"Crying Laughing Loving Lying" by LABI SIFFRE (July 2015 Edsel Expanded CD Reissue – Phil Kinrade Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...It Must Be Love..."

Back in June 2006 - EMI launched a 7-CD reissue campaign for Labi Siffre's 70s catalogue on Pye Records  – the five listed below, 1975's "Remember My Song" and a further “Best Of”. Those Abbey Road CD remasters (probably done by Nigel Reeves) had gorgeous sound, relevant bonus tracks (including Previously Unreleased) and came in jewel cases with 12-page booklets that were adequate rather than inspiring. But they’ve been deleted for some years now and some have even acquired a nasty price tag in some cases.

Well after some delays (these were supposed to show up in June 2015 and then 10 July 2015, they’re now released Friday 31 July 2015) – along comes Edsel of the UK with five upgraded CD reissues of those Seventies catalogue gems  (in digipaks this time) and having acquired the lot on the day of release - I’m thrilled to say that they’re 'all' beautifully done and have even filled in some important CD holes in Labi Siffre’s Discography.

The 2006 CD had 18 tracks and ran to 64:01 minutes (the 12-song album pumped up with 6 bonuses). Rejiggering the extras and adding on the stunning non-album 7" single "Watch Me" and the elusive B-side "To Find Love" which has never been on CD before (his most famous song “It Must Be Love" was the A-side) – this 2015 Edsel Reissue and CD Remaster runs to 68:56 minutes. It bumps up the track count to 20 and has new ALAN ROBINSON liner notes based on interviews with Labi Siffre in 2015. There’s a lot to get through - so here are details...

UK released Friday, 31 July 2015 (August 2015 in the USA) – "Crying Loving Laughing Lying" BY LABI SIFFRE on Edsel EDSA 5041 (Barcode 740155504137) is an 'Expanded Edition CD' version in a card digipak and breaks down as follows (68:56 minutes):

1. Saved

2. Cannock Chase

3. Fool Me A Goodnight

4. It Must Be Love

5. Gimme Some More

6. Blue Lady

7. Love Oh Love Oh Love [Side 2]

8. Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying

9. Hotel Room Song

10. My Song

11. Till Forever

12. Come On Michael

Tracks 1 to 12 make up the album "Crying Laughing Loving Lying" – released October 1972 in the UK on Pye International Records NSPL 28163 (all songs are Siffre originals).

BONUS TRACKS:

13. To Find Love – the non-album B-side to his 4th UK 7" single "It Must Be Love" released November 1971 on Pye International 7N.25572 – first time on CD

14. Watch Me – the non-album A-side to his 6th UK 7" single "Watch Me" released July 1972 on Pye International 7N.25586. It's non-album B-side "Here I Am" is one of the bonus tracks on the debut album "Labi Siffre"

15. You Make It Easy

16. Good Old days

17. Pristine Verses

18. You’ll Let Me Know

19. Oh Me Oh My Mr. City Goodbye

20. For The Lovin'

Tracks 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20 were album outtakes first issued on the 2006 EMI CD - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED at the time

Track 19 is the non-album B-side to "If You Have Faith" - a track off the 1973 album "For The Children". The UK 7" single was released October 1973 on Pye International Records 7N.25629

SINGLES:

Three 45s were issued around the album and using the "Labi Siffre" debut album CD reissue - can be sequenced in remastered form by fans as follows...

1. It Must Be Love [4] b/w To Find Love [13]

UK released November 1971 on Pye International 7N 25572

US released 1972 on Bell Records 183

2. Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying [8] b/w Why Did You Go, Why Did You Leave

UK released March 1972 on Pye International 7N.25576

US released 1972 on Bell Records 218

The non-album B-side is available as a bonus on the "Labi Siffre" CD Reissue

3. Watch Me [14] b/w Here We Are

UK released July 1972 on Pye National 7N.25586

USA released 1972 on Bell Records 298

The non-album B-side is available as a bonus on the "Labi Siffre" CD Reissue

The 2006 CD reissue had a 12-page booklet that reproduced the lyric insert of the album across two pages and short liner notes. Edsel’s impressive 32-page booklet upgrade not only gives you lyrics to every song, but lists the musicians beneath each and shows the lyrics for the bonus tracks for the first time. Inbetween that you get rare Euro Picture Sleeves for the big hits "It Must Be Love" and "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" as well as photos of the Pye Tape Boxes. Licensed from Siffre direct – the PHIL KINRADE Remasters done at Alchemy Mastering are truly gorgeous. I’d suggest that the rare B-side "To Find Love" sounds suspiciously like its been done off vinyl - but I'd emphasise that it stills sounds amazing. The clarity and depth of those rattling acoustic strings is incredible here - a massive improvement on the hiss and muddiness that went with previous budget label reissues.

