Amazon Music Bestsellers and Deals

Sunday 20 July 2014

“Nice And Slow” by JESSE GREEN (2014 Big Break Records (BBR) 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with 5 Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry…


-->
This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my
SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exception CD Remasters  
Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95
Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 
(No Cut and Paste Crap)



"…Flames Grow Higher…"

Despite the two big Disco singles from his debut album both hitting the UK charts in 1976 with respectable positions of 17 and 26 (“Nice And Slow” and “Flip”) – the album itself didn’t arrive into UK shops until early 1977 - by which time the momentum was gone and so had been a bit of a vinyl obscurity ever since. Not anymore.

In a typically superb-sounding CD reissue and remaster by BBR of the UK (Big Break Records) – this CD update also boasts those desirable American 12" Disco Versions as part of its extended bonuses. Here are the big-collared details…

UK released July 2014 – "Nice And Slow" by JESSE GREEN on Big Break Records CDBBR 0274 (Barcode 5013929057432) is an ‘Expanded Edition’ CD Remaster with Five Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows (62:27 minutes):


1. Nice And Slow
2. You Came You Saw You Conquered
3. The Greatest Love
4. Don’t Knock My Love
5. You're A Miracle
6. Highwaves Of The Sea
7. Flip [Side 2]
8. You Are The Star
9. Let's Get It On
10. Easy
11. Don't Let Me Down
12. Nice And Slow (Instrumental)  
Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Nice And Slow" – originally released in Canada on Red Bus Tempo Records LRBTS-1 in 1976 – subsequently released in the UK on EMI Records EMC 3164 in February 1977.

BONUS TRACKS:
13. Flip (Alternate Version)
14. Don't Knock My Love (Alternate Version)
15. Don't Let Me Down (Alternate Version)
16. Nice And Slow (12" Disco Version)
17. Flip (12" Disco Version)

This release will allow fans to sequence the following 7”s:
Nice And Slow (Vocal) b/w Nice And Slow (Instrumental) – July 1976 USA 7” on Scepter SCE 12424 and UK 7” on EMI Records EMI 2492.
Flip b/w Highwaves Of The Sea – October 1976 Canada 7” single on Red Bus Tempo Records RBT 100 and December 1976 UK 7” single on EMI Records EMI 2564. It was released in early 1977 in the USA on United Artists UA-XW955-Y.

The 16-page booklet has photos of those rare Scepter, Red Bus Tempo and United Artists sevens as well as foreign picture sleeves and great liner notes by Stephen Schnee (a California music journalist). But the big news as ever is the great sound quality – another top remaster by Wayne A. Dickson of BBR.

Originally a Vocalist with the 60’s Jamaican band The Pioneers – Jesse Green toured with Jimmy Cliff as a Drummer in the early Seventies before he latched onto the Disco fever of 1975 and 1976 for his solo debut. Outside of the two hits are nice smoochers like “Highwaves Of The Sea” while “Let’s Get It On” could have been another seven-inch fast-paced stepper. And “Don’t Let Me Down” is the Disco hit that never was. But the album belongs to the title track. Personally I dig the ‘Instrumental’ more with its Shaft high-hat intro and shuffling brass – it’s surely gonna get more spins than its Vocal A. And it has spiffing Audio now.

Not all genius by any means - but the good stuff is great – and that top muscular sound quality will ensure that fans need to own this…

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I’ve reviewed to 2015:

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)

Wednesday 16 July 2014

"Southwest /Sandman" by HERB PEDERSEN (June 2014 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs Remastered Onto 1CD) - A Review by Mark Barry...


This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My
SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
SOMETHING'S HAPPENING HERE Volume 2
1960s and 1970s MUSIC ON CD 
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
As well as 1960s and 1970s Rock and Pop - It Also Focuses On
Folk, Folk Rock, Country Rock, Reggae, Punk and New Wave
Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95
Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs
(No Cut and Paste Crap)



-->
"…If I Can Sing A Song…"

In Country Rock - Herb Pedersen - is not exactly a legendary name – one that rolls off the tongue of every aficionado. I can just about remember seeing a Banjo credit to him on The Doobie Brothers "Minute By Minute" album from 1978 as I scoured the inner sleeve for sessionmen I knew – and nothing else. 

Yet he’s turned up on Linda Ronstadt albums from back in the day and even contributes to CDs by supremo guitarist Sonny Landreth in the Naughties. Quietly in the background you might say...

Which brings us to this beautifully remastered 2014 Beat Goes On CD that makes available two obscure albums by Pedersen for the first time since their US release in the Seventies (1976 and 1977). Here are the plucky fingerpicking details…

UK released June 2014 – "Southwest /Sandman" by HERB PEDERSEN on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1151 (Barcode 5017261 211514) offers 2LPs from 1976 and 1977 Remastered onto 1CD and breaks down as follows (63:17 minutes):

1. Paperback Writer
2. Rock And Roll Cajun
3. If I can Sing A Song
4. Our Baby’s Gone
5. Harvest Home
6. The Hey Boys
7. Jesus Once Again
8. Younger Days
9. Can’t You Hear Me Callin’
10. Wait A Minute
Tracks 1 to 10 are the album “Southwest” – released in 1976 in the USA on Epic Records PE 34225

11. Sandman
12. When She Makes Love To Me
13. Cara Is Gone
14. Is That Any Way To Love
15. Fair And Tender Ladies
16. Tennessee Sal
17. About Love Again
18. Bring Back The Smile
19. My Little Man
20. If I Lose
Tracks 11 to 20 are the album “Sandman” – released 1977 in the USA on Epic Records PE 34933

The CD is housed in a pretty card slipcase and the 24-page booklet is packed with info, photos, lyrics and in-depth liner notes by noted writer JOHN TOBLER. The Audio is a gorgeous ANDREW THOMPSON Remaster in High Def from real tapes.

