"Riley, Riley, Wood and Waggett" by SHAPE OF THE RAIN – July 1971 UK Debut Album on RCA Neon Records NE 7 featuring Keith Riley, Len Riley, Brian Wood, Iain 'Tag' Waggett and Pete Dolan with guests Eric Hine, Bob Skelland, Nip Healey and David Brookfield (22 May 2020 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD Deluxe Edition Reissue with an Unreleased Second Album, Demos and Rehearsals and Live Material – 61 Tracks with 17 Unreleased and Many Other Rarities – Oli Hemingway Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Rusty Road..."

Seen as Country Hick and terminally unhip by much of the buying public - RCA Victor's answer to the progressive rock craze that was sweeping music in the late Sixties and early Seventies was the ill fated RCA Neon label. With its beautiful Venus In A Shell logo, jet-black labels and inner bags - this home of the obscure and supposedly Avant Garde managed only 11 albums in 2 years (1971 to 1972) and the first was a reissue of an LP initially released in 1970 (Fair Weather's "The Beginning Of The End").

Complete with staggeringly dull please-don't-buy-me because I want to be obscure gatefold sleeves (obligatory for all these releases it seemed) - names such as Fair Weather (NE 1), Chris McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath (NE 2), Indian Summer (NE 3), Tonton Macoute (NE 4), Dando Shaft (NE 5), Spring (NE 6), Raw Material (NE 8), Centipede (NE 9), Mike Westbrook Orchestra (NE 10) and The Running Man (NE 11) - don't exactly role off the tongue - even now. I have an October 1973 RCA Victor product catalogue and only NE 9 and NE 10 were listed as available for sale – all others were deleted. None of them sold jack and the one-album-then-we-died SHAPE OF THE RAIN effort on RCA Neon NE 7 was no different. They weren't even Prog. SOTR music was West Coast Country Rock via the Byrds meets British Folk Rock via Matthews Southern Comfort, Cochise and Brinsley Schwarz – not an Elf nor a Manticore nor a bank of noodley synths anywhere in sight.

Still - up steps our UK reissue heroes Grapefruit Records in 2020 and they think – screw those I woke up this morning with the post-pandemic woke-generational blues. 

What the hell – let's give these Northern mining-village reprobates and their Seventies Big Star-ish Americana music a whopping great 61-track 3CD anthology and damn the accounting torpedoes. We can even give the album a gatefold card repro sleeve (the public will just love that legal firm LP title that absolutely no one will remember), throw in an unreleased second album complete with homemade artwork of the period, demos, rehearsals and badly-recorded live material before they finally broke up in 1973 and Remaster the damn lot like the flashy gits we are. And who am I to disagree with wiser and hairier men than I. Let's get shapely...

UK released Friday, 22 May 2020 - "Riley Riley Wood and Waggett (Deluxe Edition)" by SHAPE OF THE RAIN on Grapefruit Records CRSEG067T (Barcode 5013929186705) is a DELUXE EDITION 3CD 61-Track Reissue and Anthology of Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc One – The Album Plus Bonus Tracks (79:13 minutes):

1. Woman [Side 1]

2. Patterns

3. Castles

4. Wasting My Time

5. Rockfield Roll

6. Yes

7. Dusty Road [Side 2]

8. Willowing Trees

9. I'll Be There

10. Broken Man (a) Every One A Gem (b) After Collapsing At Kingsley's

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut and only album "Riley, Riley, Wood and Waggett" - released July 1971 in the UK on RCA Neon NE 7 (no US release). Produced by ERIC HINE and TONY HALL - it didn't chart.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. My Friend John – 29 October 1971 UK Non-Album 45 Single A-side on RCA Victor RCA 2129 with an edit of the LP cut "Yes" on the B-side (last minute lopped off) and the group now credited as SHAPE

12. The Very First Clown *

13. What You Gonna Do Now? *

14. You're The One *

15. From Me And From You *

16. No Use Cryin' Again *

17. Watercolour Sunshine *

18. Nothin' You Could Do *

19. We Can Put It Right *

20. Lady Of My Dreams *

21. It All Depends On You *

22. Listen To Your Heart *

23. Now's The Time To Start *

24. Don't You Know *

25. Second Time Around *

Tracks 12 to 25 (*) are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc Two – The CD "Shape Of The Rain" (aka "The Red Album" 1966-1973) (79:40 minutes):

1. Broken Man (Demo Version)

2. I Don't Need Anybody

3. I'll Be There (Demo Version)

4. We're Not The Boys

5. Hallelujah

6. Hello 503

7. I Doubt I Ever Will

8. Willowing Trees (Demo Version)

9. Canyons

10. Spring

11. Words

12. Look Around

13. Advertising Man

14. Go Around And See It

15. It's So Good Here

16. Big Black Bird

17. Everyone The Fool

18. You Just Call

19. It's My Life

Tracks 1 to 19 previously issued in 2001 as the CD "Shape Of The Rain" (aka "The Red Album") on Background HBG 123/14

BONUS TRACKS:

