"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 1" - Fabulous US TV Show - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Schlemiels!"

Best US TV Show You've Never Heard Of 

And Unfortunately as of December 2018 - either Season 1 or 2 Is

Still Not On DVD or BLU RAY Anywhere...

If you want laughs with brains and the best form of sexiness (breaking free from social and moral chains) - check out the stunning Season 1 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" on Amazon (first aired Christmas 2017 with Season 2 airing now Christmas 2018).

A young Jewish mum living in New York in 1958 (a break out role for a luminous Rachel Brosnahan) discovers that she's a lot funnier than her cheating husband at the all-male world of stand-up comedy. She even gets arrested on her first drunken night behind the mike for lewd behaviour and is bailed out of jail the next morning by a broody ciggy-smoking, trench-coat wearing, upper-coming streetwise comedian who also doesn't give a monkeys if he offends the authorities - Lenny Bruce.

Although a character invention by the team who broiught you "Gilmore Girls", you can't help but feel that the very hip and modern Miriam 'Midge' Maisel is taken from real life experiences – a woman who wears face packs in bed at night and then washes them off in the morning and does her make-up and then re-enters the bed so her husband Joel (Michael Zegen) will think she is permanently a domestic goddess (which she is). Midge checks her long elegant 16" leg and even tinier waist measurement with a tape measure in front of equally concerned Jewish girlfriends and then logs the result diligently in a notebook so that her hubby is kept interested and stimulated should the procreating need arise. Both her parents (college professor Abe and mother/socialite Rosa Weissmann) and Joel's parents (canny but brutal businessman Moishe and his hysterical gotta-know-all-the-gossip wife Shirley Maisel) are equally pernickety and engage in motor-mouth dialogue that will have you gasping and chuckling every time they appear.

This is a very funny show - fantastically good stuff with the whole cast superb, the great writing regularly tapping into those Jewish quirks, witticisms and punchlines without ever being derivative or stereotypical (like Woody Allen firing on all sixes). And it's wonderfully politically incorrect too - unlike the strangulated "McMafia" program on the BBC that seemed dogged in every clichéd sentence by political correctness and poorly drawn out characters. Amazon's show "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and its you-can't-help-rooting-for-her lead actress Rachel Brosnahan on the other hand was nominated for the 2018 USA Golden Globe Award for Best TV Series (Musical or Comedy) - and won for 'both' Best Series and Lead Actress...

After watching so many TV shows that only partially hit the mark, this will come as a blessed relief. My only gripe is that you can't get either a DVD or BLU RAY of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 1 or 2" on any region format anywhere (only promo DVD sets exist for Season 1 that are being auctioned on certain sites for lots of wonga).

A joy. And please, please, please ye digital dodgy types of entertainment - release this peach of a TV program on BLU RAY in 4K - you schmucks and schlemiels...

"The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 2" keeps up the brilliance of 2017's Season 1 and is a 2018 Christmas TV treat - A Review by Mark Barry...

"No More Schlongs For My Wife Please!" 

Season 2 of "...Mrs. Maisel..." Keeps Up The Brilliance of Season 1…

Everything about this 10-part Season 2 of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" rocks - the money spent on the stunning sets and clothes (runs "The Crown" a close second for sheer sumptuousness), the witty and knowing rapid fire dialogue by a whole troupe of actors clearly having a blast and realizing they're into something special (something the public really likes too) and all of it so damn likeable in a 2018 television arena splattered with dystopian-world gore, murdered women and abducted children and other stuff that grips and impresses but ultimately leaves you feeling slightly soiled or in need of a shower.

While Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein are mainlining every moment as the principal leads Miriam 'Midge' Maisel the Jewish housewife stand-up comedienne and her butch lesbian Manager Susie Myerson who is sleeping on the benches of the Gaslight Club in Greenwich Village because she can't afford NYC apartment rent (a street-fighter for her client's God-given genius and a foul-mouthed humour-machine that lifts up the screen every single time she appears) - the writers have smartly also upped the ante and screen-time for the parents on both sides of their nutty families. The truly fantastic Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle as the adapting-to-a-new-world Jewish parents Abe and Rose Weissman (Midge's well-to-do Mum and Dad) bring on the chuckles in their cartloads – their huge dialogue passages like a great Woody Allen film firing on all sixes (there's a scene where Rose his wife has to paint a nude male model in a college art class and Abe’s pleading to the befuddled Dean of the school about art and nudity is hilarious – Abe’s fussing over a vacation to the Catskills where he uses miniature models to plan the packing down to the last cubic foot before they leave New York).

