"Inside The Glass House/Thanks I Needed That" by THE GLASS HOUSE – US Albums from 1971 and 1972 on Invictus Records Plus Singles (March 2010 Edsel 2CD Reissue and Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Just As Long As You And I Are Together…”

This superlative mid-priced set gathers together two very rare albums by US soul group THE GLASS HOUSE issued on Holland-Dozier-Holland's "Invictus Records" label in 1971 and 1972. 

Unlike the more commercially successful Chairmen Of The Board, Freda Payne, The 8th Day, General Johnson and so on - The Glass House never received British releases for either of their albums - so this twofer CD sert from England's Edsel Records is a wee bit of a HDH /Soulful treat. The 6 bonus tracks (non-album single sides) are just icing on an already very tasty cake. And the remastered sound quality is fabulous too. Here are the shattering details...

Released March 2010 in the UK as a 2CD set - "Inside The Glass House/Thanks I Needed That...Plus" by THE GLASS HOUSE on Edsel EDSD 2057 (Barcode 740155205737) offers Two Seventies US Albums on Invictus Records Remastered onto 2CDs with Five Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (38:25 minutes):

1. Look What We've Done To Love

2. You Ain't Livin' Unless You're Lovin'

3. I Surrendered

4. Hey There Lonely Girl

5. If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter)

6. Hotel

7. Touch Me Jesus

8. Heaven Is There To Guide Us

9. Crumbs Off The Table

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut US album "Inside The Glass House" issued June 1971 on Invictus Records ST-7305 (no UK release)

BONUS TRACKS (10 to 12 are single sides - see below):

10. He's In My Life

11. Bad Bill Of Goods

12. I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)

Disc 2 (46:37 minutes):

1. V.I.P.

2. A House Is Not A Home

3. I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore

4. Horse And Rider

5. The Man I'll Never Have

6. Thanks I Needed That

7. Giving Up The Ring

8. Don't Let It Rain On Me

9. Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life

10. Let It Flow

11. Don't Go Looking For Something (You Don't Want To See)

Tracks 1 to 11 are their second and last US album "Thanks I Needed That" issued October 1972 on Invictus ST-9810 (no UK release)

BONUS TRACKS (12 to 14 are single sides - see lists below)

12. Playing Games

13. It Ain't The World (It's The People In It)

14. Let It Flow (Single Version)

Using the album cuts and the six bonus tracks across the 2CDs - you can sequence their entire US 7" singles output as follows...

1. "Crumbs Off The Table" b/w "Bad Bill Of Goods", Invictus IS 9071, September 1969 (B-side is non-album)

2. "I Can't Be You (You Can't Be Me)" b/w "He's In My Life", Invictus IS 9076, June 1970 (both tracks are non-album)

3. "Stealing Moments From Another Woman's Life" b/w "If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter)", 1971, Invictus IS 9082

4. "Touch Me Jesus" b/w "If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter)", June 1971, Invictus IS 9090

5. "Look What We've Done To Love" b/w "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", September 1971, Invictus IS 9097

6. "Playing Games" b/w "Let It Flow", January 1972, Invictus IS 9111 (Note: the B-side is Track 14 on Disc 2 - the "Single Version" - track 12 is the "Album" version)

7. "V.I.P." b/w "It Ain't The World (It's The People In It)", a solo single credited to SCHERRIE PAYNE, 1972, Invictus IS 9114 (B-side is non-album)

8. "Giving Up The Ring" b/w "Let It Flow", 1972, Invictus IS 9118 (Note: 2nd issue of the "Single Version" of "Let It Flow")

9. "Thanks I Needed That" b/w "I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore", October 1972, Invictus IS 9129

Remastered by PETER RYNSTON at TALL ORDER, the sound quality is blisteringly good - alive and jumping out of your speakers with no real compression. The 20-page booklet has very detailed liner notes by soul expert TONY ROUNCE who also provides photos of those rare 7" singles - it's brilliantly informative and researched with both affection and care (his top class work features on most of Edsel's soul releases).

The Glass House had two uniquely great lead singers, Tyrone "Ty" Hunter and Scherrie Payne (sister of Freda Payne and later a member of The Supremes) who often shared duet vocals. The music is catchy H-D-H soul, bright, poppy and aimed squarely at the charts and your feet. Highlights are many as one infectious tune follows another - the lovely "If It Ain't Love (It Don't Matter)" is typical - misery in an upbeat way (lyrics above). Even the religious message songs are excellent especially "Heaven Is There To Guide Us" which sounds not unlike The Chi-Lites at their best.