20. Dusty Road (Demo Version)

21. Too Many Lies

22. Yes (Demo Version)

Tracks 20 to 22 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Disc Three – Previously Unreleased Live Recordings (1968-1973) (76:26 minutes):

1. Willowing Trees

2. Passing Of Time

3. Imagination

4. I've Been Wrong

5. Spring

6. Everyone The Fool

7. Vanishing Cottage

8. Calling

9. Big Black Bird

10. Go Around And See It

11. Say It's Goodbye

12. Woman

13. We're Not The Boys

14. Hello 503

Tracks 1 to 8 recorded live at Alfreton hall, in England, 2 May 1970

Tracks 9 to 13 recorded live at Manchester University circa 1973

Track 14 is a Live Acetate recorded at Velvet Underground/Down Broadway clubs in 1968

SHAPE OF THE RAIN was:

KEITH RILEY - Lead Guitar, 12-String Guitar and Vocals

LEN RILEY - Bass Guitar

BRIAN WOOD - Pedal Steel Guitar, Bass and Vocals

IAIN 'Tag' WAGGETT - Drums and Percussion

PETE DOLAN on Guitar and Bass from 1973

GUESTS included:

ERIC HINE - Electric Piano on Tracks 5, 7, 8 and 10 on Disc One

BOB SKELLAND - Bass on Track 5 on Disc Two

NIP HEALEY - Drums on Tracks 2, 4 and 11 on Disc Two

DAVID BROOKFIELD - Synths of some of the Keith Riley Home demos - Tracks 12 to 25 on Disc One

Once out of its shrink-wrap (I put the titled sticker on the booklet, difficult peeling it off) - the outer lightweight slipcase holds three card sleeves inside and a 24-page colour booklet. They give the LP the Keef artwork gatefold sleeve (apparently an outtake from the set of the Oliver! film) while the other two are singles with credit details on the rear of those cards instead of taking up pages in the booklet. DAVID WELLS of Cherry Red's Grapefruit Records (and Esoteric Recordings) gives us new January 2020 liner notes with contributions from band players and associates - Keith and Linda Riley, Tag Waggett and Pete Dolan. You get several black and white period photos, Melody Maker reviews, Acetates pictured, the labels for their two singles from May and October 1971 pictured, homemade artwork for the aborted second album and even a calling card for an early embryo of the group as 'The Gear' in a 1965 village hall. There is also a superb two-page collage of support tour press adverts with the likes of Love, Fleetwood Mac, Jethro Tull, Curved Air, Mighty Baby, Elton John and even Pink Floyd in March 1971 at Chesterfield's St. James Hall. It's a classy and in-depth display, as one would expect from Grapefruit. Wells also makes no bones about management mistakes that put the band on the Prog-obscure Neon label (thereby guaranteeing dismal sales figures for an album that deserved better) instead of the more commercially viable RCA Victor label with the likes of David Bowie, Sweet, The Kinks, Jefferson Airplane and Nilsson to name but a few. It’s an entertaining and informative read.

OLI HEMINGWAY has handled the Remastering of the album while Audio Engineers KEITH KNIVETON, KEITH RILEY (of the band) and JONATHAN KIRKPATRICK digitised and remastered the Acetate, Home Demos and Live stuff. It's a very mixed bag. The album sounds good but the sheer haphazard nature of the rest is ok to good only. To the music...

Neon tried to pre-empt interest in the band and the album by issuing Side 1's opener "Woman" as a 45 - but the 21 May 1971 UK 7" single on RCA Neon NE 1001 with "Wasting My Time" on the flipside did no business. Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs of St. Etienne featured the "Wasting My Time" B-side on their "Occasional Rain" CD and 2LP compilation for Ace Records just recently (May 2020) - thinking highly of the pleasant acoustic strummer. Maybe "Patterns" would have been a better choice - its Byrds-like jangling-guitars with Pedal Steel overtones hitting that Matthews Southern Comfort crowd with a lovely and catchy tune. "Castles" offers the first hint of Genesis-type acoustic-guitar Prog (only hints mind) - gorgeous 12-string strums rattling around your speakers - build your castles in the air - and yet another possible single.

Things start to clavinet boogie with the short and jolly instrumental "Rockfield Roll" - but soon return to something way more substantial with truly excellent "Yes". It's album-sized Big Star-sounding jangle-and-strut groove of 5:51 minutes was cut by one minute as an edit for the stand-alone single in October 1971 of "My Friend John" - the band momentarily returned to the orange RCA Victor label and now called just SHAPE. In fact when you play the Country-Funky Pedal Steel bopper that is "My Friend John" and you throw in the excellent "Yes" B-side, you can't help thinking the public missed a trick on this one. We go full on Country Rock with "Dusty Road" – a clavinet and distant vocal that could almost be Poco Americana in its delivery (Riley sounds like a young Matty Healy from The 1975 with his 'time' regional twang) – another sweet melody on an album packed with them. Despite some great ideas in the melody, "Willowing Trees" feels badly produced, all those clever guitar moments lost in a muddy mix. "I'll Be There" talks of giving a hand in another potential mid-tempo single. The album ends on the only real rocker on the record "Broken Man" - a good guitar chugger but again with a vocal that lacks muscle or definition. 

