"Blue Magic" by BLUE MAGIC – Debut Album from January 1974 on Atco Records (October 2007 Rhino 'Classic Soul Album – Remastered and Expanded' CD Reissue – Bill Inglot Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Step Right Up...Hurry Hurry..."

Released in early 1974 on Atlantic's US label imprint Atco - Blue Magic's first album was dominated by the huge US Number 1 soft soul hit "Sideshow" (opening lyrics above). Produced by Norman Harris of Philadelphia International fame and with their songs pumped up by the MFSB Orchestra - BLUE MAGIC were Ted Mills (Vocals and Piano) with a foursome of Vocalists in Wendall and Vernon Sawyer, Keith Beaton and Richard Pratt.

As I recall - "Blue Magic" was the kind of mid-70ts Soul album that cluttered up secondhand stores everywhere – a record that was bought at the time for sure but it's fair to say – then dismissed as somewhat lightweight only a few years later. But that was then. And music lovers/collectors have across the decades that followed dug deeper into its lush Atco microgrooves and discovered nuggets overshadowed by the LP's mega hit. And that's where this sexy little Philly-Style CD Reissue comes a silver-suited shimmying in...

Part of Rhino's 'Classic Soul Album – Remastered and Expanded' CD Reissue Series (see list below) - this October 2007 US and UK reissue of "Blue Magic" by BLUE MAGIC on Rhino 8122-76428-2 (Barcode 081227642822) finally makes that self-titled debut album available on Remastered CD (and for the first time in the UK too). Here are the showy details (56:51 minutes)...

1. Sideshow [Side 1]

2. Loom Me Up

3. What’s Come Over Me

4. Just Don't Want To Be Lonely

5. Stop To Start [Side 2]

6. Welcome To The Club

7. Spell

8. Answer To My Prayer

9. Tear It Down

Tracks 1 to 9 are the LP "Blue Magic" released in the USA on Atlantic SD 7038 in January 1974

BONUS TRACKS:

10. Guess Who (Non-Album B-side to "Spell", the 1st 7" single off the album released March 1973 on Atco 6910)

11. Where Have You Been (Non-Album B-side to "Stop To Start", the 3rd single off the album released January 1974 on Atco 6949)

12. Look Me Up (Tom Moulton Remix) (issued on a 1976 Atlantic Records compilation called "Disco-Trek" on Atlantic SD 18185)

The album yielded four singles in the USA:

"Spell" b/w "Guess Who" on Atco 6910, March 1973

"Look Me Up" b/w "What's Come Over Me" on Atco 6930, September 1973

"Stop To Start" b/w "Where Have You Been" on Atco 6949, January 1974

"Sideshow" b/w "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" on Atco 6961, April 1974

BILL INGLOT - Rhino's long-time tape-expect did the remaster and a typically superb job has been delivered - very clear despite the often overbearingly lush string arrangements. There are very detailed liner notes by noted soul writer and contributor CHARLES WARING that include interviews with the band - and the CD even reflects the original yellow ATCO label and multi-coloured logo - all nice touches.

A cross between The Stylistics and The Chi-Lites "Blue Magic" were soft soul by way of Philly and not to everybody's taste (it has to be said). And while this might seem like the kind of music your sister would buy, both disco and soft soul have seen a resurgence of affection among soul lovers in the last few years - usually because if you dig deep enough second time round, there's great tunes in there somewhere.

This seems to have been the case with Blue Magic. Although they charted 3 singles prior, they were forever tied down to their huge "Sideshow" hit, which sort of sidelined better tracks on the album like the Ted Mills penned "Spell" (a pianist, songwriter and vocalist – Mills was defacto band leader) and the genuinely sweet seven minutes-plus of "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely" (written by the Gamble & Huff team of Bobby Eli, John Freeman and Vinny Barrett – it was Eli and Barrett who also penned the monster "Sideshow").

Disco fans will enjoy the bonus remix of "Look Me Up", while the two B-sides are excellent and rare. Another top job done by RHINO and a cleverly chosen title for reissue too...

PS: This release is part of Rhino's 'Classic Soul Album – Remastered and Expanded' CD Reissue Series. Most titles are first time onto CD and are rare Soul/Funk/R&B albums from the Warner/Atlantic/Cotillion/Elektra vaults.

