes and awkward truths on relationships in the workplace. It also featured believable yet likeable characters - five womanizing schmucks, a gullible but worthy leading lady and one bungling but sincere klutz who learns the hard way how to be a stand-up guy.

The script came to Director Billy Wilder via two places – a viewing of Britain’s “Brief Encounter” in the Forties where a married couple use someone else’s home in London for an affair – and a notorious Hollywood scandal where it transpired that the mogul charged had been using the apartment of an employee. Wilder then brought in the genius of I.A.L. Diamond to give the harsh script a warmer touch (legend has it that IAL stands for Interscholastic Algebra League which Izzy Diamond won in 1937).

They began by toning down everything – the apartment isn’t Central Park West lushness colourful with money – it’s dowdy and filled with used records, curling art prints on the wall, a lone lamp, an old gas oven and the everyman of Jack Lemmon. Shot in Widescreen Black and White – the tones made the November evenings feel chillier and the massive long office floor look like a monochrome factory where life is not lived but wasted away on paperwork. Even the famous suicide scene where Fran (Shirley MacLaine) tries to off herself with sleeping pills sees the doctor next door (a fantastic Jack Kruschen) violently slap her face, make her walk and force cups of coffee down her throat to stop the stupor from killing her. And the four Office Managers are all ordinary-looking middle-aged men who really should know better – they’re not sexy – they’re just high on power and kicks. It’s not pretty and quite dark in its undertones in places. So - how do you get affection and redemption out of this saucy stew?

The answer is the acting talent of Lemmon and MacLaine and a multi-layered script imbibed with pathos and humour to soften the underbelly of seediness. Coming off “Some Like It Hot” – Jack Lemmon showed what he could do – but ‘The Apartment” let him shine - doing comedy, romance and drama – all in the one movie. The leading actress needed to be sexy, ballsy, vulnerable and likeable enough to not be perceived as a sappy victim – and Shirley MacLaine delivered on every front. Their slow dance towards each other is beautifully and realistically handled - while Fred McMurray goes completely against nice-guy type by being a cruel man dressed up in groomed civility – doling out smiling condolences from the other end of a phone where he doesn’t haven’t to get his actual hands dirty.

The picture quality is excellent – and on occasion – gorgeous. The Aspect Ratio is 2.35:1 Widescreen so there are bars top and bottom – but even stretched to Full Screen – it looks great. From the moment the opening credits appear – it’s obvious too there’s been extensive cleaning and restoration. There is however a very fine shimmer of natural grain throughout that rarely disappears. But when it does – the picture suddenly becomes exceptional – almost noir in its lighting and shades. The scene between McMurray and MacLaine in the Chinese restaurant The Rickshaw where he once again promises to leave his wife for a woman is one such moment – a side profile shot as they talk – and it’s just beautiful to look at.

The Extras are pleasingly deep. A discussion on the film that includes Nineties interviews with Evie Adams, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Lemmon’s son Paul and film experts on Wilder and Diamond. There’s also a fabulous commentary by BRUCE BLOCK for the duration of the movie where he gives real details on the actors, the sets and even quotes from Wilder’s screenplay to show the accuracy of how scenes were depicted (his description of “The Apartment” itself is filled with exact items he wanted).  It’s exemplary stuff. Audio is English 5.1 TS-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono and French Mono. Subtitles are English for the Hearing Impaired, Spanish and French.

“I love you…so completely…” Jack Lemmon says to Shirley MacLaine. Finally contented that she’s picked the right guy this time – Shirley smiles affectionately at Jack – and with that old confidence back in her voice says - “Shut up and deal…”

A great film rather than a good one - book a night in for a game of emotional Gin Rummy with "The Apartment" real soon.

