"Original Album Series" by WILSON PICKETT (2010 Atlantic/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Lord Have Mercy!" 

A brilliant set in the ongoing "Original Album Series" - but this WILSON PICKETT set is not without its problems. Here are the uptight and outta sight details...

UK released August 2010 - "Original Album Series" by WILSON PICKETT on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 7 (Barcode 081227983772) is a 5CD Mini Box Set of 1995 Rhino Remasters in Stereo and Mono and play out as follows:

Disc 1 (30:31 minutes):

1. In The Midnight Hour

2. Teardrops Will Fall

3. Take A Little Love

4. For Better Or Worse

5. I Found A Love

6. That's A Man's Way

7. I'm Gonna Cry [Side 2]

8. Don't Fight It

9. Take This Love I've Got

10. Come Home Baby

11. I'm Not Tired

12. Let's Kiss And Make Up

Tracks 1 to 12 are his debut album "In The Midnight Hour" - released October 1965 in the USA on Atlantic 8144 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8144 (Stereo). It was issued December 1965 in the UK on Atlantic ATL 5037 in Mono only. The Stereo mix is used on the CD.

Disc 2 (30:41 minutes):

1. Land Of 1000 Dances

2. Something You Got

3. 634-5789

4. Barefootin'

5. Mercy, Mercy

6. You're So Fine

7. In The Midnight Hour [Side 2]

8. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)

9. Danger Zone

10. I'm Drifting

11. It's All Over

12. She's So Good To Me

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 2nd album "The Exciting Wilson Pickett" - released August 1966 in the USA on Atlantic 8129 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 9129 (Stereo). It was released September 1966 in the UK on Atlantic 587 029 (Mono) and 588 029 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

Disc 3 (30:43 minutes):

1. Mustang Sally

2. New Orleans

3. Sunny

4. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

5. Ooh Poo Pah Doo

6. She Ain't Gonna Do Right

7. Knock On Wood [Side 2]

8. Time Is On My Side

9. Up Tight Good Woman

10. You Left The Water Running

11. Three Time Loser

12. Nothing You Can Do

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 3rd album "The Wicked Pickett" - released January 1967 in the USA on Atlantic 8138 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8138 (Stereo). It was released February 1967 in the UK on Atlantic 587 057 (Mono) and 588 057 (Stereo). The MONO mix is used.

Disc 4 (29:48 minutes):

1. Soul Dance Number Three

2. Funky Broadway

3. I Need A Lot Of Loving Every Day

4. I Found A Love, Part I

5. I Found A Love, Part II

6. You Can't Stand Alone

7. Mojo Mamma [Side 2]

8. I Found The One

9. Something Within Me

10. I'm Sorry About That

11. Love Is A Beautiful Thing

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 4th album "The Sound Of Wilson Pickett" - released August 1967 in the USA on Atlantic 8145 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8145 (Stereo) and in the UK on Atlantic 587 080 (Mono) and 588 080 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

Disc 5 (25:44 minutes):

1. Jealous Love

2. Stagger Lee

3. That Kind Of Love

4. I'm In Love

5. Hello Sunshine

6. Don't Cry No More [Side 2]

7. We've Got To Have Love

8. Bring It On Home To Me

9. She's Lookin' Good

10. I've Come A Long Way

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 5th album "I'm In Love" - released February 1968 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8175 (Stereo Only) and April 1968 in the UK on Atlantic 587 107 (Mono) and 588 107 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

There's no booklet with these card slipcases - but the front and rear artwork for each card sleeve uses the gorgeous American LPs - and what a treat they are to look at too. These are straightforward transfers of the original albums minus any bonus tracks (the "In The Midnight Hour" song gets repeated across two of the discs). Sonically each CD is the 1995 Rhino remasters - but for some reason they've used the Mono Mix (and cover art) for "The Wicked Pickett" album - and man do you notice the downgrade in sound when you play it. Pickett albums were always recorded rough (all feel and no finesse) - but when you go to "The Sound Of" album (Disc 4) and the Stereo returns - it's like audio chalk and cheese. But don't let this put you off - these albums are so crammed with storming Sixties Soul and Funk - it's just not true and you want them in your life. To the music...

