"Keep An Eye On The Sky" by BIG STAR - A Box Set Containing A Selection of Tracks from their Three Seventies US Studio Albums "No. 1 Record" (April 1972), "Radio City" (January 1974) and "3rd" (March 1978) alongside 52 Previously Unissued Big Star Recordings, Solo Material by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, Songs from Previous Incarnations of the Band as Icewater and Rock City, Live Material from 1973 and the only known Video of the group as a Bonus Track on Enhanced CD4 (September 2009 US and UK Rhino 4CD 96-Song Box Set with Andrew Sandoval and Dan Hersch Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 <iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B002BFO8HS&asins=B002BFO8HS&linkId=6d3adfad513b108ace406bd6051b001e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

This Review Along With 310 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

TUMBLING DICE - 1972
- Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters 

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

Thousands and Thousands of E-Pages of Real Info

All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs Themselves

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

 

<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B07RVD6R4N&asins=B07RVD6R4N&linkId=6dcef77c68c6e85a720a31c58456e390&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

"...Unbelievable Odds..." 

You would have to call a 4CD 96-song blow-out given over to the plant-a-tune-in-a-film-darlings BIG STAR - a winner. With a whopping 52 Previously Unreleased and their only known video footage - "Keep An Eye..." was always a shoe-in for unsightly stroking of male goatees in scholarly abandon. It's not all genius in my books, especially that droning "3rd" album that dominates CD3, but there's more than enough goodies in-between the output cracks to warrant five-stars. 

 

Also, September 2009's "Keep An Eye On The Sky" has had its detractors because if you want to actually hear the 24 songs that make up their utterly brilliant first two albums - you get only four from "No. 1 Record" and nine from "Radio City" - all other cuts represented by Alternate Versions, Demos, Single Mixes or Live Material. That has irritated some, but Rhino have countered by saying that reissuing what is widely available in top notch George Horn Remasters elsewhere anyway was not part of the game. So they've gone for the unissued splurge instead. Luckily we get the whole of "3rd" (called "The Third Album" in the UK) - their rare and difficult third LP of original material recorded in 1975 but unreleased at the time only to see light of day in late 1978 on both sides of the pond (PVC Records USA, Aura Records UK). 

 

But make no mistake - this Rhino compilation is a labor of love - you can feel it in the presentation, the audio, trying to dissemble the notorious lack of documentation at Ardent Recording Studios, finding that footage on enhanced CD4. So let's deal with what we do have...details maestro please...

UK-released 15 September 2009 - "Keep An Eye On The Sky" by BIG STAR on Rhino 8122-79858-7 (Barcode 081227985875) is a 4CD Remastered Box Set with 98-Songs (52 Previously Unreleased Audio Tracks Plus One Video on Enhanced CD4) and a 102-Page Booklet. The original US Edition on Rhino R2 519760 (Barcode 081227985875) was also issued 15 Sep 2009. Both versions were subsequently reissued 24 Nov 2014 in the USA (Rhino RF2 519760) and 12 February 2015 in the UK (Rhino 8122-79562-0) with the same packaging and tracks. "Keep An Eye On The Sky" plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (79:32 minutes):

1. Psychedelic Stuff (Original Mix, 1968) - CHRIS BELL

2. All I See Is You - ICEWATER

3. Every Day As We Grow Closer (Original Mix) - ALEX CHILTON 

4. Try Again (Early Version) - ROCK CITY  

5. Feel 

6. The Ballad Of El Goodo 

7. In The Street (Alternate Mix) 

8. Thirteen (Alternate Mix)

9. Don't Lie To Me 

10. The India Song (Alternate Mix) 

11. When My Baby's Beside Me (Alternate Mix)

12. My Life Is Right (Alternate Mix) 

13. Give Me Another Chance (Alternate Mix)

14. Try Again 

15. Gone With The Light 

16. Watch The Sunrise (Single Version)

17. St 100/6 (Alternate Mix)

18. The Preacher (Excerpt) - ROCK CITY 

19. In The Street (Alternate Single Mix)

20. Feel (Alternate Mix) 

21. The Ballad of El Goodo (Alternate Lyrics)

22. The India Song (Alternate Version) 

23. Country Morn 

24. I Got Kinda Lost (Demo) 

25. Back Of A Car Demo (Demo) 

26. Motel Blues (Demo)

NOTES: 

All tracks by BIG STAR except where noted

Tracks 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22 and 26 PREVIOUSLY UNISSUED

Tracks 2, 3, 19, 24 and 25 first issued on the 2008 UK CD compilation "Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story" on Ace/Big Beat CDWIK2 273 (Barcode 029667427326)

Tracks 5, 6, 9 and 14 are from their debut album "No. 1 Record" released April 1972 on Ardent Records ADS-2803 in the USA (no UK release). 

