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CADENCE / CASCADE
And Others Genres Thereabouts
Exceptional CD Remasters
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- Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters
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RATING: ****
SOUND: *****
PRESENTATION: *****
"...Mix Your Mind With The Moonbeams..."
In the liner notes of this excellent but ever so slightly flawed BGO twofer CD reissue from October 2023 – Keyboard Player, Lead Vocalist and founder member of Paladin Lou Stonebridge describes the sexy Prog-Rock meets Funk rhythms of the short lived Paladin as "...a cross between Santana and Osibisa". Well, I'd throw in War too. And frankly anyone else on Vertigo Spiral with Hippity-Hoppity ants in their Rock Lead pants.
Although often described as Prog Rock – much of the time the Paladin sound comes at you like a drum-based funky-rhythms five-piece virtuoso hybrid that squeezes in guitar passages and keyboard flourishes aplenty. Imagine Zeppelin's "Moby Dick" drum solo from their epic October 1969 "II" album attached to cool War-like grooves and lyrics by way of hip-shaker crossover acts like say Malo or Mother's Finest or even The Mahavishnu Orchestra - and you get the sonic picture. These guys could play to beat the band (the first album was laid down during power-cuts) – while the second LP is seen by some as a fusion-of-styles masterpiece with definite Progressive leanings. In fact for their 24 November 2023 Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs compilation "Incident At A Free Festival" for Ace Records (part of a long running themed series of compilations – see separate review) – those two manly purveyors of all things eclectic, forgotten and yet tasteful used the very War-sounding "Third World" by Paladin as a highlight on that CD/2LP comp.
But back to what we got - unfortunately, Beat Goes On of the UK (BGO) have left off one crucial song that appeared on the American variant of the debut album and would for me have given this fab reissue a straight five-stars (hence the four rating - see NOTES re the track line-up under the CD1 listing below). Still, there is so much to love here – to the moonbeams and charging horse dreams...in short, details...
UK released Friday, 13 October 2023 - "Paladin/Charge!" by PALADIN on Beat Goes On Records BGOCD1501 (Barcode 5017261215017) offers their two studio albums from 1971 and 1972 Remastered onto Two CDs with One Non-LP 45-Single Bonus Track on CD2. They plays out as follows:
CD1 "Paladin" (37:34 minutes):
1. Bad Times [Side 1 UK – see Notes]
2. Carry Me Home
3. Dance Of The Cobra
4. Third World [Side 2 – see Notes]
5. Fill Up Your Heart
6. Flying High
7. The Fakir
Tracks 1 to 7 are the British LP Version of their debut album "Paladin" – released May 1971 in the UK on Bronze Records ILPS 9150 and Epic E 31137 in the USA.
NOTES: The US LP had eight tracks and not seven – two of which were not on the UK debut. "Giving All My Love" at 2:29 minutes began Side 1 whilst the song "Anyway" at 4:18 minutes replaced "Third World" (3:51 minutes) as the opener on Side 2. The US Epic Records single sleeve LP also had photo artwork on both back and front (the five snaps used on the inner gatefold of the British LP) unlike the plain black sleeve gatefold of the UK version. The song "Giving All My Love" was also the B-side of "Anyway" - their first UK 45-single issued July 1971 on Bronze Records WIP 6108. While "Anyway" is on the "Charge!" album (CD2), unfortunately "Giving All My Love" has not been included on this reissue so you cannot sequence the American LP from this release.
CD2 "Charge!" (44:15 minutes):
1. Give Me Your Hand (7:49 minutes) [Side 1]
2. Well We Might (6:02 minutes)
3. Get One Together (2:36 minutes)
4. Anyway (4:17 minutes)
5. Good Lord (6:45 minutes) [Side 2]
6, Mix Your Mind With The Moonbeams (6:00 minutes)
7. Watching The World Pass By (9:33 minutes)
Tracks 1 to 7 are their second and final album "Charge!" – released April 1972 in the UK on Bronze Records ILPS 9190 (no US issue). Some early copies of the British LP had a sticker advising that the song "Anyway" (which had been on the US debut) is an addition to the second British LP at the end of Side 1. For instance even though the German LP on Island Records 86 097 IT has gatefold Roger Dean artwork like the British issue - the song "Anyway" is on the vinyl and Side 1 label as Track 4, but it is not mentioned on the track list of the inner gatefold – so a late addition it was.