Born in London in 1945 to a Belgian/Barbadian mum and Nigerian father, Labi had his demos sent to a music publisher in late 1969 which resulted in a publishing contract and the recording and release of his first album on Pye Records early in 1970 (Pye Records at that time was home to The Kinks and Status Quo). His style for the first 5 albums he did on Pye is more singer-songwriter than soulster, though the tracks themselves are often very soulful in their nature - sort of a Bill Withers meets Gilbert O'Sullivan vibe. Many were just Labi Siffre, an acoustic guitar and his high falsetto voice. He's often lumped in with easy-listening here in the UK which does his superb song-writing talents a huge disservice - and like Gilbert O'Sullivan - he is another 'soft' songwriter of the Seventies not given nearly enough credit for his brilliance in penning a truly touching tune, but beloved still by fans and those who like their singers to be on the side of Gordon Lightfoot and James Taylor.

Increasingly his songs are being name-checked and used by R 'n' B soul boys of the last few years who have realized that Labi's songs offer a wealth of good source material. KAYNE WEST sampled "My Song" from "Crying Laughing Loving Lying" on his "I Wonder" track from 2007's "Graduation" - while both JAY-Z and EMINEM have famously sampled the stunning bass break that happens half way through "I Got The..." on "Remember My Song" from 1975.

His 3^rd studio album opens with the Acapella “Saved” and then goes into the jaunty “Cannock Chase” – beautiful clarity on both tracks. But it’s nuggets like the lovely "Fool Me A Goodnight", "Hotel Room Song" and "My Song" that have languished in obscurity for far too long. And again I can’t emphasise enough the fabulous remastering. I've treasured this album for years on vinyl and to finally hear it given this kind of sound quality is a joy. "It Must Be Love" and the beautiful title track "Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying" sound fab. I’ve always thought that the stand-alone “Watch Me” is his masterpiece from the period – a song that literally makes me weepy (I was in love with a girl at the time) and it’s presence here as a new bonus is a winner. Of the album outtakes “You Make It Easy” has a lovely melody – Siffre and an electric piano – its very demo-ish but full of feeling and has a Bacharach brass refrain during its pretty chorus.

Siffre retired for a few years but then returned in 1987 with "(Something Inside) So Strong" on China Records - a magnificent Anti-Apartheid anthem and as moving a song as you're ever likely to hear. His into-the-light website is fascinating also - packed with poetry, political observations and extremely active fan exchanges etc.

This is a gorgeous reissue and well done to Edsel for making “Crying Laughing Loving Lying” available again on CD – and in such sweet style...

The 31 July 2015 EDSEL Expanded CD Remasters for LABI SIFFRE are:

1. Labi Siffre (1970)

Edsel EDSA 5041 (Barcode 740155503932) with 6 Bonus Tracks

2. The Singer And The Song (1971)

Edsel EDSA 5040 (Barcode 740155504038) with 8 Bonus Tracks

3. Crying Laughing Loving Lying (1972)

Edsel EDSA 5041 (Barcode 740155504137) with 8 Bonus Tracks

4. For The Children (1973)

Edsel EDSA 5041 (Barcode 740155504236) with 1 Bonus Track

5. The Last Songs (1998)

Edsel EDSA 5043 (Barcode 740155504335) no bonus tracks

His 5th studio album “Remember My Song” from March 1975 on EMI was reissued on CD in 2006 too but for some undisclosed reason is not included in this 2015 reissue campaign. 

There was one last studio album in the Seventies for EMI called "Happy?" released in November 1975 and its 10-tracks are available on CD albeit in a round about way. The EMI CD compilation called "The Music Of Labi Siffre" contains all but one song of the "Remember My Song" album and the full “Happy?” album (see separate review) – so you acquire that budget-priced CD to get the guts of both records for a reasonable sum. 

The 14 new tunes of “The Last Songs” was recorded live on Tour in 1998 and released on CD that year. It was reissued in 2006 and is once again in this 2015 Edsel campaign (no bonus tracks). It’s beautifully recorded and songs like “Sparrow In The Storm” and “Why Isn’t Love Enough?” show Siffre has lost none of his singer-songwriter magic...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series. E-Books giving advice on "Exceptional CD Remasters" in different genres. Check out SOUNDS GOOD: Classic 1970s Rock...available to buy on Amazon and many other download sites...

