Sounds Good, Looks Good...

Welcome to Mark Barry's Review Blog - SOUNDS GOOD, LOOKS GOOD... It features in-depth reviews for Quality CD Reissues and Remasters - all with Discography Info (six times Amazon 'Hall of Fame' Reviewer). With over 2,600 posts - genres covered include Rock, Pop, Soul, Funk, Jazz Fusion, Blues, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Doo Wop, Vocal Groups, 1960s and 1970s, Prog, Psych, Folk, Blues-Rock, Goth, Punk, New Wave, 1980s, Reggae and more. I also review FILMS, TV Shows, BLU RAYS and BOOKS. Enjoy the reads...

Sunday 6 September 2020

"Fleetwood Mac: 1969 to 1974" by FLEETWOOD MAC – Including the Albums "Then Play On" (1969), "Kiln House" (1970), "Future Games" (1971), "Bare Trees" (1972), "Penguin" (1973), "Mystery To Me" (1973), "Heroes Are Hard To Find" (1974) and the Previously Unreleased set "Live From The Record Plant – December 15, 1974" (September 2020 UK Warner Music/Rhino 8CD Clamshell Box Set with Mini LP Repro Artwork and 20 Bonus Tracks Overall – Justin Smith, Chris Bellman, Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...A Fleeting Glance...Been And Gone..."

I suspect huge numbers of long-suffering Fleetwood Mac fans will absolutely love this 8CD Mini Clamshell Box Set - even if it does cover the British/American band's musically compromised period (there really are some dogs in here, two-to-three star music given five-star reissue, hence the four stars). Still, the new first-time Remasters on the six albums between 1970 and 1974 are fabulous ("Then Play On" from 1969 was done in 2013), the presentation is pretty good (card repros that ape their original vinyl releases including inserts), loads of excellent extras actually worth the moniker 'bonus', a Previously Unreleased Live Set from 1974 with the Bob Welch and Bob Weston line-up and all eight discs for just over thirty-quid (reasonable in September 2020). There is mucho to discuss, so let's have at the specs first...

CD BOX:

The "Then Play On" set is the 'exactly' the same as the August 2013 Expanded Edition CD reissue - Chris Bellman mastering and identical total playing time of 69:53 minutes - so this 2020 issue is nothing new or shall we say improved on that. That last Peter Green line-up album and the singles around it had a staggering convoluted history – so see my detailed separate review on "Then Play On" using Barcode 081227964436 to locate it on Amazon. Six of the original seven studio album CDs here have bonus tracks ("Penguin" is the exception, tracks details are outlined below) and the eight title is new – "Live From The Record Plant – December 15, 1974" – a concert at The Record Plant in Sausalito, California made during their US Tour for the "Heroes Are Hard To Find" LP. Originally the show was a simulcast on the legendary Rock Radio Station KSAN-FM in San Francisco.

Of the 20 Bonus Cuts (overall) on this Box set, 8 are Previously Unreleased. The Live CD is mastered by long-time Audio Engineer Associates to Rhino – DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT (done at D2 Mastering is L.A.). The "Kiln House" album has always been a huge fave of mine and here it is expanded to offer four perfect Bonus Tracks – the stand alone 45 from 1971 of "Dragonfly" by Danny Kirwan with its exclusive B-side "The Purple Dancer" unbelievably making its digital debut anywhere in the world in 2020 – alongside very cool 45-single edits of two album winners "Jewel Eyed Judy" and "Station Man".

ARTWORK

From the generic pictures advertising "Fleetwood Mac: 1969 to 1974" on Amazon and the Net in general - you could get the impression that the Mini LP Repro Art Card Sleeves are all singular issues. To my delight, they aren't. They follow the original releases. "Then Play On" therefore has its gatefold, "Kiln House" the same and to my amazement the rare 'Penguin' gatefold insert of band photos that came with original 1970 Reprise Records LP has been reproduced too - something even my Japanese SHM-CD Remaster hasn't got. "Future Games" and "Bare Trees" are singular cards as per the originals, "Penguin" has its gatefold as does "Mystery To Me" and its rare insert, "Heroes..." is singular and they've given appropriate artwork and a rather tasty gatefold to the new Previously Unreleased set "Live From The Record Plant - December 15, 1974" which runs to a pleasing 72:42 minutes. The 12-page booklet is pretty but unfortunately a fairly functional affair – pictures of the albums – tracks lists and bonuses – penguin logos - but zero liner notes of appreciation on this dark and murky Mac period. They didn’t even bother to list release dates or catalogue numbers – no line-ups – no photos of incoming band members. The clamshell box is pretty and fairly sturdy to look at and touch – like say the Joni Mitchell or Ry Cooder sets – but you can’t help thinking that after all these decades waiting someone somewhere should have laid into the details and given this much-maligned period of Mac History a proper do over. Pity...