CD2 (79:42 minutes):

1. There Was A Light (Demo) 

2. Life Is White (Demo) 

3. What's Going Ahn (Demo)

4. O My Soul 

5. Life Is White 

6. Way Out West 

7. What's Going Ahn

8. You Get What You Deserve

9. Mod Lang (Alternate Mix)

10. Back Of A Car (Alternate Mix) 

11. Daisy Glaze 

12. She's A Mover 

13. September Gurls 

14. Morpha Too (Alternate Mix) 

15. I'm In Love With A Girl 

16. O My Soul (Alternate Version)

17. She's A Mover (Alternate Version)

18. Daisy Glaze (Rehearsal Version)

19. I Am The Cosmos - CHRIS BELL 

20. You And Your Sister - CHRIS BELL 

21. Blue Moon (Demo)

22. Femme Fatale (Demo)

23. Thank you Friends (Demo) 

24. Nightime (Demo) 

25. Take Care (Demo) 

26. You Get What You Deserve (Demo)

NOTES: 

Tracks 4 to 8, 11 to 13 and 15 are from their second studio album "Radio City" released January 1974 in the USA on Ardent Records ADS-1501  

Tracks 19 and 20 are the A&B-sides of a 1978 US 45-single by Chris Bell on Car Records CRR6

CD3 (72:03 minutes):

1. Lovely Day (Demo) 

2. Downs (Demo)

3. Jesus Christ Demo)

4. Holocaust (Demo)

5. Big Black Car (Alternative Demo)

6. Manana 

7. Jesus Christ 

8. Femme Fatale

9. O, Dana 

10. Kizza Me 

11. You Can't Have Me

12. Nightime 

13. Dream Lover 

14. Big Black Car

15. Blue Moon 

16. Holocaust 

17. Stroke It Noel 

18. For You 

19. Downs 

20. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 

21. Kanga Roo 

22. Thank you Friends

23. Take Care 

24. Lovely Day 

25. Till The End Of The Day (Alternative Mix) 

26. Nature Boy (Alternative Mix)  

NOTES: 

Tracks 7 to 12, 14 to 18 and 21 to 23 are their third studio album "3rd" due for release 1975, but belated issued March 1978 in the USA on PVC Records PVC 7903 as a 14-Track LP and August 1978 in the UK as "The Third Album" on Aura Records AUL 703 in different artwork and with a different rearranged track listing (only 12-songs).

 

The US 14-Track LP "3rd" can be sequenced using the following tracks from CD3:

Side 1: Tracks 17, 18, 10, 11, 12, 15 and 23

Side 2: Tracks 7, 8, 9, 14, 16, 21 and 22

The UK 12-Track LP "The Third Album" can be sequenced using the following from CD3:

Side 1: Tracks 10, 11, 7, 19, 20 and 22

Side 2:  Tracks 9, 8, 17, 16, 12 and 21

CD4 (69:53 minutes): 

Live at Lafayette's Music Room, Memphis, Tennessee, January 1973

1. When My Baby's Beside Me 

2. My Life Is Right 

3. She's A Mover 

4. Way Out West 

5. The Ballad Of El Goodo 

6. In The Street 

7. Back Of A Car 

8. Thirteen

9. The India Song 

10. Try Again 

11. Watch The Sunrise 

12. Don't Lie To Me 

13. Hot Burrito No. 2

14. I Got Kinda Lost 

15. Baby Strange 

16. Slut 

17. There Was A Light 

18. St 100/06 

19. Come On Now 

20. O My Soul 

 

ENHANCED CD Content:

1. Thirteen (Alternate Mix Video)  

 

 

Roughly the size of an oversized seven-inch single, the card box is admittedly way too flimsy for its own good. Inside is a foldout card slipcase with colour photos of the boys in the band on each flap (CDs inside slots) - ALEX CHILTON, CHRIS BELL, JODY STEPHENS and ANDY HUMMEL. But the meat is in a gorgeous 102-page booklet that goes for it - the grocery chain across the street from the studios called BIG STAR (complete with star neon) that they took their name from graces the cover. Inside are five distinctive parts - A Message From John Frey their Producer at Ardent (Page 3) - Big Star: The More You Learn, The Less you Know by Robert Gordon (Page 7) - The Great Crusade Birthing The Cult Of Big Star by Bob Mehr (Page 42) - A Certain Magic: Track Notes by Alex Palao (Page 67) and Credits (Page 96).

There are fantastic photos of heroes like Chilton by his Big Black Car in Tennessee's Shelby Forest in the summer of 1973, a promo photo as threesome in 1974 by Front Street - by the Mississippi River with the BIG STAR neon logo hanging from a tree, loads in the studio, outtakes from the Radio City cover photoshoot, Chris Bell's solo 45-single "I Am The Cosmos" and of course track-by-track annotation (where possible). But truthfully, the audio is what takes your breath away too when you clap ears on this ANDREW SANDOVAL and DAN HERSCH Remasters. Over on Disc 2, it opens with three demos - mostly acoustic - and they sound amazing. Or shuffle up to "What's Going Ahn" (Track 7, CD2) and the glorious production whomps your speakers with audio most bands would quietly kill a close relative to attain. They even have photos from the live stuff on Disc 4 at the Lafayette Room in 1973. It's a typically exemplary compilation from reissue champs Rhino of the USA doing their forgotten sons and their musical legacy proud. To the tunes...

