"Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall" by BILL WITHERS (Inside 'The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums' Columbia/Legacy 9CD Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Let Me In Your Life..." 

Columbia have many world-class box sets in their "Complete Album Series" – but you'd have to say that this BILL WITHERS winner is just a little bit more special than most. And with a thoroughly deserved Grammy win under the belt - it’s time to review the great Soul Man’s legacy - especially his brilliant but overlooked live double from 1973 – the fabulous "Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall".

You can buy the CD in two ways - a 1997 stand alone Remaster on Columbia/Legacy 488987 2 (Barcode 5099748898722) – a disc that gives you the full 14-track double-album onto 1CD (it was originally recorded 6 October 1972 at the famous venue in New York).

But I'd argue that Withers is too damn good to penny-pinch - so I'd advise you splash the cash and get the album within "The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums" 9CD Box Set released November 2012 to much acclaim. Sony Music/Legacy 88697894672 (Barcode 886978946720) is a truly stunning 9-album set with a 40-page colour booklet that can often be procured for under a twenty-spot. Not only do you get the mighty "Carnegie Hall" double but you nail "Just As I Am" – his debut from 1971 – the wonderful "Still Bill" follow up LP from 1972 – 1974's unfairly forgotten "+ 'Justments" and so much more - "Making Music" (October 1975), "Naked & Warm" (October 1976), "Menagerie" (October 1977), "'Bout Love" (March 1979) and finally "Watching You Watching Me" (May 1985). But for this review we’ll concentrate on Disc 3 of 9 - "Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall" (77:09 minutes):

1. Use Me (Live)

2. Friend Of Mine (Live)

3. Ain’t No Sunshine (Live)

4. Grandma’s Hands (Live)

5. World Keeps Going Around (Live) - [Side 2]

6. Let Me In Your Life (Live)

7. Better Off Dead (Live)

8. For My Friend (Live)

9. I Can't Write Left Handed (Live) - [Side 3]

10. Lean On Me (Live)

11. Lonely Town Lonely Street (Live)

12. Hope She’ll Be Happier (Live)

13. Let Us Love (Live) – [Side 4]

14. Harlem/Cold Baloney (Live)

Tracks 1 to 13 are the live double album "Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall" – released April 1973 on Sussex SXBS 7025-2 in the USA and A&M/Sussex AMLD 3001 in the UK.

The attention to detail in the Box set is pleasing - the first 4 discs sport the Sussex label as per the original vinyl albums while the following five have the red Columbia labels. "Still Bill" has its 'opening doors' front sleeve while the double "Live At Carnegie Hall" also has its original gatefold reproduced. Each card sleeve is now bordered in white but it looks and feels classy (even if the print is tiny). The chunky 40-page booklet doesn’t scrimp on detail either - track-by-track annotation with photos of the albums, rare music press adverts, liner notes by Michael Eric Dyson and even a letter from the great man himself at the beginning about his long musical journey.

But the big news for fans is the stunning new remastered sound carried out by a trio of engineers - MARK WILDER for 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 with 1, 2 and 7 handled by JOSEPH M. PALMACCIO and 3 (Carnegie Hall) done by TOM RUFF. Original analogue master tapes have been used in all transfers and what a job they’ve done... Right from the opening acoustic strum of “Harlem” on his fabulous debut album “Just As I Am” and onto the gutsy pump of “Lonely Town, Lonely Street” which opens the equally brill follow up LP “Still Bill” - the sound quality is truly glorious throughout. Beautiful feel - space around the instruments - clarity - warm bass - not to over-trebled - it’s a top notch job done and makes you re-hear all those wonderful songs anew. 

