"Do You Ever Think Of Me?" by FRED NEIL – Including His Third US Album "Fred Neil" from January 1967 and Fourth US Album "Sessions" from February 1967 both originally on Capitol Records in Stereo (August 2003 and October 2012 UK Rev-Ola CD Compilation – Remasters Licensed from EMI) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"... That's The Bag I'm In..."

Anyone wanting to explore the short but stunning career of Ohio's greatest known/unknown Folk Hero FRED NEIL will probably be alarmed at the sheer array of CD titles afforded him and their equally uninviting price tags.

Almost everything about Neil invites the word 'cult' which is usually followed by 'oh my God' and 'how did I live without this', then the inevitable mumbling of the moniker 'genius' followed by the world-weary admission of 'I missed a trick here man – what a putz'. But what do you buy and why? I’d like to suggest two (this nugget being one of them). To the other first...

The cavernous-voiced Fred Neil began his album career with two storming Americana/Folk Rock LPs on Elektra Records in 1964 and 1965. "Tear Down The Walls" was a duet set with pal and fellow guitarist and singer Vince Martin who in turn would have a solo LP on Capitol Records in June 1969 (see my review for “If The Jasmine Don’t Get You...The Bay Breeze Will” on Barcode 5013929443921 – a January 2006 Rev-Ola CD reissue). That tandem effort was followed by the fabtastic "Bleecker And MacDougal" - a huge one in Fred Neil's catalogue – his first solo album proper titled after the famous street in Greenwich Village where he busked and played gigs with Bob Dylan and Karen Dalton (there is a photo of all three at the microphone on the A-side of the foldout inlay – now there's an unplugged gig I wouldn't mind seeing!). It also contained his most famous song outside of "Dolphins" - the gorgeous "Everybody's Talkin'" made a worldwide smash by Harry Nilsson when it was used to play out that greyhound bus sequence in the Jon Voight/Dustin Hoffman movie "Midnight Cowboy". In fact such was the success of the film and the song, that Elektra repackaged "Bleecker And MacDougal" in January 1970 after a song on the LP called "Little Bit Of Rain" and reissued it on Elektra EKS-74073 in Stereo only (its different artwork and "Little Bit Of Rain" title is shown on the flipside of the foldout inlay).

Soon to become a legendary Producer at Elektra with Paul Butterfield and The Doors, PAUL ROTHCHILD twiddled the knobs on "Bleecker and MacDougal" whilst both albums benefitted from and featured The Lovin' Spoonful main-man John Sebastian on Harmonica and future Cream Producer and Mountain rocker Felix Pappalardi on varying guitars (Pappalardi produced "Disraeli Gears" for Cream). Rhino reissued and remastered both of these rare and desirable albums onto 1CD in October 2001 as part of their '2 Classic Elektra Albums' CD Reissue Series (cut and paste the following Barcode 081227356323 to locate the disc and read my gushing gussets review).

Which brings us here - to door number two - the second and final part of his musical career that played out on Capitol Records (USA). Neil signed to the EMI label and recorded the self-titled "Fred Neil" in late 1966 - issued January 1967 - and a barebones recorded live-to-two-track follow-up album called "Sessions" issued in February 1968. And that's where this jumping little beauty comes a-swirling in - containing as it does both of those Capitol records in their STEREO entirety. Here are the CD details...