 

While I will never want to hear the 1968 Chris Bell solo cack that is "Psychedelic Stuff" ever again - it's an indication of how good this release is that even a slight 'alternative mix' to "Try Again" on CD1 by the band is greeted by my soppy noggin with tears and chills. A version first showed on the July 2003 American CD compilation for Rock City as "Rock City" on Lucky Seven Records - a rare disc too. You can hear Chris Bell's serious melodic chops deep inside Icewater's rather good "All I See Is You" too. Then the count-in to an Alternate of the stunning "Thirteen" - it's acoustic picking clean and clear and gorgeous to behold. You can unfortunately hear why the Alternate of "My Life Is Right" didn't work, but then again you get a winner in the beautifully done "Give Me Another Chance" - a different mix that rivals the officially released version. 

 

You're then reminded of the first time you laid tired lugs on the strum of No.1's "Try Again" - wow! The audio on this sucker is astonishing - John Fry's production values shining like an Abbey Road Remaster. Fans will enjoy the 'Single Version' of "Watch The Sunrise" (issued February 1973 in the USA on Ardent 2904) - what a tune and why wasn't it a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young type crossover hit? And I wasn't prepared for good the No. 1 closer "St 100/6" would sound as an 'Alternate'. Fans will also notice that the Single Mix proper for "In The Street" is a Bonus Track on the 2009 CD reissue for "No 1. Record" only and is represented here in 'Alternate Single Mix' form.

Three Demos open CD2 of which "Life Is White" is gorgeous, but its the audio bringing out their musicality that gets you time and time again - "Radio City" track "You Get What You Deserve" being a primo example of all these elements colliding in one glorious racket (dig that so subtle guitar solo and the crystal clear drums) - 10cc mates with Todd Rundgren and The Byrds and its offspring is playing in your living room. There's a great gruff guitar nastiness to the Stonesy Alternate Mix of "Mod Lang" and a huge almost overwhelming jangle to the Alternate of "Back Of A Car". Deep LP cuts like the so-pretty yet so-sad "Daisy Glaze" sound anew while who can deny the sheer Power Pop glory that is "September Gurls". And is there a more beautiful song - "I'm in Love With A Girl" flooring all the pretenders in its acoustic path - finest girl in the world indeed. 

 

I must admit that I never know what to do with "I Am The Cosmos" - it's swirling production and stoned faraway Chris Bell vocals - half of me thinks its a glorious mess while the other half wants the song to get its act together. No complaints about the acoustic guitars in the B-side "You And Your Sister" - stunning audio and more than a touch of that old Big Star magic shuffling around its 1978 Beach Boys soundscape. Fans with lose it for Tracks 21 to 26 that tail-end CD2. Both the Demos of "Blue Moon" and their cover of The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" are thrilling stuff and again with shocking audio clarity. Each is just acoustic ditty essentially (no dates are given) but with intimacy abundant - emotion raw - stuff like "Nightime" as lovely as you could want a Demo to be. 

After the abject and hurtful commercial failure of "No. 1 Record" in 1972 and its follow-up "Radio City" in 1974 - it was hardly surprising (though no less gauling) that the band found themselves with record number three and no one wanting to release it. Recorded n 1975, Page 89 of the booklet devotes a whole page to the Ardent Recording Studios letter from John S. King to Martin Cerf at the Phonograph Recording Magazine telling him that test pressings for their latest offering are enclosed (probably done February 1975 with white labels and Stax matrixes) which they would 'peddle' in the L.A. area the second week in march. But the wildly unimaginatively titled "3rd" (or "The Third Album" as it was known in the UK) would have to wait until 1978 to see the light of day. I mention all of this because CD3 is dominated by its darker disjointed presence. 

 

Opening CD3 on a lighter note is another gorgeous acoustic demo - "Lovely Day" which first surfaced on the "Thank You Friends: The Ardent Records Story" CD set from 2008. The demo of "Downs" introduces the electric guitar - choppy strums and harsh lyrics. Twelve-string opens an unrecognisble "Jesus Christ" (a lighter song than its title suggests) while piano and melancholy vocals fill the deeply sad "Holocaust" - Chilton's voice a mixture of child/adult hurt. The Previously Unissued Alternate Demo to "Big Black Car" features both acoustic and light electric guitar with doubled vocals. Tracks 6 to 25 are essentially the duo of Alex Chilton and Jody Stephen accompanied by additional musicians. The shimmering cover of the Velvet's debut album classic "Femme Fatale" is nice, but stuff like "O, Dana" and "Kizza Me" feel like they don't fit in anywhere and it's not surprising to me that no-one wanted to release this. 

"You Can't Have Me" is inflicted with awkward horns flitting in and out - "Nightime" softening the scene with acoustics and echoed slide guitar notes that 'dance' like the eyes of the girl he's admiring. "Dream Lover" comes off the 1985 PVC CD for "3rd/Sister Lovers" - a druggy heavy love song with deft string-arrangements that grows on you every time you hear it. The general aimlessness of the album is summed up in the drippy "Big Black Car" while the almost unfinished demo sound of the piano in "Stroke It Noel" feel like a man far too close to death. The second of the "3rd/Sister Lovers" takes comes in the Tom Waits-sounding "Downs" - a depressing fall from the musical grace of before. Love the distorted electric guitars of "Kanga Roo" that then combine with acoustic strums and floating mellotron notes - the song almost like a drunk let loose in the studio. "Thank You Friends" at least does a stab at a hit - its Pop feel undermined by openly antagonistic lyrical jabs. 

