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...

Monday 26 April 2021

"Coming From Reality" by RODRIGUEZ [Sixto] - November 1971 US Second LP on Sussex Records featuring Producer Steve Rowland, Keyboardist Phil Dennys and Bassist Gary Taylor - All Of The Family Dogg - With Andrew Steele of The Herd and Stealers Wheel and Guitarist Chris Spedding (August 2019 UK Universal/Sussex 'Expanded Edition' CD Reissue and Remaster - Based On The May 2009 Light in The Attic Records Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I Think Of You..."

From the early to late Sixties, Motown’s R&B and Soul had put the Motor City of Detroit on the musical map big time. Emerging singer-songwriters flocked there and cut their teeth in bars and cafes, soaked up the campus and street politics and hoped to get noticed or even a record-deal. Amongst these hopefuls was Folk-Soul hero Sixto Rodriguez (pronounced Sees Toe) - born in Detroit, Michigan in 1942 to recently emigrated Mexican parents.

The career resurrection miracle of Rodriguez and his two forgotten American albums – the debut "Cold Fact" from March 1970 on Sussex SXBS 7000 followed the next year by "Coming From Reality" in November 1971 on Sussex SXBS 7012 – are the subject of the fabulous movie/documentary "Searching For Sugar Man" – a project that has received more universal positive reviews than you can shake a stick at (see separate review). Here we want to concentrate on the music – specifically that second album and some tracks from an aborted third. To the details...

UK released 30 August 2019 - "Coming From Reality" by RODRIGUEZ on Universal/Sussex 00602577896354 (Barcode 602577896354) is a CD Reissue and Remaster with Three Bonus Tracks (originally done by Light In The Attic Records of the USA in 'Expanded Edition' form in May 2009) that plays out as follows (50:15 minutes):

1. Climb Up On My Music [Side 1]

2. A Most Disgusting Song

3. I Think Of You

4. Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour

5. Silver Words

6. Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles [Side 2]

7. To Whom It May Concern

8. It Started Out So Nice

9. Halfway Up The Stairs

10. Cause

Tracks 1 to 10 are his second and last studio album of the period "Coming From Reality" – released November 1971 in the USA on Sussex Records SXBS-7012 and December 1971 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 68073 – both in a die-cut gatefold sleeve. Produced by STEVE ROWLAND and recorded at Lansdowne Studios in London – it didn't chart in either country.

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Can't Get Away

12. Street Boy

13. I'll Slip Away

MUSICIANS were:

SIXTO RODRIGUEZ – Lead Vocals and Acoustic Guitar

CHRIS SPEDDING – Lead Electric Guitar

PHIL DENNYS – Keyboards

GARY TAYLOR – Bass

ANDREW STEELE – Drums

JIMMY HOROWITZ – Violin on "Sandrevan Lullaby -Lifestyles"

Strings and Additional Musicians - Unknown

NOTE: Producer Steve Rowland, Keyboardist Phil Dennys and Bassist Gary Taylor were all in a band called The Family Dogg. Andrew Steele had been with The Herd and would join Stealers Wheel.

What you have here is technically a reissue of a reissue. One of America's finest reissue labels 'Light In The Attic' Records championed the two Rodriguez albums by releasing them back in August 2008 and May 2009 – both CDs coming in lavish digipak book packaging. "Cold Fact" was Light in The Attic LITA 036 (Barcode 826853003629) while "Coming From Reality" was on LITA 038 (Barcode 826853003827). Light In The Attic also issued VINYL variants too. Fans of Rodriguez and the film "Searching For Sugar Man" have been purchasing those American releases ever since.

But after years of clambering, Universal Music (or UM as its often abbreviated to) licensed those reissues and on 30 August 2019, we finally got British reissues housed this time in a jewel case and pitched at mid-price with a 16-page lyric booklet but minus the liner notes. There is also an August 2019 UK VINYL LP variant for "Coming From Reality" on Universal/Sussex 00602577077388 (Barcode 602577077388). The liner notes advise that the same 2009 LITA Remaster is used and it features the same three Bonus Tracks from his aborted third album "Can't Get Away" - a trio that shows just how well his songwriting had progressed. To the music...

The extraordinarily strong cut "To Whom It Concerns" b/w the equally impressive "I Think Of You" was issued as a lone Stateside 45-single in June 1972 on Sussex SUX 234 and promptly got lost in a sea of seven-inch singles. What's worse is that despite a British recorded and pressed LP by A&M Records – the Blighty side of A&M didn't give the LP a 45-single push at all - which seems odd given the strength of both those sides. The LP was at least issued in other territories during 1972 (Rhodesia, Australia and as far away as Japan) - hardly surprising given the huge popularity of "Cold Fact" in South Africa where Rodriguez became a superstar. The English LP even sported the same die-cut image gatefold sleeve that the US Sussex Records had – but no one seemed to notice.

It opens with "Climb Up On My Music" where Sixto urges the listener to dive into his melodies and avoid calamities such as Christmas, Midnight and swans that turn into geese. Strummed acoustic guitars and his nasal voice feel like a Jose Feliciano album that's buzzing - electric guitar flicking notes out of your left speaker. Immediately I feel that "Coming From Reality" the album is a huge progression musically over the (admittedly) much more popular debut "Cold Fact". But better comes in "A Most Disgusting Song" - one they used to real effect in the movie. A stream-of-consciousness set of lyrics spoken-word and float out of your speakers like Dylan getting all Soulful. Odd bod characters like Jimmy "Bad Luck" Butts, Mr. Flood, Tiny Tim and Uncle Tom smooze around a party where everyone is drinking detergents that cannot (alas) remove the hurt.