UK and EUROPE released 5 August 2003 (reissued 15 October 2012) - "Do You Ever Think Of Me?" by FRED NEIL on Rev-Ola CR REV 47 (Barcode 5013929434721) is a 17-Track CD Compilation of Sixties Capitol Records Remasters that plays out as follows (80:12 minutes):

1. The Dolphins [Side 1]

2. I've Got A Secret (Didn't We Shake Sugaree)

3. That's The Bag I'm In

4. Ba-De-Da

5. Faretheewell (Fred's Tune)

6. Everybody's Talkin' [Side 2]

7. Everything Happens

8. Sweet Cocaine

9. Green Rocky Road

10. Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga

Tracks 1 to 10 are his third album "Fred Neil" - released January 1967 in the USA on Capitol Records T 2665 (Mono) and Capitol ST 2665 (Stereo) - the STEREO MIX is used for this CD. Produced by NICK VENET. On the success of the John Schlesinger Directed movie "Midnight Cowboy" (issued into theatres May 1969) and the use of the Fred Neil cover version song "Everybody's Talkin'" in its closing credits, Capitol reissued the "Fred Neil" album as "Everybody's Talkin' (Theme From Midnight Cowboy)" with the same ten tracks but in Stereo only on Capitol Records ST 294.

11. Felicity [Side 1]

12. Please Send Me Someone To Love

13. Merry-Go-Round

14. Look Over Yonder

15. Fools Are A Long Time Comin' [Side 2]

16. Looks Like Rain

17. Roll On Rosie

Tracks 11 to 17 are his fourth studio album "Sessions" - released January 1968 in the USA on Capitol Records T 2862 (Mono) and Capitol ST 2862 (Stereo) - the STEREO MIX is used for this CD. Produced by NICK VENET and recorded in October 1967 - musicians included Bruce Langhorn, Cyrus Faryar, Peter O. Child and Eric Glen Hord all on Acoustic Guitars with James E. Bond, Jr. on Bass (Fred Neil played Twelve-String Guitar and did all Vocals)

JOE FOSTER did the new 2003 liner notes on the six-leaf double-sided foldout inlay. It pictures the two Elektra Albums, the two on Capitol and his live set that finished out his three-album deal with Capitol Records - "Other Side Of This Life" (his only album issued in the UK, June 1971). The info comes hard and fast and like so much about this deep-voiced giant of US Folk is laced with fascinating tales of the man who was famous amongst contemporaries but unrecognised by most everyone else (until 1969 really). An enigma to the end, Neil famously quit music and fame in 1971 to spend the next thirty years of his life defending and championing the study of water life - especially Dolphins in the warm waters of his beloved Florida. Loads of admirers have covered his tunes, there are details from Nick Venet who produced both records and on it goes to his sad demise in July 2001 – thirty years on and no new music (Foster gives websites too worth visiting).

There is literally no Audio credit except that Rev-ola have licensed the tapes from EMI - but whatever way you dig this - the audio is gorgeous - truly lovely - especially on that very Tim Buckley-sounding "Sessions" album – loose and trippy like Buckley doing "Song To The Siren". Both records are full of original beguiling tunes and the second album - a wildly underrated platter in my book – despite the fact that many feel it was a slap-dash effort due to the way in which it was recorded (most are Take 1). To the songs...

The first thing that hits you when you play "Fred Neil" is the VOICE - a huge expressive deep-lunged thing not dissimilar to Tim Buckley at his deep-vocal-dancing best when he was over on Elektra and Straight Records between 1966 and 1970. All songs are FN originals and the gorgeous opener "Dolphins" sets the tone – swirling lead guitars courtesy of Peter 'Super Fingers' Childs and John Forsha while Cyrus Faryar and Bill Mundi bring up the rhythm section rear. Contemplating war and a world that seems destined to screw itself over no matter what, Neil tells us he's been searching for Dolphins in the sea, but then wonders when he thinks of a certain lady – do you ever think of me? Neil whistles the opening to "I've Got A Secret..." - lovely guitar solo too. Out comes the Harmonica for "Ba-De-Da" - tired of city life to the extent that he just mumbles the song's zippity doo-dah title. Far better is the shimmering beauty of "Faretheewell (Fred's Tune)" - a slow love song that feels like its actually trembling in front of you as he says goodbye in the drizzling rain - all around his heart - an aching pain.