Like 1972's single "Donny Hathaway Live" LP - 1973's "...Carnegie Hall..." vinyl double has garnished a legendary reputation amongst Soul aficionados. Intimate with his audience despite the venue size - a band cooking - songs that sway and groove. Five of its mainly mellow fourteen are exclusive - the impassioned love songs "Friend Of Mine" and "Let Us Love", the acoustic old-man weariness of "World Keeps Going Around", the aching anti-war song "I Can't Write Left-Handed" and "Cold Baloney" which is worked into a 14 minute encore with "Harlem". "Carnegie Hall" is a whole heap of magic and you can literally feel the audience filing it into their memory banks. When he launches into some of the debut album's finest moments - "Ain't No Sunshine" or the lesser-heard funk of "Better Off Dead" - you can literally feel the crowd loving it - grooving - whopping - whistling.

There's Funk on here too - "Lonely Town, Lonely Street" from the 1972 "Still Bill" LP is neck-jerking excellence. That's immediately followed by the exact opposite - "Hope She'll Be Happier With Him". It's a post break-up love song - tender but also open like a wound as Withers sings "...maybe the lateness of the hour...makes me seem bluer than I am..." 

The cello builds as he belts out more hurting lyrics - "...over the darkness I have no power...hope she'll be happier with him..." His other huge hit "Lean On Me" elicits a whole-house handclap - a gorgeous Soul moment. This is a song that huge resonance and one that often moves me to tears and I’m sure a few were shed as this was played that October night way back 1972 New York.

Somehow like equal giants Bobby Womack, Minnie Riperton and Donny Hathaway - Bill Withers has always been the underdog of Soul - never spoken about in the same awe-struck tones that are routinely given to Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding. In my book he’s always been right up there with the best of them - a world class Soul Brother - and this ludicrously good CD Remaster is a way in for us mere mortals to that musical greatness...

"...I loved that old lady..." - he says to the audience as he introduces "Grandma's Hands" on "Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall". Well - we feel the same about you mate. Beautiful and then some...

"Two Sides To Every Story" by GENE CLARK (2013 High Moon Records CD Remaster In A Hardback Limited Edition Numbered Pack with a Download Card for 21 More Songs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Hear The Wind As She Cries..." 

The December 1974 debut solo LP "No Other" on Asylum Records of 'The Byrds' and 'Dillard and Clark' balladeer GENE CLARK is regularly cited by magazines and musical tomes as an 'overlooked slice of musical genius you must hear before you die' kind of record. And they'd be right. A Country Rock album with great tunes and emotional pathos that suffered from public indifference on release but has subsequently garnished adjectives and superlatives aplenty.

His second-platter "Two Sides To Every Story" on RSO Records from three years later suffered the same fate - and on rehearing it in 2016 - I can understand why. "Two Sides To Every Story" was an album out of time - its traditional 'hurly in the morning' Country Rock rhythms, violin swipes and banjo plucks widely out of step with the New Wave crash and clatter of 1977. But as others have pointed out - this pretty-looking but overly expensive and flawed 'High Moon Records' CD reissue of it also has its downsides - especially in the truly disappointing 'Download-Only' Bonus Tracks. There's a lot to get through so here are the two-sided details...

USA released 27 August 2013 - "Two Sides To Every Story" by GENE CLARK on High Moon Records HMRCD-002 (Barcode 641444103126) is a 'Deluxe Edition' CD Remaster - a Numbered Limited Edition of 5000 housed in a Hard Back Book pack (44:14 minutes).

1. Home Run King

2. Lonely Saturday

3. In The Pines

4. Kansas City Southern

5. Give My Love To Marie

6. Sister Moon [Side 2]

7. Marylou

8. Hear The Wind

9. Past Addresses

10. Silent Crusade

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd studio album "Two Sides To Every Story" - released 14 June 1977 in the USA on RSO Records RS-1-3011 and March 1977 in the UK on RSO Records 2394 176. Produced by THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE - it didn't chart Top 100 in either country.