Apart from his own great originals (9 of the 12 on his debut had his hand in them) - Pickett smartly uses the similar voice and genius songwriting talent of Bobby Womack, Don Covay and Booker T's guitar wizard Steve Cropper. Throw in an Eddie Floyd song here and a King Curtis tune there - and you get album after album of winners. But of course the best part of listening to these discs is getting away from the overplayed (but still classic) "Mustang Sally", "Land Of 1000 Dances" and "In The Midnight Hour" and digging those album treasures.

Songs like Bobby Womack's truly gorgeous torch song "I'm In Love", the storming funk of "Mojo Mama" by Jerry Wexler and Bert Barns and the blaster "She's Lookin' Good" which feels like Ike & Tina Turner in your living room with The Ikettes shimmying over by the curtains in a salacious way.

Something seemed to happen to our hero after "The Wicked" album because his next two LPs (and the final two in this set) are absolute barnstormers in every sense. When you come off the rough MONO of "Wicked Pickett" and play "Soul Dance Number Three" from the STEREO LP "The Sound Of Wilson Pickett" - the audio is shockingly better - full of power and clarity. "Soul Dance Number Three (a stunning funky Pickett original) is followed by the equally kicking "Funky Broadway". The two parts of "I Found A Love" (the A&B-side of a single) are mid-tempo but just so damn good - a great groove they let run. The Bobby Womack ballad "I've Come A Long Way" is another tearjerker masterpiece.

At just over a ten-spot (two quid per album) - "Original Album Series" by Wilson Pickett is a whole lotta Soul that will make your church-going granny's knees knobble and generally mess with her other bodily extremities. Indeed Wilson Pickett was (and still is) wicked...

PS: Also check out Edsel's superb 5 Volume Series - all of his albums from 1965 to 1972 in five separate digipaks with bonus tracks on three and new Tony Rounce liner notes on all...

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"In The Midnight Hour/The Exciting Wilson Pickett" by WILSON PICKETT (2016 Edsel CD Remasters - Volume 1 of 5) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Land Of 1000 Dances..." 

England's Edsel Records are no strangers to Soul-reissues. Across the decades they've touched on major retrospectives for Philadelphia International (O'Jays, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes), Holland-Dozier-Holland's HDH Label and Invictus Records (Chairmen Of The Board, Freda Payne and The Glass House) as well as anthologies for Ann Peebles, The Chi-Lites and Al Green covering their Hi Records label output.

For 2016 - our Demon Group heroes are tackling the whole of Wilson Pickett's ten-album stay between 1964 and 1972 at the legendary Atlantic Records. This first of five '2on1' sets issued 26 November 2016 in the UK (see full list below) deals with his debut and follow up LPs from 1965 and 1966 – supplementing those two incendiary platters with three relevant bonus tracks to the time period.

Across these five digipak-releases (three come with extras) - you also get exclusive single mixes and many unreleased tracks formerly only available on 2009's "Funky Midnight Mover..." – a 6CD mail-order set from Rhino Handmade – an item that is now long deleted and extremely pricey into the bargain. The booklets also feature new liner notes from noted Soul writer and uber-fan Tony Rounce. Here are the details for Alabama's finest Midnight Mover...

UK released 26 November 2016 (2 December 2016 in the USA) – "In The Midnight Hour/The Exciting Wilson Pickett" by WILSON PICKETT on Edsel EDSA 3059 (Barcode 740155505936) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD with 3 Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (68:03 minutes):

1. In The Midnight Hour

2. Teardrops Will Fall

3. Take A Little Love

4. For Better Or Worse

5. I Found A Love

6. That's A Man's Way

7. I'm Gonna Cry [Side 2]

8. Don't Fight It

9. Take This Love I've Got

10. Come Home Baby

11. I'm Not Tired

12. Let's Kiss And Make Up

Tracks 1 to 12 are his debut album "In The Midnight Hour" - released October 1965 in the USA on Atlantic 8144 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8144 (Stereo). It was issued December 1965 in the UK on Atlantic ATL 5037 in Mono only. The Mono mix is used on this CD – a Rhino Remaster.