Side 2 of "Fred Neil" opens with a song that he'd recorded in 1966 that would change his life - "Everybody's Talkin'". Even now its a stunner - I'm going where the sun keeps shining - where the weather suits my clothes - skipping over the ocean like a stone - gorgeous Remaster quality as the acoustic guitars ping and shake. Though I would have to be truthful in saying that when Nilsson speeded up its pace for his "Midnight Cowboy" versions and added his equally expressive vocal turns - it became something altogether bigger than both of them. It's probably one of my favourite songs evah! "Everything Happens" is good without ever being great - nice audio too. Truer to his reflective personality, the same thing is going to happen again, whistling the blues, cops called by some snake, just can't win on "That's The Bag I'm In". Almost jaunty country blues, "Cocaine" runs around his heart and brain - bittersweet but smart enough to know that its making his very soul sick. I love "Green Rocky Road" - that Fred Neil languid vibe - rolling acoustic guitars as Mary stumbles by the wall and Fred asks "...who do you love?" The album ends on 8:13 minutes of "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" - an acoustic instruments freak out that can be seen as genius or obvious filler (or both).

For me the second album "Sessions" from February 1968 is a winner too – albeit one that is completely forgotten now. The simple-acoustic opener "Felicity" is apparently Take 5 and at 2:12 minutes represents one of the album’s shorter cuts. Somewhere the sun will shine, the melody returning again as a Dobro comes sexily in when you least expect it. He follows that with the LP's only cover version – Percy Mayfield's old R&B hit "Please Send Me Someone To Love". A huge double-bass note gives the BIG voice its lead in – like Danny Thompson playing with John Martyn – if it’s not asking too much – love it and gorgeous audio as the boys play an acoustic blinder.

There follows a three-song-smash for me. "Merry-Go-Round" is 5:51 minutes of swirling acoustic guitars lazily floating out of your speakers - his shaking vocals beautifully controlled as the players pick out complimentary notes and fills (sometimes I often think of Steve Hackett's acoustic work with Genesis in the early Seventies). "Look Over Yonder" stretches to 8:32 minutes and is even quieter - a gorgeous vibe as he moans the opening words - its Van Morrison unplugged and inspired - the sun won't go down - whippoorwill wind - stunning stuff. "Fools Are A Long Time Comin'" weighs in at 5:15 minutes - idiots in the backyard - looking glass telling you lies as the guitars twang and ping. It rolls to a finish with two more Buckley-like work-outs - 7:16 minutes of "Looks Like Rain" and 8:26 minutes of "Roll On Rosie" - an acoustic romper that reminds me of the magic Bruce Langhorn created on Bob Dylan's "Main Title Theme (Billy)" to the 1973 "Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid" soundtrack - an instrumental many have used for weddings because of its evocative beauty as the bride walks towards her future (Langhorn plays lead acoustic guitar on this Fred Neil album). You can be my woman Rosie, because I'm gonna be your man. Amen...

For sure this CD has been deleted a while now and is in itself pushing the thirty-quid mark regularly. But alongside that Rhino reissue of 2001 - "Do You Ever Think Of Me?" by FRED NEIL on Rev-Ola CR REV 47 of 2003 is so worth the punt. I know with all the legend that surrounds Fred Neil - some are disappointed when they hear the albums - but not me. I worship this stuff and him and that's most definitely the bag I'm in (baby)...

"Flamingo/Teenage Head" by FLAMIN' GROOVIES (2009 and 2015 Rev-Ola CD Reissue - 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD Plus Two Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Gonna Rock Tonite..."

The New York Dolls, MC5 and especially The Stooges are constantly name-checked as keeping the wild snotty pure spirit of Rock 'n' Roll alive in the early Seventies - a time when Hard Rock and Prog monsters dominated the chart landscape and bedsits of the world threatening to swamp all three-minutes blasts of proto-punk with hairy chests, tales of wizards and semi classical pomp. But spare a dime brother for San Francisco's all partying, all rocking, all greasy FLAMIN GROOVIES.

