"Flying Saucer Attack: The Complete Recordings 1977-1979" by THE REZILLOS (February 2018 Cherry Red Records 2CD Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Mission (Almost) Accomplished..."

Scotland’s answer to The Undertones meets The B-52’s meets The Joe Jackson Band meets The Ramones – I remember THE REZILLOS with great affection.

A properly fun yet high-octane kick-ass three-minute five-piece – they also packed a lyrical punch with short anthems and duet boy/girl vocals just the right side of angry - blood on the dancehall floor with sprinkles of comic-book/B-movie worship. The second platter was probably a contractual thing (essentially a live version of the first) – but it also showed that they went out dancing the snotty pogo - having a ball (or two) on the world stage of late 70ts Punk and New Wave. Like The Undertones first platter (also on Sire and an album I can’t be rational about either) - that Rezillos debut is a bit of an unsung masterpiece in my book. Probably why I’m enjoying this very cool little reissue so much.

Having said that and sung its praises - some punters have (quite rightly) pointed out that the moniker ‘Complete Recordings’ isn’t exactly accurate. Some tracks are missing bits (possibly due to copyright reasons after 40 years) – but for me this Cherry Red twofer is still the best set covering their primo material so far – and the Audio rocks like a monster too. Let’s get to the Mystery Action before somebody gets their wee timorous nut kicked in (again)...

UK released 23 February 2018 (2 March 2018 in the USA) - "Flying Saucer Attack: The Complete Recordings 1977-1979" by THE REZILLOS on Cherry Red Records WCDBRED 705 (Barcode 5013929170537) is a 2CD 40-Track Anthology containing the "Can't Stand The Rezillos" LP of 1978 and the live set "Mission Accomplished...But The Beat Goes On" album of 1979 that followed it plus 13 Bonus Tracks of singles, B-sides and rarities. It plays out as follows:

Disc 1 - "Can't Stand The Rezillos" (55:11 minutes):

1. Flying Saucer Attack [Side 1]

2. No

3. Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite

4. Top Of The Pops

5. 2000 A.D.

6. It Gets Me

7. I Can't Stand My Baby [Side 2]

8. Glad All Over

9. (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures

10. I Like It

11. Getting Me Down

12. Cold Wars

13. Bad Guy Reaction

Tracks 1 to 13 are their debut album "Can't Stand The Rezillos" - released July 1978 in the UK on Sire Records K 56530 and in the USA on Sire SRK 6057

BONUS TRACKS:

14. I Can't Stand My Baby (7" Version)

15. I Wanna Be Your Man - Tracks 14 and 15 are the non-album A&B-sides of their August 1977 debut UK 7" single on Sensible Records FAB 1

16. (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures (7" Version)

17. Flying Saucer Attack (7" Version) - Tracks 16 and 17 are the non-album A&B-sides of their December 1977 UK 7" single on Sire 6078 612

18. Top Of The Pops (7" Version)

19. 20,000 Rezillos Under The Sea - Tracks 18 and 19 are the non-album A&B-sides of their July 1978 UK 7" single on Sire SIR 4001

20. Destination Venus

21. Mystery Action - Tracks 20 and 21 are the non-album A&B-sides of their November 1978 UK 7" single on Sire SIR 4008. Recorded in New York and Produced by BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN and LANCE QUINN – it peaked at No. 16 on the UK LP charts.

Disc 2 - "Mission Accomplished...But The Beat Goes On" - Live Album Recorded 23 Dec 1978 at the Apollo Theatre, Glasgow (53:47 minutes):

1. Top Of The Pops [Live] [Side 1]

2. Mystery Action [Live]

3. Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite [Live]

4. Thunderbirds Are Go [Live]

5. Cold Wars [Live]

6. Teenbeat [Live]

7. No [Live]

8. Land Of A Thousand Dances [Live] [Side 2]

9. I Need You [Live]

10. Culture Shock [Live]

11. Getting Me Down [Live]

12. Ballroom Blitz [Live]

13. (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures [Live]

14. Destination Venus [Live]

Tracks 1 to 14 are their second album "Mission Accomplished...But The Beat Goes On" [Live LP] - released April 1979 in the UK on Sire SRK 6069 (no US issue)

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Cold Wars (Live In Glasgow, 7" Mix)