It also offers 21 extra 'Download' tracks (20 music files, one interview) available via a 12-Digit Download card (inside the hard back sleeve) renewable from the High Moon Records website:

DOWNLOAD TRACKS (24-Bit WAV Files):

11. Life's Great Fool - Live

12. The True One - Live

13. The Radio Song - Live

14. No Other - Live

15. Silver Raven - Live

16. In The Pines - Live

17. Hear The Wind – Live

18. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better - Live

19. I'll Be Back - Live

20. She Darked The Sun - Live

21. Kansas City Southern - Live

22. From A Silver Phial - Live

23. Home Run King - Live

24. Sister Moon - Live

25. Daylight Line – Live

26. What Is Meant Will Be - Live

27. Wheels Of Time - Live

28. Some Misunderstanding – Live

29. She Don't Care About Time – Live

30. I Saw A Dream Come True - Live

31. Gene Clark Interview (Taped 1974, Previously Unreleased)

It has to be said that the hardback book is a lovely thing to behold and read - gorgeous colour photos of Clark at his Mendochino house where all the songs were written - snaps of him with Emmylou Harris and Jim Dickson - original Manager and Producer of The Byrds - Biography Pages from the period - the CD apes the RSO Records label - and it's numbered in gold on the rear - a limited edition of 5000. But that's naught to the fabulous audio. JOHN STROTHER did the Tape Transfers and legendary Rhino Records Audio Engineer DAN HERSCH did the Remaster and the Audio is truly superb - all the songs sounding so much better than my battered US vinyl copy.

With Emmylou Harris and Steve Soles on Backing Vocals - the album opens strongly on the very Country-Rock "Home Run King" - a banjo-plucking Douglas Dillard drives a tale of local Babe Ruth types that comes on all Commander Cody meets The Ozark Mountain Daredevils (it's a catchy little tune). "Lonely Saturday" is far better - a gorgeous and impressive ballad with the Pedal Steel of Al Perkins to the fore (was part of Stephen Stills' 'Manassas' band) and both Daniel and Matthew Moore adding sweet Backing Vocals. Back to Eagles-bopping-Country with a very uptempo cover of a Traditional - "In The Pines" - Byron Berline's fiddle-playing dominating the 'ye ha' feel. Listen hard you can also hear the Backing Vocals of Douglas Dillard, Pepper Watkins and ace songwriter John Hartford who penned the lovely "Gentle On My Mind" made famous by Glen Campbell. I dig the Country-Rock guitar boogie of "Kansas City Southern" hugely enhanced by Steely Dan/Doobie Brothers ace axeman Jeff "Skunk" Baxter laying down wickedly good slide solos (Daniel and Matthew Moore on Backing Vocals also). Side 1 ends with six and half minutes of "Give My Love To Marie" - a James Talley ballad given the most beautifully tender version by Clark. This is surely an album highlight - a labourer's tale of longing - a miner seeing "...millions in the ground but not a penny for me..." and yet all he can think about is lighting a lantern in a window and giving his love to Marie.

Emmylou Harris and Sam Soles return to bolster up the beautiful "Sister Moon" (Side 2's opening number) with their fantastically expressive combo vocals - a five-minute ballad that screams out to be covered by Bonnie Raitt or Shawn Colvin or someone of that quality. Right from its keyboard-tinkling opening - "Sister Moon" feels like a classic and along with "Give My Love To Marie" is worth the price of admission. Sam Ling and Jessie Obie get their "Mary Lou" R&B song (originally sung by Young Jessie on Modern Records in 1955) get upgraded into a bopping cautionary tale. Buddy Knox, Ronnie Hawkins and even Bob Seger have had a go at covering it - usually in a rocking R&B way - but Clark slows it down and gives it back its original menace. There follows another album highlight - his own "Hear The Wind" - a Country ballad awash with Al Perkins on Pedal Steel and the Backing Vocals of Matthew and Daniel Moore. The pain dripping from the lyrics (used in the title of this review) feel like a man trying to get to the truth. With lyrics like "The first time I saw you...the heart became the ruler of my mind..." the love song "Past Addresses" is another beauty - while the sea sounds of "Silent Crusades" put me in mind of that other neglected-at-the-time post classic - "Pacific Ocean Blue" by Dennis Wilson. But while the album and remaster is a high - the Extras prove a frustrating and bitter disappointment...