This fabulous Rev-Ola CD concentrates on their third and fourth albums on Kama Sutra Records from 1970 ("Flamenco") and 1971 ("Teenage Head") and even throws in a bonus track at the end of each album. Here are the Power Pop details...

UK released January 2009 (reissued October 2015) - "Flamingo/Teenage Head" by FLAMIN GROOVIES on Rev-Ola CR REV 273 (Barcode 5013929457324) offers 2LPs Remastered onto 1CD with Two Bonus Tracks and plays out as follows (76:52 minutes):

1. Comin' After Me
2. Headin' For The Texas Border
3. Sweet Roll Me On Down
4. Keep A Knockin'
5. Second Cousin'
6. Childhood's End [Side 2]
7. Jailbait
8. Gonna Rock Tonite
9. She's Falling Apart
10. Road House
Tracks 1 to 10 are their third studio album "Flamingo" - released June 1970 in the USA on Kama Sutra Records KSBS 2021 (no UK release).

BONUS TRACK:
11. Rumble (Studio Outtake first issued in 1976 - a Link Wray cover)

12. High Flyin' Baby
13. City Lights
14. Have You Seen My Baby?
15. Yesterday's Numbers
16. Teenage Head
17. 32-20
18. Evil Hearted Ada
19. Doctor Boogie
20. Whiskey Woman
Tracks 12 to 20 are their fourth studio album "Teenage Head" - released April 1971 in the USA on Kama Sutra Records KSBS 2031 (no UK release).

BONUS TRACK:
21. Shakin' All Over (Studio Outtake - a cover of the hit most associated with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates)

KRIS NEEDS provides the superb liner notes that explain how the band’s "Sneakers" debut LP in 1968 and its big-label follow up "Supersnazz" in 1969 on Epic Records had received plaudits but precious little chart action. The 12-page booklet has colour and black and white photos of the band (lead guitarist and vocalist Cyril Jordan in his trademark dark glasses and Link Wray look) as well as the usual reissue credits. JOE FOSTER and ANDY MORTEN produced the project for CD whilst NORMAN BLAKE did the Remaster and Sound recreation at Studio 3 in Glasgow. This CD sounds amazing – huge presence and all the muscle you would want without being over done. A fine job done...to the music...

"...Ten head hunters...with a buzz saw...and they was comin' after me..." - the boys tell us in the raw and raunchy guitar-pop of "Comin' After Me" - ten state troopers chasin' close behind with meat hooks. But the Proto-Punk edginess really starts to come screaming in on "Headin' For The Texas Border" where the band is headed to New Orleans to get their mojo back. I love the rapid guitars and the transfer gives it serious wallop. It's 1970 for gawd sake but it could be 1976 - so damn sharp. They then cleverly switch to Acoustic Rock 'n' Roll with "Sweet Roll Me On Down" as they Buddy Holly 'ah-ha' through the chorus. I'm reminded of the British band Fumble who also did Little Richard's brilliant "Keep A Knockin'" in the same all out rocking way - letting the inner joy of this Fifties anthem rip. Roy Loney stumps up another rocker in the excellent "Second Cousin" - the lyrics straying dangerously into Jerry Lee Lewis lawsuit territory.

Things finally settle into a Hank Williams saunter with "Childhood's End" - a very witty childhood song from Ron Loney where he sounds amazingly like Mick Jagger circa "Exile On Main St." doing his best Hillbilly impression. "Jailbait" is a cool and snarly blues chugger where he pleads 'baby what you tryin to do!' to a mean guitar barrage. The fantastic "Gonna Rock Tonight" is the kind of out-and-out Rock 'n' Roll homage that Dave Edmunds would have loved when his regal Zonophone 'Rockpile' album was in play over in Blighty - ooh-wee baby indeed (and dig that huge grungy Bass solo too). The weird but utterly wonderful "She's falling Apart" follows - a song that feels wildly out of synch with the rest of the album but actually a song I return to most. It then blasts into a frantic Punk-rocking finish with the trashy "Road House" - rapid guitars a go-go. You’re then clobbered with a fantastic loose cover of Link Wray’s guitar magnum opus – the album outtake of "Rumble". Jordan and the boys are clearly having riffage fun with the famous menace the song exudes – a very cool bonus indeed that even includes giggles at the end from a band that would have worshipped at Wray’s feet in the blink of an eye.