16. Flying Saucer Attack (Live In Glasgow)

17. Twist And Shout (Live In Glasgow)

18. Good Sculptures (Alternative Version)

19. Getting Me Down (Alternate Version)

Tracks 15 to 17 released as a 3-track UK 7" single April 1979 on Sire Records SIR 4014

Tracks 18 and 19 first issued on the 1982 VARIOUS ARTISTS LP "Scottish Kultchur: The Barclay Towers Compilation Album" on Supermusic SUPLP 2004

THE REZILLOS was:

EUGENE REYNOLDS and FAY FIFE – Lead Vocals

JO CALLIS [John William Callas aka Luke Warm] – Lead Guitar and Vocals

MARK HARRIS [aka Hi-Fi Harris] – Guitar

ALISTAIR DONALDSON [aka William Mysterious] – Bass and Saxophone

DAVE SMYTHE [aka Dr. D.K. Smythe] – Bass

SIMON BLOOMFIELD [aka Simon Templar] – Bass

ALISTAIR (Angel) PATERSON – Drums

GAIL JAMIESON [aka Gale Warning] – Backing Vocals on "Mission Accomplished..." LP

Fans will know that in 1993 Sire Records issued the single CD "The (Almost) Complete Rezillos..." – so named because due to time restrictions it had "Destination Venus" from the "Mission Accomplished..." LP missing. Not so here – so that’s good. But in 2018 - Cherry Red Records have unfortunately clearly had licensing problems because the Saxophone Solo that finished the "20,000 Rezillos Under The Sea" 45-track is AWOL as are bits from the alternate of "Good Sculptures" and the live version of "Thunderbirds Are Go" on the "Mission Accomplished..." LP. Malcolm Dome's liner notes don't mention this nor do the reissue credits. Personally I don’t really find these three omissions that much of a hardship, but given the space on 2CDs instead of one – it’s a bit of a boo-boo for sure (docked a star for that).

The Remasters are done by SIMON MURPHY at Another Planet Music and are great – punchy as Hell – especially the live record that seems way fiercer than I remember it (and that sing-a-long crowd too - yes!).

The debut LP is a stunner - track after track coming in - doing the business - then exiting without fuss or muss (beautifully polished production by Bob Clearmountain). The brilliant one-two of Eugene Reynolds duetting with Fay Fife on tracks like the opener "Flying Saucer Attack" and the Dave Clark Five cover of "Glad All Over" fill the songs with something special. Shame then that they didn't quite see eye-to-eye and the band soon imploded on an Undertones tour in 1978 - the "Mission Accomplished" album being something on a swan song and gift to Scottish fans who'd loved their stuff since the first single in 1977. On both the teenage angst of "No" (parents watching the clock as their frisky kids head out to the clubs) and the downright comic book glee of "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite" - Reynolds and Fife sound like the snarl of John Lydon giving it some never mind the bollocks. Their generational voices spitting out lyrics in "2000 A.D." on a perceived hopeless future even name-check the year we're actually in - "...it's easy to see that 2018 will never appear...slap in the face for the human race...how will we survive..." Well we did mate - but I’ll grant you - at the time it didn't seem like we would.

I'm amazed at the sheer vim and vigour in "I Can't Stand My Baby" and I still look at the green picture sleeve on Sensible Records with a smile. The cover of Herman Hermits "I Like It" is a hoot - but I go for the spoken finisher "Bad Guy Reaction" every time - a fantastic kicking horse tune - those guitars wheezing along like a runaway mare with a nosebag full of speed complete with his manic vocals as the rocker closes with a verbal warning. And I'd forgotten how utterly cool their cover of The Beatles "I Wanna Be Your Man" was - a fab single track with a raw production that adds rather than detracts. The Ska/Punk instrumental B-side "20,000 Rezillos Under The Sea" is a wee bit of a gem too.

The live album has the home crowd baying at their feet opening with a tight version of “Top Of The Pops” featuring Gail Warning on duet vocals. Then quickly into the manic non-album B-side “Mystery Action” (they way she’s acting is a mystery to me) – a musical punch that’s still exciting after four decades. The covers of "Thunderbirds Are Go", Chris Kenner's "Land Of 1000 Dances" and The Sweet’s brilliant "Ballroom Blitz" (oh yeah) are the very stuff of concert fun and the snotty little cupcake that is "Culture Shock" showed just how Power Pop meets Punk The Rezillos were as a live entity. 