It's an embarrassment of Soul riches really - Edsel are to be praised for releasing it and presenting it in such a top way. Ace stuff and heartily recommended...

"Turnin' On" by HIGH INERGY - Album from 1977 on Gordy (USA) and Tamla Motown (UK) (August 2014 Big Break Records 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…In The Middle Of Turning Me On…"

The four all-singing, all-dancing Mitchell sisters from Pasadena in California that made up HIGH INERGY were touted at the time by none other than Motown Head Honcho himself Berry Gordy as America's 'new' Supremes. And with songwriters like James Ingram, Bobby Womack, Al Willis and Clay Drayton lining up the catchy tunes – they certainly had what it took to put their debut album to the No. 6 slot in the American R&B charts (No. 28 in Pop).

And this typically superb sounding CD reissue by Britain’s BBR (Big Break Records) of their 1977 Motown debut will give fans the perfect excuse to indulge one more time. Here are the hi steppin' details…

Released 25 August 2014 in the UK (7 October in the USA) – "Turnin' On" by HIGH INERGY on Big Break Records CDBBRX 0304 (Barcode 5013929060432) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster with Two Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (43:05 minutes):

1. Love Is All You Need [Side 1]

2. You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)

3. Some Kinda Magic

4. Searchin' (I've Got To Find My Love)

5. Ain't No Love Left (In My Heart For You) [Side 2]

6. Let Me Get Close To You 

7. Save It For A Rainy Day

8. Could This Be Love

9. High School

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Turnin' On" – released October 1977 in the USA on Gordy G6-978S1 and December 1977 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 12074

BONUS TRACKS: 

9. You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On) (Single Version)

10. Love Is All You Need (Single Version)

SINGLES: Using the two bonuses and Tracks 7 and 3 - this BBR CD release will allow fans to sequence High Inergy's two US and UK 7" singles from the album as follows:

1. "You Can't Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)" b/w "Let Me Get Close To You" - August 1977 on Gordy G-7155F in the USA and October 1977 on Tamla Motown TMG 1087 in the UK

2. "Love Is All You Need" b/w "Some Kinda Magic" - January 1978 on Gordy G-7157F in the USA and March 1978 on Tamla Motown TMG 1103 in the UK

The 12-page booklet has colour photos of the sisters, rare American picture sleeves, label facsimiles and liner notes by RICO 'Superbizzee' WASHINGTON (as well as album credits). But the big news as always with BBR is a KEVIN REEVES and NICK ROBBINS remaster from Universal tapes and it sounds just amazing – clear, punchy and full of life.

Highlights include steppers like "Love Is All You Need" and the sexy slink of "You Can't Turn Me Off…" - while "Let Me Get Close To You" is a Supremes-type smoocher (written by Faye Usher). James Ingram makes his songwriting presence known on both "Save It For A Rainy Day" and "Could This Be Love" – mid-tempo funkers. They went on to make a whopping further 7 albums for Gordy - but their debut album is now remembered more as a beginning of High Energy Disco and Soul.

Another superb reissue from BBR and kicking where it matters – sound and presentation…

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I've reviewed:

1. Send It – ASHFORD & SIMPSON (1977)

2. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

3. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

4. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

5. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

6. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

7. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

8. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

9. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

10. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12. I Miss You [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK] - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972)

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. In Philadelphia - O'JAYS (1969)

20. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

21. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

22. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

23. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

24. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

25. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

26. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

27. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

28. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"Original Album Series" by GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION [featuring Larry Graham] - including the albums "Graham Central Station" and "Release Yourself" (both 1974), "Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It" (1975), "Mirror" (1976) and "Now Do U Wanta Dance" (1977) (September 2013 Warners/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Over 300 Others Is Available in my

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HIGHER GROUND

SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION 
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

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Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

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"…We Be's Gettin' Down…"

Funky as a Mosquito doing the Michael Jackson Moon Walk on a Cocaine line in a Mexican Jail - Graham Central Station hit the ground running in 1974 with a debut album as brill as "AWB" - a Soul/Funk band that somehow crossed over and appealed to the white Rock audience. Hardly surprising really - especially as Larry Graham had served his Bass Player apprenticeship with Sly & The Family Stone. And with the now-deleted 2001 Rhino 2CD Anthology "The Jam" commanding a very nasty price tag (fabulous compilation though) - this 5-album Mini Box Set pitched at under twelve quid is a bit of a deal (and they're all remasters too). Here are the dudes in big hats and even bigger flares...