 

"3rd" comes to a close with "Take Care" - but again Chilton sounds like Kevin Ayers too stoned to concentrate. A decidedly mixed bag - CD3 ends on two differently paced cover versions - a raucous very Big Star-sounding stab at The Kinks' 60ts anthem "Till The End Of The Day" - an Alternate Mix that is Previously Unreleased - while the 50ts standard "Nature Boy" gets a piano and voice-only jab. I'll admit straight up that "3rd" has always been a blot on their copybook legend for me - an album that just doesn't work because it feels like falling apart disgracefully. Which brings us to the uplifting live set...

 

The live set (recorded 1973) opens up with a 'Thank You' and they're off into "When My Baby's Beside Me". Although Chris Bell isn't in the line-up, Rhino offers up two explanations for its inclusion. This is the only known live recording apparently out there that features the band that made the first two albums - the second reason being its intact audio quality (not audiophile, but not bootleg either). BIG STAR was a support act to Atlantic's Soul artists Archie Bell & The Drells - so the audience's palatable silent disinterest to a Rock band they don't know is present as they count in tunes without any audience fanfare. You can hear punters talking throughout "The Ballad Of El Goodo" as Chilton slowly grabs their attention with its lovely musicality. There are claps after "Back Of A Car" and even though there's incessant talking throughout the gorgeous "Thirteen" - you can feel the crowd beginning to notice the quality of the songs and the playing. The big twelve-string and tambourine of "Watch The Sunrise" are a little too far back in the mix - which is a shame because the audience noise overwhelms this precious artifact. And on it goes...

 

Why did they fail? I think the naff artwork didn't help, the name of the group you couldn't quite work out from the first LP's front cover, the piss-poor distribution and the dissolution of Stax adding to it all. A sound that was not the Prog, Funk or Heavy Rock of 1972 - diminishing songs and a third LP that didn't capture the magic of the first two? Whatever you look at it and despite my niggling feelings that I'll never play CD3 or 4 very much at all - "Keep An Eye On The Sky" does more than enough on its other fabulous parts to warrant our adoration.

 

What could have been - I say buy into what is - and marvel at music that still amazes 50-years after it was laid down by a combo of geniuses in front of and behind the glass booth... 

"Original Album Series" by THE METERS – Five Albums on Reprise and Warner Brothers Records USA and UK including "Cabbage Alley" (1972), "Rejuvenation" (1974), "Fire On The Bayou" (1975), "Trick Bag" (1976) and "New Directions" (1977) featuring Art Neville and the Songs/Productions of Allen Toussaint (January 2014 UK Rhino/Warners Music Group 5CD Capacity Wallet Mini Box Set of Remasters with Five Repro Artwork Card Sleeves) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 315 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

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

Just Click Below To Purchase for £5.95 (Jan 2022 Update)

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00MTCDTWS&asins=B00MTCDTWS&linkId=f95dca2244c8856012cccc3c6c25fff6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00GRHBDWY&asins=B00GRHBDWY&linkId=403b7028a183d0d00d71def2765ddaf5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

"…Funkify Your Life…"

This brilliant addition to the Warners Music Group Original Album Series strips the five 2001 Rhino CD remasters of The Meters Seventies LPs of their bonus tracks and presents them in simple album form - 5 x 5" singular card repro sleeves (no inners) inside an outer card slipcase. And what a New Orleans blast they are too. Here are the rejuvenating details y'all...

UK released January 2014 - "Original Album Series" by THE METERS on Rhino/Warner Music Group 8122796156 (Barcode 081227961565) is a 5CD Capacity Wallet Mini Box Set of Remasters with Five Repro Artwork Card Sleeves and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (40:27 minutes):

1. You've Got To Change (You've Got To Reform)

2. Stay Away

3. Birds

4. The Flower Song

5. Soul Island

6. Do The Dirt - [Side 2]

7. Smiling

8. Lonesome And Unwanted People

9. Getting' Funkier All The Time

10. Cabbage Alley

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Cabbage Alley" - released June 1972 in the USA on Reprise Records MS 2076 and in the UK on Reprise K 44242

Disc 2 (44:13 minutes):

1. People Say

2. Love Is For Me

3. Just Kissed My Baby

4. What'cha Say

5. Jungle Man

6. Hey Pocky A-way - [Side 2]

7. It Ain't No Use

8. Loving You Is On My Mind

9. Africa

Tracks 1 to 9 are the album "Rejuvenation" - released October 1974 in the USA on Reprise MS 2200 and October 1974 in the UK on Reprise K 54027

Disc 3 (45:59 minutes):