But then genuine magic slinks out of your speakers in the form of the utterly gorgeous "I Think Of You" - an acoustic ballad akin to Labi Siffre or Gilbert O'Sullivan in his better moments - lovely string arrangements lifting up the lyrics about love melting like snowflakes in the sun (with thoughts of you). Surely this would have been maybe a Duncan Browne "Journey" moment in 1972 for him – but A&M definitely missed a trick there. We rock-out with the guitar-riffage of the excellent "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour" – a sort of angry Bill Withers vibe where picture-taking tourists rub shoulders with itchy trigger-finger natives in someone else's war. Side 1 ends with another acoustic ballad – the short but of so sweet "Silver Words?" – cello notes floating over lyrics about a woman he likes (and it's not just because he's smoking something other than Gauloises).

There is a fair amount of hiss at the start of "Sandrevan Lullaby – Lifestyles" that opens Side 2 with a gorgeous 'Musical Theme'. I'm reminded of Clifford T. Ward string quartet sadness or Al Stewart getting historical as Rodriguez goes into a fabulous set of lyrics. Judges with meter maid hearts order supermarket justice starts – night rains stabbing at his window – clouds that pierce the illusion...very cool stuff and again beautifully layered string arrangements. You can hear why Sussex tried the easy-on-the-ear jaunt in "To Whom It May Concern" as the A-side of a single, but for me it's one of the occasions on the album where the strings feel intrusive and not helpful. "Concern..." is good, but had they lead with "I Think Of You" – things might have been so different.

The home run features another Spanish Acoustic strum - "It Started Out So Nice" – a long string of poetic images that play out a failed union - where even the ocean laughed. An electric keyboard run opens "Halfway Up The Stairs" – a very bop-moment on an otherwise mellow LP. Far better is the epic "Cause" – our man talking to Jesus at the sewer as the Pope assures Sixto that it's none of the deity's Goddamn business. There is very apparent hiss again, but it doesn't take away too much from your enjoyment as he wallops you with lyrics like "...I make sixteen solid half-hour friendships every evening..." or "...they told me everybody's got to pay their dues...and I explained that I had overpaid them..." What an end to a great album – epic strings and strummed acoustic guitar making him sound like a South American Bob Dylan hitting a sweet spot.

Of the three Bonus cuts, "Street Boy" has Sixto sounding like Nick Drake with a Tabla backing band – but the gem is "I'll Slip Away" – as good as a melody as anything on the two albums that preceded it. A nice touch is that UM have printed the lyrics to the three extras too in the final pages of the booklet.

Thank God someone rescued this music and his albums – Sugar Man finally home and happy – his silver magic ships back in our lives. "...I won't be down anymore" - Rodriguez sang in "Sandrevan Lullaby - Lifestyles". Amen brother...

PS: 30 August 2019 has also seen "Cold Fact" reissued in the UK on both CD and LP - Universal/Sussex 00602577896255 (Barcode 602577896255) for the CD and Universal/Sussex 00602577077371 (Barcode 602577077371) for the "Cold Fact" LP.

Tuesday 20 April 2021

MICHAEL CHAPMAN - "The Decca Years 1974 To 1977" – Featuring Three Albums on Decca/Deram/Gama Records -"Deal Gone Down" (June 1974), "Savage Amusement" (June 1976), "The Man Who Hated Mornings" (November 1977) PLUS 21 Bonus Tracks, 10 of Which Are Previously Unissued. Guests include Bridget St. John, Andy Latimer of Camel, Keef Hartley of Dog Soldier and The Keef Hartley Band, B.J. Cole of Cochise, Maddy Prior, Rick Kemp and Nigel Pegrum of Steeleye Span, Mick Ronson of Spiders From Mars and David Bowie’s Band, Rod Clements of Lindisfarne, Pete Wingfield of Jellybread, Prelude, Tim Renwick and Peter Wood of Quiver with Leo Le Blanc of The California Poppy Pickers (January 2021 UK Mooncrest/Secret Records 3CD Compilation of Remasters In A Gatefold Card Sleeve) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Journeyman..."

Fans of Folk-Rocker Michael Chapman have been here before.

In June 2004, the 3-Disc Clamshell Box Set "Dogs Got More Sense: The Decca Years 1974-1977" on Shakedown/Secret Records SHAKEBX124Z (Barcode 828291312431) issued the three albums featured on this January 2021 compilation along with 11 Outtakes and Demos and a 55-minute Interview DVD. 2021's "The Decca Years 1974 To 1977" retains all three of those albums in their entirety and the 11 outtakes/demos - only this time adds on a further 10 Previously Unreleased Bonus Audio Tracks but loses the visual DVD.

Housed in a very tasty three-way foldout card sleeve pack, it has album picture sleeve die-cut holding pouches for each CD n the inside (see photos) but more importantly it boasts a substantially increased 28-page booklet when the previous box had maybe 5 or 6 skimpy pages as I remember.