So minus the glitches – I'd still say that this is a wickedly enjoyable reissue with tasty presentation and great audio – and I for one have been loving it to bits.

"...Don't ever try to put me down..." - The Rezillos scream on "Bad Guy Reaction". I get the message my borderland brothers (and gals) and will duly obey...

"S.F. Sorrow" by PRETTY THINGS (September 1998 UK Snapper Music '30th Anniversary Expanded Edition' MONO CD Remaster) - A Review of Mark Barry...

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"...Sebastian Dreams Of The Moon..."

The devil is always in the details. Before we get into this 30th Anniversary 1998 Extended Edition CD reissue from Snapper Records of the MONO mix for the mighty "S.F. Sorrow" - I want to talk about an unsung hero.

Londoner and all-round techno boffin NORMAN SMITH had been a Sound Engineer at Abbey Road Studios for years - recording every Beatles track up to "Rubber Soul" with Fabs Producer George Martin - a steep learning curve if ever there was one. As if that wasn't enough, in 1966 and 1967 Smith’s stay with EMI then included the first two Pink Floyd albums whilst flicking back to The Pretties and their pre-Tommy concept LP "S.F. Sorrow" (issued in both MONO and STEREO in early December 1968 – this didn't-do-well-at-the-time story LP is now name-checked as one of the great 60ts records – up there with the likes of Peppers and Pipers et al).

So why the moniker of musical heroism for Mr. Smith? With the 'Sorrow' album recorded on four-track valve equipment and requiring hundreds of sounds bounced down from one machine to the next - it needed an accomplished overdubbing soul who knew his flanges from his faders - a sound guy had been at the very epicentre of Britain's 'Summer Of Love' and Psychedelia Sound. Norman Smith was that guy. Then of course he did something very un-British and became a Pop Star himself. Morphing into HURRICANE SMITH - early 70ts kids like me will remember with a that's-not-hard-rock chill those terrible yet irritatingly catchy pop hits "Don't Let It Die" and "Oh Babe, What Would You Say?" in 1971 and 1972 (they achieved No. 2 and No. 4 chart-placing respectively). What a guy.

And with his recording prowess all over the original recordings – we now have the album lovingly remastered by one of my fave Engineers ANDY PEARCE. On this 1998 version (itself reissued in 2003) - we get the band's preferred version of their 4th LP - the MONO Mix remastered from original tapes at Abbey Road by both MARK ST. JOHN (who also provides the liner notes) and ANDY PEARCE. For those who prefer two channels - Snapper issued the Stereo Version in June 2000 on Snapper Records/Original Masters SDPCD109 - Barcode 636551610926. Let's get to the Mono operatic details first...

UK released September 1998 - "S.F. Sorrow" by THE PRETTY THINGS on Snapper Music SMMCD 565 (Barcode 636551556521) is a 30th Anniversary 'Expanded Edition' of the MONO MIX of the 1968 UK album with Four Bonus Tracks. It plays out as follows (57:14 minutes):

1. S.F. Sorrow Is Born [Side 1]

2. Bracelets Of Fingers

3. She Says Good Morning

4. Private Sorrow

5. Balloon Burning

6. Death

7. Baron Saturday [Side 2]

8. The Journey

9. I See You

10. Well Of Destiny

11. Trust

12. Old Man Going

13. Loneliest Person

Tracks 1 to 13 are MONO MIX of their fourth studio album "S.F. Sorrow" - released December 1968 in the UK on Columbia Records SX 6306 and August 1969 in the USA (in completely different artwork) on Rare Earth RS 506. Produced by NORMAN SMITH - it didn't chart in either country. 