"The Circle Game" by TOM RUSH [featuring Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and James Taylor] (2008 Rhino Expanded CD – Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Someone To Love Today…"

Heavily steeped in the American Folk, Blues & Roots movements of the early to mid Sixties - TOM RUSH was already a 5-album veteran by the time he released "The Circle Game" in April 1968 at the age of 27. The bog-standard CD version of this lovely, but long-forgotten gem of an album has been available for almost 20 years now with a slip of paper as an insert and useless hissy sound.

Thankfully Rhino's May 2008 Reissue finally addresses that travesty by giving the album the sonic upgrade its long deserved - a Remastered 40th Anniversary Edition CD on Elektra/Rhino 8122-79978-5 (Barcode 081227997854) - complete with an upgraded booklet and 3 rare bonus tracks. The Elektra/Rhino 2008 CD remaster of “The Circle Game” by TOM RUSH breaks down as follows (52:12 minutes):

1. Tin Angel

2. Something In The Way She Moves

3. Urge For Going

4. Sunshine Sunshine

5. The Glory Of Love

6. Shadow Dream Song [Side 2]

7. The Circle Game

8. So Long

9. Rockport Sunday

10. No Regrets

11. (Coda)

Tracks 1-11 make up the album "The Circle Game" issued on Elektra EKL 4018 (Mono)/EKS 74018 (Stereo) in April 1968 in both the USA and UK. The Stereo mix is used.

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Something In The Way She Moves (UK Single Mix) - issued March 1968 in the UK on Elektra EKSN 45032. This A-side is a different mix to the album version – the album track "Rockport Sunday" was its B-side in the USA and UK.

13. Urge For Going (US Single Mix) - issued late 1967 in the USA on Elektra EKS-45607 - again different to the album version. "Sugar Babe" from the June 1966 Elektra Records LP "Take A Little Walk With Me" was its B-side.

14. The Circle Game (Take 1) – PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The 8-page booklet has a new essay and interview with Rush by the respected reviewer PETER DOGGETT and is filled out with session details, trade paper reviews and pictures of US and UK singles. The album artwork is beneath the see-through tray and the CD itself reflects the colour of the original US vinyl album label - all nice touches - and typical of Rhino's attention to detail.

Some might moan that the album's original MONO mix should have been included as well as the STEREO version - I'd take that as a valid point - but two of the bonus tracks are a real find and collectors I'm sure would prefer them.

In an odd sort of way, "The Circle Game" isn't remembered so much for Rush himself, but for the astonishing singer-songwriters he introduced to the world via the record - JONI MITCHELL, JACKSON BROWNE and JAMES TAYLOR - all three unsigned at the time. With these enormous talents providing the bulk of the songs and two cracking originals of his own, this unassuming little folk album practically kick-started the entire Californian singer-songwriter movement. The album's title is one of Joni's best compositions "The Circle Game" which she eventually put out on her 3rd album "Ladies Of The Canyon" in 1970 (lyrics from it title this review). The other two covers are "Tin Angel" which turned up on her 2nd LP "Clouds" in 1969 and "Urge For Going” - as beautiful a song as she has ever written and for me one of the real beauties on this record. Her own version didn't find its way onto vinyl until 1972, when it turned up as a B-side of "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio". Its CD debut is on the wonderful "Hits" set from 1996 - a HDCD remaster in truly beautiful sound quality. When you hear just how touching her original is - it's easy to see why Rush nabbed the song as fast as he could.

James Taylor's two tracks fare less well. First up is "Something In The Way She Moves" which Rush unwisely speeds it up with funky brass fills ruining the beauty of the song - it's dated and awful. A few months later, Taylor left for London, signed to The Beatles Apple label and released his debut LP "James Taylor" in 1968 with his softer version of the song on it. It was such a lovely tune, several artists covered it almost immediately - best of which is MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT's version on the "Second Spring" album from 1970. However, Taylor aced all of them - including his own original - by re-recording the song for his first hits set in 1976 - the white covered "Greatest Hits" - it's the definitive version of a beautiful song. The 2nd Taylor track is "Sunshine Sunshine" - a far better jaunty love song complete with strings and 60's upbeat message.

Before the album was released in April - Elektra tried “No Regrets” as a 45 in the USA in January 1968 (Elektra EKSN 45025) with “Shadow Dream Song” as its flipside – but it unfairly sank without a trace despite his beautiful tune now being revered as a Sixties love-song classic. I’ve always lovely “Rockport Sunday” – an instrumental that reflects its title – the kind of mellow acoustic vibe tune you’d play chilling out on a Sunday morning at home with a coffee in hand looking out at the sunny day to come.