VINYL BOX:

LP freaks will know that 19 August 2013 saw the "Fleetwood Mac: 1969 to 1972" VINYL BOX SET issued with titles 1 to 4 here and a bonus 7" single of "Oh Well - Pt. 1" and "Pt. 2" (Warner Music/Rhino R1 535581 - Barcode 081227965358). Well, at last, we get the remainder. Friday, 4 September 2020 sees "Fleetwood Mac: 1973 to 1974" on Warner Music/Rhino offering us titles 5 to 8. There is an individually Numbered Limited Edition Exclusive from Rhino.Com with Coloured Vinyl for Each LP - Penguin in Yellow, Mystery To Me in Orange, Heroes Are Hard To Find in Gold and Live in White with the 45-single in Blue. The LPs have Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering from Original Master Tapes and are on 140-Gram Vinyl with a Bonus 7" Single – "For Your Love (Mono Promo Edit)" b/w "Good Things (Come To Those Who Wait)". The B-side is Previously Unreleased and both are Bonus Tracks on the "Mystery To Me" CD. The "Live From The Record Plant – December 15, 1974" is a 2LP set.

AUDIO:

Produced for release by STEVE WOOLARD and BILL INGLOT – JUSTIN SMITH did the Remastering at WEA Studios in Burbank California sometime in 2016 and 2017. There have been probably three to four releases worldwide of this Mac period – especially 1971 to 1974 with Bob Welch – none of which have had proper remastering if truth be told – so this set represents a long held wish by fans. And I have to say, Mr. Smith has done a great job. Let’s get to the musical details...

UK released Friday, 4 September 2020 - "Fleetwood Mac: 1969 to 1974" by FLEETWOOD MAC on Warner Music/Rhino R2 596006 (Barcode 603497851300) is an 8CD Clamshell Box Set with Mini LP Repro Artwork and 20 Bonus Tracks Overall. It plays out as follows:

CD1 "Then Play On" UK LP Configuration – see NOTE (69:53 minutes):

1. Coming Your Way [Side 1]

2. Closing My Eyes

3. Fighting For Madge

4. When You Say

5. Show-biz Blues

6. Underway

7. One Sunny Day

8. Although The Sun Is Shining [Side 2]

9. Rattlesnake Shake

10. Without You

11. Searching For Madge

12. My Dream

13. Like Crying

14. Before The Beginning

BONUS TRACKS:

15. Oh Well - Pt. 1

16. Oh Well - Pt. 2

Tracks 15 and 16 are the 26 September 1969 UK 7" single on Reprise RS.27000 - 19 November 1969 USA 7" single on Reprise 0883

17. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)

18. World In Harmony

Tracks 17 and 18 are the 9 May 1970 UK 7" single on Reprise RS.27007 - 3 June 1970 USA 7" single on Reprise 0925

NOTE: Tracks 1 to 14 are the UK-configuration for the "Then Play On" album - released September 1969 UK LP on Reprise RSLP 9000. The US LP was issued twice – originally in 19 September 1969 with 12-Tracks without "Oh Well" and in November 1969 with 11 Rejiggered Tracks to include the then November 1969 two-part hit "Oh Well". Using the CD above, you can sequence both variants as follows:

September 1969 USA 1st Pressing LP on Reprise RS 6368 with 12 tracks:

Side 1:

1. Coming Your Way [1]

2. Closing My Eyes [2]

3. Fighting For Madge [3]

4. When You Say [4]

5. Show-biz Blues [5]

6. Underway [aka Under Way] [6]

Side 2:

1. Although The Sun Is Shining [8]

2. Rattlesnake Shake [9]

3. Searching For Madge [11]

4. My Dream [12]

5. Like Crying [13]

6. Before The Beginning [14]

November 1969 reissued USA LP on Reprise RS 6368 with 11 tracks:

Side 1:

1. Coming Your Way [1]

2. Closing My Eyes [2]

3. Show-biz Blues [5]

4. Underway [6]

5. Oh Well (Full Length Version) [15 and 16 - minus the minute in error]

Side 2:

1. Although The Sun Is Shining [8]

2. Rattlesnake Shake [9]

3. Searching For Madge [11]

4. Fighting For Madge [3]

5. Like Crying [13]

6. Before The Beginning [14]

CD2 "Kiln House" (51:17 minutes):

1. This Is The Rock [Side 1]

2. Station Man

3. Blood On The Floor

4. Hi Ho Silver

5. Jewel Eyed Judy

6. Buddy’s Song [Side 2]

7. Earl Gray

8. One Together

9. Tell Me All The Things You Do

10. Mission Bell

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Kiln House" – released 18 September 1970 in the USA on Reprise Records RS 6408 and October 1970 in the UK on Reprise Records RSLP 9004. Line-up was - Danny Kirwan, Jeremy Spencer, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood with Christine Perfect [nee McVie]

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Dragonfly

12. The Purple Dancer

Tracks 11 and 12 are the 12 March 1971 A&B-sides of a UK 7" single on Reprise RS 27010 [no US equivalent] – both tracks non-album – B-side available digitally here for the first time. "Dragonfly" was featured on LP on the November 1971 "Greatest Hits" set.

13. Jewel Eyed Judy (Single Version)

14. Station Man (Single Version)

Tracks 13 and 14 are the 6 January 1971 A&B-sides of a US 7" single on Reprise 0984

CD3 "Future Games" (73:22 minutes):

1. Woman Of 1000 Years [Side 1]

2. Morning Rain

3. What A Shame

4. Future Games

5. Sands Of Time [Side 2]

6. Sometimes

7. Lay It All Down

8. Show Me A Smile

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "Future Games" - released 3 September 1971 in the USA on Reprise RS 6465 and September 1971 in the UK on Reprise K 44153. Line-up was - Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch (ex Head West), Christine McVie, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood.

BONUS TRACKS:

9. Sands Of Time (Single Version) - A-side of a December 1971 US 7" single on Reprise 1057

10. Sometimes (Alternate Version)

11. Lay it All Down (Alternate Version)

12. Stone

13. Show Me A Smile (Alternate Version)

14. What A Shame (Unedited) - Tracks 10 to 14 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD4 "Bare Trees" (51:18 minutes):

1. Child Of Mine [Side 1]

2. The Ghost

3. Homeward Bound

4. Sunny Side Of Heaven

5. Bare Trees [Side 2]

6. Sentimental Lady

7. Danny's Chant

8. Spare Me A Little Of Your Love

9. Dust

10. Thoughts On A Grey Day

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Bare Trees" - released 14 March 1972 in the USA on Reprise MS 2080 and April 1972 in the UK on Reprise K 44181. Same line-up as "Future Games"

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Trinity (Mono Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

12. Sentimental Lady (Single Version) - A-side of a May 1972 US 7" single on Reprise REP 1093

13. Homeward Bound (Live) - no data supplied

CD5 "Penguin" (36:39 minutes):

1. Remember Me [Side 1]

2. Bright Fire

3. Dissatisfied

4. (I'm A) Road Runner

5. The Derelict [Side 2]

6. Revelation

7. Did You Ever Love Me

8. Night Watch

9. Caught In The Rain

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Penguin" - released 30 March 1973 in the USA on Reprise MS 2138 and May 1973 in the UK on Reprise K 44235. Line-up was - David Walker, Bob Weston, Bob Welch, Christine and John McVie with Mick Fleetwood.

CD6 "Mystery To Me" (54:46 minutes):

1. Emerald Eyes [Side 1]

2. Believe Me

3. Just Crazy Love

4. Hypnotized

5. Forever

6. Keep On Going

7. The City [Side 2]

8. Miles Away

9. Somebody

10. The Way I Feel

11. For Your Love

12. Why

Tracks 1 to 12 are the album "Mystery To Me" - released 15 October 1973 in the USA on Reprise MS 2158 and January 1974 in the UK on Reprise K 44248. Line-up was - Bob Welch, Bob Weston, Christine and John McVie with Mick Fleetwood.

BONUS TRACKS:

13. For Your Love (Mono Promo Edit, 3:10 minutes) - A-side of a December 1973 US-Only Promo Single on Reprise REP 1188, the other side has the Stereo Mix

14. Good Things (Come To Those Who Wait) - Previously Unreleased Bob Welch song

CD7 "Heroes Are Hard To Find" (42:36 minutes):

1. Heroes Are Hard To Find [Side 1]

2. Coming Home

3. Angel

4. Bermuda Triangle

5. Come A Little Bit Closer

6. She's Changing Me [Side 2]

7. Bad Loser

8. Silver Heels

9. Prove Your Love

10. Born Enchanter

11. Safe Harbour

Tracks 1 to 11 are the album "Heroes Are Hard To Find" - released 13 September 1974 in the USA on Reprise MS 2196 and September 1974 in the UK on Reprise K 54026. Line-up was - Bob Welch, Christine and John McVie with Mick Fleetwood.

CD8 "Live From The Record Plant – December 15, 1974" (72:42 minutes):

1. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown)

2. Angel

3. Spare Me A Little Of Your Love

4. Sentimental Lady

5. Future Games

6. Bermuda Triangle

7. Why

8. Believe Me

9. Black Magic Woman/Oh Well

10. Rattlesnake Shake

11. Hypnotized

Tracks 1 to 11 are exclusive to this 2020 Box - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The moment you play "Kiln House" you hear the slight hiss, but you are soon enveloped in the sheer power of the Remaster. This isn't loudness wars - it's been allowed to breathe. I've been listening to "Kiln House" since 1970 (I'm 62 now) and I've never heard it sound so bloody good. The twin guitar assault of Danny Kirwan and Jeremy Spencer is given full reign by this sonic upgrade in gems like "Jewel Eyed Judy", the slinky "Station Man", the instrumental "Earl Grey" and my heart's desire - "Tell Me All The Things You Do" (Paul Weller riffage ahoy) - all sounding spiffing and full in your speakers. The jangling echoed guitar-break in "Earl Grey", the goodbye world cod vocals of "Blood On The Floor" and the rocking "Hi Ho Silver" – all sound fab.

But what puts disc two into the stratosphere is four bonuses that will have old-Mac fans reaching for the calming salts. Danny Kirwan's wonderfully atmospheric "Dragonfly" was a stand-alone 45 in the UK in March 1971 - a top tune - and would turn up on LP in November of that year (1971) on the classic first "Greatest Hits" set - the red one with a photo on the gatefold sleeve of the band playing live (lyrics from it title this review). But the storming 5:42 minute B-side "The Purple Dancer" has to be one their best non-LP tracks of the period and here makes its digital debut a full 52 years after the event. And man what a rocker it is - again the double-geetar assault filling your man-cave with that 70ts Rock only bands like this seemed to get. Throw in the single edits of two great album-cuts that actually concise the tunes even better ("Jewel Eyed Judy" and "Station Man" that lops off the building intro) - and "Kiln House" comes close to "Then Play On" as magnificent in this incarnation. They have even found the small-sized 'Penguin' photos insert that came with original LPs and repro'd that - something my Japan SHM-CD didn't even manage.

But then (musically at least) it all goes pear-shaped big time. Although the Remasters of "Future Games", "Bare Trees" and "Penguin" improve things immeasurably - all three albums are a case of ascending musical dreadfulness. But again - an odd thing happens here too. There are six bonuses on "Future Games" and whereas the Side 1 instrumental "What A Shame" putters out at 2:15 minutes on the original LP - the bonus 'Unedited' cut is a whopping 8:25 minutes long - finally allowing that hidden John Perfect brass work to be heard and making an inconsequential song into an altogether more impressive beast. The unreleased studio outtake "Stone" is a pretty 2:30 minute acoustic ballad from Welch and again the muddy LP version of Kirwan's "Sometimes" and Welch's "Lay It All Down" get 'Alternate Versions' in the bonuses that are IMO way better than what was released. "Bare Trees" has a bonus in the previously unreleased "Trinity" song (albeit in Mono), a four-minutes-plus Danny Kirwan guitar-whig-out fans will love to bits. And the previously unreleased "Good Things (Come To Those Who Wait)" is another goody - a Bob Welch tune that should have been on the album (not surprised Rhino and Warners have used it as one of the songs on the Bonus 45-single in the Vinyl LP set).

The remasters will also finally allow fans to hear deep LP cuts like the touching "Woman Of 1000 Years", the acoustic "Dust", the Funk-Rock of "The City" and the Mac doing Seventies Beach Boys harmonies on the stunning "Caught In The Rain". They will also reach for "Hypnotized" - Welch's shimmering vibe tune on "Mystery To Me". The Production values on both "Mystery To Me" and "Heroes Are Hard To Find" go way up as the band edges towards that Buckingham-Nicks moment in 1975 and of course "Rumours" 1977. David Walker's vocals on the cover version of Jr. Walker's "(I'm A) Road Runner" impress too. The live set also has blistering versions of "Hypnotized", "Green Manalishi..." and the double-whammy of "Black Magic Woman/Oh Well" - a huge crowd pleaser from the old days with Peter Green (what a loss he was in 2020).

There are fans that swear by the Bob Welch period but I am not one of them. Having said that, I am more than pleased to be hearing those forgotten Mac moments in properly decent audio at last (including his better tracks). I'm off now to play the stereo knackers out of "The Purple Dancer" or Christine McVie's lovely "The Way I Feel" (another forgotten album nugget), the orchestral majesty of "Why" and generally dips my toes once again into the rest of it with hope in my heart and the curves of Salma Hayek on my mind (but that's another story/lawsuit). Enjoy peeps...

Friday 4 September 2020

"Volume Two" by THE SOFT MACHINE – August 1969 Second US Album on Probe/ABC/Command Records in Stereo (November 1969 in the UK on Probe Records, Their First LP released in the UK) – featuring Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge and Hugh Hopper with Guest Brian Hopper on Saxophone (August 2009 UK Polydor/UMC Straightforward CD Reissue – Paschal Byrne Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Dada Was Here..."

Do you remember when weird was good, even beloved and revered? Well, welcome to The Soft Machine's second album – all late 60ts Experimental, Prog Rock, Avant Garde, Jazz Rock, Comedic and at times my post-pandemic brethren of Covid-19 bleary-eyed zombie monsters - just plain batshit. Would we have it any other way...

Following immediately on from an intense and exhausting two-month US tour with Jimi Hendrix and his Band of Gypsys which saw Kevin Ayers up and leave – the new trio of Drummer and Singer Robert Wyatt, Keyboardist Mike Ratledge and Bassist Hugh Hopper joined forces with former Wilde Flowers Saxophonist Brian Hopper (brother of Hugh) to make their second platter in February and March of 1969.

Seventeen cuts were made with the 10-Track seventeen-minutes-ish Side 1 being called "Rivmic Melodies" and the 7-Track sixteen-minute-ish Side 2 wittily entitled "Esther's Nose Job" (well of course it is). Many of the cuts were just snippets really (less than a minute) some including only dialogue (Wyatt reciting the alphabet forward and backwards). And as other reviewers have quite rightly commented – with slot number two, Soft Machine moved into all manner of genre-realms that seemed to leave ordinary song structure in the dust. They really don't make record albums like this any more, and in September 2020, there appears to be little room for them even they did.

By the time the vinyl gatefold LP hit the American shops in early August 1969 on Probe/ABC/Command Records CPLP 4505 (UK fans would see it be the band's first LP release in Blighty in November 1969 on Probe Records SPB 1002 in a single laminate sleeve) – Ayers was already signing to the then emerging Prog-Rock based Harvest Records label for his first solo album. But let's get pataphysical baby and go back to platter numero duo, then on to this rather good 2009 Paschal Byrne Remaster...

UK released 3 August 2009 - "Volume Two" by THE SOFT MACHINE on Polydor/UMC 532 050-6 (Barcode 600753205068) is a straightforward CD Reissue and Remaster of their second studio album from 1969 and plays out as follows (33:33 minutes):

RIVMIC MELODIES [Side 1]

1. Pataphysical Introduction - Pt. I

2. A Concise British Alphabet - Pt. I

3. Hibou, Anemone And Bear

4. A Concise British Alphabet - Pt. II

5. Hulloder

6. Dada Was Here

7. Thank You Pierrot Lunaire

8. Have You Ever Bean Green?

9. Pataphysical Introduction - Pt. II

10. Out Of Tunes

ESTHER'S NOSE JOB [Side 2]

11. As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still

12. Dedicated To You But When You Weren't Listening

13. Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging

14. Pig

15. Orange Skin Food

16. A Door Opens And Closes

17. 10:30 Returns To The Bedroom

Tracks 1 to 17 are their second studio album "Volume Two" - released August 1969 in the USA on Probe/ABC/Command Records CPLP 4505 and November 1969 in the UK on Probe Records SPB 1002. Produced by THE SOFT MACHINE - it didn't chart in either country.

The 16-page booklet is a pleasingly in-depth and pretty affair. It even gives a photo of The Wilde Flowers with three of the Softs looking suitably 'with it' as they ponder Beat Poetry and Dadaism - brothers Hugh and Brian Hopper with Robert Wyatt and drummer Richard Coughlan (who would later join those other Canterbury stalwarts Caravan). There are trade adverts (would you feed your daughter to the soft machine?), Psychedelic posters of the period, a label repro of their ultra-rare February 1967 debut British 45 "Love Makes Sweet Music" on Polydor 56151, the band as a three-piece and then a four-piece and so on. MARK POWELL of Esoteric Recordings fame does the superbly detailed liner notes for both the self-titled "The Soft Machine" debut and "Volume Two" in this 2009 CD Reissue and Remaster series (both discs are dedicated to Hugh Hopper who had passed in June 2009).

A fave Audio Engineer of mine PASCHAL BYRNE has done the remaster - 24-bit transfers from original tapes and it sounds amazing to my ears. I had the British LP for decades and it was good, but not like this. We're not talking audiophile here, but the upgrade is palatable and to my ears, properly improved. To the experimental artefacts of earnest men and their questionable choice of trouser patterns...

RIVMIC MELODIES opens proceedings with a throwaway pairing - Robert Wyatt introducing the 'British Alphabet' behind a one-minute piano refrain while his actual ABCs that follow lasts only 10 seconds. The first song-proper is actually "Hibou, Anemone And Bear" - nearly six minutes of Prog Jazz Rock - Ratledge giving it some wildman on the organ while the rhythm section tries to keep up with his soloing. More alphabet musings but this time Pt. 2 of the alphabet is 'backwards' - which is in turn followed by "Hulloder" – a 60-second pondering on FBI surveillance of humanoid counter-culture threats (pesky things called people – or students – depending on which Communist you talk to). The manic and cluttered "Dada Was Here" has always felt to me like something special is going on – a vibe almost – a lingering in that rhythm section that exudes period cool. Wyatt’s voice floats in "Have You Ever Bean Green?" over the instruments searching for a groove whilst the Side 1 finisher "Out Of Tunes" is just insufferable tuneless nonsense.

The Softs go Crimson before-the-debut-jagged with "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still" while "Dedicated To You..." is uncharacteristically pretty sporting a whole heap of great lyrics about Chicken Pox and Oxygen and Geophysics and advise not to use magnets (it also has probably the best Production values of the whole album). "Fire Engine..." is once again a discordant nonsense too far but Wyatt goes on about time wasted in the rapido "Pig". The final three see the band jag and jab in full-on Prog Jazz Rock fashion – taking no prisoners as they break down musical boundaries and live up to that freaky front-sleeve artwork.

"...Everyone's heads are more together. After hearing this album, yours will be also..." read the original LP sleeve in 1969.

In September 2020 those rather embellishing liner notes may not exactly ring true for today's musical journeyman (Soft Machine's second will absolutely not be for everyone). But in you are up for a bit of a whig out accompanied by the falsetto voice of a Radio 1 presenter doing drugs – then lie perfectly still man and embrace the weird baby (you know you want to)...

Wednesday 2 September 2020

"The Complete Motown Singles Volume 10: 1970" by VARIOUS ARTISTS (June 2008 US Hip-O-Select 6CD Book Set 146-Track Compilation - Book Set With Front-Cover Attached 45 Single – A Non-Numbered Limited Edition of 8000 Copies – CD Volumes Nos. 50 to 55 in the Series - Ellen Fitton Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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This extraordinary Hip-O Select series began in the States in January 2005 with Volume 1 covering 1959-1961 and ended a total of 14 book sets later in December 2013 with Volume 12B covering the second half of 1972. For Motown fans - it's been an exhilarating if not costly ride - a whopping 75 numbered-volumes on CD, 14 specially pressed 7" singles attached to the front and a staggering 1847 songs. Each 'Book Set' gives you the USA 7" single mixes in true MONO from the original Motown Master Tapes – promo STEREO versions where applicable and even Rare and Alternate Takes. Each volume is a sumptuous wow (see full list below). I own them all except Volumes 1 and the ever-elusive Volume 6 (now extortionately expensive).

"1970" (like much of 1969) saw Motown on the cusp of change (and badly needed it was too). Norman Whitfield and others saw Motown tentatively move away from the naïve but lucrative 'love on a Saturday night' song-writing machine that dominated Tamla’s Sixties output - to individual Artists and Producers expressing themselves and the real social change sweeping across America and the world ("Ball Of Confusion" by The Temptations and Edwin Starr's explosive "War"). Not that they didn't have their eye on the commercial – you get all the big hits of the year as well. So like 1969’s Volume 9 – Volume 10 is a strange hybrid of the right-on versus the happy-wappy. Here are the Tears Of A Clown…

Released June 2008 in the USA on Hip-O Select's B0011056-02 (Barcode 602517659209) – "The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10: 1970" by VARIOUS ARTISTS has 6CDs housed in a hardback book set with a 148-page oversized book inside and a 7” single on the front – "The Tears Of A Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (a repro of Tamla T 54199). It’s a non-numbered Limited Edition of 8000 and plays out as follows (basic breakdown)…

Disc 1 (Volume 50), 25 songs, 77:30 minutes:

Disc 2 (Volume 51), 23 songs, 70:13 minutes:

Disc 3 (Volume 52), 25 songs, 75:54 minutes:

Disc 4 (Volume 53), 24 songs, 78:22 minutes:

Disc 5 (Volume 54), 23 songs, 74:50 minutes:

Disc 6 (Volume 55), 24 songs, 76:02 minutes:

The first thing that hammers you (as with all of these releases) is the glory of the packaging – surely a standard by which all others are to be judged. The 7" single lodged in the front lip is not surprisingly "The Tears Of A Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – an exact repro of the October 1970 USA R&B No. 1 single on Tamla T 54199. But inside is the real deal – 147-pages of stunning liner notes and full-colour artist plates – some of which will literally stop you in your tracks they're so beautifully rendered. Stevie Wonder is on Page 24, The Supremes (Trio) on Page 31, Marvin Gaye on Page 62, Rare Earth on Page 77, Martha Reeves And The Vandellas on Page 102, Edwin Starr on Page 113 and so on. The in-depth BILL DAHL liner notes are fabulous giving you a full history of each song and if the B-side is on a previous volume – he tells you which one. Each entry has catalogue numbers, master details, playing credits, Pop and R 'n' B chart positions and so on. There are even three Indexes at the rear – by Artist, Title and Catalogue Number so you find anything easily. And while the packaging is gorgeous – the Audio Remastering is just as thrilling…

Digitally remastered from original Motown Master Tapes by ELLEN FITTON – she’s handled the entire series – and stunning is the only word for it. Most of these single mixes are in MONO – so the punch is pretty lethal when it comes out of your speakers. The effect is to feel like you’re hearing these things anew.

Disc 1 opens with a beauty – "The Bells" and "I'll Wait For You" by The Originals – with both sides co-written by and produced by Marvin Gaye. Edwin Starr gets his production day too with the kicking "Time" while dancing enthusiasts will dig the obscure "Expressin' My Love" by Stu Gardner. Highlights on Disc 2 include the gritty Soul Rock of The Rustix with "Come On People", the lovely ballad "On The Brighter Side Of A Blue World" by The Fantastic Four, while Motown's in-house guitarist Arthur Adams sees his ultra-rare Chisa single "My Baby's Love" b/w "Loving You" get a CD outing for the first time since its 1970 release. And Chuck Jackson's double-ender "Two Feet From Happiness" b/w "Let Somebody Love Me" is one of those singles that should have done better.

Disc 3 and 4 sees the emergence of Soul Artists getting real with what was going on all around them in American politics both National and International - "Ball Of Confusion" by The Temptations and Edwin Starr's extraordinary "War" (apparently done in one take – Good God Y'all!). The commercial side is "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Diana Ross & The Supremes, "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5 and the underrated "Still Water (Love)" by The Four Tops. Obscure - but none the less winning are Kiki Dee, Bob & Marcia, Blinky, Danny Hernandez and Yvonne Fair. I also love The Jazz Crusaders, Jr. Walker and Rare Earth on Discs 5 and 6. In truth – like all of these compilations – there is a lot of filler – and it's easy to see why so many of these songs and acts fell by the wayside – but overall the listen is voyage of joy and discovery. Any compilation with the fabulous "Hum Along And Dance" by The Temptations gets my vote.

What I would give to see someone tackle ATLANTIC or STAX or CHESS SINGLES in this manner – but that’s another strengthened shelf sometime in the future. Genius and then some…

"The Complete Motown Singles" Series by Hip-O Select

(14 Releases as of September 2020)

75 x CD Volumes, 1847 CD Tracks Plus 28 Tracks On 14 x 7" Vinyl Singles

1. Volume 1: 1959-1961, Released January 2005, Catalogue No. Hip-O Select B-0003631-02 (Barcode 602517643310), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 5000 (Non-Numbered), 155 Tracks, CDs are Volumes 1 to 6

2. Volume 2: 1962, May 2005, 4CDs, B-00004402-02 (Barcode 602517807552), Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 112 Tracks, Volumes 7 to 10

3. Volume 3: 1963, October 2005, B-0005352-02 (Barcode 602517845691), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 11 to 15

4. Volume 4: 1964, February 2006, B-0005945-02 (Barcode 602517882443), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 163 Tracks, Volumes 16 to 21

5. Volume 5: 1965, August 2006, B-0006775-02 (Barcode 602517789414), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 166 Tracks, Volumes 22 to 27

6. Volume 6: 1966, November 2006, B-0007872-02 (Barcode 602517092761), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 125 Tracks, Volumes 28 to 32

7. Volume 7: 1967, May 2007, B-0008993-02 (Barcode 602517341906), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 33 to 37

8. Volume 8: 1968, October 2007, B-0009708-02 (Barcode 602517431775), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 38 to 43

9. Volume 9: 1969, December 2007, B-0010270-02 (Barcode 602517507722), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 148 Tracks, Volumes 44 to 49

10. Volume 10: 1970, June 2008, B-0011056-02 (Barcode 602517659209), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 50 to 55

11. Volume 11A: 1971, February 2009, B-0011579-02 (Barcode 602517776555), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 56 to 60

12. Volume 11B: 1971, January 2010, B-0012227-02 (Barcode 602517876903), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 61 to 65

13. Volume 12A: 1972, May 2013, B-0012935-02 (Barcode 602527044453)), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 117 Tracks, Volumes 66 to 70

14. Volume 12B: 1972, December 2013, B-0019213-02 (Barcode 602537532193), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 100 Tracks, Volumes 71 to 75

PS: Volume 10 (like so many of the others) is Deleted in September 2020 with used copies trading for as much as £250. But Amazon offer the whole set as an MP3 download for £59.99. Use link provided above for details...

"The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9: 1969" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – featuring Edwin Starr, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, The Originals, David Ruffin, Soupy Sales, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Shorty Long, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Chuck Jackson, The Fantastic Four, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Earl Van Dyke, Jonah Jones, Billy Eckstein, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, The Honest Men, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, The Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Bobby Taylor, The Lollipops, Blinky, Terry Johnson, Wes Henderson, Joe Harnell, Stu Gardner, Monk Montgomery, Arthur Adams, The Spinners, The Jackson 5, Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha, Rare Earth, The Rustix and more (December 2007 US Hip-O Select/Motown 6CD 148-Track Compilation - Book Set With Front-Cover Attached 45 Single – A Non-Numbered Limited Edition of 6000 Copies – CD Volumes Nos. 44 to 49 in the Series - Ellen Fitton Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With Nearly 195 Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

"SOUL GALORE!"

60ts Soul, R&B, Northern Soul

Mod, New Breed, Funk, Rare Grooves

Atlantic, Chess, Motown, Stax Labels and many more...

Your Guide To The Best CD Reissues and Remasters

Thousands of E-Pages

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...Want You Back..."

This is a truly gorgeous CD reissue – the kind of 6CD sexpot that actually is worth standing up Scarlett Johansson for (well maybe).

I diligently collected all of these now-legendary Hip-O Select American-issued Book Volumes except of course (like a pillock) the elusive and expensive Vol. 6 covering 1966 (a very stupid oversight). My advice would be not to make that same mistake with 'any' volume in this extraordinary series. Much to discuss - so let's hear from 'My Cherie Amour' right away...

US released December 2007 - "The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 9: 1969" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Hip-O Select/Motown B-0010270-02 (Barcode 602517507722) is a 6CD 148-Track Book Set with Front-Cover Attached 45 (a repro of the US single "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5) – A Non-Numbered Limited Edition of 6000 Copies (CDs are Volumes 44 to 49) that plays out as follows:

CD1, Disc 44, 72:55 minutes (23 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 10 US singles by Edwin Starr, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Originals (one extra Alternate Mix), David Ruffin, Soupy Sales, Stevie Wonder (Promo and Commercial Versions of the A-side as well as the more famous B-side "My Cherie Amour"), The Temptations, Shorty Long (Three Tracks, two different A-sides offered - one was withdrawn) and Gladys Knight & The Pips

CD2, Disc 45, 71:39 minutes (25 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 12 singles by Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations, Chuck Jackson (one extra Alternate Long Version of the B-side "Are You Lonely For Me Baby"), The Fantastic Four, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Earl Van Dyke, Jonah Jones, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Billy Eckstein, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, The Honest Men and Jr. Walker & The All Stars