For album number two we go Dr. Feelgood with the fabulous slide guitar intro to "High Flyin' Baby" – a superb little Ron Loney and Cyril Jordan rocker. We then return to "Exile On Main St." with the boozy swagger of the acoustic barroom "City Lights" and it’s hard to understand why this wickedly cool Acoustic Blues was slagged off at the time (still sounds so damn good to me). The hard-rocking and deliberately grungy "Have You Seen My Baby?" was probably too much Rock 'n' Roll for delicate minds back in the day - but I love it and "Yesterday's Numbers" that follows it which could have been Brinsley Schwarz or Help Yourself or even Free - stunning acoustic Rock that stays with you. And on it goes to a fabulous echoed-vocal six-minute outtake of Johnny Kidd's rip-roaring "Shakin' All Over" - hissy - but so full of balls and life - a fitting end to the CD.

The Flamin Groovies grow in stature as the years pass and people go back. And who have thought that the most bubblegum of labels - Kama Sutra - would have produced such enduring Rock 'n' Roll and Proto Punk. Besides anyone who writes songs with titles like "Evil Hearted Ada", "Doctor Boogie" and "Whiskey Woman" gets my vote...

"Alone Together" by DAVE MASON of Traffic [featuring Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Delaney & Bonnie and Eric Clapton] (2008 Rev-Ola CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Only You Know And I Know..."

A founder member of Traffic (who'd worked with Kim Fowley and The Spencer Davis Group prior to that) – the man who penned their fabulous "Feelin’ Alright" hit was the first to jump ship due to that internal hairyman virus bands seem to suffer perennially from - 'musical differences'.

Ensconced in the USA with a huge cast of key players – Mason went at his first solo LP with the help of Traffic’s Drummer Jim Capaldi and cool contributions from the likes of Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Chris Etheridge, Jim Keltner, Rita Coolidge, Claudia Lennear and the Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett band (to name but a few) – producing a humdinger in the process. And that’s where this superb 2008 Rev-Ola CD Reissue and Remaster comes in...

UK released 28 May 2008 (June 2008 in the USA) - "Alone Together" by DAVE MASON on Rev-Ola CD REV 251 (Barcode 5013929455122) is a straightforward CD Remaster of his 8-Track 1970 debut solo LP and plays out as follows (34:54 minutes):

1. Only You Know And I Know

2. Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving

3. Waitin' On You

4. Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave

5. World In Changes [Side 2]

6. Sad And Deep As You

7. Just A Song

8. Look At You, Look At Me

Tracks 1 to 8 are his debut solo LP "Alone Together" – released July 1970 in the USA on Blue Thumb BTS 19 and October 1970 in the UK on Harvest SHTC 251. Produced by DAVE MASON and TOMMY LIPUMA (engineered by Bruce Botnik of The Doors fame) - the US issue famously came in two forms – a triple gatefold sleeve with black vinyl and some copies came with die-cut 'kangaroo-pac' triple gatefold sleeve with a splatter–coloured Vinyl LP inside (both had BTS 19 as their catalogue numbers).

But the big news here is the 'Sound Recreation' Remaster by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER done at Studio 3 in Glasgow. This CD sounds glorious - beautiful sound on every track...