BONUS TRACKS:

14. Defecting Grey

15. Mr. Evasion

16. Talkin' About A Good Time

17. Walking Through My Dreams

PRETTY THINGS was:

PHIL MAY - Vocals

DICK TAYLOR - Lead Guitar and Vocals

WALLY ALLEN - Bass Guitar, Guitar, Vocals, Wind Instruments and Piano

JOHN POVEY - Organ, Sitar, Percussion and Vocals

TWINK - Drums and Vocals

The 24-page booklet features the lyrics originally on the inner gatefold of the British LP, photos of the in and outside the studio, superb liner notes from MARK ST. JOHN that sets up the picture from 1965 onwards – how Music and especially British Music – was dominating and influencing the scene everywhere. There is even a photo of Winifred Waller (Alan Wally Waller’s Mum) who had passed in late July of 1998 – the whole reissue project dedicated to her. The words reek of that long Summer of Love – five guys creating, pushing the boundaries with the band still together at the time of writing. The Audio is clean and full although I’d say I had to adjust my ears to the wall of MONO – Pearce keeping it punchy and powerful (check out "She Says Good Morning" to hear what I mean).

Historically the LP was ham-stringed with bad luck on both sides of the pond. EMI UK was apparently so disinterested that they left the artwork to the band (Phil May famously did the drawing on the front sleeve and Dick Taylor photographed the band for the flip-back rear sleeve shot), gave it no promotion and didn't release it Stateside. Motown's Rare Earth label looking to put out white Rock acts issued the album in the now famous headstone sleeve as late as August 1969 (Rare Earth RS 506) but The Who's pinball-wizard storybook double-album "Tommy" on Decca had already been released and sown up the 'first concept album' marketplace so completely that reviewers seemed to think the band were pretenders to the crown – or worse – cheats and copyists. As the sessions for "S.F. Sorrow" had begun in early 1968 and continued to September of that year – some go as far as saying our lovely Pete half-inched the concept album idea from May and Co. Whatever is the truth or whatever history chooses to record - the album all but died - whilst The Who began a renaissance that would make them one of the biggest Rock bands in the world by 1972 and 1973. In fact The Pretty Things would have to wait until their excellent "Silk Torpedo" Rock LP on Zeppelin's Swan Song label in 1975 to see chart action Stateside. Let’s get to the music...

A couple from 'up North' arrive in No. 3 and soon the house is reverberating with the sounds of Sebastian F. Sorrow being born (no one knows what the 'F' means). "Bracelets Of Fingers" sees our lad grow up chasing spoons and moons in his back garden only to soon join Dad in dead-end work but inbetween find excitement and love with the girl next door - "She Says Good Morning". The fantastic "She Says Good Morning" kicks butt and it always surprised me that Columbia chose the less accessible "Private Sorrow" as a lead-off single in November 1968 with the equally moody "Balloon Burning" on the flipside (Columbia DB 8494). Fans will also know that the Bonus Tracks 16 and 17 contain the Non-Album A&B-sides of Columbia DB 8353 - a top-notch single that was issued February 1968 prior to the LP previewing the album's sound and subject-matter - "Talkin' About The Good Times" with "Walking Through My Dreams" as its B-side. The Mono doom-boom of drums, treated Sitars and oh-oh voices give the aptly named "Death" an ethereal melancholy - like being at the bottom of a particularly deep well (sonnets of life wrapped in a cloak of black).

Side 2 and the album finally goes full-on Magical Mystery Tour with the wicked "Baron Saturday" - a song that is both catchy and testing at one and the same time (dig that fade out where they chant 'you're life was cool...except for Baron Saturday...'). Another mind-shape-shifting winner comes in the form of "The Journey" - an acoustic strummer that soon descends into phased guitars and voices and huge amounts of lyrics about opaque windows and thousands of steps. A very-1968 redemption comes with "I See You" - a layered song of drum rolls and cleverly arranged vocals as they chant 'I see you' over the musical breaks and cascades. It segues into the decidedly menacing warbling piano notes of "Well Of Destiny" - a mad little bugger with lyrics about 'heavy mantles' and the like. We return to melody with the lovely "Trust" - our hero sitting on top of a white cloud looking around for a body to confide in - grasping at straws - hoping to see someone Sorrow can trust. The manic acoustic guitars of "Old Man Going" open like the Pretties have been listening to too much Moody Blues - but soon morph into Sabbath-like fuzzed-up guitars echoing Sebastian's increasing madness - (it's heavy and out there baby). The album ends on the short but acoustic sweet "Loneliest Person".

The "Defecting Grey" bonus track is a real prize for aficionados - mastered from an Acetate but still sounding Sitar-brill - dig those musical breaks and fuzzed-up rock-out guitars – a worthy Previously Unreleased version that clocks in at an impressive 5:14 minutes.