Over on Midges husband's side - Kevin Pollack and Caroline Aaron expertly play the deadpan Moishe and hyperactive-talkative Shirley Maisel (Joel's parents). Pass-remarking about Catholics and the second world war and constantly fretting over their children and the suitability of other people's families - they stash wads of dollar bills in secret locations (they like America but don't trust their banks) and then hand-write the whereabouts of these rubber-banded moneyballs on treasure maps that only they can read. A permanently hysterical mum, Rose Maisel suspects her son living at home may be gay because he has male friends over to his room that aren't married. Throw in Luke Kirby utterly electric as the legendary outlaw comic Lenny Bruce (getting arrested once again) and Bailey De Young as the fitness-husband-obsessed Imogene Cleary (Midge's best friend) and you've an inkling of the huge ensemble cast that quickly has you reaching for superlatives.

But coming through all of this is Michael Zegen as the much-maligned husband Joel who cheated on Midge in the first place thereby precipitating family carnage at every level in uptight late 50s New York - an ex husband now seriously regretting his mistake. As an actor usually playing a hood or an NYC spiv - Zegen has been around for years in huge TV shows like Girls, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, The Walking Dead and has featured in many movies - but this is surely his breakthrough role. A character that at first you didn't like and wanted gone has morphed over the seasons into a stand-up guy who realises his extraordinary wife is a star and needs her space to shine and Zegen has to realistically get across his character's acceptance of that. As Joel Maisel slowly takes over the economic and physical mayhem that is his father's clothing business - the wit is upped - but more importantly so is the emotion and pathos (a scene where Midge phones Joel from a Paris payphone to try to salvage their marriage is both heartbreaking and rings true to the cruelty of life sometimes). Midge and Joel Maisel love each other and his stupid ego has cost them and their children badly and he will spend most of Season 2 realizing he has to win that back - even if handsome competition in the Catskills is already moving in on his gorgeous gal.

Part of the Amy Sherman-Palladino's school of comedy (she was behind "Gilmore Girls") - the zippy Jewish fun of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" and its first Season won over 15,000 Five-Star positives on Amazon.com alone and then went on after a slow burn realization to nab two Emmys at the beginning of 2018 - one for best comedy drama and one for its smart, funny and hugely-likeable lead - Rachel Brosnahan. And it is easy to see why – the writing in this US show is fantastic and enough to make any budding writer grin whilst at the same time feel just a tad envious. Thankfully episode after episode in Season 2 of "Mrs. Maisel" proves there is good telly out there that doesn't have to bludgeon you over the noggin or make you wretch.

For sure it won't be for everyone but like most I'm in love with this fabulous US TV show and I wish Amazon would put both seasons out soon on either DVD or BLU RAY so I could own them permanently because they're unavailable anywhere in the world at the moment as a hard copy on either format (apart for promo DVDs for the 1st season which have now become expensive auction site items).

In our loopy household and in the lead up to the 25th of December, we're valiantly resisting our inner binge impulses and trying (but mostly failing) to stagger episodes of Season 2 to 'one a night'. But one things for sure and like last year - "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is going to be our top Xmas viewing once again.

Schlemiels rock and schlongs rule! Check out this smart and touching TV joy and as a wiser Irishman than I once said – "...Goodnight, and may your God go with you…"

"Living/True Stories And Other Dreams/Judith" by JUDY COLLINS - 1971, 1973 and 1975 US Albums on Elektra (October 2018 UK Beat Goes On Records (BGO) Compilation - 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Send In The Clowns..." 

This gorgeous-sounding 2018 twofer from Beat Goes On of the UK offers Judy Collins fans a tasty triple whammy - three of her most popular albums from the first half of the Seventies remastered onto 2CDs in proper style after years languishing in the Nineties and Naughties digital dust.

First up is, "Living", released late 1971 on Elektra Records which peaked at No. 64 on the Billboard Top 100, then "True Stories And Other Dreams" from early 1973 (peaked at No. 27 and was called just "True Stories" in the UK) and the one she’s probably most remembered for – the "Send In The Clowns" album simply called "Judith" from 1975.