I hadn't expected much of the thirteen unreleased tracks that come as Bonuses on Disc One but shockingly Shape Of The Rain sound like another set of tune makers who didn't get the recognition they deserved - Unicorn - over on Transatlantic and Harvest Records. There isn’t anything Prog or Psych about these – all acoustic guitars and at times Pedal Steel. There is even traces of Duncan Browne in the lovely and hooky "The Very First Clown" and the brokenhearted "What You Gonna Do Now?" The well-recorded America-sounding "Now's The Time To Start" is a 'we can make it if we try' song.

The audio drops more than a tad on the looking for a hit "You're The One" and the peaceful (but hissy) "From Me And From You". Best of the others are the decidedly Matthews Southern Comfort vibe to the wash my soul of "Watercolour Sunshine", the how can we tell them "We Can Put It Right" and the McCartney strum/doubled vocals of "Lady Of My Dreams" - all good but needing full realisation in a studio. And you can't help thinking that "Second Time Around" would have been a melody pace setter for that Badfinger meets Brinsley Schwarz-sounding second album.

The first nineteen tracks of Disc Two covering recordings from 1966 through to 1973 was first issued as a stand-alone CD in 2001 as "The Shape Of Rain" on Background HBG 123/14 (Barcode 5032379231421) and typically it comes on as a good compilation with recording values fluctuating from great to poor. The four demos of album tracks "Broken Man", "I'll Be There", "Dusty Road" and "Yes" were recorded in 1970 at DJM Studios by Rodger Bain and Tony Hall - the last of the four being incredibly poor audio so not surprising its been left in the can all these years. "I Don't Need Nobody", "We're Not The Boys" and "Words" were recorded in 1973 at Phonogram Studios and show Shape Of The Rain still playing melodic Folk-Rock tunes with a West Coast influence. Beatles Engineer Geoff Emerick recorded the decidedly poppy "Hello 503" at Abbey Road with Tony Hall as co-producer.

Despite the muddy recordings, there were tunes going a begging in 1969 with "I Doubt I Ever Will", "Canyons" and "Spring" - its just a shame they never got the last especially into a real studio and onto the LP. Sixties Who leaps out at you with "Look Around" recorded in 1966 in Nottingham (Pete would either have been proud of them or ready to punch their copycat lights out). Better is a home recording made at Brian Wood's house in 1972 in the shape of "Go Around And See It" - a hit in the making had it been Badfinger.

The first eight songs from 1970 on the live disc are disappointingly little more than bootleg quality, distant vocals, not much fidelity and therefore not something you’re going to return to any time soon. By the time we reach 1973 the band recordings are marginally better and the playing much tighter and more accomplished. And while "Woman" rocks rather well, the whole of Disc Three is very disposable.

SHAPE OF THE RAIN devotees will love the all-guns-blazing splurge of new material while Seventies-curious Badfinger nee Big Star worshipers will probably find much to love here even if not all of it is essential. But whatever your musical poison, once again, Grapefruit Records of the UK has gone the full hog here and they are to be praised for it...

"Heads Hands & Feet" by HEADS HANDS & FEET – Debut 17-Track US Double-Album from April 1971 on Capitol Records and Debut 11-Track UK Single Album from June 1971 on Island Records – featuring Tony Colton, Ray Smith, Albert Lee, Pete Gavin, Chas Hodges and Mike O’Neill with guest Elton Dean on Saxophone (September 2014 UK Prog Temple Expanded Edition CD Reissue and Remaster of the Original 17 Track U.S. Version) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"...The More You Get, The More You Want..."

Rinse-haired geezers like me (62 and still no criminal record) will remember with a fuzzyheaded glow and a shape-shifting shuffle in the trouser area SAMPLER ALBUMS of the late 60s and early 70ts.

They were a great way of getting to know tons of new music/genres for next-to-zip amounts of cash. One of these is the now-forgotten "El Pea" double-album from June 1971 on Island IDLP 1 – an Island/Chrysalis Records twofer pitched at £1.99 with a great big green pea on the cover. The double-album and its distinctive artwork were supposed to plug 1971 Rock Music and Folk Rock on both conjoined labels. 

But instead of introducing fans to the likes of Nick Drake, Traffic, Jethro Tull, King Crimson, Sandy Denny, Quintessence, Amazing Blondel, Mick Abrahams, Free, Mott The Hoople etc – it became infamous for its rubbish plastic inner holder sleeves with foam lips which were supposed to clean the LPs as you took them out - but just ended up scratching the palm-tree label vinyls to buggery (a great compilation of new music ruined by gimmicky).