UK released September 2013 - "Original Album Series" by GRAHAM CENTRAL STATION (featuring Larry Graham) on Warner Brothers 8127796513 (Barcode 081227965136) offers five albums in Single Mini LP Card Repro Sleeves (Remasters) that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (38:30 minutes):

1. We've Been Waiting

2. It Ain't No Fun To Me

3. Hair

4. We Be's Getting' Down

5. Tell Me What It Is [Side 2]

6. Can You Handle It?

7. People

8. Why?

9. Ghetto

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "Graham Central Station" released February 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2763 and Warner Brothers K 46286 in the UK

Disc 2 (37:32 minutes):

1. G.C.S.

2. Release Yourself

3. Got To Go Through It To Get To It

4. I Believe In You

5. 'Tis Your Kind Of Music [Side 2]

6. Hey Mr. Writer

7. Feel The Need

8. Today

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 2nd album "Release Yourself" released October 1974 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2814 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56062

Disc 3 (42:07 minutes):

1. The Jam

2. Your Love

3. It's Alright

4. I Can't Stand The Rain

5. It Ain't Nothing But A Warner Bros. Party [Side 2]

6. Ole Smokey

7. Easy Rider

8. Water

9. Luckiest People

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 3rd studio album "Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It" released August 1975 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 2876 and in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56147

Disc 4 (38:09 minutes):

1. Entrow

2. Love (Covers A Multitude Of Sins)

3. Mirror

4. Do Yah

5. Save Me [Side 2]

6. I Got A Reason

7. Priscilla

8. Forever

Tracks 1 to 8 are their 4th studio album "Mirror" released June 1976 in the USA On Warner Brothers BS 2937 and on Warner Brothers K 56235 in the UK

Disc 5 (40:27 minutes):

1. Happ-E-2-C-U-A-Ginn

2. Now Do-U-Wanta Dance

3. Last Train

4. Love And Happiness

5. Earthquake

6. Crazy Chicken [Side 2]

7. Stomped Beat-Up And Whooped

8. Lead Me On

9. Saving My Love For You

10. Have Faith In Me

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 5th studio album "Now Do U Wanta Dance" released April 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3041 and May 1977 UK on Warner Bros K 56359.

These slim card slipcases house five single repro sleeves, there's no booklet and apart from the track lists (on each CD) - there's bugger all info - but as these were remastered by Rhino back in 2001 - those remasters have been used and they sound fantastic.

The Acapella opener "We've Been Waiting" is brilliant but better by far is one of the standout tracks - "Hair". About half way through - Graham's lead vocal is taken over by Patryce Banks (credited as Chocolate). The gorgeous Patryce (Claudia Lennear look out) also provides the fabulous lead vocals on "We Be's Getting' Down" - sounding not unlike a lead in The Voices Of East Harlem or Patti LaBelle letting her lungs out. The beat-box backing, instruments-in-the-distant Production and chanting/preachy vocal refrains in the brilliant Side 2 opener "Tell Me What It Is" sounds like Talking Heads doing Soul - years ahead of its time. Just as fab is the very Isley Brothers vibe of "People" where the group goes into social consciousness about "People dying...people suffering..." - the Clarence McDonald strings giving it a classy and moving feel while David Dynamite's guitar work sounds like Prince five years before the event. The multi-layered "Ghetto" is half Soul/half Gospel - a fantastic deep grooved Staples Singers finisher. The whole album is quite brilliant actually

"Release Yourself" was released in late 1972 was perhaps a little too frantic for its own good - with "I Believe In You" and "Today" being smoochy mid-tempo highlights. "The Jam" opens proceedings with suitably slap-bass wildness on album Number Three but you heart goes to "Your Love" (a R&B Number 1) where once again Chocolate makes the perfect foil for this happy upbeat love song. "It's Alright" and "Feel The Need" were also singles (19 and 18 respectively) and you can hear why.

But my absolute crave is "Love" which peaked at 14 when it should have gone to Number 1. Subtitled "Covers A Multitude Of Sins" - it's one of those brilliant irrepressibly uplifting tunes - funky and soulful. The seven-minute slap-bass crowd-shouting funk of "Entrow" was edited down as a single too - managing a 21 position on the US charts. The voicebox "Now Do-U-Wanta Dance" and the chipper "Stomped Beat-Up And Whooped" feel like a band seeking a hit rather than making one. Their funked-up cover of Al Green's "Love And Happiness" is better.

For me there's a definite winding down by the time we reach album five - but the first three and most of four are great Seventies Soul and Funk. A very cool and timely reissue - dig in and enjoy...