I know people rave out this Pretty Things LP as a masterpiece and undiscovered gem - but I've always felt those opinions ever so slightly inflated. But man when its good - "S.F. Sorrow" is brilliant and I like the mastering on this CD a lot. St. John calls it 'a remarkable record' in his entertaining liner notes - a good call I think...

"In Search Of The Lost Chord" by THE MOODY BLUES (July 2008 Universal/Deram CD 'Expanded Edition' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Best Way To Travel..."

The Moodies 3rd studio album "In Search Of The Lost Chord" saw the Blighty light of day in late July 1968 in Stereo (followed in the USA in October 1968) and has always been a firm fan fave.

Part Prog, Part Acid Trip, yet seriously melodic and lyrically reaching - their poppy debut "The Magnificent Moodies" of July 1965 must have seemed a long musical way back - because this Mellotron, Guitars and Flutes fusion saw the group embrace the far-out artwork of Philip Travers and the floating-on-astral-plains ideals of the day (gardens of delight baby, ultra violet lights and the earth turning slowly around as we all chant ‘om’ –if you know what I’m saying).

Shadows of "Revolver" and "Sgt. Peppers" collide with Ravi Shankar and Donovan and Island’s Nirvana to produce music that is dated in places for sure – but is still as innovative and beautiful as it was when first released. And this gorgeous sounding 40th Anniversary CD Remaster from 2008 only hammers home just how innovative it was. Here are the Voices In The Sky...

UK released July 2008 - "In Search Of The Lost Chord" by THE MOODY BLUES on Universal/Deram 530 706-9 (Barcode 600753070697) is an 'Expanded Edition CD Reissue with the 12-Track 1968 Stereo Albums plus Nine Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (75:59 minutes):

1. Departure [Side 1]

2. Ride My See-Saw

3. Dr. Livingstone, I Presume

4. House Of Four Doors (Part 1)

5. Legend Of The Mind

6. House Of Four Doors (Part 2)

7. Voices In The Sky [Side 2]

8. The Best Way To Travel

9. Visions Of Paradise

10. The Actor

11. The Word

12. Om

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "In Search Of The Lost Chord" - released July 1968 in the UK in Stereo on Deram SML 711 and October 1968 in the USA on Deram DES 18017. Produced by TONY CLARKE – it peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 23 in the USA LP charts.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. A Simple Game (Justin Hayward Vocal Mix)

14. The Best Way To Travel (Additional Vocal Mix)

15. Visions Of Paradise (Instrumental Version)

16. What Am I Doing Here? (Original Version)

17. The Word (Mellotron Mix)

18. Om (Extended Version, 6:07 minutes)

19. Doctor Livingstone I Presume

20. Thinking Is The Best Way To Travel

21. A Simple Game - Non-Album B-side to "Ride My See Saw", UK released 25 October 1968 on Deram DM 213)

The 20-page booklet is a surprisingly decent affair – MARK POWELL of Esoteric Recordings providing the hugely illuminating and enthusiastic liner notes. There are period colour photos of the five lads – Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Mike Pinder, Graeme Edge and Ray Thomas – as well as a Deramic Stereo Sound trade advert for the album, rare Euro pictures sleeves for singles like "Ride My See-Saw" and "Voices In The Sky" and of course the original LP artwork.

The Remaster of the Stereo Album by ALBERTO PARODI and JUSTIN HAYWARD has been taken from original Decca master tapes with MARK POWELL being the Audio Engineer on the Extra Tracks. This CD sounds amazing – real care taken – warm and kicking for all the right reasons. To the music...

Once you get past "Departure" (Graeme Edge's opening 44 seconds of spoken piffle) - you're greeted by the rocking John Lodge song "Ride My See-Saw" – a clear winner that screamed period 45 (and that’s what they did). After the American release of the album in October 1968, the Moodies returned to Decca's Studios in the UK to record Mike Pinder's "A Simple Game" (Track 21) - a song that was popped onto the B-side of the decidedly commercial "Ride My See-Saw" and rush-released (Deram DM 213 was issued 25 October 1968).