1. Ace Spectrum - "Inner Spectrum" (see REVIEW)

2. Donny Hathaway - "Come Back Charleston Blue O.S.T." (see REVIEW)

3. Leroy Hutson - "Paradise" (see REVIEW)

4. Ronn Matlock - "Love City" (see REVIEW)

5. Gwen McCrae - "Gwen McCrae"

6. Gwen McCrae - "On My Way"

7. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Top Of The Line" (see REVIEW)

8. Prince Phillip Mitchell - "Make It Good" (see REVIEW)

9. The Voices Of East Harlem [feat Donny Hathaway] -"Right On Be Free" (see REVIEW)

"To The Limit" by JOAN ARMATRADING - Album from October 1978 on A&M Records (April 2016 Music On CD Reissue with a 1997 Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review and over 300 More Are Available in

ALL MOD CONS 

Music of 1975 to 1979

Your All-Genres Guide To

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For Music from 1975 to 1979

Almost 2,000 E-Pages of In-Depth Information
309 Reviews from the discs themselves...

"...In Your Loving Arms Again..."

Brummie lass Joan Armatrading (born in the West Indies but moved to the UK when she was 8) had been building a steady stream of classy British LP releases by the time she reached "To The Limit" in October 1978 - her sixth platter.

After her November 1972 debut "Whatever’s For Us" on Fly Records went largely unnoticed - her UK signing to A&M Records brought "Back To The Night" in April 1975 – an equally unsuccessful chart attempt but the first real indication of the monumental talent that would eventually unleash "Joan Armatrading" in August 1976 with the huge global hit "Love And Affection". That chart breakthrough was followed with the equally lovely "Show Some Emotion" album in September 1977 featuring the title track and "Willow".

I recall "To The Limit" at the time - the kind of album that bubbled under in 1978 rather than exploded. In fact since the tectonic impact of "Joan Armatrading" in late 1976 - it had seemed she was on a visible downward slide. "To The Limit" peaked at a respectable No. 13 in the UK - less than "Show Some Emotion" at No. 6 - but tellingly it stalled at No. 125 in the USA after it entered the charts there in November 1978. This feels like a shame to me because I've always thought "To The Limit" to be a wee bit of an overlooked gem in her long and impressive catalogue.

And that's where this 'Music On CD' reissue comes stomping in. As far as I recall the last remaster of the whole album was 2004 (quickly deleted) with some of the songs turning up on the 1996 "Love And Affection" 2CD anthology that had Roger Wake Remasters. The album has been notoriously difficult to find on CD at anything other than exorbitant prices – so this rather tasty looking reissue is a godsend for fans and the plain curious. And it sounds utterly fantastic too. Here are the unlimited details...

UK released April 2016 - "To The Limit" by JOAN ARMATRADING on Music On CD MOCCD13291 (Barcode 0600753605165) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Remaster of the 10-track 1978 LP that plays out as follows (41:20 minutes):

1. Barefoot And Pregnant [Side 1]

2. Your Letter

3. Am I Blue For You

4. You Rope You Tie Me

5. Baby I

6. Bottom To The Top [Side 2]

7. Taking My Baby To Town

8. What Do You Want

9. Wishing

10. Let It Last

Tracks 1 to 10 are her sixth studio album "To The Limit" - released October 1978 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64732 and November 1978 in the USA on A&M Records SP-4732. Produced by GLYN JOHNS - it peaked at No. 13 in the UK and No. 123 in the USA.

JOAN ARMATRADING - Lead Vocals and Acoustic Guitar

PHIL PALMER - Lead Electric Guitar

RED YOUNG - Piano

DICK SIMMS - Organ & Accordion

QUITMAN DAVIS - Lyricon

DAVE MARKEE - Bass

HENRY SPINETTI - Drums 

The 'Music On CD' label is a bit of a strange one. They started out as I recall being 'Music On Vinyl' - the go-to reissue label for all of the Sony product on VINYL - quality 180-gram represses with remasters. But in 2014 the Europe-Pressed CD label began reissuing albums from a huge array of labels and now have over 220 titles in their canon (most are under the Universal umbrella of labels). All their releases come in those natty-looking rounded-corner 'super jewel cases' and for "To The Limit" you also get an 8-page booklet that essentially reproduces the inner sleeve of the 1978 LP - lyrics to the songs - a couple of photos and musician credits - but nothing else - no new liner notes nor any mention of mastering and from what. Credit or no - the audio on this CD is truly glorious - Glyn Johns' original production values shining through - "What Do You Want" sounding audiophile good and stupendously moving for it. 

While the compilations always go for the catchy jaunt of "Barefoot And Pregnant" and the hip Reggae rhythms of "Bottom To The Top" – the hidden album gems of "Baby I" and "What Do You Want" are fantastic songs – full of truth and yes – hurting – a relationship on the rocks – slipping away – even lost. Throw in the sexy acoustic guitar and strangulated synth soloing of "Am I Blue For You", the deceptive groove of "Wishing" and the "Love And Affection" acoustic vibe of "Let It Last" bolstered up with gorgeous accordion and piano notes that compliment rather than intrude as it builds towards a triumphant conclusion (let it last until we die) – and the whole record starts to feel like an overlooked nugget. "To The Limit" is not a masterpiece - but it is chock-full of great songs that still stand up and crucially still get to you.