The musical style is solo Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Randy Chowning or Steve Cash)  - fiddles, banjos, country themes and melodies. Some of it works – a lot of it is terribly dated and seriously cheesy. However if you are a fan – the sound quality is truly gorgeous – remastered to perfection.

“Rock & Roll Cajun” rocks it out but his cover of The Beatles classic “Paperback Writer” is not a wise choice. Both Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt provide lovely backing vocals on the mid tempo “Our Baby’s Gone” while “The Hey Boys” is a faithful Dillards cover. Larry Carlton and Mike (Hill Street Blues) Post add guitars and keyboards to “Jesus Once Again” and “Younger Days”. The ballads work best – “Is That Any Way To Love You” and “My Little Man” (about his kids).

Another quality reissue from Beat Goes On with superb presentation and genuinely gorgeous sound...

"BLU RAY: Keepers And Sleepers - 100 Films You Probably Don't Own But Should - Volume 1 (A to G) - A New Book by MARK BARRY Now Available To Buy On AMAZON Kindle

My SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites
"BLU RAY Keepers and Sleepers
Over 100 Films You Probably Don't Own But Should
Volume 1 - A to G..."
Just Click Below To Purchase for £2.95
Nearly 450 E-Pages
All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs
(No Cut and Paste Crap)


Making movie suggestions is a precarious business – one man’s Hilton is another man’s Doghouse. And looking at the 100 choices listed below – you could easily holler where’s Blade Runner or Close Encounters Of The Third Kind or Gladiator (and other obvious stuff like that). But I figure any true film buff will already own these.

Volume 1 in this series mixes in the familiar with the off-the-beaten track and covers the letters A to G (with two more clusters of 100 to follow). All time frames are touched upon (1930 to 2013) - with quality restorations you may have missed highlighted too. I hope to have provided you with enough information to tempt - but not enough to spoil it. And I also make no bones about preferring a movie that lifts the spirits up - even if you have to get a bit bloodied en route.

Each four/five star review is based on the UK BLU RAY release (Region B) – and if the film is only available elsewhere – I’ve incorporated US and EURO versions where their Region Coding will allow play on our machines.

Technical info also includes – Aspect Ratio, Audio Settings, Languages, Subtitles and Extras etc.

The download book can be bought for £2.47 at the above link.

Hope you enjoy it…

MARK BARRY (July 2014)

INDEX:

1.    21 Grams ****
2.    360 *****
3.    (500) Days Of Summer *****
4.    About Time ****
5.    Across The Universe *****
6.    The Adjustment Bureau ****
7.    Adventureland ****
8.    The Adventures Of Robin Hood [1938] *****
9.    The African Queen *****
10. The Air I Breathe ****
11. All About Eve *****
12. All Quiet On The Western Front *****
13. Almost Famous - Extended ****
14. Amelie *****
15. American Violet *****
16. Angel-A ****
17. Anonymous ****
18. Anuvahood ****
19. The Apartment *****
20. As Good As It Gets *****
21. Babel *****
22. Babette’s Feast *****
23. Barney’s Version *****
24. Beautiful Girls *****
25. Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead ****
26. The Big Picture ****
27. The Birdcage *****
28. Blackthorn ****
29. Blazing Saddles *****
30. The Blind Side *****
31. Blow *****
32. The Blues Brothers *****
33. Brassed Off *****
34. The Bridges Of Madison County *****
35. Brief Encounter *****
36. Bright Star *****
37. Bubba Ho-Tep *****
38. The Bucket List *****
39. Cadillac Records *****
40. Captain Phillips *****
41. Caramel *****
42. Centurion ****
43. Charlie Wilson’s War ****
44. Chocolat *****
45. The Cider House Rules ****
46. Cinema Paradiso [25th Anniversary Edition] *****
47. City Of Angels ****
48. Cloud Atlas ****
49. Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs *****
50. The Company Men ****
51. Cool Hand Luke *****
52. Copland [15th Anniversary Edition] *****
53. Corman’s World *****
54. Crash *****
55. Crazy Heart *****
56. A Dangerous Method ****
57. Dante’s Peak ****
58. Dead Fish ****
59. Dean Spanley ****
60. Deception ****
61. Deep Blue Sea ****
62. Definitely, Maybe ****
63. Deja Vu ****
64. Delicacy *****
65. Die Hard 4.0 ****
66. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels *****
67. Duets ****
68. Easy A ****
69. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind *****
70. The Extraordinary Adventures Of Adele Blanc-Sec ****
71. Fargo [2014 Remaster] *****
72. Fast & Furious 5 and 6 *****
73. The Fighter *****
74. Filth *****
75. Fly Away Home *****
76. Flypaper ****
77. Four Lions *****
78. Fracture ****
79. Frankie Go Boom *****
80. Frequency ****
81. Frida *****
82. The Front Page (Extrablatt on GERMAN BLU RAY) ****
83. Frost/Nixon *****
84. The Full Monty *****
85. Garden State ****
86. Get Shorty ****
87. The Ghost ****
88. The Giant Mechanical Man [aka “Love In Detroit”] *****
89. Girl Most Likely ****
90. Glory (Mastered In 4K) *****
91. Going The Distance ****
92. Goldfinger *****
93. Gone Baby Gone ****
94. Good Vibrations ****
95. Good Will Hunting [15th Anniversary Edition] *****
96. Gran Torino *****
97. The Grey ****
98. Grosse Pointe Blank *****
99. Groundhog Day *****
100.      The Guard ****


INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order