Amidst its many other presentational sins was also Side 1's entry for "Song For Suzie" by Heads Hands & Feet. It advertised beneath, that you could find this wickedly good song on their Island Records debut album ILPS 9149. But when punters went looking for the seven-minute opus, the 11-track UK self-titled LP hadn't got the song - nowhere to be seen. This is because their debut "Heads Hands & Feet" had been a 17-track double-album in the USA issued in April 1971 on Capitol Records (containing that song) - but when their debut was eventually issued June 1971 in the UK, Island didn't want to chance a double, so edited it down to an 11-Track single LP minus of course the "Song For Suzie" track (cut probably due to time restrictions). In fact when Universal issued the "Strangely Strange But Oddly Normal: An Island Anthology 1967-1972" 3CD Box Set of Remasters in 2005 – the booklet compounded the mistake again by saying you could get the song on the UK LP. Well, you can't. But here is a place where you can...

Which brings us via a very circuitous route to this rather splendid fully loaded 2014 Prog Temple CD reissue - finally offering fans the Original 17 Track U.S. Version of Heads Hands & Feet as a CD Remaster for the first time. There is a lot to wade through, so on to the head-bangers...

UK released 1 September 2014 – "Heads Hands & Feet" by HEADS HANDS & FEET on Prog Temple PTCD8029 (Barcode 4753314802919) offers the Original 17 Track U.S. Version on CD for the first time. This 15-Track CD (two of the songs have two parts, hence the 17) plays out as follows (77:55 minutes):

1. I'm In Need Of Your Help [Side 1]

2. Send Me A Wire

3. Look At The World It's Changing / 3a. You Because You Know Me

4. Green Liquor

5. Country Boy [Side 2]

6. Tryin' To Put Me On

7. I Wish You Knew Me

8. Devil's Elbow

9. Pete Might Spook The Horses [Side 3]

10. Everybody's Hustlin' / 10a. Hang Me, Dang Me

11. Delaware

12. The More You Get, The More You Want [Side 4]

13. Song For Suzie

14. Tirabad

15. Little Bit Lonely 

Tracks 1 to 15 are the April 1971 US Debut Double-Album "Heads Hands & Feet" on Capitol Records SVBB-680. It was issued June 1971 in the UK with the same name on Island Records ILPS 9149 as a Single LP with 11 Tracks.  That British album can be sequenced from this 2014 CD Remaster as follows:

Side 1: Tracks 1, 2, 7, 10, 10a and 8 (six tracks)

Side 2: Tracks 5, 6, 11, 9 and 15 (five tracks)

HEADS HANDS & FEET were:

TONY COLTON – Lead Vocals

ALBERT LEE – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Keyboards, Vibes and Vocals

RAY SMITH – Lead Guitar and Vocals

MIKE O'NEILL – Guitars, Vibes, Keyboards and Vocals

CHAS HODGES – Bass, Banjo, Fiddle and Vocals

PETE GAVIN – Drums, Percussion, Vibes and Vocals

Along with Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (later of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention fame) – Tony Colton, Albert Lee, Ray Smith and Drummer Pete Gavin had been with the group Poet And The One Man Band for their lone self-titled album on Verve Forecast SVLP 6012 – released April 1969. Mike O’Neill had been part of The John Barry Seven and Chas Hodges had been with Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers (amongst others) and would of course go on to be one half of Chas & Dave. And even though he'd left to join Sandy Denny in Fotheringay, Pat Donaldson had been songwriting with them so long that he is listed as the third writer of "I'm In Need Of Your Help" alongside Tony Colton and Ray Smith (principal songwriters on almost every song).

As a sort of newly formed supergroup, there was a lot of major label interest, and as the eight-page FRASER MASSEY liner-notes explain (with the aid of Tony Colton) – the British boys were wined and dined at the legendary Troubadour club in Hollywood, then signed for very big money at the time to the established Capitol Records in the USA - to be handled by the hipper independent label Island Records in the UK. On this 2014 Prog Temple CD it clearly states DIGITALLY REMASTERED but there is no name associated. No problems because the audio throughout is really great - fantastically alive and without being over-trebled too. Nice job done. Let's get to the music...

Recorded between November 1970 and February 1971 and Engineered by EDDIE OFFORD of Yes fame - the double-album splurge begins with "I'm In Need Of Your Help" - a rapido Funk-Rock chaser that even feels a tad Prog as it begins. Better is "Send Me A Wire" where I always felt their strengths lay - a sort of Rock-Funk groover that chugs along very nicely - put out the smoke - put out the fire - can't get any higher. I've included it on some compilations of mine where I dig Rock on a Funky tip. We're then hit with a seven and a half minute two-parter - (3) "Look At The World It's Changing - and (3a) "You Because You Know Me". The first part is a dreadfully syrupy love song that overdoes the melodrama whilst part two goes all acoustic Simon & Garfunkel which is only a little better. Side 1 ends with the boozy swagger of the tasting-fine "Green Liquor" - a sort of precursor in song style to their fabulous single "Warming Up The Band".