Harvest Records took their sweet time in the UK - releasing "World In Changes" b/w "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving" in April 1970 on Harvest HAR 5017. But as the album proper didn’t show until October 1970 in the UK - months of waiting killed any momentum. In-between that they'd issued another 7" single in the shape of the superb "Only You Know And I Know" b/w "Sad And Deep As You" in August 1970 on Harvest HAR 5024 – but again it tanked. Considering how good the four songs were – and how radio catchy too – it's amazing now to think that DJs didn't pick up on either. Mason also contributed to the George Harrison colossus "All Things Must Pass" which saw his work on the 3LP Box Set released late November 1970 - this should have given Dave Mason more profile to the October 1970 UK release of the "Alone Together" LP - but naught happened. In fact when I now replay killers like "Only You Know And I Know" and "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" - it's hard to understand why Joe Public in Blighty didn't pay any attention to their native son. "Only You Know And I Know" in particular is one of those songs that gets covered to buggery precisely because its so damn catchy - Rita Coolidge did it on her 1971 A&M Records LP "Nice Feelin'" - Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett tapped it in October 1971 as a 45 in the UK on Atco 2091 151 - then again on their March 1972 LP on CBS Records "D & B Together" - and as recently as 2002 American R&B lover Joan Osbourne did a stunning Funk version of it for her "How Sweet It Is" covers CD album.

The "...best friend I have is me..." lyrics of "Waitin' On You" threaten to derail a great little rock song and Eric Clapton famously puts in what many feel is his best ever 'guitar solo' on the near eight-minute Side 2 finisher "Look At You, Look At Me". Mason's brilliant "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" was a featured track on the Harvest Records 4CD expansion of the 1970 2LP label sampler "Picnic: A Breath Of Fresh Air" in 2007 - and check out the superb cover of "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Loving" by Steve Ellis of The Love Affair (and Ellis) on Disc 3 of the June 2015 "Time Has Changed Us" 3CD retrospective on RPM Records (see separate review). The hurting "Sad And Deep As You" is a piano ballad that is so pretty while "Just A Song" could almost be America or even acoustic Supertramp. I’m finding all I need in this great little album...

Since the advent of CD the album "Alone Together" has become something a darling with audiophile reissue companies like Mobile Fidelity and regularly shown up on Japanese SHM-CD versions with that famous 'head and top-hat' die-cut artwork - each falling over themselves to get out a CD variant out there that will easily trounce the dreadful quality of the original splatter-vinyl LPs. Many are deleted now and cost a hefty chunk of change – but the Rev-Ola reissue and remaster offers superb audio for a reasonable sum and makes accessible a truly great album you will want in your CD player. I'll tip my top hat to that...

PS: Rev-ola have also reissued and remastered his 2nd LP with Mama Cass Elliot called "Dave Mason and Cass Elliot" in 2008 on Rev-ola CD REV 255 (Barcode 5013929455528) – use the Barcode on Amazon to locate my review of this equally good Audio delight.

"Dave Mason & Cass Elliot" by DAVE MASON & CASS ELLIOT (2008 Rev-Ola CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Walk To The Point Of No Return..."

Sometimes an album is misunderstood - and the harmony pairing of Traffic's Dave Mason (the Englishman) with one quarter of The Mama's And The Papa's vocal powerhouse Cass Elliot (the American Lady) is a case in point.

I had a British copy of the 1971 album on the pink Probe label in its cool stippled gatefold sleeve and used to play "Walk To The Point" - but not much else. In no time I got rid of it and haven’t played the whole thing for the guts of 40 years. But this 2008 CD by 'Rev-Ola' - resplendent with truly amazing Audio quality - has changed my duo tune. Here are the factoids first...