The supposed 24-bit WAV Files from the Download prove to be a set of badly recorded audience recordings put down at the 'Mother’s Blues' Club sometime in 1975. The problem is they don't feel like bonuses - but a bit of a rip-off. It's a damn shame - because when he and his band launch into "Silver Raven" for instance - not only can you hear the gorgeousness of the song but also that the group are on top playing form. But the audio reeks of tape wobble and is the kind of crap bootleggers used to pull on fans all of the time. Throughout the excellent "In The Pines" and other tracks there's a woman talking incessantly - so that tune is screwed. His version of The Byrds classic "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" sticks to the original but he banjo's up The Beatles "I'll Be Back" and its on cool rearranged stuff like this that you wish the tapes were studio quality. “Kansas City Southern” sees the band cooking but again there’s poor sound and audience chatter despite the boogie. By the time you get to “Silver Moon” – the hiss levels are through the roof because it’s from another poor tape (I think). The previously unreleased 12-minute ‘B Mitchel-Reed Interview’ taped in Los Angeles in 1974 is better – professionally recorded with the famous American DJ – they touch on the dissolution of The Byrds – the band's youth and inability to handle fame and the egos. It also features clips of songs from The Byrds' catalogue and Clark's own two solo LPs to that point.

I'd honestly have to dock this release a star for those poor and frustrating Extras - which seems churlish in the face of the album's beauty - but a review should reflect the reissue and not the music contained within. Had those live tracks been properly recorded - this reissue would have been in the Neil Young 'Massey hall 1971' CD territory where 10-stars wouldn't be enough. But it's not...and that extortionate price irks too.

A gorgeous album then (overlooked and underpaid) coupled with a properly wonderful Remaster and very tasty booklet presentation - but all of it let down by those extras that promise so much but deliver so little. And from this reissue you can trace it back and 'so hear' why The Byrds made such stunning and melodic music - all that writing talent swirling around in the same band.

GENE CLARK passed in 1991 aged only 46 – but man what a legacy this original Byrd left behind...

"Lightfoot!" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT (His 1966 DEBUT LP Inside "The United Artists Collection" - 1993 EMI-USA 2CD Remasters) - A Review By Mark Barry...

"…A Long Way From Home…Miss My Loved Ones So…"

Canada’s Gordon Lightfoot has always seemed to ‘bubble’ under – never given the credit he’s due as a tunesmith. While he scored big in the early Seventies when he signed to Reprise Records – this set concentrates on the first part of his career in the Sixties with America’s United Artists. And like Nilsson on RCA or even Neil Diamond on Uni Records – there are truly superb nuggets to be had here - too often thrown into that much-maligned category-horror called ‘easy listening’.

In fact this stunning 2CD retrospective containing 4 full album’s worth hardly entices with its barely passable artwork (front or rear). But it nails a damn good argument on two fronts that matter – songs and great remastering of them. And this is never more evident than on his fantastic but completely overlooked debut album “Lightfoot” from the spring of 1966. Here are the early morning rains, the way he feels and the ribbons of darkness:

Released October 1993 in the USA - "The United Artists Collection" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT on EMI Records-USA E2-27015 (Barcode 724382701521) offers 4 x 60ts LPs Remastered onto 2CDs. 