Side 2 of the American double also opens Side 2 of the single British LP - a cotton-picker horse and cart romp non-surprisingly called "Country Boy" - and again amazing clarity in the Remaster. That's followed by the Dobro and Fiddle Country Blues of the excellent "Tryin' To Put Me On" - a fave amongst fans - put this one in the steel house. "I Wish You Knew Me" opens on an acoustic guitar flourish only to be followed by a wall of harmonising vocals - a sort of Beach Boys meets Bronco moment (gorgeous remaster too). A Methodist Minister calls on our vocalist and asks his domination - trying to convert the Rock 'n' Roll man away from the "Devil's Elbow" - though even despite the mellow feel of the track - I think the preacher has his work cut out for him.

Side 3 opens with "Pete Might Spook The Horses" - a drum-driven rocker co-written by Colton and Smith with sticks-man Pete Gavin. Again the Remaster leaps out of the speakers as PG whacks his kit to the accompaniment of funky chugging guitars from the boys (shine on sunshine). Another countrified two-parter follows – Uncle Joe hustling the bar and everything for that matter (including his kids) in (10) "Everybody's Hustlin'" - while things get funky-rock again with the rolling across my mind (10a) "Hang Me, Dang Me". And again another great audio spread. Side 3 ends with five minutes of piano-peace in "Delaware" – probably the prettiest song on the album – lines down in Utah – raining in Delaware – still things are good.

Side 4 gives us seven-minutes of the J.J. Cale Tony Joe White Vocal stylee Bass-Funky "The More You Get, The More You Want". Unfortunately UK fans lost on this one (wasn't on the single LP) and what a loss. Our boy is looking for some Hookfoot – servicing another turnstile to keep that hooch flowing and the girls by the bar rolling their eyes. This wickedly groovy funky-as-a-tweeter Swamp-Country-Rock tune was Heads Hands & Feet stock in trade – sexy-cool flicking guitar work from Albert Lee and fantastic wild Alto Sax soloing from guest musician Elton Dean. What a tour de force, and for me, a definite highlight on the album. That is then followed by the epic Moody Blues-sounding "Song For Suzie" - a prayer ballad for a lost lady's peace of mind. The Little Feat guitar boogie of "Tirabad" and the Spanish acoustic of "Little Bit Lonely" bring a big album to a quietly majestic end. It's not all magic - but damn - when they hit that groove - they were so damn good.  

Heads Hands & Feet would issue their second studio album "Tracks" in late April 1972 on Island ILPS 9185 (June 1972 in the USA on Capitol Records ST-11051) and a final UK studio set called "Old Soldiers Never Die" in March 1973 – newly signed to Atlantic Records for K 40465 – but all to no avail. Not even the wickedly good "Warming Up The Band" stand-alone single broke the charts for them - when it should have (both it and its non-album B-side are featured as Bonus Tracks on the "Tracks...Plus" CD reissue - see my review). 

England's Heads, Hands & Feet are a footnote now in the history of Seventies Rock Music - but they're remembered with affection for a reason and the better tracks on this wicked-sounding 2LPs-onto-1CD Remaster prove why. A very cool little reissue really and I'd love to see someone tackle all three of their Seventies albums in a mini box set with Extras - and right soon...

"The Warner Bros. Albums 1970-1976" by JAMES TAYLOR – Six US Albums including "Sweet Baby James" (February 1970), "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" (April 1971), "One Man Dog" (November 1972), "Walking Man" (June 1974), "Gorilla" (May 1975) and "In The Pocket" (June 1976). Featuring Carole King of The City, Randy Meisner of Eagles, Red Rhodes of Bamboo, Chris Darrow of Kaleidoscope, Danny Kortchmar of The Flying Machine, Russ Kunkle of The Section, Leland Sklar, Joni Mitchell, John Hartford, Richard Greene, The Memphis Horns, Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Alex and Kate Taylor, Randy and Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Bobbye Hall, Paul and Linda McCartney, Hugh McCracken, David Spinnoza and many more (19 July 2019 UK Warner Brothers 6CD Box Set – Peter Asher, Bill Inglot and Bernie Grundman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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REASON TO BELIEVE

Classic Rock and Beyond 

1970 to 1974 - Volume 2 of 2 

Artists from M to Z 

Exceptional CD Remasters

Just Click Below To Purchase for £4.95

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"...Shower The People..."

For long-suffering JT fans (and those who like the earlier hits from 1970 and 1971 but don't know much more after that) - the big news here is not just the sweetly handled new remasters, the tasty presentation box (hell it even has an insert) and the extremely reasonable price (roughly three quid each) – it's finally getting availability to these Seventies albums after nearly four decades of digital shenanigans.

The Warner Brothers period of James Taylor's career has had a very chequered CD past since the mid 80ts. Then after years of ok-sounding reissues - there was the beautiful audio of the "You've Got A Friend" Best Of compilation in 2003 with choice album tracks, followed by the six sexily cool Japanese SHM-CD reissues in April 2010 with new mastering and exact repros of the American artwork. There were also American Audiophile Gold CD reissues of "Mud Slide Slim" and "One Man Dog" – and on it went. But the average Joe has been looking at £20 to £30+ per album purchase (if you can find them).