CD3, Disc 46, 71:51 minutes (25 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 13 singles by The Temptations, The Isley Brothers, The Originals, Diana Ross & The Supremes, (one extra Alternate Take of the A-side "No Matter What Sign You Are"), Edwin Starr, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (four tracks - two singles – the second 45 5565 is A-side only but has an extra Alternate Mix), David Ruffin, Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations, Captain Zap and The Motortown Cut-Ups, Bobby Taylor and The Lollipops

(NOTE: The Isley Brothers, The Originals and one of the two Smokey Robinson & The Miracles single - A-sides only)

CD4, Disc 47, 74:18 minutes (25 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 13 singles by Blinky & Edwin Starr, Terry Johnson, Bobby Taylor, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Jackson, The Originals, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Wes Henderson, Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations, Shorty Long, The Fantastic Four and Joe Harnell

(NOTE: Bobby Taylor - A-side only)

CD5, Disc 48, 71:49 minutes (24 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 11 singles by The Marvelettes, Stu Gardner (three tracks, one extra A-side), Monk Montgomery, Stevie Wonder (three tracks, one extra A-side), Arthur Adams, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, The Spinners, The Jackson 5, Jimmy Ruffin and Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha

CD6, Disc 49, 75:43 minutes (26 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 12 singles by Diana Ross & The Supremes, Four Tops, Chuck Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Rare Earth, David Ruffin (one extra Alternate Mix), Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (one extra Alternate Mix), Anonymous Children Of Today, The Rustix, The Five Smooth Stones, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations

As you can see from the lists above, CD3 in this 6-disc set for instance contains tracks by The Isley Brothers, The Originals and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles that have only the A-side – this will be because the flip will have been on Volume 8 for 1968 or Volume 7 for 1967 and so on (the liner notes tell you what master-volume contains the B-side). Also, if you take CD1, you notice that it has a Shorty Long release that had different A-sides on the Motown sheets so this set provides both – stunning attention to collector detail. And you can see that acts like Soupy Sales, The Honest Men, Anonymous Children Of Today, The Five Smooth Stones, Dorothy, Oma & Zelpha and Captain Zap and The Motown Cut-Ups are not exactly household names that trip of your average Soul fan's tongue – so deep level stuff sitting alongside hits like Marvin being "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" or The Temptations pondering life in the "Psychedelic Shack".

You have to talk about the presentation of these things that in every case will have a Motown/Soul Music fan weak at the knees. I have bought and reviewed a lot of tasty Hip-O Select reissues – Muddy Waters, Jimmy Cliff, Emitt Rhodes, Tammi Terrell, Howlin’ Wolf, The 15-Disc Chess Story, Stephen Bishop, Buddy Miles and so on. But these Motown Volumes are the best they ever did – a profoundly fab project that eventually stretched out from 1959 to 1972 with 75 CDs and 1847 Tracks. All transfers were taken from original tapes and included the Single Mono Mixes, Stereo Versions if on Promo 45s, Previously Unreleased Variants and full annotation for every single song. You get catalogue numbers, musician personnel, Producers, overdub details, Billboard R&B and Pop chart placements (if any) and long paragraphs on the recording and its history.

As the packaging has to fit a 45 single on the front cover – the 140 pages of text are large inside the hardback book – allowing full-page colour plates that are genuinely some of the most beautifully rendered photos of Soul Artists that I’ve ever seen. The six discs are housed in individual card leaves at the back with three indexes preceding them – By Artist, By Title and By Label. This allows collectors a way of tracking what they need – very thorough. The only minor miscall for UK fans would be that every catalogue number is American – if you want their British equivalents – I cannot recommend enough a book I reviewed a good few years ago now called “TAMLA MOTOWN: The Stories Behind The UK Singles” by TERRY WILSON - a tall paperback with over 710 pages published by Cherry Red Books. It provides both the US and UK details and is the very best reference source on TM you can get.

The Audio comes via an Engineer I’ve sung the praises of before – ELLEN FITTON – one of Universal’s top Remaster types. Across a total of 148 tracks, you get 71 singles and there are just so many great discoveries in here – the beautifully soulful Originals assuring us that "We've Got A Way Out Of Love", the wall of male-singer class that was Chuck Jackson on his "Are You Lonely For Me Baby", Blues Guitarist extraordinaire Arthur Adams feeling "It's Private Tonight" for him and his gal while Rare Earth span that Rock/Soul divide with their wake-up people tune "Generations (Light Up The Sy) ". And of course you get to return to absolute Mono classics, as you would have heard them on the radio of the day - "Twenty Five Miles" by Edwin Starr, "I Can't Get Next To You" by The Temptations, "My Whole World Ended..." by David Ruffin and loads more. You can also feel the winds of change on this Box set like that of 1967 and 1968 as soppy Saturday night girly themes get supplemented with worries of the day – picket signs and picket lines – I'm still a struggling man – everybody needing clarity and a safe home as the dark clouds get even darker both domestically and abroad.

If you can't afford the physical product in 2020 (which ranges from £80 to over £90) - the MP3 version of 1969 sometimes becomes available from Amazon as a Download for £39.99 (individual tracks are usually 99p).

Either way - if you want to hear 'The Sound Of Young America' at its best – then look no further my fellow traveller. Stunning...