Bolstered up by that mammoth-selling single – the album "Judith" was a real seller for her peaking at No. 17 in the USA but marking her biggest chart presence in the UK since "Amazing Grace" went to No. 3 in November 1970 – an impressive No. 7 on the UK LP charts. I can remember the power of that almost spiritual ballad in 1975 – its pained sadness seemed to be literally everywhere (Radio and TV) and many were moved to cover it for years to come. Here are the living details...

UK released Friday, 12 October 2018 - "Living/True Stories And Other Dreams/Judith" by JUDY COLLINS on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1352 (Barcode 5017261213525) offers 3LPs Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD 1 (64:03 minutes):

1. Joan Of Arc [Side 1]

2. Four Strong Winds

3. Vietnam Love Song

4. Innisfree

5. Song For Judith (Open The Door)

6. All Things Are Quite Silent [Side 2]

7. Easy Times

8. Chelsea Morning

9. Famous Blue Raincoat

10. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues

Tracks 1 to 10 are her album "Living" - released November 1971 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75014 and January 1972 in the UK on Elektra K 42102.

11. Cook With Honey [Side 1]

12. So Begins The Task

13. Fisherman Song

14. The Dealer (Down And Losin')

15. Secret Gardens

Tracks 11 to 15 are Side 1 of the album "True Stories And Other Dreams" - released January 1973 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75053 and February 1973 in the UK on Elektra K 42132 as "True Stories".

CD2 (65:30 minutes):

1. Holly Ann

2. The Hostage

3. Song For Martin

4. Che

Tracks 1 to 4 are Side 2 of the album "True Stories And Other Dreams" - released January 1973 in the USA on Elektra EKS 75053 and February 1973 in the UK on Elektra K 42132 as "True Stories".

5. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress [Side 1]

6. Angel, Spread Your Wings

7. Houses

8. The Lovin' Of The Game

9. Song For Duke

10. Send In The Clowns

11. Salt Of The Earth [Side 2]

12. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime

13. City Of New Orleans

14. I'll Be Seeing You

15. Pirate Ships

16. Born To The Breed

Tracks 5 to 16 are the album "Judith" - released March 1975 in the USA on Elektra Records 7E-1032 and May 1975 in the UK on Elektra Records K 52019.

The card slipcase gives these BGO reissues a classy and luxurious feel whilst the 24-page booklet repro's all the album artwork including the lyrics for the "Judith" LP alongside new liner notes from noted writer and Music historian JOHN TOBLER. Releasing sixteen albums that reached the US charts between 1964 and 1982 alone (her career started in 1961) - Tobler is right to call Collins that most overused word - a legend. His notes go into her entire career so you don't actually get to the albums on hand until the last few pages, but its a fascinating read potted with loads of great observations and details.

But the big news has to be the new 2018 ANDREW THOMPSON remasters which make these already beautifully produced platters shine better than ever before. 

Her own tunes like "Fishermen Song" or "Secret Gardens" or the November 1971 single "Open The Door (Song For Judith)" flipped with her adaptation of a W.B. Yates poem put to music in "Innisfree" show her skills of a songwriter (it preceded the "Living" album on both sides of the pond). And as I rehear Joni's "Chelsea Morning", Jim Webb's "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", Leonard Cohen's "Joan Of Arc" and "Famous Blue Raincoat" or Stephen Stills' "So Begins The Task" - all sat alongside Tom Paxton's "The Hostage", Danny O'Keefe's "Angel, Spread Your Wings" and even The Stones in "Salt Of The Earth" - you're also reminded of her uncanny ear for a tune - Judy Collins with her nose to the ground - covering contemporary songs of the day that would have legs long past their recent release dates. The three albums all sound great, lively and full of instrumentation filling your speakers - a very nice job done...

Beat Goes On have gotten awfully good at this sort of release and outside of an all-encompassing Rhino box set of her entire Elektra Records catalogue (something WEA artists like Joni Mitchell, Ry Cooder, Little Feat and America have all enjoyed) - BGO of England has provided Judy Collins fans with a steady stream of decent Remasters in quality presentation - and this you have to say is another winner. Tasty and then some...

"See/Search And Nearness" by THE RASCALS (September 2018 Beat Goes On Reissue - 2LPs from 1969 and 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Carry Me Back..."