1. Out In The Country

2. Fire On The Bayou

3. Love Slip Upon Ya

4. Talkin' 'Bout New Orleans

5. They All Ask'd About You

6. Can You Do Without? - [Side 2]

7. Liar

8. You're A Friend Of Mine

9. Middle Of The Road

10. Running Fast

11. Mardi Gras Mambo

Tracks 1 to 11 are the album "Fire On The Bayou" - released August 1975 in the USA on Reprise MS 2228 and August 1975 in the UK on Reprise K 54044

Disc 4 (42:16 minutes):

1. Disco Is The Thing Today

2. Find Yourself

3. All These Things

4. I Want To Be Love By You

5. Suite For 20 G

6. (Doodle Loop) The World Is A Little Bit Under The Weather - [Side 2]

7. Trick Bag

8. Mister Moon

9. Chug-A-Lug

10. Hang 'Em High/Honky Tonk Woman

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Trick Bag" - released September 1976 in the USA on Reprise MS 2252 and September 1976 in the UK on Reprise K 54078

Disc 5 (41:10 minutes)

1. No More Okey Doke

2. I'm Gone

3. Be My Lady

4. My Name Up In Lights

5. Funkify Your Life - [Side 2]

6. Stop That Train

7. We Got The Kind Of A Love

8. Give It What You Can

Tracks 1 to 8 are the album "New Directions" - released June 1977 in the USA on Warner Brothers BS 3042 (No UK release)

There's no booklet as is usual with these card packs but the front and rear album artwork looks great. Also there's no mention of who mastered what but on comparing with my "Rejuvenation" CD of old - these are all the 2001 Rhino remasters done by GIOVANNI SCATOLA - and they boogie like a mother. There's fantastic presence and warmth to these discs that clobbers you time and time again as you go through the albums.

Fronted by Art Neville (brother of Aaron Neville) - The Meters already three albums under their belt on Josie Records before they signed to Reprise - "The Meters" and "Look Ka Py-Py" from May and December 1969 and "Struttin'" from June 1970 - so their New Orleans choppy-guitar bad backbeat Funk style was well established. 

The Reprise/Warner Brothers albums refined their simpler Josie Records funk and featuring the songwriting chops of mentor and friend ALLEN TOUSSAINT – 1972 to 1977 contained some of their best-loved songs like "Do The Dirt" and "Cabbage Alley" (1972), "Hey Pocky A-way" and "People Say" (1974), "Running Fast" (1975), "Disco Is The Thing Today" and "Trick Bag" (1976) and "Be My Lady" (1977). The non-album single "Chug Chug Chug-A-Lug (Parts 1 & 2)" is not here - they're bonus tracks on the Rhino 2001 CD of "Cabbage Alley" if you want them. 

Killer album cuts include the Little Feat Funk of "Stay Away", "Getting' Funkier All The Time" and their mellow cover of Neil Young's "Birds" (all on "Cabbage Alley") while "Rejuvenation" provides unexpected moments of melody warmth and mid-tempo Hall & Oates soulfulness amidst the butt-boogie - "Love Is For Me" and "It Ain't No Use" while "Jungle Man" has a fantastic nasty groove (might just be their best album).

One of the prizes on here is the stunning "Fire On The Bayou" album from 1975 - which is a wonderful combo of sophisticated Soul meets their unique brand of Orleans Funk. It opens on a nasty groover "Out In The Country" – followed by the guitar chug of "Fire On The Bayou" where they sound like the title – on 'fire' – the tightest rhythm section ever. They go a bit Funk-Rock with their cover of the Russ Ballard/Argent song "Liar" - while nasty returns with "Can You Do Without?" complete with "Meow! Vocals. Things get mellow with "You're A Friend Of Mine" – so Allen Toussaint – so sweet. A keyboard tinkle introduces the Little Feat/Atlanta Rhythm Section slink of "Middle Of The Road" – a fantastic 8-minute instrumental that has been a Jazz-Funk prize for decades. What a winner this track is and it features gorgeous audio too as Leon Nocentelli lets rip with those warm summer evening fret flourishes – sounding not unlike an ultra-inspired George Benson circa "Breezin'".

I've always loved the "Trick Bag" album because of their funkified covers of an obscure James Taylor instrumental from "One Man Dog" called "Suite For 20 G" and their New Orleans version of the Stones "Honky Tonk Women" while their cover of Earl King's "Trick Bag" is superb too. They get a great groove going on "Doodle Loop..." too.

The final album "New Directions" sees the Funk and Brass get louder and more Isley Brothers - opening with the fab funk of "No More Okey Doke". Their New Orleans roots come out in their cover of Allen Toussaint's "I'm Gone" and a nod is given to Reggae in their take of Peter Tosh's "Stop That Train" (sounding contemporary). But the tune for me is "Funkify Your Life" which is just fantastic - a guaranteed floor-filler and a sure fire way to lose a few pounds after those Festive indulgences. "New Directions" ends with another dancefloor winner in the shape of "Give It What You Can".

So there you have it - Funky, Soulful and Nasty - The Meters had it all. A properly great addition to a series that's getting better and better...

PS: See also my review for the stunning SoulMusic Records 6CD Box Set of 2020

"Gettin' Funkier All The Time: The Complete Josie, Reprise & Warner Recordings 1968-1977" by THE METERS...