BONUS TRACK:
8. Sweet Sweet Music
Tracks 8 was the Non-LP stand-alone A-side of a September 1972 UK 45-Single on Bronze Records BRO 3 with "Get One Together" from the "Charge!" LP as its B-side. "Sweet Sweet Music" was also issued in Germany, Spain and France as 45s in picture sleeves - all of which are repro’d on Page 10 of the booklet.
PALADIN was (for both albums):
LOU STONEBRIDGE – Lead Vocalist and Electric Piano
PETER SOLLEY – Second Vocalist, Hammond Organ, Piano and Violin
DEREK FOLEY – Lead Guitar and Vocals
PETE BECKETT – Bass and Vocals
KEITH WEBB – Drums and Percussion
The card slipcase and 20-page booklet are up to the usual classy Beat Goes On standards – artwork reproduced – new liner notes by MICHAEL HEATLEY that includes interviews with Lou Stonebridge and even Tom McGuinness – McGuinness Flint being the band that Stonebridge migrated too after Paladin imploded. Stonebridge for instance went on to session with many Rock luminaries like the David Byron of Uriah Heep solo LP "Take No Prisoners". Bassist Pete Beckett became a songwriter - went to the States and formed Player who had a huge Yacht Rock No.1 hit with "Baby Come Back" on RSO Records in 1977/1978. Peter Solley made his way into Procol Harum for a while via Blues rockers Snafu and so on. All of these details and more are explored in the booklet. The five photos of the boys that adorned the inner-gatefold of the UK debut and were used as the front cover artwork for the American LP is on Page 2 – pictures of Euro 45s etc.
The Audio is from ANDREW THOMPSON – new 2023 Remasters done at Sound Performance and these CDs rock! There is fantastic clarity and power on these albums especially when your speakers are rattling with Osibisa rhythm sections being topped off by impressive keyboard soloing via fusion flourishes close to say Colosseum. To the tunes...
From the opening Bass and Cowbell rhythm followed by very Graham Bon Organization organ – the Audio feels great – nice separation of instruments. The first of four Peter Solley compositions on the "Paladin" debut - "Bad Times" warns how easily the good life slips into something less free and far darker. Dig that great guitar break and the speeding up of the keyboards and rhythm section – so "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" by Santana – the "Abraxsas" album by them from September 1970 having taken the world by storm. From this great Funky-Rock opening, you can only imagine what a fabulous live act Paladin must have been. Lou Stonebridge and Pete Beckett provide "Carry Me Home" – a boozy piano-driven Blues shuffle where the boys beg someone (anyone) to take them away from the sorrow of today. Side 1 ends with a beast of varying colours – cool rhythms, warbling electric piano notes and Funky Osibisa guitar flicks introducing the very War-vibe of "Dance Of The Cobra" by drummer Keith Webb. Soon the chugging Funk is joined by treated Sly Stone guitar where Derek Foley is determined to show everyone he knows a thing or two about the dots on his fretboard. But being the Drummers song – come four minutes in comes the big kit solo by way of "Moby Dick".