Having dropped the 'Young' moniker in 1968 for their fourth platter "Once Upon A Dream" (thereafter simply known as The Rascals) – the American band’s sixth and seventh albums (reissued here) were originally issued Stateside in December 1969 and March 1971 on Atlantic Records. But whilst the 'groovin' on a Sunday afternoon' troupe might have been trying to spread out artistically - commercially they were bombing in leaps and bounds.

Few now remember the slightly trippy "See" or "Search And Nearness" LPs - 1969's effort making No. 45 on the Billboard album charts whilst 1971's platter barely registered at No. 198 and then for only 1 week. In fact by the time "Search..." had come round (recorded late 1969 and into 1970) - the four-piece was down to three (Brigati left) and they would soon be signing to Columbia Records for "Peaceful World" - a supposed new start double-album released in the early summer of 1971 but one that again only registered mild public interest.

Neither of these final records for Atlantic were well received by the critics of the day – most saying the band was either languishing on their positive sunshine vibe of 1966 and 1967 that now sounded old hat in 1969 and 1971 or were offering too many styles on their new outings (Country Rock, Sunshine Pop, Psych and Jazz Rock are just some on platter number two alone) which conversely had the backwards effect of making them seem directionless and not expansive.

But Rascals fans see "See" or "Search And Nearness" differently – liking them precisely because of the stretching-out and the range of genres. For instance, my particular poison is a truly stunning Jazz Fusion Rock instrumental called "Nama" which ends Side 1 of "Search And Nearness" (written by the drummer Dino Danelli). Its 5:34 minutes of Keyboards, Saxophones and Drum solos would make most people double-take if they were shown the authors of such a piece as being by 'The Rascals'. Sounding not unlike War meets Billy Cobham meets Earth Wind And Fire – the band of "Good Lovin'" or "Groovin'" are absolutely unrecognisable here.

Availability-wise too both albums have been hard to find on deleted CD for years now - so this card-slipcase September 2018 Double-Disc Remaster by England’s Beat Goes On is a welcome addition to their increasingly impressive reissue catalogue (even if some will feel that this is a five-Star reissue of three-Star material – which it is). So coming to a digital nirvana portal near you - here are the all-seeing all-enlightening details...

UK released Friday, 21 September 2018 - "See/Search And Nearness" by THE RASCALS on Beat Goes On BGOCD 1357 (Barcode 5017261213570) offers two albums (1969 and 1971) Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

CD1 "See" (42:12 minutes):

1. See [Side 1]

2. I'd Like To Take You Home

3. Remember Me

4. I'm Blue

5. Stop And Think

6. Temptation's 'Bout To Get Me

7. Nubia [Side 2]

8. Carry Me Back

9. Away Away

10. Real Thing

11. Death's Reply

12. Hold On

Tracks 1 to 12 are their sixth studio album "See" - released December 1969 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8246 (Stereo only) and in the UK on Atlantic 588 210. Produced by THE RASCALS - it peaked at No. 45 on the US LP charts (didn't chart UK).

THE RASCALS for "See" were:

FELIX CAVALIERE – Keyboards (Organ, Piano), Lead and Backing Vocals

GENE CORNISH – Guitar, Lead and Backing Vocals

EDDIE BRIGATI – Percussion, Lead And Backing Vocals

DINO DANELLI – Drums

Guests:

Chuck Rainey – Bass on all tracks except...

Ron Carter – Bass on "Nubia" and "Carry Me Back"

Hubert Laws – Flute on "Nubia", Danny Labbate – Soprano Sax on "Nubia"

CD2 "Search And Nearness" (38:44 minutes):

1. Right On [Side 1]

2. I Believe

3. Thank You Baby

4. You Don't Know

5. Nama

6. Almost Home [Side 2]

7. The Letter

8. Ready For Love

9. Fortunes

10. Glory Glory

Tracks 1 to 10 are their seventh studio album "Search And Nearness" - released March 1971 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8276 and in the UK on Atlantic 2400 113. Produced by THE RASCALS - it peaked at No. 198 in the USA (didn't chart UK).