"The Disco Box" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Single Tracks from 1973 to 1985 featuring Love Unlimited Orchestra (with Barry White), The Jackson 5 (with Michael Jackson), The Hues Corporation, Gloria Gaynor, KC & The Sunshine Band, Van McCoy, Tavares, Silver Connection, 5000 Volts, The Miracles, Hot Chocolate, The Sylvers, Candi Staton, Vicki Sue Robinson, Wild Cherry, Rose Royce, The Trammps, Donna Summer, Chic, Evelyn "Champagne" King, A Taste Of Honey, Musique, Cheryl Lynn, Peaches & Herb, Dan Hartman, Sylvester, Heatwave, Amii Stewart, Anita Ward, Patrick Hernandez, Sister Sledge, Change and more (February 1999 US Rhino Compilation - 4CD 80-Track Glitter-Ball Coloured Digibook Set (with Attached 60-Page Booklet) Remastered in RhinOphonic Authentic Sound Covering 1973 to 1985 – Dan Hersch, Ken Perry, Stewart Whitmore and Geoff Sykes Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00000HZEM&asins=B00000HZEM&linkId=c5970a09ccca119b2c79e11d45a517a6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

This Review Along With 284 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

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

Just Click Below To Purchase for £6.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B00MTCDTWS&asins=B00MTCDTWS&linkId=f95dca2244c8856012cccc3c6c25fff6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

"...Good Times... "

Well hustle my Evelyn Champagne King shameful elephant flares and Love Machine my Miraculous dangling glitterball – if it isn't that dread musical genre devoid of Cannibalistic Morlocks, Salem Witches and Dirty Dank Druid Solstice Rituals (and other sensible things like that) – DISCO! 

For most of us hirsute male Rock-reared types of a certain age - Seventies and Eighties Disco started with The Hues Corporation Rocking The Boat in early 1974 and ended in late 1982 with The Weather Girls somehow raining men instead of atmospheric teardrops from cumulous-nimbus clouds. In-between, we beard-stroking Progtastic mannish boys would occasionally (and usually under severe influence) give a warm nod to the stunning Funk of Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers in all their Chic incarnations (how good is Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" and absolutely everything on the Chic "Risqué" album) - whilst getting down on it and being fresh with Kool and The Gang. And in a nightclub at about half past desperation - Disco didn't seem like such a bad idea either - especially if the girly you were boogieing with was wearing hot pants and a boob tube and was happy to see you get in touch with your feminine side (somebody needs to get in touch with something in this scenario). But I digress - to the American glitter-digibook-pack in hand... 

An 80-track haul like this allowed compilers DAVID McLEES and BRIAN CHIN to stretch out. For sure all the huge touchstone artists that lifted the genre into a global phenomenon are here – Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer, KC & The Sunshine Band, Hot Chocolate, Wild Cherry, Sylvester, Anita Ward, Rose Royce, G.Q., Patrick Hernandez, A Taste Of Honey and so on - right up to Cheryl Lynn, Change, Heatwave, Lipps, Inc., Indeep, Freeze and Patrice Rushen. There are, however, absences. So while The Trammps see their 1977 monster "Disco Inferno" from "Saturday Night Fever" represented on CD2 – fairly obvious licensing-problem absentees include Barry White, The Bee Gees, Michael Jackson and Grace Jones (White and Jackson sneak in via Love Unlimited Orchestra and The Jackson 5). And most shocking of all, there isn't a '12" Single Mix' in sight on any of the 4CDs – the 12" being a Vinyl-spinning format that was essential to DJs and one that made Disco and dancing in general in a nightclub such a global stormtrooper. 

Still, those niggles aside – what you do get here is a properly well-delivered blast from the past with way more good that bad – a typically cool and cleverly compiled RhinOphonic set of quality 45-single Remasters you actually want to hear and own. Lost in Music indeed – let's return to Funky Town...

US released 16 February 1999 - "The Disco Box" by VARIOUS ARISTS on Rhino R2 75595 (Barcode 081227559526) is an 80-Track 4CD Glitter-Ball Coloured Digibook Set with attached 60-page booklet Remastered in RhinOphonic Authentic Sound. It covers the years 1973 to 1985 and plays out as follows (all tracks US 45-single A-sides unless otherwise stated):