Well now – at last – in July 2019 - Rhino and Warner Brothers have finally done Boston’s Walking Man the reissue business - six albums in one neat clamshell box set, 75-Tracks from "Sweet Baby James" in 1970 through to "In Your Pocket" in 1976 and new Remastering of the whole shebang supervised by original Engineer and Producer Peter Asher (first three LPs). There is a woke load of detail to wade through, so let's indeed get sweet on baby James once more...

UK released 19 July 2019 - "The Warner Bros. Albums 1970-1976" by JAMES TAYLOR on Warner Bros/Rhino R2 587550 (Barcode 603497852390) offers six albums from 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1976 newly Remastered onto 6CDs with Mini LP Repro Artwork and it plays out as follows:

CD1 "Sweet Baby James" (31:54 minutes, 11 tracks):

Second studio album, US released February 1970 on Warner Brothers BS 1843 and November 1970 in the UK on Warner Brothers WS 1843 (reissued December 1971 on Warner Brothers K 46043)

Tan label CD, single card sleeve with gatefold lyric insert as per original 1970 vinyl LP

CD2 "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon" (37:21 minutes, 13 tracks):

Third studio album, US released April 1971 on Warner Brothers BS 2561 and May 1971 in the UK on Warner Brothers WS 2561 (reissued in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46085 in March 1972)

Tan label CD, gatefold card sleeve with no insert as per original vinyl LP

CD3 "One Man Dog" (37:44 minutes, 18 tracks):

Fourth studio album, US released November 1972 on Warner Brothers BS 2660 and November 1972 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46185

Tan label CD, single card sleeve and lyric insert as per original vinyl LP

CD4 "Walking Man" (34:03 minutes, 10 tracks):

Fifth studio album, US released June 1974 on Warner Bros W 2794 and June 1974 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56042

Burbank label CD, single card sleeve with no insert as per original vinyl LP

CD5 "Gorilla" (39:02 minutes, 11 tracks):

Sixth studio album, US released May 1975 on Warner Brothers BS 2866 and May 1975 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56137

Burbank label CD, single card sleeve with no insert as per original vinyl LP

CD6 "In The Pocket" (44:56 minutes, 12 tracks):

Seventh studio album, US released June 1976 on Warner Brothers BS 2912 and June 1976 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56197

Burbank label CD, single card sleeve with lyric insert as per original vinyl LP

There are cool period photos on the front and rear of the clamshell box and inside, a six-leaf foldout inlay (more period snaps) with new liner notes from original Engineer, Producer and Manager of JT for 25 years - PETER ASHER. Asher gives us a potted a backdrop into 1969 and 1970 especially - Taylor's cohorts in rehearsal and studios – huge names like Carole King of The City pre "Tapestry" fame, Randy Meisner of Eagles (before he'd joined the mega Country Rock band), Red Rhodes of Bamboo, Chris Darrow of Kaleidoscope and his regular rhythm section - Danny Kortchmar of The Flying Machine, Russ Kunkle of The Section and Leland Sklar. There are even corrections to missing musician credits - Craig Doerge (of Jackson Browne's band) playing Electric Piano on "One Man Dog" while David Sanborn played Alto Sax on the huge hit single "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)". They were mistakenly left off the original inserts. 

But the big news is a full-on vaults trawl for the remasters - Asher working in supervision tandem with one of Rhino's longest-standing Audio Engineers since the early 90s - BILL INGLOT - and then to final mastering by the legendary BERNIE GRUNDMAN - a name synonymous with audio excellence. And that's where this Box Set hits all the right notes - finally hearing deep album gems like "Sunny Skies", "You Can Close Your Eyes", "One Morning in May", "Wandering" or "I Was A Fool To Care" in properly great audio is fab. A gorgeous job done, and as mentioned earlier, not a box set that’s going to cost your life’s savings.

SINGLES:

This box set will also allow JT fans to sequence almost all 14 of his Warner Brothers US 45s from the period (see Note):

1. Sweet Baby James b/w Suite For 20 G (May 1970, Warner Bros 7387)

2. Fire And Rain b/w Anywhere Like Heaven (August 1970, Warner Bros 7423)

3. Country Road b/w Sunny Skies (January 1971, Warner Bros 7460)

4. You've Got A Friend b/w You Can Close Your Eyes (May 1971, Warner Bros 7498)

5. Long Ago And Far Away b/w Let Me Ride (September 1971, Warner Bros 7521)

6. Don't Let Me Lonely Tonight b/w Who, Don't You Know (November 1972, Warner Bros 7655)

7. One Man Parade b/w Nobody But You (February 1973, Warner Bros 7682)

8. Hymn b/w Fanfare (April 1973, Warner Bros 7695)

9. Let It All Fall Down b/w Daddy's Baby (August 1974, Warner Bros WBS 8015)

10. Walking Man b/w Daddy's Baby (November 1974, Warner Bros WBS 8028)

11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) b/w Sweet Maria (June 1975, Warner Bros WBS 8109)