13. Land Of 1000 Dances

14. Something You Got

15. 634-5789

16. Barefootin'

17. Mercy, Mercy

18. You're So Fine

In The Midnight Hour [Side 2] * See NOTES

19. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)

20. Danger Zone

21. I'm Drifting

22. It's All Over

23. She's So Good To Me

Tracks 13 to 13 (and Track 1) are his 2nd album "The Exciting Wilson Pickett" - released August 1966 in the USA on Atlantic 8129 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 9129 (Stereo). It was released September 1966 in the UK on Atlantic 587 029 (Mono) and 588 029 (Stereo). The Mono mix is used and is the 1995 Rhino Remaster.

NOTES: the song "In The Midnight Hour" was repeated on the second LP opening Side 2 of "The Exciting Wilson Pickett". If you want to sequence the US and UK LP proper – use Tracks 13 to 18 for Side 1 with Tracks 1 and 19 to 23 to make up Side 2.

BONUS TRACKS:

24. Don't Fight It (Single Edit) – October 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2306, A-side

25. If You Need Me (Live)

26. I'm Gonna Cry (Live) – Tracks 25 and 26 from the 1965 US Various Artists LP "Saturday Night At The Uptown" on Atlantic 8101
Track 24 is Mono, Tracks 25 and 26 are Stereo

Each of these five card digipaks is a gatefold with Volume 1 sporting a comprehensive 16-page booklet in the left flap with new liner notes from legendary Soul writer TONY ROUNCE – a man whose name has graced literally hundreds of quality CD reissues. He goes into all the chart statistics for 1965 and 1966 where he notes 'Pickett couldn't put a foot wrong' and the string of No. 1 US R&B hits prove it. I'd have to say though that the inner flap and the space beneath the see-through CD tray being 'blank' and the nondescript colouring of the CD itself let the visual side down somewhat (could have been filled out with pictures and black/red label memorabilia).

But the kicking music doesn't let anyone down. Mastered by PHIL KINRADE – the tracks are licensed from Warners and are therefore the 1995 Rhino Remasters of old – full and punchy Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch Remasters from original tapes.

His debut LP "In The Midnight Hour" is chock-full of singles and their equally cool flipsides. Winners include June 1965's classic floor-filler "In The Midnight Hour" b/w "I'm Not Tired" on Atlantic 45-2289 (his first R&B No. 1) – November 1965's "Don't Fight It" b/w "It's All Over" on Atlantic 45-2306 (R&B No. 4) and February 1966's "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)" b/w "That's A Man's Way" on Atlantic 45-2320 (his second R&B No. 1). Before that trio struck gold - Atlantic Records had tried "I'm Gonna Cry" b/w "For Better Or Worse" in June 1964 on Atlantic 45-2233 – following that in January 1965 with "Come Home Baby" b/w "Take A Little Love" on Atlantic 45-2271 – but neither took.

After "In The Midnight Hour" (the third single around the LP) slaughtered all in its path – Pickett's high octane strident Soul mirrored his nickname 'wicked' – and almost everything he released was met with excitement second only to Otis Redding and Solomon Burke – the two other great shouters on Atlantic's classy books. The huge bass and drum opening to "Ninety Nine And A Half (Won't Do)" led the assault for the second LP in early May 1966 - Atlantic 45-2334 stalling at No. 13 with the album cut "Danger Zone" as its B-side. Perhaps it was the slower slinky groove in "Ninety Nine..." that saw it not puncture the Top 10 - no such worries for the album's other monster "Land Of 1000 Dances". Released only weeks later in July 1966 and backed with his cover of the 1959 Falcons ballad "You're So Fine" - Atlantic 45-2348 quickly made mincemeat of the charts and raced to No. 1 - his third chart topper.