UK released June 2008 - "Dave Mason And Cass Elliot" by DAVE MASON and CASS ELLIOT on Rev-Ola CD REV 255 (Barcode 5013929455528) is a straightforward CD Remaster of their 1971 10-track LP and plays out as follows (34:10 minutes):

1. Walk To The Point

2. On And On

3. To Be Free

4. Here We Go Again

5. Pleasing You

6. Sit And Wonder [Side 2]

7. Something To Make You Happy

8. Too Much Truth, Too Much Love

9. Next To You

10. Glittering Facade

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 2nd solo LP "Dave Mason & Cass Elliot" - released February 1971 in the USA on Blue Thumb BTS-8825 and May 1971 in the UK on Probe Records SPBA 6259. Produced by DAVE MASON and CASS ELLIOT - it peaked at No. 49 on the USA LP charts (didn't chart in the UK).

The foldout inlay spreads into six squares on either side – one whole side taken up with the American ABC-Dunhill/Blue Thumb advert for the LP which also plugs the "Waitin' On You" 45 on Blue Thumb 7122 (with "Just A Song" from the 1970 "Alone Together" LP as its B-side). DUGLAS T STEWART provides the April 2006 liner notes that explain how their pairing arrived (Mama Cass had just put up new mum Leah Kunkel (her sister) in her California apartment when Mason and Elliot were introduced - playing songs together thereafter). But the big news here is the 'Sound Recreation' Remaster by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER done at Studio 3 in Glasgow. This CD sounds glorious - beautiful sound on every track...

Instead of leading off with the brilliant and touching "Walk To The Point" (a Dave Mason original) - Blue Thumb decided instead on the rather sappy Mama's & Papa's identikit pop of "Something To Make You Happy" as the album's first 7" single in late December 1970. There's a rare Promo-Only titled sleeve for the American 45 where Dave and Cass are announced as 'newly married' - shame Rev-Ola didn't use it in the inlay (the album cut "Next To You" was on the flip-side). Funky-Soulful songwriter Ned Doheny would make solo album inroads himself in 1976 with his own "Hard Candy" LP that contained the wicked "Get It Up For Love" track (see separate review) - here Doheny gets an early writer's credit for the very CSNY-sounding "On And On" - a quality song. Dave Mason throws in composition number two with "To Be Free" - a typically upbeat 'in love with love' summery song. Better is the Bryan Garo (Bassist on the sessions) and Cass Elliot penned "Here We Go Again" - an album highlight with great vocals and string arrangements that work rather than overload. Side 1 ends with "Pleasing You" where Paul Harris and that chunky organ sound of his (later with Stephen Stills' Manassas) add a lot to the song.

Side 2 opens with a lovely melody - "Sit And Wonder" - a searching for meaning song. One of the album's prettier melodies "Too Much Truth, Too Much Love" was chosen as a Blue Thumb 45 with the equally good "Walk To The Point" on the flipside - but the 'i want everyone to feel fine' melody didn't chart. The impressive axe work on "Next To You" tries hard to move your feet but doesn't quite convince. But the album does end on the excellent "Glittering Facade" - a sort of mid-tempo keyboard and acoustic guitar funk where Mason lets fly up and down the frets while once again Paul Harris adds hugely to proceedings with those keyboard fills.

Is this Dave Mason and Mama Cass Elliot duet album as good as the preceding "Alone Together" set with the mighty trio of "Only You And I Know" (covered by Rita Coolidge and Joan Osbourne), "Can't Stop Worrying, Can't Stop Living" (covered by Steve Ellis of The Love Affair) and "Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave" - the answer is unfortunately no.

It’s not a masterpiece for sure - but of Seventies Rock and CSYN/America type harmonies – then that good stuff is more than worth checking out (and the Audio will impress too).

PS: I have the Rev-Ola June 2008 CD Remaster of his solo debut LP from 1970 "Alone Together" and it sounds just as awesome too...

“Wonderful Deeds And Adventures” by SUSAN CARTER [featuring BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS] - 2008 Rev-ola CD Remaster - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Young Girl Blues…"

Susan Carter's first album was released in the USA in 1970 on Epic BN 26510 and is subtitled "A Collection Of Stirring Scenes and Moving Accidents". It featuring heavy involvement from members of BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS. 