Jackson Browne's voice and sound is immediately evident in the chorus of "Shadow Dream Song" - a good song - and a pointer to what was to come years later in 1974's sublime "Late For The Sky".

The other two covers are "The Glory Of Love" made famous by Benny Goodman in 1936 with The Five Keys doing a number 1 doo-wop version of it in 1951 - Rush's version is more uptempo and only ok in my books, while "So Long" is an old Charlie Rich song from his days at Sun Records. But then - for me - comes the lethal double whammy of his own two compositions - the gorgeous instrumental "Rockport Sunday" and the classic and magical "No Regrets" (made a huge hit by The Walker Brothers in 1975). To hear them both in this improved sound quality is a genuine blast. The less-than-a-minute string curio that is "(Coda)" is just that - a curio tagged onto the end of the record. Two of the bonus tracks, "Urge For Going" and "The Circle Game", are sparse bare acoustic versions and beautiful for it - a real treat for fans.

Soundwise the improvement is enormous - it's still a little hissy on a lot of the tracks, but the clarity of the instruments and the depth of his huge deep voice are so much more to the fore now - a muscular and fabulous remaster by Rhino's tape-masters BILL INGLOT and DAN HERSCH.

To sum up - flawed in places for sure, but the good stuff is breathtaking - and this remastered reissue finally brings that out. A job well done and an album you need to investigate...

PS: see also my review for the two albums that preceded "The Circle Game" - 1965's "Tom Rush" and 1966's "Take A Walk With Me" now both reissued and remastered by Beat Goes On of the UK in 2015...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Books Series. E-Books giving advice on "Exceptional CD Remasters" in different genres. Check out SOUNDS GOOD: 1960s and 1970s Volume 2...available to buy on Amazon and many other download sites...

"Slowhand: 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" by ERIC CLAPTON (2012 Polydor 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

“...Mean Old Frisco And Low Down Santa Fay...”

Along with 1974's "461 Ocean Boulevard" – Eric Clapton's hugely popular and commercially successful "Slowhand" album from 1977 was always going to be the subject of a 2CD DELUXE EDITION set at some point in time. And chock full of crowd-pleasers like "Wonderful Tonight", "Lay Down Sally" and J.J. Cale's "Cocaine" that Eric plays in concert to this day (some 40 years later) - it's surprising Universal took so bloody long in releasing it. Yet you have to say – it's absolutely been worth the wait - with a 2nd disc that is both thrilling and a reminder of just how good old EC was/is in the 'live' arena. Here are the Diesel and Peaches...

UK and USA released December 2012 – "Slowhand: 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" by ERIC CLAPTON is a 2CD Reissue/Remaster on Polydor 0600753407202 (Barcode 600753407202) and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (53:22 minutes):

1. Cocaine

2. Wonderful Tonight

3. Lay Down Sally

4. Next Time You See Her

5. We're All The Way

6. The Core [Side 2]

7. May You Never

8. Mean Old Frisco

9. Peaches And Diesel

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Looking At The Rain – a Gordon Lightfoot cover version, recorded 6 May 1977 - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

11. Alberta – a cover version variant of the Blues song "Alberta" by Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter – Clapton's version is more akin to "Alberta Blues" by The Mississippi Sheiks. Recorded 4 May 1977 – it was first issued on the 1999 Eric Clapton compilation "Blues" as an outtake from "Slowhand"

12. Greyhound Bus – an Eric Clapton song recorded 20 May 1977 - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

13. Stars, Strays And Ashtrays – an Eric Clapton song recorded May 1977 - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc 2 – Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London, 27 April 1977 (74:42 minutes):

1. Tell The Truth (Live) – an Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock Song originally on the 1970 "Layla" 2LP set by Derek & The Dominoes

2. Knocking On Heaven's Door (Live) – a Bob Dylan cover

3. Steady Rolling Man (Live) - originally on "461 Ocean Boulevard"

4. Can't Find My Way Home (Live) – a Blind Faith song written by Steve Winwood – sung here by Yvonne Elliman only

5. Further On Up The Road (Live) – a Bobby "Blue" Bland cover version (written by Joe Veasey)

6. Stormy Monday (Live) – a T-Bone Walker cover version

7. Badge (Live) – a Cream cover written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison

8. I Shot The Sheriff (Live) – a Bob Marley & The Wailers cover version

9. Layla (Live) – a Derek & The Dominoes song

THE MUSICIANS:

Lead Guitar & Vocals – ERIC CLAPTON

Guitar – GEORGE TERRY

Keyboards – DICK SIMS

Duet Lead Vocals – YVONNE ELLIMAN

Duet Lead Vocals, Harmonica and Guitar – MARCY LEVY

Bass – CARL RADLE

Percussion – SERGIO PASTORA

Drums and Percussion – JAMIE OLDAKER

Tracks 3, 4, 7 8 and 9 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 1, 2 and 6 first appeared in 1996 on the 4CD Polydor/Chronicles Book Set “Crossroads 2 (Live In The Seventies)”

BILL LEVENSON produced the compilation that features 16-page liner notes by noted writer DAVID HEPWORTH (assisted by Richard Havers) with the tape research, transfers and remastering handled by ANDY SKUROW, KEVIN REEVES and SETH FOSTER at Sterling Sound. The booklet is a very functional affair – a few photos and paragraphs on Clapton’s career and the huge impact tunes like J.J. Cale's "Cocaine", the love song and perennial compilation filler "Wonderful Tonight" and the poppy "Lay Down Sally" had on his radio popularity. The inner flaps of the card digipak have the inner sleeve collage photos of the LP – it's good but hardly great.

The remasters are fantastic – warm, clear and not over trebled for the sake of it. The big riff of "Cocaine" hits you with a wallop – immediately followed by the "...it's late in the evening...she's wondering what clothes to wear..." smooch of “Wonderful Tonight” which despite being overplayed still has the power to make the old soft machine feel a little more mushy. I must admit I never much cared for the throwaway pop of "Lay Down Sally" then and it remains that way now – but I've always loved the jaunt of Don Williams' "We're All The Way" – a genius choice cover version which Clapton makes his own through arrangements. The big rock track of the album "The Core" was co-written with Marcy Levy (as was "Lay Down Sally") and features Yvonne Elliman on Duet Vocals. It dominates Side 2 for nearly nine minutes and yet doesn’t overstay its welcome made interesting with crafty chord changes and that bounce-off vocal. I dare say Scotland’s John Martyn put a few kids through college on the royalties from “May You Never” – a beautiful ballad from his 1973 classic "Solid Air" on Island Records. Clapton keeps the simple melody but again makes it feel like it was an EC song all along. We then get the album’s only Blues outing – a cover of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "Mean Old Frisco" – that EC arranges into an irresistible combo of Electric Slide Guitar alongside high string Dobro fills and a muscle doubled-vocal. It's a winner. The album ends on "Peaches And Diesel" – an instrumental I always felt is lightweight re-run of “Wonderful Tonight” but not in a good way (the remaster of it though is gorgeous). I'd have to say that the Bonus Tracks on Disc 1 are largely disappointing and it's pretty obvious why his dreadful "Stars, Strays And Ashtrays" stayed in the can (his vocal is awful and he sounds stoned). Better is the pretty cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "Looking At The Rain" – a nice outtake – as is the washboard harmonica drive of "Greyhound Bus" (sweet duet vocals with Elliman). The Bluesy and acoustic "Alberta" – which first turned up on the 1999 "Blues" Box Set – is the best of the bunch (great audio and vocals too). But all that pales into the distance when you get to the shock of Disc 2...

Although live inclusions are seen by fans as convenient filler in these DE's - the 'Live' Disc here from April 1977 in England's Hammersmith Odeon is a sensation – making mincemeat of the four insipid outtakes that end Disc 1. The band (the same line-up he had on the album minus Saxophonist Mel Collins) is on fire and each version of each song is infused with energy and playing that is amazing ("Further On Up The Road" rocks like a mother and receives a warm audience response). If this had been released as a definitive 2LP set in the late Seventies – it would stand up as a winner to this day. A major bummer is that there's amp feedback prevalent throughout the 13-minute Blues of "Stormy Monday" which really detracts (especially in the solos) - but it's still a great purist performance. Better is "Badge" which gets slightly funked up and elicits crowd handclapping and cheers. Running to 14 minutes - the Reggae-Funk-Rock of Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff" sees the band cooking on all fronts – the vocals, rhythms, drum solos and guitars – it's wickedly good. Disc 2 ends (as it had to do) on the crowd-pleaser "Layla" where the guitars rock out. Apart from that terrible feedback problem on "Stormy Monday" – it's a cool addition and actually worth of the moniker 'Bonus'.

Even though the booklet could have done with some serious beefing up (photos, memorabilia, interviews) – the great remaster and that live bonus material make this a DE winner. I'd love to see the underrated "Backless" from 1978 receive the same treatment - and for that matter the equally underrated and forgotten "Another Ticket" from 1981. Once more unto the tape vaults Mister Levenson...