Part of a reissue like this is the undiscovered LP cuts that never get the attention they deserve - "It's All Over" was penned by Picket with his pal Steve Cropper - the guitarist in Booker T & The MG's. Everything about it rocks - the slow Soulful groove - the piano playing and Pickett's distinctive growl given full reign as he pleads with the listener to feel his pain. And not for the first time will he reach to Bobby Womack for a stone-cold killer like "She's So Good To Me" (he penned "Midnight Mover" on the next twofer). It's interesting also to note the subtle differences between the LP and edit of "Don't Fight It" - another great hooky brass-driving sanctifier. The "Come Home Baby" duet with Tami Lynn is a bit rough around the edges recording-wise - but its full of emotion and 60ts passion. Better is another Pickett/Cropper composition - the stroller "I'm Not Tired" - in the fact the man had his songwriting hand in 9 of the LPs 12 cuts.

There are other ways to get this music I know (and cheaper). I reviewed the August 2010 "Original Album Series" 5CD Mini Box Set for instance which is available for a ten spot - but I prefer the better presentation and the ever so slightly uplifted audio in evidence here.

And as I groove to Wilson Pickett's version of Chris Kenner's "Something You Got" - I'm glad to say that Edsel have done his huge set of vocal pipes justice. I'm off now to do the Watusi (Lord help me) and lay into the other four digipaks...get me wicked with Wilson Pickett. Dig in and enjoy...

Titles in the 26 Nov 2016 Edsel CD Reissue series for WILSON PICKETT

1. In The Midnight Hour/The Exciting Midnight Mover

(1966 and 1967 Stereo 1st and 2nd LPs plus Three Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3059 - Barcode 740155505936)

2. The Wicked Pickett/The Sound Of Wilson Pickett

(1966 and 1967 Stereo/Mono 3rd and 4th LPs – no bonus tracks

Edsel EDSA 3060 - Barcode 740155506032)

3. I’m In Love/The Midnight Mover

(1968 for both his 5th and 6th LPs – no bonus tracks

Edsel EDSA 3061 - Barcode 740155506131)

4. Hey Jude/Right On

(1969 and 1970 Stereo 7th & 8th LPs with Three Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3062 - Barcode 740155506230)

5. In Philadelphia/Don’t Knock My Love

(1970 and 1972 9th & 10th Stereo LPs with Seventeen Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSK 7112 - Barcode 740155711238)

Edsel have also touched on PERCY SLEDGE in this series and his stay at Atlantic Records (three digipak CD reissues):

1. When A Man Loves A Woman/Warm & Tender Soul

(1966 and 1967 Stereo 1st & 2nd LPs plus Four Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSA 3063 - Barcode 740155506339)

2. The Percy Sledge Way/Take Time To Know Her

(1967 and 1968 Stereo 3rd & 4th LPs with Eight Bonus Tracks

Edsel EDSK 7116 - Barcode 740155711634)

3. My Special Prayer/Singles And Rarities

(1970 fifth and final Atlantic LP with 27 Bonus Tracks

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Edsel EDSK 7113 - Barcode 740155711337)

"Original Album Series" by AL STEWART (January 2014 Parlophone/Warners 5CD Mini Box Set of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...A Small Fruit Song..."

As a clearly befuddled and out-of-his-depths Emperor Joseph II (played by Jeffrey Jones) tries to reply to Mozart in Milos Forman's "Amadeus" when asked if he liked Wolfgang's new symphony – the Emperor quickly babbles - "...There's too many notes! Yes that's it! Too many notes!" Mozart tries in vein to advise the clearly ignorant European deity that his masterful musical composition has absolute no superfluous notes of any kind (you twat) – but Mozart's pleas for an enlightened audience fall on deaf ears and some seriously caked-on rouge.

Al Stewart is the same. His high-pitched almost effeminate voice and particularly wordy songs (like a college professor who can't stop himself giving you a history lesson - too many syllables Al) has the same effect. He's a Bovril artist - not everyone likes the Glaswegian Folky but if you do you're thinking our Alistair may very well be a misunderstood genius and then some. But what about the icky Bovril you say. I for one am down with both opinions when it comes to Al Stewart (he's good and bad). I find the first two LPs period-fey and at times unbearably hard to take - but the gorgeous Nick Drake vibe of "Zero She Flies" from 1970 has always seemed like a forgotten gem to me - and the last two LPs on RCA are simply quality work from a classy and accomplished songwriter. Here are the Small Fruit Songs...