The fantastically hippy six thirty-six minutes of "Legends Of A Mind" tells us you can't take a trip on Astral Plains because Timothy Leary is dead (the 3CD Decca Underground Box Set of 2008 took its name from this trippy track - see separate review). The remaster is gorgeous really bring out those Hayward 12-String Guitar moments abled helped by Ray Thomas on Flute while Pinder brings up the Mellotron rear. After the magic of "The Best Way To Travel" with its clever stop-start melodies and far-out-man lyrics - "Visions Of Paradise" with its Flutes, Voices and subtle Sitar notes feels positively peaceful and beautiful. Side 2 ends on what I think is the records high point – the fabulous Nirvana vs. Donovan "Om" – nearly six minutes of the band layering Sitars, Flutes and Violins with gorgeously orchestrated voices – the whole clouds passing by my head thing floating on a soft Tabla beat. Heaven indeed...

An exemplary CD Reissue and for under five quid (if you’ll forgive the British Railways lost and found pun) – a bit of a aural find...

"Ry Cooder 1970-1987" by RY COODER (November 2013 Warner Brothers 11CD Clamshell Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Look At Granny Run...Granddaddy Close Behind…"

I’m going to add to the chorus of approval given this dinky and brill little box set and add a few more details. Having had it a few weeks now and listened to all the discs - I estimate that most of the first 7 are REMASTERS with the remainder sounding like those CDs already issued - which sound great anyway. His huge hit album “Bop Til You Drop” from 1979 was the world’s first all-digital recording and has always sounded clean if not a little flat somehow. The CD here is definitely not the “UFO Has Landed” remaster (see separate review) - but - with a judicious amount of volume - it does sound lovely anyway. Here’s the breakdown of what’s on offer and what’s missing...

"Ry Cooder 1970 - 1987” was released Monday 11 November 2013 on Warner Brothers 8122796241 (Barcode 081227962418) and is an 11CD mini clamshell box set with each album in 5” repro card sleeves – it breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (30:13 minutes):

1. Alimony [Tommy Tucker cover]

2. France Chance [Joe Callicott cover]

3. One Meat Ball [Louis Singer & Hy Zaret song - Josh White cover]

4. Do Re Mi [Woody Guthrie cover]

5. Old Kentucky Home [Randy Newman cover]

6. How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live? [Blind Alfred Reed cover]

7. Available Space [Ry Cooder song] [Side 2]

8. Pig Meat [Huddie Ledbetter/Leadbelly cover]

9. Police Dog Blues [Arthur Blake cover]

10. Goin’ To Brownsville [Sleepy John Estes cover]

11. Dark Is The Night [Blind Willie Johnson cover]

Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut solo LP “Ry Cooder” – released December 1970 in the USA on Reprise RS 6402 and January 1971 in the UK on Reprise K 44093. Van Dyke Parks plays Piano (tracks not named).

Disc 2 (37:46 minutes):

1. How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too) [Traditional Song cover]

2. Billy The Kid [Traditional Song cover]

3. Money Honey [Jesse Stone song – Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters cover]

4. F.D.R. In Trinidad [Fitz MacLean cover]

5. Teardrops Will Fall [Dickey Doo, Marion Smith song]

6. Denomination Blues [Washington Philips cover]

7. On A Monday [Huddie Ledbetter/Leadbelly cover] [Side 2]

8. Hey Porter [Johnny Cash cover]

9. Great Dreams From Heaven [Joseph Spence cover]

10. Taxes On The Farmer Feed Us All [Traditional Song cover]

11. Vigilante Man [Woody Guthrie cover]

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 2nd album “Into The Purple Valley” – released February 1972 in the USA on Reprise RS 2052 and in the UK on Reprise K 44142

Disc 3 (39:07 minutes):

1. Boomer’s Story [Carson Robinson, Traditional Song cover]

2. Cherry Ball Blues [Ski James cover]

3. Crow Black Chicken [Lawrence Wilson cover]

4. Ax Sweet Mama [Sleepy John Estes cover]

5. Maria Elena [Bob Russell and Lorenzo Barcelata cover]

6. Dark End Of The Street [Chips Moman and Pan Penn song – James Carr cover] [Side 2]

7. Rally ‘Round The Flag [Traditional Song cover]

8. Comin’ In On A Wing And A Prayer [Harold Adamson, Jimmie McHugh song]

9. President Kentucky [Sleepy John Estes cover]

10. Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man [Traditional Song cover]