The first 14-tracks on Disc 1 contain the "Lightfoot!" LP by GORDON LIGHTFOOT and play out as follows (77:32 minutes):

Side 1

1. Rich Man’s Spiritual

2. Long River

3. The Way I Feel (Version 1)

4. For Lovin’ Me

5. The First Time Ever I Saw Her Face

6. Changes

7. Early Mornin’ Rain

Side 2:

8. Steel Rail Blues

9. Sixteen Miles (To Seven Lakes)

10. I’m Not Sayin’

11. Pride Of Man

12. Ribbon Of Darkness

13. Oh, Linda

14. Peaceful Waters

Tracks 1 to 14 are his debut LP "Lightfoot!" - released March 1966 in the USA on United Artists UAL-3487 [Mono] and UAS-6487 [Stereo]. Produced by JOHN COURT - it failed toi chart. 

15. Walls

16. If You Got It

17. Softly

18. Crossroads

19. A Minor Ballad

20. Go-Go Round

21. Rosanna

22. Home From The Forest

23. I’ll Be Alright

24. Song For A Winter’s Night

25. Canadian Railroad Trilogy

26. The Way I Feel (Version 2 – Re-Record of Version 1)

Tracks 15 to 26 are his 2nd LP "The Way I Feel" - released April 1967 in the USA on United Artists UAL-3587 [Mono] and UAS-6587 [Stereo]

Stereo used in both cases

KEVIN REEVES carried out the remastering (Stereo used in all cases) and his work here is gorgeous. There’s a truly lovely sound on these discs – particularly on the first two albums. I’ve reviewed his excellent work several times before and watch out for any reissues he’s put a hand to. The foldout 12-leaf inlay has knowledgeable and informative liner notes by noted musicologist COLIN ESCOTT. On one-side of the inlay are black and white publicity photos of a young and sprightly Lightfoot smiling away like the world is his oyster (probably was back then) - while Side 2 pictures the 4 albums (along with “Sunday Concert”) in lovely colour, gives tracks lists, discography info (musicians etc) and even lists the US 7” singles surrounding the LPs – as well as the usual reissue credits (BRUCE HARRIS produced). You will also notice from the track list of his second album provided above that Lightfoot ‘re-recorded’ the song “The Way I Feel” for it – referred to here as Version 2.

Omissions – the first 3 albums were issued in both MONO and STEREO – not surprisingly the MONO mixes are a no-show here and as far as I know are not available on CD anywhere. In fact I think this is the only place you can locate the “Lightfoot!” album intact. There was also another LP – a live set called "Sunday Concert" on United Artists UAS-6714 [Stereo] released in October 1969 in the USA - not on here either no doubt due to space restrictions. Two 7” singles are missing as well – "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" on United Artists UA 929 from August 1965 and "Spin, Spin" on United Artists UA 50055 from July 1966 – both of these early A-sides were non-album at the time and it’s a shame they weren’t added onto Disc 2 – especially when there was room. But let’s get to that sublime debut...

“Lightfoot!” is an entirely Acoustic Folk album in the vein of say Fred Neil or Phil Ochs or Tom Paxton. The only other players on the record are DAVID RAE and BRUCE LANGHORNE who provide second guitar on “Long River” and “Peaceful Waters” – and that’s it – just Lightfoot – his guitar and his voice. In fact of the 14 songs – 11 are Lightfoot originals and the three covers reflect his Folk-based musical heroes – Phil Ochs for “Changes”, Ewan MacColl for “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and England’s Hamilton ‘Bob’ Camp for “Pride Of Man” (Simon & Garfunkel covered his “You Can Tell The World” on their 1964 debut album – the opening song on “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.”).  

Both “Rich Man’s Spiritual” and “Long River” are pleasant enough – simple Acoustic Folk – but it’s when you hit “The Way I Feel” that the truly beautiful melodies start to flow. There are two versions of "The Way I Feel" – the first on "Lightfoot!" is commonly known as Version 1 – the one on "The Way I Feel" LP is a remake with more instruments and is known as Version 2 (I much prefer the prettier Version 1). It was the second attempt at the track that was issued as a 45 in the USA on United Artists UA 50152 in March 1967 (with “Peaceful Waters” from the 1^st LP as its B-side). We perk up with the chipper and boastful “For Lovin’ Me” where he warns potential female suitors that “...I ain’t the kind for hangin’ round...” and he’ll have ‘a hundred more’ lovelies before he’s through (count yourselves lucky ladies). His cover of Ewan MacColl’s gorgeous “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” keeps its quiet beauty.