THE RASCALS for "Search And Nearness" were:

FELIX CAVALIERE – Keyboards (Organ, Piano), Lead and Backing Vocals

GENE CORNISH – Guitar, Lead and Backing Vocals

DINO DANELLI – Drums

Others:

Eddie Brigati (left the band during recordings) – Lead Vocals on "You Don’t Know", "The Letter" and "Fortunes" (Felix Cavaliere Lead on all others)

Ron Blanco – Bass on Track 4

Chuck Rainey – Bass on Tracks 1, 2, 5, 7 and 9

Howard Cowart – Bass on Tracks 3, 6, 8 and 10

Joe Newman (Trumpet) with Joe Farrell and Seldon Powell (Saxophones) on "Nama"

David Brigati – Backing Vocals

The Sweet Inspirations – Backing vocals on "Glory Glory"

Cissy Houston and Tasha Thomas – Backing Vocals on "I Believe"

The card-slipcase adds the reissue a classy/luxurious look - Mojo contributor CHARLES WARING does his usual bang-up job with the liner notes gamely describing some of the not-so-brill songs with imaginative adjectives - whilst the big draw will be new 2018 ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters. I've always found the band's own productions a tad clumsy - panning the three vocalists between the speakers like a badly recorded Three Dog Night - but there's no doubt to my ears of the improvement. Even when the guitars are fuzzy and the vocals bucket-deep, the overall stereo imaging is great and at last there's really power to the rhythm section. These CDs are upgrades and contain real oomph on recordings that needed it.

Lead Vocalist and founder member Felix Cavaliere came up with 8 of the 12 compositions on "See" – guitarist Gene Cornish proffering "Remember Me" and "Away Away" - while "I’m Blue" is a co-write between FC and Eddie Brigati - leaving only a lone cover of the Soul masterpiece "Temptation’s ‘Bout To Get Me" – a James Diggs song made a hit by The Knight Brothers in 1965 on Checker Records. Despite its yeah-man image of a silhouette dove on the front cover – the album seemed more full of short songs trying to be hits rather than messages of love and racial integration. Atlantic has issued "Carry Me Back" as a lead-in 45 in August 1969 with the album cut "Real Thing" as its flipside and it reached a respectable No. 26 on the Billboard 100.

They covered The Box Tops hit "The Letter" on "Search And Nearness" LP – a gorgeous gatefold sleeve on original release (the rear child-face artwork is the inlay beneath the CD trays whilst the front cover is the front page of the 16-page booklet). They psych it up although not perhaps as brilliantly as one would hope – but there is not doubt of their passion for the huge social changes taking place in the USA in the opener "Right On" – sort of Three Dog Night does inequality with a Norman Whitfield groove.

For sure not everything here is going to be worshipped from afar, but I can't help think that the second LP especially has stuff worthy of rediscovery and even an occasional rant ("Nama" baby - you heard it here first). Yes its 3-star material, but man what a 5-star presentation of it. Well done to all involved...

"My Friend/Missing You/Am I That Easy To Forget/I'd Fight The World" by JIM REEVES (June 2018 Beat Goes On Reissue - 4LPs Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Heartache Following Me..."

BGO of the UK have gotten rather good at these kind of value-for-money twofers – the fourth volume in their reissue campaign covering the first Gentleman of Country.

Offering up four complete 70ts albums onto 2CDs from Jim Reeve's vast back catalogue - you get "My Friend" and "Missing You" (both 1972), "Am I That Easy To Forget" (1973) and "I'd Fight The World" - all originally on RCA Victor Records in Stereo. And even though he'd been gone since 1964, back in the Country-obsessed 70ts US charts - his well of unissued recordings were still being mined and his popularity with the public as strong as that of say Buddy Holly (these posthumous albums all charted).

UK released 8 June 2018 - Beat Goes On BGOCD 1313 (Barcode 5017261213136) has the now ubiquitous card slipcase that lends the release a sort of class and even elegance, great new liner notes and best of all - high def remastering from their resident engineer ANDREW THOMPSON.

These RCA Victor recordings were always recorded well, but listening to his own "Could I Be Falling In Love" or Ray Baker's "There's A Heartache Following Me" or Dale Noe's "Missing Angel" and the production values for overdubbed material are amazing. For sure some of the cardigan stuff on album two can be cloying, but more often than not the fact that the Texas troubadour wrote almost 90% of what's on here is seriously impressive.

"...Heartache following me..." has never sounded so good. Recommended...