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 3rd album “Boomer’s Story” – released November 1972 in the USA on Reprise MS 2117 and in the UK on Reprise K 44224; Randy Newman plays piano on “Rally ‘Round The Flag”

Disc 4 (37:22 minutes):

1. Tamp ‘Em Up Solid [Traditional Song cover]

2. Tattler [Russ Titelman, Ry Cooder and Washington Philips song]

3. Married Man’s A Fool [Blind Willie McTell cover]

4. Jesus On The Mainline [Traditional Song cover]

5. It’s All Over Now [Bobby Womack cover]

6. Medley: I’m A Fool For A Cigarette/Feelin’ Good [J.B. Lenoir cover] [Side 2]

7. If Walls Could Talk [Bobby Miller cover]

8. Mexican Divorce [Coasters cover]

9. Ditty Wa Ditty [Arthur Blake cover]

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 4th album “Paradise And Lunch” – release May 1974 in the USA on Reprise MS 2179 and in the UK on Reprise K 44260; Earl Hines plays Piano on “Ditty Wa Ditty”

Disc 5 (39:59 minutes):

1. The Bourgeois Blues [Huddie Ledbetter/Leadbelly cover]

2. I Got Mine [Traditional Song cover]

3. Always Lift Him Up [Blind Alfred Reed cover]

4. He’ll Have To Go [Jim Reeves cover]

5. Smack Dab In The Middle [Jesse Stone song – Charles Calhoun cover]

6. Stand By Me [Ben E. King cover]

7. Yellow Roses [Hank Snow cover]

8. Chloe [Traditional Song cover]

9. Goodnight Irene [Huddie Ledbetter/Leadbelly cover]

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 5th album “Chicken Skin Music” – released October 1976 in the USA on Reprise MS 2254 and in the UK on Reprise K 54083

Disc 6 (43:57 minutes):

1. School Is Out

2. Alimony

3. Jesus On The Mainline

4. The Dark End Of The Street

5. Viva Sequin/Do Re Mi [Side 2]

6. Volver, Volver

7. How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live

8. Smack Dab In The Middle

Tracks 1 to 8 are his 6th LP “Show Time” – released August 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3059 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56386

Note: Track 1 “School Is Out” is a Studio song – the rest of the album is LIVE recorded 14 and 15 December 1976 at The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco and credited to RY COODER/CHICKEN SKIN REVUE

Disc 7 (38:28 minutes):

1. Big Bad Bill Is Sweet William Now

2. Face To Face That I Shall Meet Him [Traditional Song cover]

3. The Pearls/Tia Juana [Jelly Roll Morton cover]

4. The Dream

5. Happy Meeting In Glory [Traditional Song cover]

6. In A Mist [Bix Beiderbecke cover]

7. Flashes [Bix Beiderbecke cover]

8. Davenport Blues [Bix Beiderbecke cover]

9. Shine

10. Nobody [Bert Williams cover]

11. We Shall Be Happy [Traditional Song cover]

Tracks 1 to 11 are the album “Jazz” – released June 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3197 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56488

Disc 8 (40:12 minutes):

1. Little Sister [Elvis Presley cover]

2. Go Home, Girl [Arthur Alexander cover]

3. The Very Thing That Makes You Rich

4. I Think It’s Going To Work Out Fine [Ike & Tina Turner cover]

5. Down In Hollywood [Ry Cooder song] [Side 2]

6. Look At Granny Run Run [Howard Tate cover]

7. Trouble You Can’t Fool Me [Frederick Knight cover]

8. Don’t You Mess Up A Good Thing [Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure cover]

9. I Can’t Win [The Invincibles cover]

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album “Bop Till You Drop” – released August 1979 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3358 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56691. Bobby King sings Backing Vocals on 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and Lead Vocals on 9. Chaka Khan sings Backing Vocals on 5 and 8.