12. Mexico b/w Gorilla (September 1975, Warner Bros WBS 8137)

13. Shower The People (Edited) b/w I Can Dream Of You (July 1976, Warner Bros WBS 8222)

14. Woman's Gotta Have It b/w You Make It Easy (October 1976, Warner Bros WBS 8278)

Note: the 'edited' version of "Shower The People" runs to 3:52 minutes; the LP cut is 4:32 minutes

Also the B-side "I Can Dream Of You" is a Livingstone Taylor cover version (his brother) and is a non-album track not available here 

No less that six of the eleven tracks from his 1970 Warner Brothers debut album "Sweet Baby James" were issued across 1970 and 1971 and reissued many times after – classics like "Fire And Rain", "Country Road" and the title song "Sweet Baby James". But fans will go straight for deep cuts like "Lo And Behold", the warm California sound of "Sunny Skies" and the cool acoustic Blues of "Steamroller" – a track he would return to for his first Greatest Hits set in 1976 with a raucous live version.

As a simple Americana, Singer-Songwriter almost Folk-Rock album - "Sweet Baby James" remains as much beloved in 2020 (50 years after the event) as does the follow up from 1971 - "Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon". And the Remaster here is gorgeous. For sure you can’t actually read the lyrics in the repro foldout insert without a magnifying glass – but a nice touch nonetheless. And they have correctly used the "Sweet Baby James" title-only artwork of the February 1970 original - copies from late 1970 through to 1971 and beyond had "Including Fire And Rain and Country Roads" printed beneath the album title when those tunes became huge radio hits.

While "Fire And rain" from 1970's "Sweet Baby James" and "You've Got A Friend" from 1971's "Mud Slide Slim..." made him a global star (Carole King and Joni Mitchell's songwriting and vocal presence helped) - 1972's "One Man Dog" had a lot of small tracks that felt awful like filler amidst the obvious singles like "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and "Hymn" (with Randy and Michael Brecker on horns). Linda Ronstadt lent her voice to the excellent "One Morning In May" while a trio of Taylors (Alex, Hugh and James) gave their family harmonies to "Woh, Don't You Know".

Although he managed a healthy No. 13 placing the US Billboard album charts, it's safe to say that by 1974 and "Walking Man" (what boring cover art too), the public was deserting him in the UK where the album didn't chart at all. It's this forgotten album and the two that followed - 1975's "Gorilla" and 1976's "In The Pocket" when he'd teamed up with Carly Simon and was having a parallel career with her on Elektra Records - that will interest hard core fans the most. They are the albums you don't hear and acoustic-peaceful songs like "Daddy's Baby" and "Wandering" are tunes that deserve this second go round.

None other than Paul and Linda McCartney provided backing vocals on the bluesy "Rock 'n' Roll Is Music Now" while his Walking Man band featured famed guitarists Hugh McCracken and David Spinnoza as well as Carly Simon on Backing Vocals. Speaking of pretty (she sings on) "Ain't No Song" and its smooth production reminds me so much of Stephen Bishop's delightful 1976 debut "Careless" over on ABC Records. For sure stuff like "Hello Old Friend" with its city and country naming feels a tad too Neil Diamond (and not in a good way) and the Chuck Berry cover of "The Promised Land" smacks way too much of easily dashed-of filler. But then you get "Migration" - a perfectly lovely JT song - feels just a symphony to me - he sings - and I agree.

For sure there are those who would argue that JT has essentially sung the same tune for 50 years – just in many tiny variations. But I saw him live only ten years ago and it sure didn't feel like that to me. He was magical – evenly paced – never flash - but classy – steady and true. 

Re-visiting these albums has been both a joy and on occasion a tiny bit of a disappointment (especially LPs 3 and 4). But I'm certain that fans and newcomers are going to feel lifted up too - the good far outweighing the bad. Shower the people with love, he sang all those years ago. It was a good idea then and it still is now...

"Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present OCCASIONAL RAIN" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Album and Single Tracks from 1969 to 1974 (May 2020 UK Ace Records 20-Track CD and 21-Track 2LP VINYL Compilation with Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Fluttered..."

Entry number six in a set of themed CD and 2LP compilations by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs (of St. Etienne) for Ace Records of the UK (see list below). 

"Occasional Rain" features 20 tracks on its CD variant from 1969 through to 1974 (the 21-Track 2LP VINYL set has one bonus track) and concentrates on that post 60ts feeling of the time - where do we go from here and just where is my Prog-inducing wind instrument?

Unfortunately, like the compilations "Tea and Symphony" and "Three Day Week" that went before it - "Occasional Rain" is a mixture of the great, the good, the average and the decidedly neither here nor there. There are a lot of flutes, off-key voices and obscure stuff that has remained buried for obvious aural reasons - they just weren't very good.

It's hard to know why the pointless instrumental "Nutmeg, Bitter Suite" by Ireland's Granny's Intentions is on here or how it fits into any theme other than being vaguely Prog or Baroque. Then you get really great Pop-Rock in the shape of the unknown 'The Exchange And Mart' - an obscure band and B-side called "I Know That I Am Dreaming" on President Records in 1972 that no one seems to know anything about - and should - a rare moment of brightness in a dull landscape.

So it's a very mixed bag for me yet again. Here are the frozen dreams, ragged rains and two postcards from a knackered-Scarborough...

UK released 29 May 2020 - "Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present OCCASIONAL RAIN" on Ace Records CDCHD 1570 (Barcode 029667098229) is a 20-track CD compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (77:59 minutes):

1. Hidden Treasure - TRAFFIC (1971)

2. Ragged Rain Life - DUNCAN BROWNE (1973)

3. Home And Where I Long To Be - CRESSIDA (1970)

4. Leit Motif - KEITH WEST (1974)

5. Night Time - SKIN ALLEY (1969)

6. Once Upon A Time - CLOUDS (1970 recording, finally issued 2010)

7. Come With Me To Jesus - MANDY MORE (1972)

8. Out And In (Single Version) - THE MOODY BLUES

9. Wasting My Time - SHAPE OF THE RAIN (1971)

10. Nutmeg, Bitter Suite - GRANNY'S INTENTIONS (1970)

11. Sweetness - YES (1969)

12. Station Song Platform Two - PETE BROWN & PIBLOKTO! (1970)

13. Firefall - ARGENT

14. I Know That I'm Dreaming - THE EXCHANGE & MART (1972)

15. Postcards Of Scarborough - MICHAEL CHAPMAN

16. Question Of Time - CHRISTINE HARWOOD (1970)

17. The Castle - 'IGGINBOTTOM (1969)

18. Windy Baker Street - ANDREW LEIGH (1970)

19. Flying South In Winter - TONTON MACOUTE (1971)

20. Innocence Of Child - CATHERINE HOWE (1971)

Also issued 29 May 2020, a 2LP set of "Occasional Rain" on Ace Records XXQLP2070 (Barcode 029667011013) features one bonus track on Side 2 - "Waterlow" by Mott The Hoople

The 20-page booklet is the usual feast of rare album sleeves, promo photos, trade adverts and individual entries for each song and artist. Remasters are by NICK ROBBINS and the audio is uniformly superb throughout.

The problem for me comes with much of the material. There is no doubt in my mind that Duncan Browne's self-titled second album eventually issued in February 1973 on Mickie Most's RAK Records is one of the great undiscovered albums on the early 70ts (I’ve reviewed it and his August 1968 "Give You Take Me" Immediate Records debut) - but "Ragged Rain Life" isn't one of the best tracks on it. They could have used "In A Mist" - the long but beautiful non-album B-side to July 1972's "Journey" single (in fact I'd have opened the entire enterprise with this song). Michael Chapman's Harvest Records catalogue is a huge pool of discovery, but again they choose "Postcards Of Scarborough" from the fab "Full Qualified Survivor" album because of a 'place and weather' theme when there are better tracks on there like "Rabbit Hills" (see my review of the stunning 2011 Light in The Attic reissue of this album).

The other big aspect here is the 'flute' as the unspoken theme throughout (nearly every song features the instrument and I know there are those who can't abide it) and while accomplished songs from the big boys like Traffic, Yes and Moody Blues lift proceedings sporadically - the rest feels tortured and tedious even. There are for sure moments in the Andrew Leigh song, Shape Of The Rain and their sweet countrified acoustic strummer "Wasting My Time" or Catherine Howe's lovely "Innocence Of Child" that shine - but they feel too far and between. Also the problem with vocalists (Cressida, Christine Harwood) is that their dull voices or inexperience doesn't half kill the tunes.

You can't argue with the quality presentation and that generous playing time. But I'd nab a listen first before you purchase into this bad weather, because like me, you may find that much of it is indeed raining on your parade and not in a refreshing way. Shame...

May 2020

Titles to date in this Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Various Artists CD Series are:

1. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present ENGLISH WEATHER on Ace CDCHD 1484 (Barcode 029667077125) - released 27 Jan 2017 (one bonus track on the 2LP set)

2. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present PARIS IN THE SPRING on Ace CDCHD 1525 (Barcode 029667086127) - 25 May 2018 (one less track on the 2LP set)

3. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present STATE OF THE UNION: The American Dream In Crisis 1967-1973 on Ace CDCHD 1533 (Barcode 029667092326) - released 26 October 2018 (one bonus track on the 2LP set)

4. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present THREE DAY WEEK:  When The Lights Went Out 1972-1975 on Ace CDCHD 1542 (Barcode 029667093927) released 29 March 2019 (two bonus tracks on the 2LP set)

5. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present THE TEARS OF TECHNOLOGY on Ace Records CDCHD 1566 (Barcode 029667097628) - released 28 February 2020 (one bonus track on the 2LP set)

6. Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present OCCASIONAL RAIN on Ace CDCHD 1570 (Barcode 029667098229) - released 29 May 2020 (one bonus track on the 2LP set)

There is also

7. Tim Burgess & Bob Stanley present TIM PEAKS: Songs For A Late-Night Diner on Ace CDCHD 1555 (Barcode 029667095921) - released 25 November 2019