CD1 (68:41 minutes):
1. Love's Theme - LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA (November 1973, 20th Century 2609, featuring Barry White)
2. Dancing Machine - THE JACKSON 5 (February 1974, Motown 1286, featuring Michael Jackson)  
3. Rock The Boat - THE HUES CORPORATION (April 1974, RCA Victor 0232)
4. Honeybee - GLORIA GAYNOR (March 1974, Columbia 45909)
5. Doctor's Orders - CAROL DOUGLAS (November 1974, Midland International 10113)
6. Get Dancin' - DISCO-TEX & THE SEX-O-LETTES featuring Sir Monti Rock III (November 1974, Chelsea 3004)
7. Shame, Shame, Shame - SHIRLEY & COMPANY (December 1974, Vibration 532)
8. Never Can Say Goodbye - GLORIA GAYNOR (October 1974, MGM 14748)
9. Get Down Tonight - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (March 1975, T.K Records 1009)
10. The Hustle - VAN McCOY & THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY (April 1975, Avco 4653)
11. It Only Takes A Minute - TAVARES (July 1975, Capitol 4111)
12. Fly, Robin, Fly - SILVER CONNECTION (September 1975, Midland International 10339)
13. I'm On Fire - 5000 VOLTS (September 1975, Philips 40801)
14. Love Machine (Pt. 1) - THE MIRACLES (October 1975, Tamla 54262)
15. You Sexy Thing - HOT CHOCOLATE (October 1975, Big Tree 16047)
16. Boogie Fever - THE SYLVERS (November 1975, Capitol 4179)
17. That's The Way (I Like It) - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (October 1975, T.K. Records 1015)
18. More, More, More (Part 1) - ANDREA TRUE CONNECTION (February 1976, Buddah 515, a Tom Moulton Mix)
19. Young Hearts Run Free - CANDI STATON (March 1976, Warner Brothers 8181)
20. Turn The Beat Around - VICKI SUE ROBINSON (March 1976, RCA Victor 10562)

CD2 (71:19 minutes):
1. (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (June 1976, T.K. Records 1019)
2. Get Up And Boogie - SILVER CONVENTION (March 1976, Midland International 10571)
3. A Fifth Of Beethoven - WALTER MURPHY & THE BIG APPLE BAND (May 1976, Private Stock 45073)
4. Play That Funky Music - WILD CHERRY (June 1976, Epic 50225)
5. Car Wash - ROSE ROYCE (September 1976, MCA 40615)
6. Don't Leave Me This Way - THELMA HOUSTON (December 1976, Tamla 54278)
7. The Best Disco In Town - THE RITCHIE FAMILY (August 1976, Marlin 3306)
8. Disco Inferno - THE TRAMMPS (February 1977, Atlantic 3389, a Tom Moulton Mix)
9. Boogie Nights - HEATWAVE (June 1977, Epic 50370)
10. I Feel Love - DONNA SUMMER (July 1977, Casablanca 884)
11. Keep It Comin' Love - KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (July 1977, T.K. Records 1023)
12. Dance With Me - PETER BROWN (January 1978, Drive 6269, special background vocals by Betty Wright)
13. Everybody Dance - CHIC (March 1978, Atlantic 3469)
14. Shame - EVELYN "Champagne" KING (April 1978, RCA Victor 11122)
15. Boogie Oogie Oogie - A TASTE OF HONEY (May 1978, Capitol 4565)
16. Get Off - FOXY (June 1978, Dash 5046)
17. I Love The Nightlife (Disco 'Round) - ALICIA BRIDGES (June 1978, Polydor 14483)
18. In The Bush - MUSIQUE (September 1978, Prelude 71110)
19. Hot Shot - KAREN YOUNG (July 1978, West End 1211)
20. Got To Be Real - CHERYL LYNN (August 1978, Columbia 10808) 

CD3 (77:02 minutes):
1. Shake Your Groove Thing - PEACHES & HERB (October 1978, Polydor/MVP 14514)
2. Village People - Y.M.C.A. (October 1978, Casablanca 945)
3. Le Freak - CHIC (October 1978, Atlantic 3519)
4. I Will Survive - GLORIA GAYNOR (December 1978, Polydor 14508)
5. Livin' It Up (Friday Night) - BELL & JAMES (October 1978, A&M Records 2069)
6. Instant Replay - DAN HARTMAN (September 1978, Blue Sky 2772)
7. You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) - SYLVESTER (December 1978, Fantasy 846)
8. I Want Your Love - CHIC (January 1979, Atlantic 3557)
9. Knock On Wood - AMII STEWART (January 1979, Hansa/Ariola America 7736)
10. Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) - G. Q. (January 1979, Arista 0388)
11. Love And Desire (Part 1) - ARPEGGIO (February 1979, Polydor 14535)
12. He's The Greatest Dancer - SISTER SLEDGE (January 1979, Cotillion 44245)
13. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFADDEN & WHITEHEAD (March 1979, Philadelphia International 3681)
14. Ring My Bell - ANITA WARD (April 1979, Juana 3422)
15. Bad Girls - DONA SUMMER (May 1979, Casablanca 988)
16. Born To Be Alive - PATRICK HERNANDEZ (May 1979, Columbia 10986)
17. Good Times - CHIC (June 1979, Atlantic 3584)
18. Don't You Want My Love - DEBBIE JACOBS (August 1979, MCA 41102)
19. H.A.P.P.Y. Radio - EDWIN STARR (May 1979, 20th Century 2408)
20. I Shoulda Loved Ya - NARADA MICHAEL WALDEN (November 1979, Atlantic 3631)
21. We Are Family - SISTER SLEDGE (April 1979, Cotillion 44251)  