Disc 9 (44:06 minutes):

1. 634-5789

2. Why Don’t You Try Me

3. Down In The Boondocks

4. Johnny Porter

5. The Way We Make A Broken Heart

6. Crazy ‘Bout An Automobile

7. The Girls from Texas

8. Borderline

9. Never Make Your Move Too Soon

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album “Borderline” – released October 1980 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3489 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56846

Disc 10 (39:18 minutes):

1. UFO Has Landed In The Ghetto

2. I Need A Woman

3. Gypsy Woman

4. Blue Suede Shoes

5. Mama, Don’t Treat Your Daughter Mean

6. I’m Drinking Again

7. Which Came First

8. That’s The Way Love Turned Out For Me

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album “The Slide Area” – released April 1982 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3651 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56976

Disc 11 (40:52 minutes):

1. Get Rhythm [Johnny Cash cover]

2. Low—Commotion

3. Going Back To Okinawa

4. 13 Question Method [Chuck Berry cover]

5. Women Will Rule The World

6. All Shook Up [Elvis Presley cover]

7. I Can Tell By The Way You Smell

8. Across The Border Line

9. Let’s Have A Ball

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album “Get Rhythm” – released December 1987 in the USA on Warner Brothers 25639-1 and in the UK on Warner Brothers WX 121

The CD labels reflect the original vinyl issues - 1 to 5 are the Riverboat Tan design, 6 is the Burbank Trees design and the rest the cream Warner Brothers issues (nice attention to detail). Of all the repro card sleeves only “Into The Purple Valley” is a gatefold (all the others were single sleeve issues anyway) but a few like “Boomer’s Story” are missing inserts. I say this because apart from the almost unreadable album covers - there’s little info to go on (no booklet) and on hearing this fantastic trawl through Americana, Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Texmex and old time Blues - you desperately want to know more about the song origins. Most of the info is available on the net of course, but it would have put this groovy box set into the stratosphere if had been given a little bit more effort on the presentation front.

You also notice the gaps - “The Long Riders” soundtrack from 1980 is missing, as is the fabulous “Paris, Texas” from 1985. But what is here is just so consistently good. Admittedly when you get to “Borderline” and “The Slide Area” the quality control had begun to taper off (as had sales) which is what made the rollicking “Get Rhythm” from 1987 such a huge hit and return to form. 

I’d like to point out that for fans the real gems in here are “Boomer’s Story”, “Paradise And Lunch” and “Chicken Skin Music” which are beautiful sounding now. The gorgeous Mexican-feel instrumental “Marie Elena” on “Boomer’s Story” has been a rave of mine for years - the wicked combo of “I’m A Fool For A Cigarette/Feelin’ Good” is fabulous fun too and his warbling accordion version of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” on “Chicken Skin Music” is so touching - a wonderfully moving reinterpretation. The old-timey Woody Guthrie feel to the instrumental “Great Dream From Heaven” on “In The Purple Valley” is the kind of gem that litters these albums - its so simple yet so effecting - his playing so sympathetic to the material throughout.

“Bop Till You Drop” is a near perfect album and is littered with cleverly chosen covers opening with his take on Presley’s “Little Sister” given that distinctive Cooder jerky rhythm makeover (with Bobby Kind’s backing vocals adding so much to the tune). Arthur Alexander’s “Go Home Girl” has a wonderful ache to it while “Down In Hollywood” (his only original on the album) has ballbreakingly funny lyrics about Gays in Tinseltown. This classic 1979 LP ends with Chaka Khan and Bobby Kind getting duet Gospel on “I Can’t Win” – a song brought to the world by Clifton Knight when he was with the US Soul Group The Invincibles (1966 on Loma Records). It’s beautifully done.

With its mixture of Traditionals and Bix Beiderbecke rhythms 1978’s “Jazz” goes all Old Timey (“Big Bad Bill Is Sweet William Now”) and is one of those records that got ignored on release but gets rediscovered as a masterpiece years later. It’s also beautifully produced – the remaster shining like a diamond here – slide guitars, trombones, big bass drums and banjos coming at you from every angle. “The Slide Area” and the fabulous “Get Rhythm” albums feature witty nuggets like “UFO Has Landed In The Ghetto” and “Women Will Rule The World” (go Hilary Clinton).

Great stuff - and at a little over two quid per album – “1970-1987” is a frankly bit of a steal in a sea of overpriced and stodgy Anniversary reissues.

On Ry Cooder’s blinding cover of Howard Tate’s “Look At Granny Run Run” (written by that genius duo of Jerry Ragovoy and Mort Shuman) our Ryland tells of Grandfather’s renewed libido because the Doctor has given him “a brand new pill...” Get this Americana Musical Tonic winging its way to someone you love as soon as possible...