"Yeh Yeh/Get Away/Hall Of Fame Plus Bonus Tracks" by GEORGIE FAME – Two US Albums from December 1964 and March 1966 on Imperial Records in Stereo and Mono, One British Compilation Album in Mono-only from March 1967 on EMI Records Plus Nine Bonus Single Sides (November 2022 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation – 3LPs Plus Nine Bonuses Remastered onto 2CDs) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Preach And Teach... "

 

Back in October 2015 most Georgie Fame fans here in the UK were licking their lips in glee at the new and gorgeous Universal/Polydor 5CD Box Set "The Whole World's Shaking: Complete Recordings 1963-1966".

 

That peach contained his second British album "Fame At Last" from October 1964 and third "Sweet Things" from March 1966 and so much more. However, those titles were track-list rejiggered (omissions and additions), artwork changed and issued as "Yeh Yeh" and "Get Away" in America in December 1964 and March 1966. And once Fame had left EMI for a new contract with Columbia/CBS Records – EMI UK issued a new March 1967 UK-only Mono-only compilation called "Hall Of Fame" – a title not covered by the 5CD Box Set.

 

And that is where this very cool Beat Goes On twofer CD compilation comes a yeah-yeah bopping in. It gathers together all three of those albums in the one place for the first time and throws in Nine Bonus Tracks – British LP tracks and seven-inch single sides from the period. This release also sees BGO of the UK reach the milestone of catalogue number 1,500 - so there are extra notes from Andy Gray of the reissue label on that too. A lot to talk of, so to the details...

 

UK released 17 November 2022 - "Yeh Yeh/Get Away/Hall Of Fame Plus Bonus Tracks" by GEORGIE FAME on Beat Goes On BGOCD1500 (Barcode 5017261215000) is a Compilation that Remasters 3LPs Plus Nine Bonus Tracks onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (73:09 minutes):

1. Let The Sunshine In [Side]

2. Yeh Yeh

3. Get On The Right Track, Baby

4. The Monkey Time

5. Preach And Teach

6. Gimme That Wine

7. I'm In The Mood For Love [Side 2]

8. Pride And Joy

9. I Love The Life I Live

10. Point Of No Return

11. Monkeying Around

12. Pink Champagne

Tracks 1 to 12 are his American Debut LP "Yeh Yeh" – released December 1964 in the USA on Imperial LP 12282 in Stereo (charted 5 January 1965 and rose to No. 137 after 3 weeks).

 

13. Get Away [Side 1]

14. Sweet Thing

15. Ride Your Pony

16. Funny How Time Slips Away

17. Sitting In The Park

18. See Saw

19. Music Talk [Side 2]

20. Last Night

21. It's Got The Whole World Shakin'

22. El Bandido

23. The World Is Round

24. The "In" Crowd

Tracks 13 to 24 are his second American album "Get Away" – released March 1966 in the USA on Imperial LP 9331 in Mono only (didn’t chart).

 

CD2 (47:03 minutes):

1. Sunny [Side 1]

2. Like We Used To Be

3. Outrage

4. In The Meantime

5. Something [Side 2]

6. Do Re Mi

7. Lil' Darlin'

Tracks 1 to 7 are part of the UK-only album "Hall Of Fame" – released March 1967 in the UK on Columbia SX 6120 in Mono only.

NOTE: In order to not duplicate titles on this 2CD compilation, seven tracks of its original 14 are not on CD2. If you want to sequence the original "Hall Of Fame" LP as was - use the following:

 

"Hall Of Fame" LP, March 1967, Columbia SX 6120 in Mono-only

Side 1:

1. Yeh Yeh (CD1, Track 2)

2. Sunny (CD2, Track 1)

3. Point if No Return (CD1, Track 10)

4. Like We Used To Be (CD2, Track 2)

5. Get On The Right Track, Baby (CD1, Track 3)

6. Outrage (CD2, Track 3)

7. Let The Sunshine In (CD1, Track 1)

Side 2:

1. Getaway (CD1, Track 13)

2. Sitting In The Park (CD1, Track 17)

3. In The Meantime (CD2, Track 4)

4. Something (CD2, Track 5)

5. Do Re Mi (CD2, Track 6)

6. Sweet Thing (CD1, Track 14)

7. Lil' Darlin' (CD2, Track 7)

 

BONUS TRACKS

8. Do The Dog (Live)

9. Shop Around (Live)

Tracks 8 and 9 are from the January 1964 UK debut album "Rhythm And Blues At The Flamingo", also January 1964 UK 45-single on Columbia DB 7193 A & B-sides. The album was recorded 'live' in September 1963 and Produced by Ian Samwell with Glyn Johns as the Engineer (Mono).

 

10. Green Onions

Track 10 is a non-album Mono B-side to "Do Re MI" – a UK 7" single released April 1964 on Columbia DB 7255

 

11. I'm In Love With You

12. Bend A Little

Tracks 11 and 12 are the Mono A and B-sides to a July 1964 Promo-Only UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7328

 

13. Telegram

Track 13 is the non-album Mono B-side of "In The Meantime", a February 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7494 – peaked at 22. "In The Meantime" the A-side is on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

14. It Ain’t Right

Track 14 is the non-album B-side of "Like We Used To Be", a July 1965 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 7633 (the A is Mono, the B is Stereo) – peaked at No. 33 on the charts. The A-side "Like We Used To Be" is on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

15. Don't Make Promises

Track 15 is the non-album Mono B-side of "Sunny", a September 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8015 (peaked at No. 13 on the charts). The A-side "Sunny" is also on the "Hall Of Fame" LP

 

16. Many Happy Returns

Track 16 is the Non-LP B-side of "Sitting In The Park", a December 1966 UK 7" single on Columbia DB 8096. The A-side is on the "Get Away" LP

 

The outer card slipcase looks and is classy, the 24-page book repros all the original artwork front and rear, pictures some foreign seven-inch sleeves to frame the Bonus Tracks and adds in new liner notes by noted writer and fan CHARLES WARING. Waring goes into depth giving a deep-dive print on those manic Modernism years between 1964 and 1966 particularly. Georgie Fame broke down doors for Mods and their adoration of all things American R & B and Soul – and so many of the covers here reflected Clive Powell’s obsession with the same. In fact, it seems off that given the British Invasion the "Get Away" album did not dent the top 200 of the American charts. It says Digitally Remastered from Original Tapes but not when or by whom, so we can presume that having licensed the material from Universal who handled the 2015 Box (it made a point of having found the best audio sources) – then these are the same. They certainly sound like it – clean – muscular and very punchy (mostly Mono).

 

Having said all of that, the first thing you could argue is that if you already own the October 2015 5CD Box Set "The Whole World's Shaking: Complete Recordings 1963-1966" – why would you buy this if 85% of it is already Remastered to perfection on that set (Tristam Powell – his son – and Andrew Walter did those RMs at Abbey Road)? The answer is the stragglers on the "Hall Of Fame" album. To the music...

 

It's easy to hear why the Flamingo-live "Do The Dog" and "Shopping Around" failed as a debut 45-single – it's joyful stuff for sure, but it’s just 'too' rough and cluttered. No such sweat with the brill R&B blasting out of your speakers with stuff like "Let The Sunshine In" and Motown's "The Monkey Time" – the girly vocals and brass jabs – all sparkling. The rhythm-section shuffle in "Pink Champagne" is fabulous – Fame's vocals fresh too. It's hard to do an instrumental diamond like "Green Onions" any kind of justice because its owned by Booker T & The M.G.'s – but Fame gives it a barnstorming arrangement that allows both the organ and Saxophone room to shine.

 

The original UK album closed on the Jazzy smooch of "I'm In The Mood For Love". Cool-city is the only way to describe the mod dancer B-side "Do-Re-Mi" (I can see why its so sought after by mod collectors) – unfortunately it's equally easy to hear why the sappy "I'm In Love With You" went only to demo-level only (the flip "Bend A Little" is far better). I'll admit that It's been decades since I last heard the Ska and Blue Beat EP – but what a blast the foursome are – and in great Audio too. But best of all for me is the monster "Yeh, Yeh" (his first No. 1) with its superb "Preach And Teach" flip (surely a shoe in for one the great double-siders).