UK released January 2014 - "Original Album Series" by AL STEWART on Parlophone/Warners 2564636168 (Barcode 825646361687) is a 5CD Mini Box Set of Remasters (four are) that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 "Bedsitter Images" (41:40 minutes):

1. Bedsitter Images

2. Swiss Cottage Manoeuvres

3. The Carmichaels

4. Scandinavian Girl

5. Pretty Golden Hair

6. Denise At 16

7. Samuel, Oh How You've Changed! [Side 2]

8. Cleave To Me

9. A Long Way Down From Stephanie

10. Ivich

11. Beleeka Doodle Day

Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut LP "Bedsitter Images" (cover has the LP title as "Bed Sitter Images" but the label and song is "Bedsitter Images") - released October 1967 in the UK on CBS Records BPG 63087 (Mono) and CBS Records S BPG 63087 (Stereo) - the STEREO version is used for this CD Remaster which was done in 2007. His debut was also reissued in June 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 64023 with different artwork under the title "The First Album" - the card sleeve here uses the original 1967 artwork (there was no US issue).

Disc 2 "Love Chronicles" (43:09 minutes):

1. In Brooklyn

2. Old Compton Street Blues

3. The Ballad Of Mary Foster

4. Life And Life Only

5. You Should Have Listened To Al [Side 2]

6. Love Chronicles

Tracks 1 to 6 are his second studio album "Love Chronicles" - released January 1969 in the UK on CBS Records S 63460 (Stereo) and June 1970 in the USA on Epic BN 26564. The original British LP was a gatefold sleeve with a profile photo of Al in a fur coat on the front sleeve with a photo of him and his girlfriend wrapped in blanket sat on grass on the rear. The US LP in 1970 on Epic Records dropped the gatefold to a single-sleeve and reversed the cover art (him and the girl on the front and not on the rear). The card sleeve here uses the UK artwork and the 2007 CD Remaster is used.

Disc 3 "Zero She Flies" (37:16 minutes):

1. My Enemies Have Sweet Voices

2. A Small Fruit Song

3. Gethsemane, Again

4. Burbling

5. Electric Los Angeles Sunset

6. Manuscript [Side 2]

7. Black Hill

8. Anna

9. Room Of Boots

10. Zero She Flies

Tracks 1 to 10 are his third studio album "Zero She Flies" - released March 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 63848 (Stereo) - No US Issue. 2007 CD Remaster used.

Disc 4 "Year Of The Cat" (39:14 minutes):

1. Lord Grenville

2. On The Border

3. Midas Shadow

4. Sand In Your Shoes

5. If It Doesn't Come Naturally, Leave It

6. Flying Sorcery [Side 2]

7. Broadway Hotel

8. One Stage Before

9. Year Of The Cat

Tracks 1 to 9 are his seventh studio album "Year Of The Cat" - released October 1976 in the UK on RCA Records RS 1082 and in the USA on Janus Records JXS 7022. Peaked at No. 38 in the UK and No. 5 in the USA.

Disc 5 "Time Passages" (44:38 minutes):

1. Time Passages

2. Valentina Way

3. Life In dark Water

4. A Man For All Seasons

5. Almost Lucy [Side 2]

6. Palace Of Versailles

7. Timeless Skies

8. Song On The Radio

9. End Of The Day

Tracks 1 to 9 are his eight studio album "Time Passages" - released September 1978 in the UK on RCA PL 25173 and in the USA on Arista AB-4190 - peaked at No. 39 in the UK and No. 10 in the USA.

By now most know the gig with these 'Original Album Series' Mini Box Sets - five CD albums in single card sleeves with front and rear cover repro artwork that looks nice but is impossible to read. There's no booklet and the only real info is the track lists on the CD labels. The original gatefold sleeves of "Love Chronicles", "Zero She Flies", "Year Of The Cat" and the inner sleeve of "Time Passages" are all AWOL. The repro sleeves are best described as adequate at best and you do need to be careful of the easily crushed flimsy card slipcase that scuffs easily too.