Side 2 of the "Paladin" debut comes on like Gil Scott Heron with a Funky rhythm behind him as year dates are talked about and predicted – a rant called "Third World". There is even Punk daring and attitude in the highly politicized Pete Solley lyrics and talk of dodgy religious indoctrination being overthrown. By the time the singer gets to 1979 and his boys go "Whoa!" (as they did after year is mentioned) – a Funky Piano solo sexy-shimmies the song to its end lifting "Third World" up into genius Soul-Rock territory. Solley provides tune Number Four with the deeply Funky Rhythms of "Fill Up Your Heart" – a so-Santana groove that it hurts (great guitar work too as they let rip). Solley offers his fourth and final with "Flying High" – a mellow keyboard shimmering love song where some lady is weaving her magical spell around our hapless hero. The only cover on the album ends the LP – a take on a Lalo Schifrin instrumental called "The Fakir" where an Eastern Bizarre complete with baskets of snakes meets with London Prog Rock and Osibisa rhythms. And again, another seriously impressive performance that only grows and grows after repeated listens – much like the whole album. It's such a damn shame BGO didn't include both "Giving All My Love" and "Anyway" as Bonus Tracks so that fans could sequence the 8-track US version of the debut from CD1 (docked a star for that oversight).
Although their second album "Charge!" never received a release on Epic in the States – in Blighty and beyond – the second Paladin album holds a High Table placing. Some have called it a masterpiece of Prog Rock meets Fusion meets War meets Osibisa and so on. It was even given the accolade of a gatefold Roger Dean cover (actually one of my favourite futuristic paintings outside Yes and Badger and Budgie). So I might just agree with such lofty aspirations. The Bass line throughout the Peter Solley opener "Give Me Your Hand" anchors another groovy guitar/keyboard funky workout. Slide guitar via Snafu and some kind of Fumble Rock and Roll fills the rollicking "Well We Might" with a simple boogie-joy. It's a smart mood change that makes the music feel more multi-faceted (must have torn up the aisles in a live setting).
Drummer Keith Webb brings it back to Funky Prog with the Wah-Wah vs. Hammond "Get One Together" – and again one thinks of Santana having a yeah-yeah lets boogie on the rugs moment as the band cooks. Audio-wise "Get One Together" rocks, those keyboard solos tearing out of your speakers. Many copies of UK and German LPs did not have the Solley-penned "Anyway" listed on the sleeve (but it was on the LP and label) so some copies came with a sticker explaining that it was a late addition. You can hear when it comes to its melodious chorus why someone thought it might stand a chance as a single. Side 2 continues the Funk-a-thon with "Good Lord" written by Foley, Stonebridge and Beckett. A very cool guitar and rhythm-intro builds and builds until it just lets-rip into a full on race. Engines cool down again when the singing starts – but it remains a Funk-Rock-meets-Soul nugget on an LP that shows how the band had progressed so much between records (dig that subtle vibe-sounding keyboard solo - brilliant).
Peter Solley throws the wonderfully titled "Mix Your Mind With The Moonbeams" into the stew – a contemplative trippy keyboard soundscape that quickly goes Yes as fast as it can – the kind of 1972 tune that would make Rick Wakeman smile. Stonebridge brings the album to a close with "Watching The World Pass By" – its mellow sixties Harmonica opening sounding like Midnight Cowboy has snook in via the back door. But soon (at 1:25 minutes) it's Family Stone Funking and Uriah Heep Rocking and Greenslade Church-Organ Progging like a goodun and pleasing us aging hippies come. CD2 is tail-ended by their second and last stand-alone 45 - "Sweet Sweet Music" - an obvious Funk-Rock groover akin to say Blackfoot Sue or Jo Jo Gunne or even Grand Funk Railroad. "Sweet Sweet Music" is a damn good groove and surprising its radio-friendly commercialism didn't see it chart big for them.
A superb Beat Goes On reissue then for me with great 2023 audio, curvaceous presentation and the feeling of a genuine blast from the past come a knock-knock-knocking on your stereo door (shame about that missing song though).
The two Paladin albums go
for money and on the evidence presented here – it's easy to hear why. Invest
in this cracking 2CD Remaster from BGO and lose pounds as you dance the cobra, charge the Zimmer-frame and give it some moonbeams en route...(where's my Afro-wig when I need it)...