 

The funky-as-a-gnat's-knackers "See Saw" packs huge punch while "Sitting In The Park" is as echo-lovely as the Billy Stewart 1965 Chess original. The drums on the 'so' 60ts "Music Talk" is a mod's wet dream as is his organ-drenched instrumental cover of the Ramsey Lewis nugget "The "In" Crowd". Both "The World Is Round" and the box set's namesake "The Whole World's Shaking" are fabulous Sixties R&B Jivers (I can just see the girls on the dancefloor blowing the sharp-dressed boys minds with their shimmy-shimmy-shake moves). The "Hall Of Fame" set gave a first-time-on-LP place to the rare B-side "In The Meantime" while another best Audio B-side goes to "It Ain't Right" – his own composition – worth the entry price alone.

 

OK – you could argue that there is a lot of duplication for fans on here – but even they will want the stragglers – and for newcomers - stonkingly great Audio for Georgie Boy Fame is his Mod-glorious prime (I say yeah yeah)...

"Where Were You When I Needed You/Let's Live For Today/Feelings/Lovin' Things" by THE GRASS ROOTS – Four US Studio Albums from 1966 (Debut), 1967, 1968 and 1969 all on Dunhill Records featuring Producer and Songwriters Lou Adler, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri with Band Members Creed Bratton, Rock Coonce, Rob Grill and Warren Entner (April 2022 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilations – 4LPs onto 2CDs with Andrew Thompson Remasters)- A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

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"…Melody For You…"

 

Musically somewhere between The Association, The Monkees, The Fabs and even the more melodic moments of Moby Grape (with the long-shadow of The Byrds lingering in the background) – THE GRASS ROOTS charted big – but not that you would know in 2022 or 2023. This most American of Jangle Rock bands seem all but forgotten now let alone respected like some of the hallowed names just mentioned. Yet between 1967 and 1972, TGR charted seven albums on Billboard's Rock LP charts and an impressive fourteen 45-singles starting in 1966 (also ending in 1972). 

 

Brainchild of Producer and Arranger LOU ADLER and featuring extensive songwriting contributions from two 60ts icons - P.F. SLOAN and STEVE BARRI – the last decent CD compilation for The Grass Roots covered their singles. Check out my review for the March 2014 CD "The Complete Original Dunhill/ABC Hit Singles" on Real Gone Music RGM-0227 (B0020162-02) - Barcode 848064002277. A superb sounding compilation with Aaron Kannowski remasters - all 24 of its tracks are USA seven-inch single MONO Mixes (66:27 minutes) and it's a cracker.

 

And that's where this timely 2CD compilation from England's Beat Goes On (BGO) comes a Byrds-jangling in - offering us their first four Studio Albums by THE GRASS ROOTS expertly remastered in Stereo onto 2CDs for maximum value. Time to get rooted (oh dear)...

 

UK released 8 April 2022 - "Where Were You When I Needed You/Let's Live For Today/Feelings/Lovin' Things" by THE GRASS ROOTS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1478 (Barcode 5017261214782) offers Four Stereo Studio Albums originally on Dunhill Records (USA) remastered onto 2CDs and it plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (66:43 minutes):

1. Only When You're Lonely [Side 1]

2. Look Out Girl 

3. Ain't That Lovin' You Baby

4. I've Got No More To Say 

5. I Am A Rock 

6. Lollipop Train (You've Never Had It So Good)

7. Where Were You When I Needed You [Side 2]

8. You Don't Have To Be So Nice

9. Tell Me 

10. You Baby

11. That Is What I Was Made For 

12. Mrs. Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man)

Tracks 1 to 12 are their debut album "Where Were You When I Needed You" - released August 1966 in the USA on Dunhill Records D-50011 (Mono) and Dunhill DS-50011 (Stereo) - no UK issue. The STEREO Mix is used for this CD.

 

13. Things I Should Have Said [Side 1] 

14. Wake Up, Wake Up 

15. Tip Of My Tongue

16. Is It Any Wonder

17. Let's Live For Today

18. Beatin' Round The Bush

19. Out Of Touch [Side 2]

20. Won't You See Me

21. Where Were You When I Needed You 

22. No Exit

23. The Precious Time

24. House Of Stone

Tracks 13 to 24 are their second studio album "Let's Live For Today" - released July 1967 in the USA on Dunhill Records D 50022 (Mono) and Dunhill DS 50022 (Stereo) - no UK issue. The STEREO Mix is used for this CD.

 

CD2 (65:23 minutes): 

1. Feelings [Side 1]

2. Here's Where You Belong 

3. The Sins Of The Family Fall On The Daughter 

4. Melody For You 

5. Who Will You Be Tomorrow

6. You Might As Well Go My Way 

7. All Good Things Come To An End [Side 2]

8. Hot Bright Lights 

9. Hey Friend 

10. You And Love Are The Same

11. Dinner For Eight

12. Feelings (Reprise)

Tracks 1 to 12 are their third studio album "Feelings" - released February 1968 in the USA on Dunhill Records D 50027 (Mono) and Dunhill DS 50027 (Stereo) - no UK issues. The STEREO Mix is used for this CD.  

 

13. Lovin' Things [Side 1]

14. The River Is Wide

15. (You Gotta) Live For Love

16. City Women

17. What Love Is Made For

18. Pain

19. I Get So Excited [Side 2]

20. The Days Of Pearly Spencer

21. Baby, You Do It So Well

22. I Can't Help But Wonder, Elizabeth

23. Fly Me To Havana

Tracks 13 to 23 are their fourth studio album "Lovin' Things" - released March 1969 in the USA on ABC/Dunhill Records DS 50052 (Stereo only) and March 1969 in the UK on EMI/Stateside SJSL 5064 (Stereo only). 

 

THE GRASS ROOTS were:

CREED BRATTON - Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar

WARREN ENTNER - Lead Vocals and Rhythm Guitar

ROB GRILL - Lead Vocals and Bass

RICK COONCE - Drums and Percussion

Other Musicians included:

P.F. Sloan (Guitars and Bass), Larry Knechtel and Jimmie Haskell (Keyboards), Joe Osborn and Bobby Ray (Guitars), Hal Blaine (Drums), 'Bones' Howe (Percussion), 

 

The outer card slipcase and 24-page booklet lends this twofer CD set a feel of class. And once again BGO's long-time liner notes associate CHARLES WARING pours on the factoids and generally favourable opinions. Along with all the artwork (front and rear) filling out the first cluster of pages - Waring references sources that include P.F. Sloane's autobiography - it's a typically informative and affectionate read for a band that deserves the spotlight. The AUDIO is very clean even if the deliberate channel separation (the way it was recorded) begins to sound jarring. The imaging is great and when these so-60ts recordings kick in, the pack an ANDREW THOMPSON remastered wallop. Another point noting is that the "Golden Grass" greatest hits set issued in September 1968 contained two new tunes that were both issued as successful 45s in the USA - "Midnight Confessions" and "Bella Linda" and despite room on either CD – they are both AWOL. To the chunes we do have...

 

The debut album is a typical catchall mishmash of contemporary cover versions alongside Sloan and Barri originals. TGR tackled the gentle harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel's "I Am A Rock" (rather well too), The Turtles on "You Baby" and Barry McGuire's "Lollipop Train (You Never Had It So Good)" - while The Stones' "Tell Me", The Lovin' Spoonful's "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice" and Jimmy Reed's R&B classic "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" provided the semi-boppers.

 

Opening the band's vinyl account in America - Dunhill Records not surprisingly picked the man of the 1965 moment as their 45-single debut. The Grass Roots' lovely version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Jones (Ballad Of A Thin Man)" had Dunhill D-4013 put "You're A lonely Girl" on the flipside - a Non-LP track that's outside the purview of this compilation unfortunately. Fans would have to wait until April 1966 for the next platter - a pairing on Dunhill D-4029 of the Sloan/Barri classic "Where Were You When I Needed You" with another Non-LP B-side "(These Are) Bad Times". It did the trick - the A-side punching into Billboard's US singles charts in mid July 1966 and rising to a healthy No. 28 position. Their debut album would proffer one more single in August 1966 (just as the album was released) - the Sloan/Barri two-song combo of "Only When You're Lonely" with "That's What I Was Made Of" on the flipside of Dunhill D-4043 - but chart success would elude them until the release of their much loved second LP - "Let's Live For Today".

 

A cover of an Italian ditty called 'Piangi Con Me' which translates into 'Cry With Me' - The Grass Roots started their chart success proper with their version of that song re-titled "Let's Live For Today". Released April 1967, when that piano, bass and strummed acoustic guitar hits your speakers - you can so hear why its Monkees-meets-The Beatles girly-angst hit the charts with a wallop. Cleverly constructed as the vocals pan across your speakers - hippy-hippy shake moments swoop and swirl and this winner made it up No. 8 on the US singles chart (Dunhill D-4084). The "I'm glad we're different…" and "don't worry about tomorrow…" lyrics of "Let's Live For Today" meant something to Vietnam grunts too.

 

Their signature sound of Clavinet and layered vocals fills every bit of the so-60ts "Beatin' Round The Bush" (it even has a half decent guitar solo). But my fave is the whack and 'down your street' pleader "Out Of Touch" - a Sloan and Barri stab at The Kinks that succeeds. Other acoustic goodies include the layered harmonies of "No Exit" (the walls closing in) and the 'keeping me down' Beach Boys sweetness in "This Precious Time". The album ends in the sound to come - the slightly bad-boy Psych-influenced guitar trash of "House Of Stone" - a fantastic shin-kicker penned by Lead Guitarist Creed Bratton. 

 

Despite the commercial feel to its two opening clavinet and strings cuts, the "Feelings" album (their third) saw changes – a pronounced move away from the Pop of Sloan and Barri to sexier genres and the whole band playing on the album. S & B had only two songs on the album – "Here's Where You Belong" and "Melody For You". After the overtly saccharine nature of the openers, suddenly there is a Kinks hard-hitting guitar edge to "The Sins Of A Family Fall On The Daughter" – a socially smart Ben Sidan song about a girl of 30 who has been around a little too much for her own good. They really come into their own with the brilliant "Who Will You Be Tomorrow" – a Grill and Entner composition that has a slinky vibe with fabulous fuzzed-up guitar. The very pretty "Melody For You" came resplendent with lyrics like "...if I were a poet…my words would be revealing…" This period sweetheart of a tune was issued as a 45-single on Dunhill D-4122 in February 1968 (the Rob Grill and Warren Entner composition "Hey Friend" was its B-side) - but failed to get traction. There is a Dylan meets Buddy Holly jangle to "You Might As Well Go My Way" - while the band channels their inner Neil Diamond Tin Pan Alley cool with the super piano-catchy "All Good Things Come To An End" (great audio on this). The Grass Roots become almost funky THEM with the excellent flick-and-chug of "Hot Bright Lights" – a tune that actually uses the word groovy.

 

Unfortunately the band may have progressed song-wise, but the "Feelings" album di not do much business and there is a marked back-to-what-worked feel to their fourth platter. Title track "Lovin' Things" had been a UK hit for Marmalade (featuring Junior Campbell) in 1968 – the Grass Roots taking its infectious beat to the charts in March 1969. "The River Is Wide" was originally recorded by The Forum on Mira Records 232 in 1967 - here TGR begin their take with cracks of thunders but then do melodrama via Phil Spector and it is admittedly very dated. Harmonica on "(You Gotta) Live For Love" and the death-of-me "City Women" help both tunes, but the strings make it feel like they are trying to hard to please. Back to clavinet can’t-go-on whinging with "What Love Is Made Of" – an awful cloying ballad best forgotten. They even have a go at David McWilliams 'watching me too' tale in "The Days Of Pearly Spencer" though the separation of channels is harsher than it should be. Not as good an album as its undiscovered predecessor.

 

For sure, by the time you get to album number four, you can already hear the winning formula that served them on albums one and two and that taste of genuine progress on their adventurous third – already worn out. But there is much to enjoy on here and warm to see their legacy get such tasty presentation from BGO (yet another quality compilation from them).

 

A uniquely American phenomenon – The Grass Roots deserve this very cool Beat Goes On 4LPs-onto-2CDs offering. Why I can almost forgive those beads and that hairy chest man...

"The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS - Five Studio Albums from February 1968, November 1968, March 1969, March 1970 and October 1971 on Warner Brothers – guests featuring James Burton, Jennifer Warren, John Hartford, Sons Of The Pioneers, Rick Cunha, Hal Blaine, Milt Holland, Larry Knechtel, Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham, Steve La Fever and more (June 2022 UK Beat Goes On Compilation – 5LPs onto 2CDs – Remastered by Andrew Thompson) - A Review by Mark Barry....

 

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"...Classical Gas..."

 

First up, I've picked up this 2CD set in October 2022, and despite claims of issues by other purchasers with the mastering on Track 1 of Disc 1, I don't detect any such thing on my copy - no gaps - so these new variants must be replacements. The audio on this 2CD set is clean, full and really good. I just wish the content across five whole albums were worth it.

 

I'm old enough (64) to remember these US and UK platters in secondhand stores back in the day as always being dirt cheap for a reason - few wanted them. But what I will say in 2022 is that this twofer from England's Beat Goes On (BGO) sounds beautiful in places and presents these five studio albums (all originally on Warner Brothers between 1968 and 1971) in their very best light to date. Let's get to the details for the moment...

 

UK released Friday, 24 June 2022 - "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record/The Mason Williams Ear Show/Music by Mason Williams/Hand Made/Sharepickers" by MASON WILLIAMS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1481 (Barcode 5017261214812) offers 5 Studio LPs from 1968 to 1971 Remastered onto 2CDs and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (80:16 minutes):

1. Overture [Side 1]

2. All The Time

3. Dylan Thomas

4. Wanderlove

5. She's Gone Away

6. Here I Am

7. Classical Gas * [Side 2]

8. Long Time Blues

9. Baroque-A-Nova

10. The Prince's Panties

11. Life Song

12. Sunflower

Tracks 1 to 12 are his (music) debut album "The Mason Williams Phonograph Record" - released February 1968 (charted Top 2000 in May 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1729 in Stereo (also WS 1729 in the UK). Produced by MIKE POST - it peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Rock LP charts (didn't chart UK).

* = The original version of the hit single "Classical Gas" - he re-recorded it for the "Hand Made" albums of 1970 - different take

 

13. Road Song [Side 1]

14. Baroque-A-Nova

15. Whistle (Hear)

16. The Last Great Waltz

17. One Minute Commercial

18. $13 Stella [Side 2]

19. Love Are Wine

20. Cinderella-Rockefella

21. Generatah-Oscillatah

22. Saturday Night At The World

Tracks 13 to 22 are his second studio album "The Mason Williams Ear Show" - released November 1968 (charted December 1968) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1766 (W 1766 Mono and WS 1766 Stereo in the UK). Produced by DICK GLASSER - it peaked at No. 164 in the USA (didn't chart UK). $13 Stella refers to the brand name of his old guitar bought for that amount and featured on the cover artwork.

 

23. Greensleeves [Side 1]

24. Bucko's Memoirs

25. La Chanson De Claudine

26. Come To Me

27. Cowboy Buckaroo

28. The Brother's Theme [Side 2]

29. J. Edgar Swoop

Tracks 23 to 29 see Notes on CD2

 

CD2 (78:23 minutes):

1. Sunflower

2. A Major Thang

3. A Gift Of Song

Tracks 23 to 29 on CD1 and Tracks 1 to 3 on CD2 are his third studio album "Music By Mason Williams" - released March 1969 (charted May 1969) in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1788 in Stereo (no UK issue). Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it peaked at No. 44 on the US Billboard LP charts

 

4. Jose's Piece [Side 1]

5. Find A Reason To Believe

6. Saturday Night At The World (Re-Record)

7. I've Heard That Tear Stained Monologue You Do There By The Door Before You Go

8. All The Time

9. Classical Gas (Re-Record) [Side 2] *

10. The Tomato Vendetta

11. Manha De Carnival

12. It's Over

13. The Exciting Accident

Tracks 4 to 13 are his fourth studio album "Hand Made" - released March 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1838 in Stereo (UK the same). Produced by BOB and DICK GLASSER - It didn't chart in either country.

* The version of "Classical Gas" on this album is a re-record, not the hit single – see CD1 Track 7

 

14. Here I Am Again [Side 1]

15. Largo De Luxe

16. (I'm A) Yo-Yo Man

17. A Little Bit Of Time

18. Linda Crest Lament

19. Little Beggar Man/Hamilton County [Side 2]

20. Poor Little Robin

21. Godsend

22. Train Ride In G

23. Orange Blossom Special

Tracks 14 to 23 are his fifth studio album "Sharepickers" - released October 1971 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1941 and Warner Brothers K 46120 in the UK. Produced by MASON WILLIAMS - it didn't chart in either country.

 

The 28-page booklet (housed in an outer card slipcase) is substantial - repro'ing all the album artwork and musician credits and from Page 16 onward is bolstered up with typically in-depth liner notes from Mojo and Record Collector contributor CHARLES WARING. Our Charles does a valiant job in convincing us (and maybe even himself) that Mason Williams LPs are overlooked, but they were cheap back in the day for a reason - they mostly aren't any good. His moment of glory came with "Classical Gas" - an acoustic-lead instrumental that caught the public's imagination and he seemed to be playing catch up to it every day afterward.

 

The music across all of these LPs is a sort of unclassifiable mixture of acoustic ditties, easy listening, Sunshine Pop, Country-Pop interspersed with awkward humour that rarely amounts to a tune (he wrote comedy for The Smother Brothers). For sure there are moments - his tribute to Jose Feliciano in "Jose's Piece" is lovely - another instrumental dedicated to Claudine Longe in the shape of "La Chanson De Claudine" on the "Music..." LP - but they are few and far between. It all feels like someone desperate to be Jimmy Webb or Gordon Lightfoot without the capability of writing a song that moves you like they both could on even their worst day.

 

What is good news is gorgeous Audio courtesy of ANDREW THOMPSON. A lot of these tracks begin with and feature Spanish Acoustic Guitar throughout, and BGO's resident Audio Engineer has done a truly lovely job transferring the Warner Brothers tapes - none too much hiss (if any) and plenty of body when needed. Musician Guests included Guitarist James Burton, singer Jennifer Warren, Country Music legends Sons Of The Pioneers, songwriters Rick Cunha and John Hartford, Drummers Hal Blaine and Milt Holland, Bassist Larry Knechtel, Steve La Fever of the famous Wrecking Crew Rhythm Section, plus Alvin Casey, The Clinger Sisters, Bill Cunningham and many more. I just wish the music were better.

 

Fans will absolutely have to own it for the superb audio and classy presentation, but the curious should nab a listen first...

"The Pointer Sisters/That's A Plenty" by THE POINTER SISTERS – Debut and Second Studio Albums from May 1973 and February 1974 on Blue Thumb Records USA and Island Records UK (September 2021 UK Beat Goes On (BGO) Compilation – 2LPs Remastered Onto 2CDs – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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70ts Soul, R'n'B, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters  

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"...Yes We Can Can..."

 

A very clever 2CD reissue from one of England's premier reissue labels - Beat Goes On Records - or BGO as they also go by in 2021.

 

Both The Pointer Sisters debut and second studio platters issued May 1973 and February 1974 on Blue Thumb Records in the USA (Island Records in the UK) have been popular Jazz Scat albums for years (albeit hardly valuable). Funk and Soul fans too have noticed the odd pearl on each as well.

 

But the CD variants - the first reissued by MCA in 2001 and the second by Universal's mail-order branch Hip-O Select in 2006 - have been deleted remasters for decades now and pricey into the bargain. At last UK and US fans (and anyone else for that matter) gets access to them for a reasonable outlay and both thankfully boasting exceptional Remastered Audio care of BGO's resident Audio Engineer ANDREW THOMPSON who did the original tapes in 2021. Here are the 'yes we can' details...

 

UK released Friday, 3 September 2021 - "The Pointer Sisters/That's A Plenty" by THE POINTER SISTERS on Beat Goes On BGOCD1466 (Barcode 5017261214669) offers 2LPs Remastered in full onto 2CDs (no extras) and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (43:33 minutes):

1. Yes We Can Can (Full Album Version, 6:01 minutes) - Side 1

2. Cloudburst

3. Jada

4. River Boulevard

5. Old Songs

6. That's How I Feel - Side 2

7. Sugar

8. Pains And Tears

9. Naked Foot

10. Wang Dang Doodle

Tracks 1 to 10 are their debut album "The Pointer Sisters" - released May 1973 in the USA on Blue Thumb Records BTS 48 and Island ILPS 9243 in the UK. Produced by DAVID RUBINSON (& Friends) - it peaked at No. 13 on the US Rock LP charts and No. 3 on the R&B listings (didn't chart UK).

 

CD2 (46:31 minutes):

1. Bangin' On The Pipes/Steam Heat - Side 1

2. Salt Peanuts

3. Grinning in Your Face

4. Shaky Flat Blues

5. That's A Plenty/Surfeit, U.S.A.

6. Little Pony - Side 2

7. Fairytale 

8. Black Coffee

9. Love In Them There Hills

Tracks 1 to 9 are their second studio album "That's A Plenty" - released February 1974 in the USA on Blue Thumb Records BTS 6009 and Island ILPS 9276 in the UK. Produced by DAVID RUBINSON (& Friends) - it peaked at No. 88 on the Rock LP charts and No. 33 on R&B (didn't chart UK).

 

The outer card slipcase and the 20-page booklet give these Beat Goes On CD reissues a smack of class and the CHARLES WARING liner notes feature typically knowledgeable and sensible insights alongside all that original gatefold artwork. The Audio is gorgeous throughout, spectacular even, tracks like the shuffling double-bass cover version of the classic "Black Coffee" making your ears prick up as the room fills with glorious sound.

 

Firmly in Jazz Vocal Scat mode (with hints of 70ts Sisters Funk and Soul every now and then) – those expecting the Slow Hand period Pointer Sisters of the early 80ts need to look away right now. These album-plays are more than a tad dated with all that do-be-do vocal gymnastics on testing cuts like "Old Songs", "Pains And Tears" and "Salt Peanuts". The Pointers update that Andrew Sisters 'beep beep' shuffle with cuts like "Shaky Fat Blues" and Dixie ragtime with "That's A Plenty/Surfeit, U.S.A."

 

But my heart has always been with the full version of the Allen Toussaint masterclass in Funk "Yes We Can Can" in all its 6:01 minute glory is a wonder to behold and that sexy Soul-Funk cover of Willie Dixon’s Chess Classic "Wang Dang Doodle" is another forgotten 70ts kick-ass nugget (The Hoodoo Rhythm Devils wigging out on fuzz guitar, piano and 'all night long' Saxophone). The bluesy guitar-funk Playing For Change social-awareness of "Grinning In Your Face" on platter No. 2 is fantastic stuff (why not a 45?) – the piano-slink of the Gamble-Huff-Chambers finisher "Love in Them There Hills" is fab too – and Seventies Soul/Funk fans may wish the whole albums were full of such retro wonder, but sadly they are not.

 

So, stunning audio, top-class presentation as always from Beat Goes On and rarities that deserve a second go round. They would move on from these Jazz Scat beginnings to a more sexy commercial Disco Dancefloor sound later on and huge global success. But this is where it all started. Just don't expect a "Yes You Can Can" Funk-a-thon every few track...