She would go slightly pop with "Me Myself I" in May 1980 - an album that would storm up No. 5 in the UK and return her to the radio and real chart success Stateside (it peaked at No. 28 – her best showing their). But for many her trio of "Joan Armatrading", "Show Some Emotion" and "To The Limit" from 1976, 1977 and 1978 represent an artistic and emotional high that stings, swoons and ultimately elevates.

I'm off now to check out the first "Outlaws" album (originally 1975 on Arista) and "Blood, Sweat & Tears 3" (originally 1969 and 1970 on Columbia and CBS Records) - both of which have been recently reissued by Music On CD with Remasters.

In the meantime go back in time forty years to 1978 again and take this excellent Joan Armatrading album back 'in your loving arms again'...   

"PROVE IT ALL NIGHT" - Music From 1977 to 1979" - Your All-Genres Guide to Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters by Mark Barry...

The SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOK Series...

1977 to 1979

PROVE IT ALL NIGHT

Your All-Genres Guide To

Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 
For Music from 1977 to 1979

Over  1,795 E-Pages of In-Depth Information
235-Plus Reviews from the discs themselves...

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* CONTENT: Over 1,795 E-pages, 235-Plus In-depth reviews

* CD reissues and remasters from 1990 to 2023
* PRICE RANGE: Vast majority of these reviews are for standard CDs ranging from £3 to £20 - most under £10 - some box sets up to £100
* FORMATS: Apart from standard CD other formats include 

SACD [Super Audio CD], HDCD [High Density Compatible Digital], Japan SHM-CD and Japan Platinum SHM-CD  [Super High Materials]

* MAJOR LABELS: All major record companies covered Sony/Legacy, Universal, WEA, EMI etc. including Major Box Set Retrospectives

* INDIE LABELS: Best Independent Reissue Labels highlighted...

– Ace, Audio Fidelity, Bear Family, Beats Goes On, Big Break Records, Edsel, Esoteric Recordings, Grapefruit, Hip-O Select, Lemon, Light In The Attic, Mobile Fidelity, Raven, Repertoire, Revola, Rhino, RPM, Salvo, Sundazed and Panegyric

* DATA: Technical data from the discs themselves (total playing times and more), Release Date, Catalogue No and Barcode to locate the correct issue

* DETAILS: Track lists and Details on Bonus material (if any)

* DISCOGRAPHIES: Vinyl Discographies referencing CD Box sets (track numbers to sequence singles and albums from the discs), UK and US catalogue numbers and release dates for original vinyl albums, 7" singles and EPs within each review

* AUDIO DETAILS: Remaster/Tape Transfer Engineers highlighted

* PACKAGING: Packaging description

RECORD LABELS covered by the book include:

ABC, ABC/Dunhill, A&M, Anchor, Apple, Ardent, Asylum, Atlantic/Atco, Bearsville, Blue Horizon, Capitol, Capricorn, CBS, Charisma, Chrysalis, Columbia, Dandelion, Dawn, Decca, Deram (Nova), DJM, Elektra, EMI, Epic, Fantasy, Fly, Fontana, Harvest, Immediate, Island, Kapp, Liberty, London, Marmalade, MCA, Mercury, MGM, Monument, Mooncrest, Parlophone, Parrot, Polydor, Probe, Purple, Pye International, RAK, Rare Earth, RCA Victor, Reaction, Reprise, Rolling Stones, RSO, Shelter, Sire, Smash, Straight, Sussex, Track, Trojan, Uni, Vanguard, Vertigo, Verve, Virgin, United Artists and Warner Brothers

Having worked for RECKLESS RECORDS in London's Soho for over 20 years as one of their principal Vinyl and CD buyers (one of the best secondhand record shops in the West End) and having over 4180 posts on Amazon (CDs, DVDs, BLU RAYs) - as you can imagine I come across a huge number of reissues - some far more worthy than others.

To that end I've collated together these SOUNDS GOOD MUSIC BOOKS Series as guides to Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters offering up in-depth reviews on a wide range of titles. And it doesn't have to cost the earth to Sound Good either – you just need to know which CD is the right issue to buy. 

Many entries in this large and unique book cost less than £10 while others are under a fiver. And even if some Box Sets/Deletions have acquired a price tag - because they're the best I've included them along with artists/titles that deserve your attention…

Hope you enjoy the reads – Mark Barry (2023)