Audio-wise - although it doesn't say anywhere who has mastered what and from what - this Mooncrest Reissue credits 'Secret Records' in its title, so it can be safely presumed that those 2004 Remasters are being re-used here. It sounds spiffing – full and lovely and all those Acoustic-Rock moments shining. Also, as I'm sure both fans and the Folk-Rock curious will have noticed, this 3CD 50-Track bundle is presently less than eleven quid on most websites 'brand new'.

The guest list across the three LPs is mightily impressive too - Dandelion Records Folk singer Bridget St. John, Guitarist and main-man for Camel, Andy Latimer, Drummer Keef Hartley of Dog Soldier and The Keef Hartley Band, Singer Maddy Prior, Bassist Rick Kemp and Drummer Nigel Pegrum of Steeleye Span, backing vocals from "After The Gold Rush" Prelude, ace axeman Mick Ronson of The Spiders From Mars and David Bowie's Band, folky Rod Clements of Lindisfarne, John McBurnie of Jackson Heights, Guitarist and Keyboardist Tim Renwick and Peter Wood of Quiver with Pedal Steel players B.J. Cole of Cochise and Leo Le Blanc of The California Poppy Pickers. They even have Pete Wingfield of Jellybread and "Eighteen With A Bullet" fame on Keyboards for the 1977 outing "The Man Who Hated Mornings" – an LP that boasted Mick Ronson, Andy Latimer and Michael Chapman all swinging electric guitars while BJ Cole pedalled his steel and Keef Hartley bashed his kit. That's an awful lot on offer for a small price. But what's it like? To the down deal details...

UK released 29 January 2021 - "The Decca Years 1974 To 1977" by MICHAEL CHAPMAN on Mooncrest/Secret Records CRESTBX109 (Barcode 5036436126224) offers 3 Albums Remastered across 3CDs (50-tracks in total) and plays out as follows:

CD1 "Deal Gone Down" (61:25 minutes):

1. The Rock 'n' Roll Jigley [Side 1]

2. Party Pieces

3. Another Season Song

4. Stranger Passing By

5. Used To Be

6. Deal Gone Down [Side 2]

7. The Banjo Song

8. Theme From The Movie Of The Same Name

9. Goodbye Sunny Sky

10. Journeyman

Tracks 1 to 10 are his sixth studio album "Deal Gone Down" – released June 1974 in the UK on Deram/Gama SML 1114 – Produced by MICHAEL CHAPMAN – didn’t chart. Guests include Maddy Prior (Backing Vocals), Rick Kemp (on Bass) and Nigel Pegrum (on Drums) of Steeleye Span with Bridget St. John and Prelude also on Backing Vocals

CD1 BONUS TRACKS:

11. Dumplings (Instrumental from the "Deal Gone Down" sessions, B-side to the "The Banjo Song" Single)

12. Stranger Passing By (Demo)

13. Theme From The Movie Of The Same Name (Demo)

14. Goodbye Sunny Sky (Demo)

15. Untitled Rag (Demo)

16. Journeyman (Demo)

17. Another Session Song (Demo, Previously Unissued)

18. Deal Gone Down (Demo, Previously Unissued)

19. Party Pieces (Demo, Previously Unissued)

20. Used To Be (Demo, Previously Unissued)

CD2: "Savage Amusement" (60:05 minutes):

1. Shuffleboat River Farewell [Side 1]

2. Secret Of The Locks

3. Crocky Hill Disaster

4. Lovin' Dove

5. Hobo's Lament

6. Stranger [Side 2]

7. How Can A Poor Man

8. It Didn't Work Out

9. Devastation Hotel

Tracks 1 to 9 are his seventh studio album (eight overall) "Savage Amusement" – released June 1976 in the UK on Decca/Gama SKL-R 5242 – Produced by DON NIX – it didn’t chart. Andy Latimer and Ray Fenwick guest on Guitars, Peter Wood on Keyboards, Leo Le Blanc on Pedal Steel Guitar with Rick Kemp on Bass and Keef Hartley on Drums

CD2 BONUS TRACKS:

10. Lovin' Dove (Demo)

11. Just To Keep You (Demo)

12. Devastation Hotel & Crocky Hill Disaster Idea (Demo)

13. Waiting For A Train (All Around The Water Tank) (Demo)

14. Devastation Hotel (Demo, Previously Unissued)

15. Hobo's Lament (Demo, Previously Unissued)

16. Lost Ragtime Piece (Demo, Previously Unissued)

17. Lovin' Dove (Demo, Previously Unissued)

CD3: "The Man Who Hated Mornings" (49:36 minutes):

1. Northern Lights [Side 1]

2. I'm Sober Now

3. The Man Who Hated Mornings

4. Ballad In Plain D

5. Steel Bonnets

6. Dogs Got More Sense [Side 2]

7. Falling Apart

8. While Dancing The Pride Of Erin

9. Dreams Are Dangerous Things

10. Why Do You Bob Your Hair Girls?

Tracks 1 to 10 are his eight studio-album (ninth overall) "The Man Who Hated Mornings" – released November 1977 in the UK on Decca/Gama SKL-R 5290 – Produced by MAX HOLE and MICHAEL CHAPMAN – it didn't chart. Guests include Rod Clements of Lindisfarne on Bass with Keef Hartley on Drums.

CD3 BONUS TRACKS:

11. Dogs Got More Sense (Bonus Track, Early Version Recorded For Proposed Single)

12. Expressway In The Rain (Demo, Previously Unissued – from the Millstone Grit Sessions)

13. Steel Bonnets (Instrumental)

The 28-page booklet features new liner notes from MARC HIGGINS with further recollections of making "The Man Who Hated Mornings" by ANDRU CHAPMAN (both October 2020) with all the albums credits following. I picked up my copy of this 3CD set for a ten spot and you have to say that even though "The Decca Years..." isn't all classic - I've seen reissues with a quarter of the care taken here being charged at four times the price. To the tunes...

Highlights on "Deal Gone Down" include the near five minutes of "Party Pieces" - Acoustic Folk Rock where our Mike a little too drunk for wear. His lady is far away in "Another Season Song" - a very pretty Bryn Haworth type ballad with lovely Production values. Acoustic simplicity fills "Stranger Passing By" - a gorgeous tune aching with pathos. But the short instrumentals "The Rock 'n' Roll Jigley" and "Theme From The Movie..." alongside the fay jubilance of "Used To Be" let the side down badly, reducing "Deal... " to an ok LP overall and not a lot else.

Album number two features the excellent Richard Thompson lilt of "Secret Of The Locks" – a vehicle for some tasty electric guitar. Things continue to improve with "Crocky Hill Disaster" but the Pedal Steel and mock vocals of "Hobo's Lament" give the Jimmie Rogers cover a cheesy feel rather than being a homage. One of the album's great moments is seven and half minutes of "Stranger" - the Keyboard passages of Peter Wood giving the song an epic Roy Harper Prog Folk feel. Last time most folks heard the Blind Alfred Read money-lament "How Can A Poor Man" it was on Ry Cooder's debut LP way back in 1970 – unfortunately Chapman does it no favours. Things chug-Rock ala Clapton with "It Didn't Work Out" even if the heavy on the backing vocals almost drowns any chance of a tune you could actually like. The LP ends well on "Devastation Hotel" – all hope abandoned on this 5:12 minute finisher.

Album number three is for me the best of the bunch – opening so strongly with 7:23 minutes of "Northern Lights" – his great backing band providing real substance. Chapman goes at the first of two covers – the Danny O'Keefe boozer lament "I'm Sober Now" and Bob Dylan's "Ballad In Plain D" – both expertly produced and full in your speakers. The man who hated mornings faces the nighttime with a smile, Chapman sings on the title track. But I actually prefer the stunning doubled-up guitars of "Steel Bonnets" – a really cool instrumental that ends Side 1. He bops with "Dogs Have More Sense" – illusions weighing him down – then goes EC "Slowhand" commercial with the jaunty Acoustic Rock of "Falling Apart". Have to say that the last three may have felt good in 1977, but in 2021 have a dreadfully dated and even hammy feel.

Of the outtakes and demos, there is a more rocking version of "Dogs Got More Sense” that almost apes Bowie having a riffage day - while the exact opposite is true of "Stranger Passing By" with just a lonesome Vocal and Guitar – a stripped-back almost Nick Drake moment. The Acoustic Folk-Blues of "Waiting For A Train" is nice too but the recording feels very demo and I'm afraid I felt the same of much of the rest – interesting but never rising much above that.

There is a lot to like here, but I also felt that the splurge of ordinary demos while appearing to be generous actually bring down the steady quality of the LPs. Still, with the decent audio, huge amount of rare material and superb annotation – "The Decca Years..." is still a great buy and a way to explore Chapman's world-weary whine without breaking the bank...

Sunday 18 April 2021

"Late For The Sky" by JACKSON BROWNE - September 1974 US Third Studio Album (December 1974 in the UK) on Asylum Records – Band Featuring David Lindley, Doug Haywood, Jai Winding and Larry Zack with Guests Don Henley, J.D. Souther, Dan Fogelberg, Terry Reid, Joyce Everson, Beth Fitchet and Perry Lindley on Harmony Vocals and String Arrangements by David Campbell (June 2014 US Asylum/Rhino/Inside Recordings 40th Anniversary CD Reissue and Remaster In Upgraded Environmentally-Friendly Gatefold Card Sleeve Packaging) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Good To See Your Smiling Face Tonight... "

I tried for years to actually love Jackson Browne's first two American studio efforts - January 1972's debut "Jackson Browne" (aka "Saturate Before Using" as it appears on the front cover artwork) and October 1973's second LP "For Everyman" – both on Asylum Records in the USA and UK. They had their moments for sure, but I admired them and not a lot else. All that changed with studio album number three – the mighty and deeply moving "Late For The Sky" issued September 1974 in America and December 1974 in Blighty.

I loved this record, cried to it, felt uplifted by it and have held a blubber candle for its musical and lyrical brilliance for closing on 50 bloody years now. For sure it is mopey and whiney and misery-indulgent and the lack of lyrics annoyed immensely at the time too (that is fixed here). But I adore the damn thing and will forever feel a tingle of giddiness every time I gaze on its 'Empire Of Light' homage artwork – and I doubt there is a JB fan out there that feels any different.

But its journey to digital has been fraught with complaints of over-amplification – a ramped-up uber-trebling of a recording that was a teeny-weeny bit muffled and underwhelming in the first place (made matters worse). The most common remaster is the January 2003 version with a silver sticker on the jewel case – preceded by the lesser-seen US DCC Compact Classics Audiophile CD from 1993 (GZS-1036) - long deleted and extortionately expensive ever since.

But now, Browne has wrestled back some of his back catalogue and his 'Inside Recordings Label' (via Rhino) has had another go in June 2014, just in time for the album's '40th Anniversary' celebrations. And it's a quietly beautiful thing – lovely, lovely, lovely – not perfection for sure – but as open and as breathy as we are ever likely to get. You guessed it – I blubbed again. To the Fountain of Sorrow details...

US released 24 June 2014 - "Late For The Sky" by JACKSON BROWNE on Rhino/Asylum/Inside Recordings INR 04191 (Barcode 696751041913) offers his Third Studio Album from 1974 Reissued and Newly Remastered on a '40th Anniversary' Reissue CD in an environmentally-friendly card gatefold sleeve that plays out as follows (41:28 minutes):

1. Late For The Sky [Side 1]

2. Fountain Of Sorrow

3. Farther On

4. The Late Show

5. The Road And The Sky [Side 2]

6. For A Dancer

7. Walking Slow

8. Before The Deluge

Tracks 1 to 8 are his third studio album "Late For The Sky" – released September 1974 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1017 and December 1974 in the UK on Asylum SYL 9018. All songs written by JB - Produced by JACKSON BROWNE and AL SCHMITT – it peaked at No. 14 in the US LP charts (didn’t chart UK).

MUSCIANS were:

JACKSON BROWNE – Lead Vocals, Piano, Acoustic Guitar and Slide Guitar on "The Road And The Sky"

DAVID LINDLEY - Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar and Fiddle

JAI WINDING – Piano And Organ

DOUG HAYWOOD – Bass And Harmony Vocals

LARRY ZACK – Drums And Percussion

Guests:

Don Henley, J.D. Souther, Dan Fogelberg, Terry Reid, Joyce Everson, Beth Fitchet and Perry Lindley on Harmony Vocals

David Campbell – String Arrangements on "The Late Show"

Originally Mastered by Mike Reese at The Mastering Lab, Hollywood, CA – for this 2014 Edition DOUG SAX, ROBERT HADLEY and ERIC BOULANGER have returned to The Mastering Lab, Ojai in California and dusted off the Asylum tapes once again. How would you describe the Remaster – not flashy – not overly done – just amazingly 'there'. Yes, there is the faintest trace of audio hiss (faint), but I would maintain that it actually gives this 2014 rendition a naturality that the others didn't have. And the bass and drums just feel right all of a sudden rather than that previous huddled-together blur 'n muffle. So once I was done with the epic "Before The Deluge" - I wanted to play this CD again – the best compliment surely you can pay any Remaster. To the music...

When that lonely and plaintive slide guitar wafts in on "Late For The Sky" - you hear the piano and that lingering organ in the background as he sings "...trying to understand how our lives had lead us there..." But the wallop that greets you for "Fountain Of Sorrow" will have many old-timers well up - those so-subtle harmony vocals from his pals as he sings "...there was just a taste of sorrow in your eyes..." or "...your perfect lover looks just like a perfect fool..." The Bass is sweet too. His trademark weeping slide guitar begins "Farther On" - in my early years - my dreams like nets were thrown - to catch the love I had heard of. Speaking of looking for beauty in songs, Side 2's "For A Dancer" is one of his all-time masterpieces - a stunning melody married with lyrics that floor you. The previous master had the vocal all echoed and over-egged, killing the beauty - here its calmed down and as it should be. And on it goes to the Violin and Piano epic that is "Before The Deluge" - a song I believe Martin Scorsese once placed in a movie.

They could have put the actual CD in a protective bag - there could have been maybe an outtake - there could have been new liner notes from the man himself - I know there are niggles. But as it is, this 2014 US version on Inside Recordings is the best I've heard the "Late For The Sky" album. I'd love to hear Jackson Browne's "The Pretender" done this way and many I know would lose it for door number two - "For Everyman" - given such a tasty dust-up.

"Don't know why I'm happy...I got no reason to feel this good..." - Browne sang on "Walking Slow". Well, now we have...

PS: There is also a UK VINYL LP version for this 40th Anniversary Reissue which was released 2017 on Asylum 081227959074 (No Barcode) and January 2018 in the USA on Rhino/Asylum RR1 1017 (Barcode 8122795907)

Friday 16 April 2021

"Muddy, Brass And The Blues/Can't Get No Grindin'" by MUDDY WATERS – October 1966 US LP on Chess in Mono (January 1967 in the UK) with September 1973 US LP on Chess in Stereo (January 1974 in the UK) – Featuring James Cotton (Harmonica), Otis Spann and Pinetop Perkins (Piano), Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison (Guitar), Calvin Jones (Bass) with Willie Smith (Drums) with Arrangements by Charles Stepney (June 2011 UK Beat Goes On Compilation – 2LPs Remastered Onto 1CD by Andrew Thompson) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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MANNISH BOY

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS,

RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD

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"...Got A Love Weapon..."

A strange and interesting combo – his genre-evolving 1966 US LP "Muddy, Brass And The Blues" (which has divided purists for years) - here slapped together with a long forgotten and criminally overlooked Rock-Blues outing from 1973 – both on the legendary Chess Records. But I think the pairing works.

The first album on this 2LPs-onto-1CD Beat Goes On compilation (BGO of the UK) featured his core band of James Cotton (Harmonica), Otis Spann (Piano), Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison (Guitars), Calvin Jones (Bass) and Willie Smith (Drums) with Arrangements by the mighty Charles Stepney. Originally recorded June 1966 at their famous Tel Mar Recordings Studios, Chess then brought in as many as five (unnamed) Horn Players and layered up the songs in an effort to make the great Bluesman sound more contemporary or (some suggest) ape preceding successful hybrid album-releases by say Big Joe Turner or Jimmy Witherspoon ("The Boss Of The Blues" and records like that). Some say it worked while others say it's hateful and should be put outside to sulk, hanging its ornery head in shame like the naughty schoolchild it clearly is (shades of "Electric Mud" looming in the future).

The second LP from 1973 saw Chess replace piano-player Otis Spann (who had sadly passed) with Pinetop Perkins. "Grindin'..." was back to the Blues with a Rock and Funk tinge and featured material that stretched back to 1950 with "Sad Letter" and even further with "Mother's Bad Luck Child" which was a re-working of his first ever release in 1947 - "Gypsy Woman". Re-tooled oldies sat comfortably alongside new stuff – the whole shebang knocked out with gusto and tomato sauce by a band on fire and a leader back in control. As I say, a weird if not slyly cool combo of albums. Let's get to the meal table...

UK released June 2011 (reissued April 2012) - "Muddy, Brass And The Blues/Can't Get No Grindin'" by MUDDY WATERS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1007 (Barcode 5017261210074) offers two US LPs from 1966 and 1973 on Chess Records (issued 1967 and 1974 in the UK also on Chess) Remastered onto 1CD that plays out as follows (66:46 minutes):

1. Corine, Corina [Side 1]

2. Piney Brown Blues

3. Black Night

4. Trouble In Mind

5. Going Back To Memphis

6. Betty And Dupree [Side 2]

7. Sweet Little Angel

8. Take My Advice

9. Trouble

10. Hard Loser

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Muddy, Brass And The Blues" – released October 1966 in the US on Chess LP-1507 and January 1967 in the UK on Chess CRL 4526 (both in Mono only). Produced by GENE BARGE and RALPH BASS

11. Can't Get No Grindin' (What's The Matter With The Meal) [Side 1]

12. Mother's Bad Luck Child

13. Funky Butt

14. Sad Letter

15. Someday I'm Gonna Ketch You

16. Love Weapon [Side 2]

17. Garbage Man

18. After Hours

19. Whiskey Ain't No Good

20. Muddy Waters' Shuffle

Tracks 11 to 20 are the album "Can't Get No Grindin'" – released September 1973 in the USA on Chess CH 50023 and January 1974 in the UK on Chess 6310 129. Produced by RALPH BASS.

The outer card slipcase lends these BGO releases a sense of style and class (they've reissued a lot of Muddy, see list below) and the 8-page inlay has new May 2011 liner notes from TONY RUSSELL that do enough to inform and rightly praise the contents within. As was so typical with Chess LPs - they often sported little or no musician credits - so Russell does his research and provides player details and well as critical responses (both the Blues Unlimited and Living Blues magazines gave the 1973 a warm thumbs-up). BGO also reproduces Ralph Bass' original liner notes to 1966's "Muddy, Brass And The Blues".

But the real beef is new ANDREW THOMPSON Remasters done at Sound Mastering in London - power and grit exuding from their pores - I love the way this CD sounds. I'll be honest and say I skip mostly to the 70ts Stereo outing where my real interest lies, but the 60ts Mono LP still kicks like a mule. To the tunes...

The moment Muddy takes on Joe Turner's "Corine, Corina" you will either think this is a mistake or a (slight) leap forward. Cotton's Harmonica solo still smashes it, but those horn-fills for sure busy up proceedings just a tad too much. "Well I been to Kansas City and everything was really alright..." he moans on "Piney Brown Blues" where Otis Spann on Piano and James Cotton on Harmonica lay down the mid-shuffle beat. At least here the brass isn't dominating but actually contributing. The very Bluesy "Black Night" is fantastic stuff - Otis Spann, Sammy Lawhorn and Pee Wee Madison and James Cotton all finally getting room to solo and shine on Piano, Guitar and Harp - crying for his baby with virtually no horns in sight. Back to the oldies with "Trouble In Mind" - a stalwart of Joe Turner's live shows - another great sounding Remaster. And on it goes...

The leap from 1966 to 1973 is huge in terms of what comes jaunting out of your speakers. Suddenly the 'Funk' is with Muddy when he sings the opener "Can't Get No Grindin'..." - a weird Clavinet groove greets you as he sings and the boys answer. More Traditional and let's face it 'down and dirty' is "Mother's Bad Luck Child" - Pinetop switching to Piano while the boys lick those slide guitar notes. Muddy goes to a gypsy woman to have his fortune told only to be advised to go back home and never darken her tent again. "Funky Butt" uses the same Clavinet groove that "Grindin'" does - a sort of Harmonica Blues shaking and shimmying as Muddy roars 'yeah!'. Better is the mean lowdown gutbucket "Sad Letter" - a real return to form as Muddy got a letter this morning to tell him that his baby has moved on to the great gates beyond. Speaking of straight-up type Blues - I have always loved the crossover "Love Weapon" where Muddy's baby don't fight like a man - she uses her love weapons - comes at you like a tiger whilst looking at you like a lion. It perfectly fuses Guitar, Harmonica and Bass whilst throwing just a slight Funk on the Clavinet keyboard (Cotton puts in a blistering Harp solo). What a racket they made when they were good.

In the end neither album could be called a masterpiece, but the combo of the two playing alongside each other here delivers a lesser-heard Muddy - Bluesy and Cool one minute - Funky and Hip the next – and all in crisp audio glory. McKinley really was the Hard Drivin' Man...

MUDDY WATERS CD Reissues and Remasters for Beat Goes On (BGO)

All are 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD

1. Muddy Waters At Newport/Muddy Waters Live (1960 and 1971 LPs)

1996 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD314 (Barcode 5017261203144)

2. Muddy Waters Sings "Big Bill"/Folk Singer (1959 and 1964 LPs)

1998 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD397 (Barcode 5017261203977)

3. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues (1966 and 1967 LPs)

1998 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD436 (Barcode 5017261204363)

4. Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live/King Bee (1979 and 1981 LPs)

September 2004 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD584 (Barcode 5017261205841)

5. They Call Me Muddy Waters/Live At Mister Kelly's (1971 for both LPs)

October 2010 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD949 (Barcode 5017261209498)

6. Muddy, Brass And The Blues/Can't Get No Grindin' (1966 and 1973 LPs)

June 2011 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD1007 (Barcode 5017261210074)

7. Electric Mud/After The Rain (1968 and 1969 LPs)

October 2011 UK CD on Beat Goes On BGOCD1011 (Barcode 5017261210111)

Thursday 15 April 2021

"The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" by RICK WAKEMAN – January 1973 Debut Solo Album on A&M Records [ex The Strawbs, With Yes When Recorded] - Featuring Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford and Alan White of Yes with Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert and Chas Cronk of The Strawbs, Barry De Souza of Trees, Les Hurdle of The Mohawks, Ray Cooper of Elton John’s Band and Dave Winter of If (February 2015 UK UMG Recordings/A&M Records 1CD Reissue with Andrew Walter Abbey Road Remaster) - A Review of Mark Barry...

This Review and 299 More Like It Can Be Found In My AMAZON e-Book

US AND THEM - 1973

Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional

CD Reissues and Remasters

Classic Albums, Compilations, 45's...

All In-Depth Reviews From The Discs Themselves

Over 2,200 E-Pages

(No Cut And Paste Crap)

"...Giving Days..."

I remember vividly when you opened the gatefold sleeve of AMLH 64361 – you couldn't help but be impressed.

Like a wizarding version of Keith Emerson from ELP without the pantaloons and Puss 'n' Boots footwear, stood the Royal College of Music prodigy Rick ("Don't Mention God Save The Queen Only Dead Queens") Wakeman.

With his long mane of Vosene manicured blond hair and Octopus-like arms outstretched, the Rickster stroke a pose – a stance he would become famous for in fact. A serious musician amidst a seriously impressive circle of custom-made keyboard thingies - Synthesizer, Mellotron, Grand Piano, Organ, Electric Piano, Harpsichord and more - it was all there. As were his unseen mates from Yes both present and future during the February to October 1972 recordings – Steve Howe on Guitar, Chris Squire on Bass, Bill Bruford and Alan White on Drums and three more muckers from his former band The Strawbs – Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert and Chas Cronk. Throw in Dave Winter of If with Mike Egan on Guitars, Barry de Souza from Trees also on Drums and Ray Cooper of Elton John's Band on Percussion with session Vocalists Laura Lee, Liza Strike, Sylvia McNeill, Judy Powell and Barry St. John - and you had a stellar cast working on genuinely inspired material.

Arriving in January 1973 – "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" also started what would become the YES Solo Albums run and despite A&M's A&R people having hissy-fit reservations when they heard the finished LP (they asked when are the vocals being put on) – Henry VIII was a monogamous winner. I also can't have been the only YES fan who perhaps hadn't bought the album but did purchase the triple live set "Yessongs" in May 1973 - only to be amazed at Wakeman's "Excerpts From The Six Wives of Henry VIII" - an absolute highlight across those six sides. In fact "The Six Wives..." has subsequently amassed some 15-millions sales worldwide on what is now (in 2021) fast approaching a 50-years-ago release date. Which brings us to this...its best Remaster. Here are the details for the single disc issue...

UK released 2 February 2015 - "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" by RICK WAKEMAN on UMG Recordings/A&M Records 5356246 (Barcode 600753562468) is a straightforward 1CD Reissue and New 2014 Remaster of the 1973 Debut Solo Album (originally on A&M Records) that plays out as follows (36:53 minutes):

1. Catherine Of Aragon [Side 1]

2. Anne Of Cleves

3. Catherine Howard

4. Jane Seymour [Side 2]

5. Anne Boleyn 'The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended'

6. Catherine Parr

Tracks 1 to 6 are his debut solo LP "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" - released January 1973 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64361 and in the USA on A&M Records SMAS-95075. Produced by RICK WAKEMAN - it peaked at No. 7 in the UK and No. 30 on the LP charts.

Remastered by ANDREW WALTER at Abbey Road Studios - it's worth mentioning that if you want to go deeper, there is also a 2-Disc 'Deluxe Edition' Version of sorts on UMG/A&M 5356238 (Barcode 600753562383) that features Three Bonus Tracks on the CD - "Catherine Of Aragon (First Mix)", "Anne Boleyn 'The Day Thou Gavest Lord Hath Ended' (Single Edit)" and "Catherine Parr (Single Edit)" - whilst the second disc is a DVD-A with the album in various mixes - Stereo Hi-Res, Quadrophonic and some period Video Footage. You could argue that this single version should really have featured the Three Bonus cuts (especially those Single Edits) as add-ons - but what you do get is enough for me.