But there's good news where it matters - on the Audio front. Other reviewers have noted that the first three albums presented here - his 1967 debut "Bedsitter Images" - its follow-up "Love Chronicles" from 1969 - and the wonderful 1970 effort "Zero She Flies" are all 2007 Remasters - so the Audio is toppermost of the poppermost. His huge 1976 chart breakthrough LP "Year Of The Cat" is a 2001 Remaster - but no-one seems to know when 1978's equally melodious "Time Passages" was mastered (or remastered for that matter). As all three of the 2007 versions are deleted and costing a pretty penny ever since and the other two not easy to nail down either - this 5CD Mini Box Set with repro art card sleeves for all 5 LPs represents good value for money and a reasonable way to explore a singer well worth checking out.

The first album is a victim of dates – despite great lyrics about 'panelled patterns on the door' the title track for "Bedsitter Images" is given strings and heavy-handed drums to make it bop – the results are ham-fisted. The same applies to "Pretty Golden Hair" – a forced happy-wappy vibe trying to make the song CBS chart material - while a clavinet gives "A Long Way Down From Stephanie" a sort of Simon & Garfunkel feel but not in a good way. His second studio outing pulls back on the musical clutter but goes nuts with the words. "The Ballad Of Mary Foster" is 8:02 and almost all of Side 2 is taken up with the 18:04 minutes of "Love Chronicles" - but at least that feyness that blighted the first LP is gone. Christine gets kissed at ten - joints come in in his late teens - and "Love Chronicles" does well to retain your interest for such a time. But my fave on here is the simple, sad and 'don't get things for nothing' weariness of  "Old Compton Street Blues" where an impressionistic girl smiles - sadly slipping off her dress for the sailor or the clerk in one of London's most notorious haunts. The "Love Chronicles" LP was a huge leap forward but I think his next was even better.

"...I was playing brag in Bedlam and the doctor would not deal..." he sings on the brilliant "My Enemies Have Sweet Voices" - a funky little opener for the fab "Zero She Flies" LP from 1970. For the beginning of the decade Al Stewart seemed to have discovered his inner Funky South Kensington Donovan as the Harmonica and Georgie Fame organ Funk-Folk their way throughout the astute lyrics of "My Enemies Have Sweet Voices". As the bent-notes of a high-string acoustic chug along to an Old Grey Whistle Test Theme harmonica - Stewart sings "...I was blindside to the gutter...and Merlin happened by...asking me why do you lie down there bleeding...I answered him magician as a matter of fact...I was jumping to conclusions and one of them jumped back..." The audio on opener and the lovely follow on "A Small Fruit Song" are utterly stunning - clean and full - as the strings rattle around your speakers. In fact CBS used "A Small Fruit Song" as one of the tracks on the famous 1970 2LP label sampler "Fill Your Head With Rock" - it's acoustic simplicity as pretty as any song they had over on Nick Drake's and Cat Stevens' Island Records. An affectionate rumination on the soppiness and humanity of Jesus ("Gethsemane, Again") is followed by a gorgeous acoustic instrumental called "Burbling" which sounds like its playful-water title. "...Waiting for the ambulance and the cops to come..." come the world-weary lyrics to "Electric Los Angeles Sunset" chronicling the end of the hippy-dream as Cadillacs move snakelike through the haze of smoke from once hip cafes.

His storytelling brilliance can often floor you - take the words to the Eleanor Rigby elegant "Manuscript" as he recalls an old lady remembering - "...And my grandmother sits on the beach in the days before the war...a young girl writing her diary...while time seems to pause...watching the waves as they come one by one to die on the shore...kissing the feet of England..." More acoustic dexterity comes in the shape of "Black Hill" which quickly turns into a mandolin ballad with a few short lines and then it's gone. Beautiful and sad are words to describe "Anna" - a lady listening for the echo of his foot on the stair - the sound of a man who only took flesh from her bones and left little else. It ends on a duo of accomplished acoustic songs - like Leo Kottke with words - "Room Of Boots" and "Zero She Flies" - small wonder the album made No. 40 on the UK LP charts (he wouldn't taste chart success until 1976).