Next nugget is a sweet version of “Changes” by Phil Ochs – debuted by Ochs on his third LP “In Concert” on Elektra Records. The rolling acoustic guitars are so pretty – but they pale against what for many might just be their favourite early Lightfoot song – “Early Morning Rain” (lyrics from it title this review). It’s the kind of lonesome 60’s tunesmith song that never dates (like say Nilsson's "Everybody’s Talkin'"). Paul Weller covered it on his excellent "Studio 150" album in 2004. "Ribbon Of Darkness" is another nugget too - Bruce Cockburn did a superbly sparse cover version of it on the tribute CD album “Beautiful - A Tribute To Gordon Lightfoot” in 2003. Americana fans have homed in on “Steel Rail Blues” too – a ‘carry-me-home to the one I love’ song that shuffles along like the big drive wheels of a freightcar. The other masterpiece on here is “I’m Not Sayin’” – a jolly sad song that jaunts along and reminds me of John Hartford’s “Gentle On My Mind” sung by Glen Campbell or Linda Ronstadt singing Mike Nesmith’s “Different Drum” when she was with The Stone Poneys on Capitol Record sin 1967.

Lightfoot went on of course to have huge success with “If You Could Read My Mind” and "Sundown” - even garnishing the ultimate tribute - a compilation of CD covers attributed to him in 2003 called “Beautiful” (named after a track on his "Don Quixote" album from 1972) that featured a crew of contemporary Americana fans like Cowboy Junkies, Ron Sexsmith and Bruce Cockburn. His Seventies stuff on Reprise is equally sweet material too but “Lightfoot!” is where that craft started. There’s a lot on here that’s lovely and you can hear why Bob Dylan name-checked him in the liner notes to his own "Biograph" retrospective in 1985.

1966's "Lightfoot!" is an Acoustic Folk Album – something that seemed desperately uncool as the Sixties progressed and instruments and ego drowned out everything. But I’d argue if you want tunes, songwriting magic and a voice that will snuggle its deep tonal way into your heart – then Gordon Lightfoot's "The United Artists Collection" at less than six-quid online for 2CDs of quality remasters is the big jet plane for you.

A musical bargain at twice the price - big time recommended...

"Berlin" by LOU REED [feat Steve Winwood, Jack Bruce and Steve Hunter] (1998 RCA Records/BMG CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Beautifully Sad..."

Few albums polarise people (and fans) more than the terminally bleak yet brutally truthful "Berlin". It took me years to like it - and even now in 2016 - there are parts of Side 1 I can't bear to listen to.

But when I play "The Kids", "The Bed" and especially "Sad Song" from Side 2 all in a row - I also think it may be one of 'the' great unsung-masterpieces of the Seventies.

Some thought at the time that "Berlin" was uniformly cold and distant as all around Lou Reed seemed to be descending into a self-afflicted drug-addiction Hell. The infamous Rolling Stone review called it 'offensive' and wished it didn't exist somehow - while another more positive reappraisal likened its more grandiose moments to the inventiveness of "Sgt. Peppers". It also seemed like the Louster was trying to tear down the Glam Rock image and popularity of his huge "Transformer" album from 1972 with the monster "Walk On The Wild Side" hit single thrilling everybody (including David Bowie fans).