This UK-released 25 August 2008 Remastered CD Reissue (September 2008 in the USA) on Rev-ola CR REV 260 (Barcode 5013929456020) is a straightforward transfer of that very rare and unfairly forgotten Californian curio.

Duglus T Stewart's informative and honest liner notes admit to the excessive hippy claptrap that infuses some of the album's Laurel Canyon vibe (it's very much of its time). But he also quite rightly raves about the collaborative brilliance that permeates through other tracks (it's jazzed up with Blood, Sweat & Tears presence) - and happily the goodies outweigh the naff stuff. There really is so much on here to enjoy.

Here's the breakdown (40:13 minutes):

1. Bluebird (Buffalo Springfield/Stephen Stills cover)

2. Young Girl Blues (Donovan cover)

3. Temptation ‘Bout To Get Me (The Knight Brothers cover, 1965)

4. Medley For Billie Holiday 

(a) Billy's Blues (Laura Nyro cover)

(b) Lady Sings The Blues (Billie Holiday cover)

(c) Lonely Women (Laura Nyro cover)

5. Brighten Your Night With My Day (James Taylor cover)

6. I Need A Good Man Bad (Les and Susan Carter original)

7. I'm So Tired (Beatles cover)

8. Old Country (Nat Adderley cover)

9. Illinois (Randy Newman cover)

10. Jam Session: Cruising With The Blues (Les & Susan Carter original)

Stylistically, Carter sounds like Laura Nyro meets Bonnie Dobson meets a hint of Joni Mitchell with LAURA NYRO winning out. If you then superimpose that vocal onto the second Blood, Sweat and Tears album, you get a pretty good idea of how this record sounds. RANDY BRECKER features on Trumpet, FRED LIPSIUS on Saxophone and DICK HALLIGAN on Trombone (all from BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS) with Halligan overseeing all of the arrangements, which are uniformly fabulous and elevate the album's better tracks into something special more than a few times. TERRY PLUMERI plays really tasteful upright bass on the album's straight-up jazz piece, Nat Adderley's "Old Country" with Randy Brecker blowing sweetly throughout - very nice indeed. And the sound quality is FANTASTIC throughout. 

As you can see from the list above, there are 8 cover versions and only two originals and their quality range from the sublimely soulful and jazzy "Medley For Billie Holiday" to the awful - the White Album's sinister "I'm So Tired" turned into a sub Bacharach smooze fest with wild guitar at the end just so that you know they're "with it man". It's almost funny how awful the guitar bit is that ends it! Her version of James Taylor's "Brighten Your Night With My Day" fares better - it's lovely - so Laura Nyro circa "Christmas & The Beads Of Sweat".  ELLIOTT RANDALL puts in superb guitar work on her excellent original "I Need A Good Man Bad" with Dick Halligan's brass arrangements delivering a killer punch too. (Two years later, Randall would supply the stunning guitar work on Steely Dan's "Reelin' In The Years"). The album closer is a kind of funky, jazz, rock workout and I love it - it sounds a little like C.C.S. circa 1970. 

Special mention must be made of the sound - the remaster quality is EXCEPTIONAL - beautiful work done by NORMAN BLAKE and JOE FOSTER at Studio 3 in Glasgow. The opening track has a 30 second acapella passage and Carter's voice is clear, warm, and has very little hiss surrounding it - and when the instrumentation does kick in, you feel all of it - great stuff. It's like a really good Blood, Sweat & Tears transfer - fans of the album will be thrilled and Revola have done the lady justice.

I've seen the vinyl version of this rare and long-forgotten Laurel Canyon period album maybe once in 30 years - so for those who love their Californian ladies and their 1970s records, this is very sweet re-issue indeed. 

A job well done Revola and highly recommended…

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is 1960s and 1970s VOLUME 2 - ROCK & POP, FOLK ROCK and PUNK, NEW WAVE and REGGAE - an E-Book with over 200 entries and 2000 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap).