"Joan Armatrading" by JOAN ARMATRADING (1997 A&M 'ReMasterPieces' CD Reissue – Roger Wake Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...I'm Open To Persuasion..." 

I can recall vividly the first time I heard "Love And Affection" in the Autumn of 1976 – sophisticated, hurting, layered – it was truly jaw-dropping stuff. And this most famous of her songs has pretty much remained a Radio stalwart ever since. Her third album – the self-titled "Joan Armatrading" is coming up on a 40th anniversary in September 2016 so deserves to have its considerable praises sung "...once more with feeling..."

UK released September 1997 – "Joan Armatrading" by JOAN ARMATRADING on A&M CDMID 104 (Barcode 082839322829) is a straightforward mid-price CD transfer of the album on the label's 'A&M ReMasterPieces' Series and plays out as follows (42:05 minutes):

1. Down To Zero

2. Help Yourself

3. Water With The Wine

4. Love And Affection

5. Save Me

6. Join The Boys [Side 2]

7. People

8. Somebody Who Loves You

9. Like Fire

10. Tall In The Saddle

Tracks 1 to 10 are her third LP "Joan Armatrading" – released August 1976 in the UK on A&M Records AMLH 64588 and September 1976 in the USA on A&M SP-4588. The album peaked at No. 12 on the UK album charts (No. 67 in the USA) in September 1976. The CD Remaster was carried out by ROGER WAKE at Bourberry & Wake and is very clean – beautiful in places. Unfortunately the inlay is a gatefold slip of paper with musician credits and bugger all else which is a damn shame (early days of CD reissues).

THE BAND:

JOAN ARMATRADING – 6 and 12-string Acoustic Guitars & Lead Vocals

JERRY DONAHUE – Lead Electric Guitar (all tracks except "Somebody Who Loves You" and "Like Fire")

BRYN HAWORTH – Mandolin on "Somebody Who Loves You" and Slide Guitar on "Like Fire"

PETER WOOD – Piano and Organ (all tracks except "Somebody Who Loves You" and "Like Fire")

DAVE MARKEE – Bass on All Tracks

DAVE MATTACKS – Drums on All Tracks except "Down To Zero" and "Help Yourself"

KENNEY JONES – Drums on "Down To Zero" and "Help Yourself"

Duel drums with Dave Mattacks on "Water With The Wine", "Join The Boys" and "People"

B.J. COLE – Steel Guitar on "Down To Zero"

GRAHAM LYLE (of Gallagher & Lyle) – 12-String Guitar on "Down To Zero"

JIMMY JEWEL – Saxophone on "Love And Affection"

LEROY CHAMPAIGN and CLARKE PETERS – Backing Vocals on "Love And Affection"

Following on from her debut LP "Whatever's For Us" on Cube Records HIFLY 12 in November 1972 and her 2nd effort "Back To The Night" on A&M Records AMLH 68305 in April 1975 – "Joan Armatrading" didn't so much launch her but explode the West Indies lady (by way of Birmingham in the UK) onto a world stage. The self-titled LP was everywhere by Christmas and being praised as one of 'the albums of the year' by admirers in the music press on both sides of the pond and everywhere else for that matter.

Side 1 opens with the magnificent "Down To Zero" – a regular on "Best Of" and "Anthology" compilations and easy to hear why. A gorgeous production by Glyn Johns sees those acoustic guitars up front until Jerry Donahue from Fairport Convention kicks in with that great lead guitar. Kenney Jones (of Small Faces, Faces and The Who) and Dave Markee (of Centipede) both play blinders on the Drums and Bass too. But its those "...first class scene-stealer...brand new dandy..." lyrics that cut into you – announcing with bravado that this is no sappy love song nor is the writer a teenage sucker. The sweet sounds continue with the deceptive "Help Yourself" – and just as you're getting comfortable with it acoustic sway – the song goes funky and angry - genius.

"...Met him on a Monday and he said he loved me so..." she sings warily on "Water With The Wine" and by the time you get halfway though the song you get the uneasy feeling that things aren't going to work out for this Joe Schmo. It’s funny now to think of that deep bass vocal on "Love And Affection" as being Detective Lester Freamon in HBO's 'The Wire' TV Series who used to bawl out Dominic West's character McNulty every week. But the other unsung hero on this classic is surely Jimmy Jewell of Jake & The Family Jewels - whose Saxophone work elevates the song into the majestic. Everything about this ode to love is aching like an open wound – longing for a taste of the real thing - and even after 40 years "Love And Affection" still has the emotional mojo to move a soul.

Side 2 opens with the funky Rock of "Join The Boys" where Joan declares her musical motley crew is "...second to none even on a bad night..." – great piano and organ fills from Peter Wood throughout with both Kenney Jones and Dave Mattacks whacking those skins. I've always had a soft spot for anything Bryn Haworth plays on – a fantastic guitar player who used to be with Freakbeat darlings Fleur Des Lys in the 60ts. Haworth had just put out two solo albums on Island "Let The Days Go By" in 1974 and "Sunny Side Of The Street" in 1975 (see my review for this pairing on Gott Discs). Haworth's mandolin playing is sweetly complimentary to "Somebody Who Loves You" bringing out the warmth of the song - while his menacing chunky Slide on "Like Fire" perfectly underscores Joan's fantastic funky Acoustic Guitar playing. The record ends on the quietly hopeful "Tall In The Saddle" which features a wildly effective guitar solo from Jerry Donohue.

If you want more of her great material – the "Gold" 2CD set from Universal has beautiful 2005 remasters from Erick Labson – but at present this is the only way to get the whole album with 'that' song on it.

I'd love to hear outtakes from these sessions or demos and I can't help thinking that a 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Joan Armatrading" is due in September 2016? Here's hoping...

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"Snakes And Ladders/Sleepwalking" by GERRY RAFFERTY (June 2012 UK EMI '2 Original Classic Albums' 2CD Reissue) - A Review by Mark Barry…

 

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"...Find A Way Home..."

Having bought and reviewed the 2CD reissue of Gerry Rafferty’s 1978 masterpiece "City To City" in September 2011 – like most fans I've been patiently waiting for EMI to get to the rest of his catalogue.

Well they sort of have – and this cheapo double CD reissue is one of the piddly results. There’s not much to go on unfortunately but nevertheless - let's get to details...

UK released June 2012 – "Snakes & Ladders/Sleepwalking" by GERRY RAFFERTY on EMI 5099970475326 (Barcode 5099970475326) offers '2 Original Classic Albums' from 1980 and 1982 reissued onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (48:48 minutes):

1. The Royal Mile [Side 1]

2. I Was A Boy Scout

3. Welcome To Hollywood 

4. Wastin' Time

5. Look At The Moon

6. Bring It All Home

7. The Garden Of England [Side 2]

8. Johnny's Song

9. Didn't I

10. Syncopathin' Sandy 

11. Cafe Le Cabotin

12. Don't Close The Door 

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 3rd solo album "Snakes And Ladders" – released April 1980 on United Artists UAK 30296 in the UK and June 1980 in the USA on United Artists LOO-1039 (peaked at No. 15 in the UK LP charts and No. 61 in the USA). 

Disc 2 (37:15 minutes):

1. Standing At The Gates [Side 1]

2. Good Intentions

3. A Change Of Heart

4. On The Way

5. Sleepwalking [Side 2]

6. Cat And Mouse

7. The Right Moment

8. As Wise As A Serpent

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 4th solo album "Sleepwalking" – released September 1982 on Liberty LBG 30352 in the UK and Liberty LT-51132 in the USA

The gatefold slip of paper that acts as an inlay pictures the front album artwork on the inner pages of each album – and that's it. The inner sleeves that came with both UK LPs are AWOL - as is all the musician and recording info. No liner notes of any kind. In fact there isn't even mention of mastering - and as far as I can tell – these are exactly the same as the Eighties CDs I've had for years. So the sound is very good, but a sympathetic Peter Mew remaster would have elevated these cool albums to sonic greatness.

But while the presentation may be bog standard – the music is a different matter. These are two great Gerry Rafferty albums (is there a bad one?) – with the second definitely having the edge on the first.

"Snakes And Ladders" opens proceedings with the Drum and Fife of "The Royal Mile" with that lovely melody of his. Ex Les Fleur De Lys guitarist Bryn Haworth plays his distinctive slide guitar on the superb "I Was A Boy Scout". Orchestra Arranger Will Malone and String Leader Gavin Wright add a huge amount to the melody of "Look At The Moon". Pete Wingfield (ex Jellybread and solo star of "Eighteen With A Bullet" fame) adds his keys to the jaunty "Bring It All Home" which also features the awesome 'Baker Street' Saxophone of Raphael Ravenscroft (as does the song "Welcome To Hollywood"). Side 2 opens with the wonderfully languid "The Garden Of England" and Rafferty returns to an old Stealers Wheel tune with "Johnny's Song". He then goes all country swing with "Didn't I". Both Pete Wingfield and Bryn Haworth guest on keys and guitar on the finisher "Don't Close The Door" – an album highlight. Another contribution comes from Bassist Pete Zorn of the obscure group Fishbaugh, Fishbaugh & Zorn who plays on "Johnny's Song", "Didn't I" and "Syncopathin Sandy".

Although there are 12 tracks on "Snakes" – the 8 on "Sleepwalking" feel so much more mature and cohesive - less tracks but a much better album and I'd argue is an 80ts Classic that goes unrecognized as such. On this sleeper classic "Good Intentions", "On The Way" and "Sleepwalking" are all swirling magnificent – 5 to 6-minute tracks allowed to breathe and linger. The funky and catchy "Cat And Mouse" should have been a single and is so Radio friendly with its chugging guitar and matching vocal. "The Right Moment" is both sad and beautiful. But it's "As Wise As A Serpent" that blows me away every time – a genius Rafferty tune – sly and slinky – it worms its way into your heart – making you want to replay - again and again (lyrics above).

For four to six quid new, these 2CDs are ludicrously good value for money – but let's hope that one day soon - someone somewhere does his EMI/Liberty catalogue a Remaster and Anthology favour. Frankie Miller, Ian Hunter, Robin Trower, Ten Years After and so many others have all received that accolade.

Gerry Rafferty was lost to us in early 2011 to the ravages of booze and it's about time that his memory and especially his musical legacy be given the loving attention its always deserved…