But "Berlin" was very different. Not a concept LP – not quirky happy-wappy crossover Pop either - just uber-realistic – aimless lives ending in casually bleak ways. It was probably just too much and too realistic for its 1973 audience - what with Cocaine and Heroin destroying everything around them and rendering certain areas of many US cities no-go zones (the same applied to cities in Europe too). "Berlin" only reached No. 98 in the US Pop & Rock LP charts - but faired much better in Blighty managing an impressive No. 7. Either way - I'd argue that the album's best moments are 'beautifully sad' and truly amazing. Lou Reed's "Berlin" sounds like no other record of the period. Which brings us to this exceptionally well remastered CD of it. Here are the doom 'n' gloom details...

UK released March 1998 (reissued in May 2003) – "Berlin" by LOU REED on RCA 07863 67489 2 (Barcode 078636748924) is a straightforward CD Remaster of the 10-track 1973 VINYL LP and plays out as follows (49:34 minutes):

1. Berlin

2. Lady Day

3. Men Of Good Fortune

4. Caroline Says I

5. How Do You Think It Feels

6. Oh Jim [Side 2]

7. Caroline Says II

8. The Kids

9. The Bed

10. Sad Song

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3rd Solo album "Berlin" – released October 1973 in the USA on RCA Records APL1-0207 and in the UK on RCA Victor RS 1002. Produced by BOB EZRIN – it peaked at No. 98 in the US LP charts and No. 7 in the UK.

The CD Reissue supervised by PAUL WILLIAMS - the famously elaborate 'booklet' that accompanied original vinyl copies has been reproduced in the elaborate 12-leaf foldout inlay. You get those heavy-hitting lyrics, album and reissue credits and a critique of the record and its cultural impact by MICHAEL HILL. In his overview he claims (and rightly to) that the album reveals the 'real' Lou Reed - an invested yet aloof outsider commenting on a lifestyle and people he knew all too well. But the big news is the Audio Restoration done by BILL LACEY and MIKE HARTRY that is gorgeous. You can really hear Jack Bruce's Bass contributions on "Caroline Says I" and Steve Hunter's guitar on "How Do You Think It Feels" as well as Michael and Randy Brecker on the Horns.

As if a precursor to the doom-to-come - "Berlin" opens with a grotesque 'Happy Birthday To You' racket from some drunken bar that slowly segues into a lone piano and Lou whispering in echoed vocals about a five-foot ten-inches-tall lady in Berlin. He sings of 'paradise' but it feels like he's channelling the saddest Tom Waits observation. RCA USA tried "Lady Day" as the B-side to "How Do You Think It Feels" on 45 in October 1973 (RCA 0172) - bit no one noticed either side. Steve Winwood (of Traffic and Blind Faith) guests to on Organ and Harmonium to great effect ably helped by Procol Harum's B.J. Wilson on Drums. But that caustic number is as nothing to the poisonous "Men Of Good Fortune" - a song that plays of 'men of good fortune' against 'men of poor beginnings' with neither coming off particularly well. The first of the "Caroline Says" songs hits you next where she 'can't help but be mean' and wants our Lou to be more ‘manly’. The Side ends on "How Do You Think It Feels" - a straightforward question about the effects of speed pills. But my fave is the threesome of songs that end the record - "The Kids", "The Bed" and the amazing "Sad Song".

A junkie-mum is having her children taken away from her in "The Kids" where Lou probably did his 'best guy in the world' ratings no favours with lines like "...in the alleys and bars she couldn't be beat...the miserable rotten slut couldn't turn anyone away..." If that sounds cold and brutal – it is – but the soft acoustic strumming that accompanies the seven and half minutes of the song make it feel crushingly sad and real and truthful and somehow not nearly as mean and detached as it sounds. The same softly approach comes with "The Bed" – a song about a woman who took her life in the bed where the singer’s children were conceived (nice). It ends on the truly beautiful and fully orchestrated "Sad Song" - a full on seven-minute masterpiece that amazes me even now.

I suppose only a curmudgeon like Lou Reed could have made "Berlin" - poised to take the world by its 'wild side' - but instead he depresses the crap out of all and sundry. Will we ever see the like of his opinionated genius ever again...