"…No More Loneliness…No More Emptiness..."
Two fantastic albums from the Michael McDonald years with The Doobie
Brothers – beautifully musical and beautifully produced – 1977's overlooked
"Livin' On A Fault Line" and the award-winning goliath that was
1978's "Minute By Minute". Both albums are chockfull of musical
goodies and Soul-Rock moments. Here are the 'Echoes Of Love'...
UK released Monday 26 September 2011 (4 Oct 2011 in the USA) –
"Livin' On A Fault Line/Minute By Minute" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS on
Edsel EDSD 2107 (Barcode 740155210731) offers two albums onto 2CDs (with two
Bonus Tracks) and breaks down as follows...
Disc 1 (35:12 minutes):
1. You're Made That Way
2. Echoes Of Love
3. Little Darlin' (I Need You)
4. You Belong To Me
5. Livin' On The Fault Line
6. Nothing But A Heartache [Side 2]
7. Chinatown
8. There's A Light
9. Need A Lady
10. Larry The Logger Two-Step
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 7th studio album "Livin' On The Fault
Line" (and 2nd with Michael McDonald in the line-up). It was released
September 1977 on Warner Brothers K 56383 in the UK - Warner Brothers BS 3045
in the USA
Disc 2 (45:52 minutes):
1. Here To Love You
2. What A Fool Believes
3. Minute By Minute
4. Dependin' On You
5. Don't Stop To Watch The Wheels
6. Open Your Eyes [Side 2]
7. Sweet Feelin'
8. Steamer Lane Breakdown
9. You Never Change
10. How Do The Fools Survive?
Tracks 1 to 10 are their 8th studio album "Minute By Minute" –
a Number 1 record in the USA and a Grammy Winner in several categories. It was
released December 1978 on Warner Brothers K 56486 in the UK - Warner Brothers
BS 3193 in the USA
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Here To Love You (Single Remix)
12. What A Fool Believes (12" Remix)
The booklet is a great deal more substantial than what’s gone before –
24-pages of original album artwork (including inner sleeves), UK and European
labels pictured, the lyrics, musician credits and an informative 6-page history
by ALAN ROBINSON on both albums and their impact. It’s superbly done. But the
really big news is the fabulous new SOUND...
I've had all 10 of the 2006 Japanese Remasters (in 5" card repro
sleeves) to have the music - but here the PHIL KINRADE remaster at ALCHEMY in
London is stunning and far better. The clarity is amazing. It helps of course
that the original production on each album by Ted Templeman was so razor sharp
in the first place (he's long been associated with the band and more famously
with Van Halen).
Music - when the Doobies made their tentative steps into change with
"Takin' It To The Streets" in 1976 – the old Tom Johnston riffage
crowd were appalled (some even riled against the new hybrid Soul/Rock sound
with derogatory tee-shirts telling the band where to get off). But by the time
the new line-up got to 1977 and their second album with Michael McDonald as
lead vocalist (Johnston was gone by then) – the transition was complete and a
different chapter truly begun.
While its Number 1 follow-up "Minute By Minute" always gets
the lion's share of critical plaudits (and rightly so) - I've always felt that
"Livin' On The Fault Line" is a bit of a lost gem frankly – a
genuinely classy Rock album with a Soulful heart. It also began the great
complimentary template that made "Minute by Minute" such a satisfying
listen 'overall' – Michael McDonald melodies sitting sweetly alongside Patrick
Simmons and Tiran Porter songs with a bit of Keith Knudsen and Jeff Baxter
thrown in for good measure too.
Once again Produced by TED TEMPLEMAN and featuring string and horn
arrangements by David Paich of TOTO - "Livin' On The Fault Line” opens
with the gorgeous melody of "You're Made That Way" – a song
co-written by McDonald with their Drummer Keith Knudsen and one-time Steely Dan
guitarist Jeff Baxter. That's followed by the chipper synth-bopper "Echoes
Of Love" where band founder member and Lead Guitarist Tom Johnston takes
the main vocals – then matches perfectly with McDonald on the choruses. The
lovely "You Belong To Me" is one of 3 McDonald songs (this one
co-written with Carly Simon) – "Nothin' But A Heartache" and the
beautifully mellow "There's A Light" are the other two (Norton
Buffalo plays Harmonica on "There’s A Light"). There are
fantastically slick-rhythms coming at you in Side 2's "Chinatown" – a
Patrick Simmons song that has gorgeous musical breaks and moments. They even
have a successful go at Holland-Dozier-Holland's Marvin Gaye hit on
"Little Darlin' (I Love You)" – an association with 'Motown' McDonald
would turn into two cover-version albums in 2003 and 2004 called (not
surprisingly) "Motown" and "Motown Two". The jazzy Patrick
Simmons title track "Livin' On The Fault Line" features the Vibes of
Steely Dan sessionman Victor Feldman in a very "Aja" kind-of-way and
sounds incredible. The LP ends with an acoustic instrumental called "Larry
The Logger Two-Step" in crystal clear audio.
Then comes the "Rumours" of 1978 – "Minute By
Minute". Even now the opening Michael McDonald track "Here To Love
You" sends chills up my arms – fantastically musical. The Grammy-winning
"What A Fool Believes" (a co-write with Kenny Loggins) sounds huge
and "Dependin' On You" is a brilliant hybrid of the old sound meeting
the new. It's an album that still stands up and is an embarrassment of riches
really. The 7" remix of "Here To Love You" (tagged on a bonus
track) was originally on the "Long Train Runnin': 1970-2000" 4CD Box
Set by Rhino in 1999 - while the 12" Remix of "What A Fool
Believes" is a travesty best left alone.
There’s no sign in this reissue campaign of 1980s "One Step
Closer" (their last studio album before disbanding) or the 1983 live double
"Farewell Tour" which had the exclusive "Olana" on it –
maybe at a later date.
So there you have it. Doobie Brothers fans have waited decades to see
their band’s back catalogue on Warner Brothers be given the right reissue
treatment - and England's Edsel label (who have struck a licensing deal with
WEA) has done them proud.
To sum up - great music that transitions from Rock to Soulful-Rock,
superb remaster audio quality, really good presentation and a dirt-cheap price
into the bargain. The Doobie Brothers have always been an Ace Band and the
overall quality of their albums from the 70ts still stands up big time. I’d say
buy the whole damn lot frankly...
PS: there are 4 releases in this series to date (all with bonus tracks):
1. The Doobie Brothers (1971) / Toulouse Street (1972) on Edsel EDSD
2105
2. The Captain And Me (1973) / What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits
(1974) on Edsel EDSD 2015
3. Stampede (1975) / Takin' It To The Streets (1976) on Edsel EDSD 2016
4. Livin' On The Fault Line (1977) / Minute By Minute (1978) on Edsel
EDSD 2107