"Gran Torino" on BLU RAY – A Review Of The 2008 Clint Eastwood Film

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"…I Confess That I Have No Desire To Confess…" – Gran Torino on BLU RAY

Walt Kowalski is old school. A Korean War veteran and lifelong Ford autoworker ("Would it kill you to buy American...") - he snarls at his scantily dressed teenage granddaughter who disrespectfully texts someone while attending his wife's funeral. He spits on his next door neighbour's front lawn because it's not as spic and span as his own - and looks close to punching out the well-meaning but life-naïve local young priest Father Janovich who just wants to 'help' after his wife's passing (dialogue above). And as the American flag flies over his home - Walt and his dog Daisy sit on the porch not suffering anyone let alone fools gladly - while drinking brews and cursing the rubbish printed in the Astrology section.

His middle-aged sons Mitch and Steve live as far away from him as possible (Michigan mostly) and despair of his grouchy growling nature - permanently frothing at the state of the America he fought for in 1952's E-Company Platoon. He calls people in the Chinese and Mexican neighbourhood gooks, spicks and swamp rats. When a crowd of well wishers descend on his home for his wife's wake - he snarls "I guess they heard there's gonna be a lot of ham..." Walt Kowalski isn't the nicest person in the world. Yet despite his war ghosts ("The thing that haunts a man the most is the thing he isn't ordered to do...") - Walt has decency in his veins and values in his still-alert mind. And with rifles to fend off intruders - he's kept pristine an American classic car in the garage adjacent to his LA home - a 1972 Gran Torino Sport built by his beloved Ford.

Meanwhile gangs of Hmong and Mexican dudes cruise the streets in cars with guns and semi-automatic rifles looking for trouble or an opportunity to steal something. Walt's immediate neighbours are Hmong - and he snarls at them too. Amongst their large number is older sister and younger brother Sue and Thao. A cousin called Spider in a Hmong Gang has been trying to groom the young Thao - until one day Walt intervenes with his rifle and saves the young boy. To his cringing horror the gook neighbours he was offing all those decades back begin to shower him and his porch with gifts of gratitude. But again - despite their best efforts - he tells them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

One afternoon as Sue (wonderfully played by Ahney Her) is walking home with a wannabe hoodie white boy called Trey on a sort of date - they are set upon by three youths with bad intent towards her. Walt is passing in his truck - sorts them out with a handgun he will clearly use - and gets talking to Sue as they drive back about her 'hill people' and especially her obstinate but dim younger brother Thao (great work from Bee Vang). Slowly he learns of her Asian family's origins (escaping murdering Communists in Vietnam) and likes her spunk. A fledgling relationship begins. A relationship that will see him defend and honour what he once body-bagged with such ease...

Directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Nick Schenk and Dave Johannson - "Gran Torino" features a cast of unknowns and tackles subjects rarely seen on Hollywood billboards. It's masterful stuff with Eastwood as Director and Lead Actor firing on all sixes - getting his teeth into important and relevant stuff. It's also ballsy in its portrayals - and of course what makes his Walt so likeable is that he does speak his mind - does have his own marbles - even if they aren't the most politically correct colours...

The BLU RAY picture quality is immaculate throughout - beautifully film. It's defaulted to 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio so there are bars top and bottom - but even stretched to Full Aspect - it looks properly fabulous.

Audio is Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English 5.1, French 5.1, German 5.1, Italian 5.1, Castellan Spanish 5.1 and English 2.0 Audio Descriptive Service. Subtitles are English, Complex Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Castellan Spanish and Swedish (Movie and Bonus Material). Extras include "Manning The Wheel: The Meaning Of Manhood As Reflected In American Car Culture", "Gran Torino: More Than A Car" and exclusive to BLU RAY "The Eastwood Way - Exploring The Actor/Director's Filmmaking Process Up Close".

Racism is a hard one to get right on film - "Crash" and "The Help" are stunning also (see reviews) - and Eastwood's contribution is up there with those masterpieces.

Driving home as he warms to his Native American neighbour - Walt says to Sue with a smile -  "You know what kid...you're all right..."

So is "Gran Torino"...