The 12-page booklet centres the original gatefold's artwork whilst the rest of the pages feature a history of the debut solo album penned by JERRY EWING, Editor of "Prog Magazine" with input and reminiscences from Wakeman. It's an interesting and witty read - Wakeman spilling the beans on collecting Platinum Discs from the head of A&M at a MIDEM who had previously poo-poo'd the project by the "...***king piano player..." (Wakeman admits though that those remarks not withstanding, his stay with A&M was good and they quickly cottoned on when they saw the sales figures). Holding court on the last page of the CD-sized booklet, the rear sleeve artwork of the LP that told miniature histories of each lady is now unfortunately almost unreadable. But the meat for me is the AUDIO - which is beautiful - thrilling actually - having been used to my crackly VINYL LP all these years.

As the Grand Piano notes for "Catherine Of Aragon" come sailing in only to be followed by those swirling synth passages - the Audio is full and warm. But as the ladies hit oohing and aahing with that acoustic break - I was moved to say genius. Seen as the LP hit the shops on 23 January 1973, you could say A&M UK were a bit slow of the Prog Rock starting blocks when they issued the LP's lone UK 45-single as late as March 1973 - an edit of Side 2's "Catherine Parr" backed-up with an edit of "Anne" on AMS 7061. "Catherine Parr" and its rapido keyboard runs also so Manticore ELP, so perhaps that's why they chose it over the more delicate and frankly lovely "Catherine Of Aragon".

Things get fast and heavy with "Anne Of Cleves" - future Yes-drummer Alan White playing a blinder even if MIke Egan's guitar parts are still too distant in the mix for me. Wakeman flies up and down the keyboards and again it's impressive and inventive stuff. Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert and Chas Cronk of Strawbs join Barry de Souza of Trees on Side 1's finisher "Catherine Howard" (legendary Percussionist Frank Ricotti is in there too). Sounding almost Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken" as it leads in - that beautiful keyboard run he featured on the Yes live excerpt still amazes. But its Dave Lambert's delicate guitar soon joined by stunning synth runs from Wakeman that will have most fans in raptures.

Wakeman famously went to the Church Organ at St. Giles-Without-Cripplegate for Side 2's regal "Jane Seymour" because he couldn't get the sheer depth he wanted from an electronic one. The unspoken hero of the album is the Genesis "Cinema Show" beautiful textures in "Anne Boleyn". Engineered by Bowie's Ken Scott with Mike Egan finally audible on Acoustic Guitar - Wakeman compliments their contributions with some of the albums finest playing - the Remaster really shining here.

Guitarist Steve Howe and Bassist Chris Squire would go YES solo in October and November 1975 with their "Beginnings" and "Fish Out Of Water" LPs on Atlantic - whilst Drummer Alan White would get "Ramshackled" too. But they were all whomped by Yes Lead Vocalist Jon Anderson's dense and beautiful "Olias Of Sunhillow" in July 1976 (also on Atlantic Records) – recently reissued with Style by Esoteric Recordings in April 2021.

By the time Wakeman had left YES after 1973's end-of-year double-album "Tales From Topographic Oceans" (leaving behind stunners like "Fragile" from 1971 and "Close To The Edge" from 1972) – the keyboard maestro was already onto "Journey To The Centre Of The Earth" and "The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur" (both also on A&M Records) and even bigger keyboard rigs. But this supremely tuneful Prog Rock album from early 1973 is where his real journey began.

2015's "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII" by RICK WAKEMAN is a great CD Remaster and at a smidge above a fiver sterling, something of a bargain too (certainly cheaper than a trip to Madame Tussauds Museum to see the wax works of these hard-done-by ladies).

Giving days they were in 1973. Nearly 50 years later, I'd still advise that you give this off-with-their-heads musical masterclass a more gentile revisit on your Stereophonic rig...

PS:

Also UK released 2 February 2015 was "The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table” on 1CD and a 2-Disc Deluxe Edition.

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INDEX - Entries and Artist Posts in Alphabetical Order

Quality CD Player/Classy Bit Of Kit - Best Paired With PM 6007 UK Amp

Quality AMP from Marantz - Best Paired With Marantz CD 6007

B&W Speakers - I Have Black Variants of These and they are stunning!

RM Series Replacement Remote - Handy!

Cute As A Button and Practical Too...

More Fantastic 60ts 70ts Soul Than You Can Shake A Stick At - SEE MY REVIEW

Probably The Best Value Remasters Box Set Around - SEE MY REVIEW

BEATLES - Abbey Road (50th Anniversary Remaster from 2019) - Beautiful! SEE MY REVIEW

Superb Socially-Conscious Soul/Funk from 1971 to 1974 - See Review

BEATLES - "White Album" - Amazing 2018 Remaster and Unplugged Demos - SEE REVIEW

Breakdown/Protection for SOUNDBARS for 2 Years

ALLMANS Forgotten But Brilliant Double from 1972 - SEE MY REVIEW...

BILL WITHERS Truly Great Multi-Disc Soul Box - SEE MY REVIEW

Great Deal on a great book