We then skip three albums on CBS ("Orange" in 1972, "Past, Present & Future" in 1973 and "Modern Times" in 1975) to when he signed to RCA Victor and saw his biggest chart success and the album/song he's most remembered for - 1976's "Year Of The Cat". It opens with the slow but majestic "Lord Grenville" with its 'voices on the wind' - followed by the equally sweeping piano-frantic "On The Border" with those acoustic-guitar flourishes sounding so sweet. The electric keyboard shimmer of "Midas Shadow" sounds sweet too as does the almost seaside vibe to "Sand In Your Shoes" where Al sings goodbye to his lady of the island. Side 1 ends with "It Doesn’t Come Naturally, Leave It" where some lady bends his back and many other things too. The Audio for "Flying Sorcery" is pleasingly full as he sings of a lady on the tarmac waiting for another shot at wind-in-her-hair. And then we get the big one – the full album cut of "Year Of The Cat" at 6:48 minutes with its extended piano intro – as sophisticated now as it was then.

The follow-up album "Time Passages" yielded more class in the almost Pink Floyd guitar swirl of "Like In Dark Water" and that catchy title track. It's true that tracks like "A Man For All Seasons" and that other saxophone hit "Song On The Radio" could do with an Audio brush up - but the sound here is still more than acceptable. The combo of Acoustic Guitars and Strings on "End Of The Day" is impressive too.

Sure the Sixties Hippy-Dip first two albums are hard to swallow nowadays - but the other three are worth the price of admission alone - especially the brilliant and unfairly forgotten "Zero She Flies" from 1970 - one for Nick Drake lovers out there.

"...You're on my mind...like a song on the radio..." Bovril or no - Al Stewart is a melody taste worth acquiring. Get this songsmith in your home...

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"Just For Love" by QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE [feat Dino Valenti, John Cipollina and Nicky Hopkins] (December 1992 Beat Goes On CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 300+ Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

CLASSIC ROCK & POP 1970 to 1974 - Exceptional 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)

"...It's Alright With Me..."

Recorded in and around the beautiful at-one-with-nature Opaelua Lodge in Hawaii in May and June of 1970 - Quicksilver Messenger Service's 4th album certainly looked the part with its tasty Capitol Records gatefold cover and colour collage of the boys on the inner gatefold giving in some live aloha homage to the Goddess Pele.

I’ve always thought "Just For Love" to be bloody genius - but with the album’s space-filling meandering instrumentals that seemed to be in search of a song amidst the drugs and grass skirts – and those ever-so-slightly irritating echoed vocals by someone clearly just about holding it together - not everyone was so 'peaced out' when it was released. I've always thought "Just For Love" a product of the times – something that must be taken on face value (the Sixties still hanging on in a haze of mind altering substances). But me - I adore that sloppy feel - like QMS has suddenly morphed into a melodic Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young having way too much fun in the studio and not caring about the placing of the microphones (juts play and feel it boys). Here is the world's most reasonable non-druggy review...

UK released December 1992 (reissued many times since including the latest December 2008) - "Just For Love" by QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE on Beat Goes On BGOCD 141 (Barcode 5017261201416) is a straightforward CD Remaster of the 9-track 1970 US LP and plays out as follows (39:31 minutes):

1. Wolf Run (Part 1)

2. Just For Love (Part 1)

3. Cobra

4. The Hat

5. Freeway Flyer [Side 2]

6. Gone Again

7. Fresh Air

8. Just For Love (Part 2)

9. Wolf Run (Part 2)

Tracks 1 to 9 are their fourth album "Just For Love" - released August 1970 in the USA on Capitol SMAS-498 and November 1970 in the UK on Capitol EA-ST 498. Produced by JOHN SELBY - it peaked at No. 27 in the USA (didn't chart UK)

For "Just For Love" QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE was:

DINO VALENTI - Lead Vocals, Guitar, Congas and Flute

GARY DUNCAN - Lead Electric and Acoustic Guitars and Maracas

JOHN CIPOLLINA - Lead Electric and Slide Guitar

DAVID FREIBERG - Bass Guitar, Guitar and Vocals

GREGORY ELMORE - Drums and Percussion

NICKY HOPKINS (Guest) - Piano

The 8-page inlay doesn't feature liners notes (bummer that) but it does reproduce that beautifully laid out Capitol Records gatefold cover art of 1970. The colour-collage is spread across the centre-pages whilst the 'world's most magical brat' and 'world's most rhythmic mystic' annotation is reproduced on the other pages (Dan Healy is the 'wired wizard' Engineer etc). Truth be told – BGO could do with upgrading the presentation of this reissue – I for one think the music deserves such a treat (big booklet, card slipcase etc).

It doesn't say which engineer Remastered the album at Sound Engineering Technology in Cambridge in 1992 (sounds like Duncan Cowell?) – but they did a stomping good job. Always a sloppy recording and perhaps not to everyone's taste – it's this very element that I love most about "Just For Love" and that's been kept in tact sweetly by this tasty transfer.

The re-introduction of the volatile Valenti into the ranks along with the guitar magic of Cipollina (would later form Copperhead) trading off against Gary Duncan while England's Nicky Hopkins adds the whole sound stage a classiness on his old piano - added up to a powerhouse unit.

A Flute and Tabla open Part 1 of the short instrumental "Wolf Run" – a sort of precursor to the who-gives-a-monkeys stuff to come. Then Part 1 of the title track "Just For Love" features Valenti who seems to wander up to and away from the microphone as he warbles on about being "touched softly" and being "free as the wind" (yeah baby). Huge drums introduce the wickedly good slightly country-ish "Cobra" which sounds like Gram Parsons is about to rock out – guitars flicking as a funky piano anchors proceedings. The ten-minute Side1 finisher "The Hat" is the kind of Stephen Stills-Band-Van Morrison acoustic-guitar sloppy work out that I adore. It's loose and feels improvised for sure and of course it overstays its welcome in places - but actually I quite like that and the band's chemistry is incredible as Gary Duncan proves his 'world's most funky saint' moniker in the liner notes while Valenti moans the vocals and Nicky Hopkins earns his stunning piano-playing sessionman reputation.

"...Let's try one more..." comes the count in for the band on the rollicking Side 2 opener "Freeway Flyer" where QMS sound like a drugged out Band letting rip on lyrics like 'dangerous stranger' rhyming with 'Psychedelic stranger'. Freiberg and Elmore keep the Bass and Drums rhythm section tight yet loose as Cipollina wigs out of Electric Guitar (I'm reminded of that in-house-jam feel guitarists Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer got to their "Kiln House" LP for Fleetwood Mac also in 1970). That's followed by the lovely and very Hawaiian-peaceful seven minutes of "Gone Again" - the strummed guitar - the echoed vocals - the distant piano plinking as he sings "...my mind gets lonely...my crazy heart starts to gambling..." - I've always thought this one of this inexplicably gorgeous blissed out songs that feels right on a Sunday morning coming down ("...letting go feels so groovy now..."). There’s an almost Beach Boys quality to the band’s harmony vocal work on the ‘have another hit’ of "Fresh Air" – and dig the stunning piano work from Nicky Hopkins and Valenti’s impassioned ‘take me home with you’ vocals. It ends on two short snippets – Valenti singing of masquerades and the end of charades in the wildly echoed Part 2 of "Just For Love" while Part 2 of "Wolf Run" sounds cool and all hippyish if not a little pointless.

There are many (and will be many) who think much of "Just For Love" is a band faffing about and producing genius amidst the knob with perhaps too much emphasis on the whimsy. But I for one dig it the most.

"...Whatever you're doing...it's alright with me..." - Dino Valenti sings as the mighty ten-minutes of "The Hat" starts to fade out. Amen to that man...