CD4 (74:34 minutes):
1. Heart Of Glass - BLONDIE (January 1979, Chrysalis 2295)
2. Lost In Music - SISTER SLEDGE (July 1979, Cotillion 45001)
3. I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair) - INNER LIFE (November 1979, Prelude 8004)
4. Got To Love Somebody - SISTER SLEDGE (December 1979, Cotillion 45007)
5. Funkytown - LIPPS, INC. (March 1980, Casablanca 2233)
6. Celebration - KOOL & THE GANG (October 1980, De-Lite 807, produced in association with Eumir Deodato)
7. A Lover's Holiday - CHANGE (March 1980, Warner Brothers/RFC 49208)
8. I Like What You're Doin' To Me - YOUNG & COMPANY (October 1980, Brunswick 55544)
9. The Glow Of Love - CHANGE (October 1980, Warner Brothers/RFC 49587)
10. Cruisin' The Streets - THE BOYSTOWN GANG (May 1981, Moby Dick 233)
11. On The Beat - THE B.B. & Q BAND (July 1981, Capitol 4993)
12. Forget Me Nots - PATRICE RUSHEN (February 1982, Elektra 47427)
13. Get Down On It - KOOL & THE GANG (February 1982, De-Lite 818)
14. It's Raining Men - THE WEATHER GIRLS (November 1982, Columbia 03354)
15. Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life - INDEEP (December 1982, Sound Of New York 602)
16. I.O.U. - FREEZE (July 1983, StreetWise 1110)
17. Give It Up - KC (December 1983, Meca 1001)
18. Change Of Heart - CHANGE (March 1984, Atlantic/RFC 89684)
19. Fresh - KOOL & THE GANG (March 1985, De-Lite 880623-7)

The 60-page lengthy booklet attached to the inside of the hard digibook goes from two pages of Production Notes by BRIAN CHIN where he pleads for acceptance of what he clearly believes is musical genius to an Essay called "In The Beat Of The Night" where he catalogues the Soul-offshoot's trajectory from sweaty New York dancefloors to the Pop and R&B charts of the entire world. Classy black & white publicity photos of lesser-celebrated lady artists pepper the text – Carol Douglas, The Ritchie Family, Vicki Sue Robinson, Musique, Shirley Goodman of Shirley & Company and the multi-instrumentalist Patrice Rushen – while the big boys are there too – Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Amii Stewart, the gals of Sister Sledge and many more. Rod Temperton's brilliant gangsters of the groove Heatwave are featured as are the mighty, mighty Kool and The Gang and KC & The Sunshine Band. 

Interesting features include DJs discussing their beginners haunts like Uncle Charlie's in Manhattan or The Saloon in Minneapolis and on up to Classic Clubs like The Loft in New York and the Paradise Ballroom in Los Angeles. Chin puts up lists too – 50 Essential Disco Albums – 45 Pre-Disco Floors-Shaking 45s (1971 to 1973 mostly) – and each of the individual 80 entry credits gives US R&B and Pop chart numbers as well as crucial Discography info. Effort has gone into this, and it shows. 

From the German-produced Silver Connection and Donna Summer anthems to the Italian-American rhythms of Change on through to the dominance of the Chic Organization and Kool & The Gang (who would continue much further than this Disco Box permits) – it all sounds spiffing courtesy of Remasters from a team of four long-standing Audio Engineers – DAN HERSCH, KEN PERRY, STEWART WHITMORE and GEOFF SYKES. Whether grooving to the fabulous ooh-yeah Funk vs. Disco of "Love Machine (Pt. 1) " by The Miracles (a 45 I remember my sister Frances first hooked me into) or the sublime cool of "I Want Your Love" by Chic (what a hooky winner) – the power of these transfers is with you all the way. 

As you play through each CD – there are for sure moments when you want to hit the skip button – A Fifth Of Beethoven and Y.M.C.A. (yuck) – but more often than not – you find yourself rediscovering tunes that are way better than you remember them. "Get Down Tonight”, "Boogie Nights", "Shake Your Groove Thang”, "(You Make Me Feel) Mighty Real", "I Shoulda Loved Ya", "A Lover’s Holiday" and so on. Even inclusions of overplayed anthems like Blondie's shimmering "Heart Of Glass", Candi Staton's exit-that-rut pleading "Young Hearts Run Free", Patrice Rushen's Men In Black-featured "Forget Me Nots" and the Sex and The City catwalk-hustle of Cheryl Lynn's "Got To Be Real" - bring a smile to your face. And it's not surprising that "Shame, Shame, Shame", "The Hustle", "Car Wash" and "Fresh" all hit the Number One slot on the R&B charts (often repeating the same in Pop). 

My only bugbear might be that in an ideal world, a Deluxe Edition CD5 of "The Disco Box" could have given us those rare and sought after twelve-inch mixes without duplicating what was on discs one to four. But outside of that, impressive...

For sure this long-deleted and frankly long-forgotten Digibook set has acquired a nasty price tag since its February 1999 US release more than two decades ago - but should you be able to nab one at a reasonable outlay - I'd say it's time to shake your booty, because that's the way I like it (uh huh uh huh). Oh stop it...

"Adventure" by TELEVISION – April 1978 US and UK Second Studio Album on Elektra Records featuring Tom Verlaine, Richard Lloyd, Fred Smith and Billy Ficca (September 2003 US and October 2003 UK Elektra/Rhino Expanded & Remastered Edition CD Reissue with Four Bonuses – Dan Hersch Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 249 Others Is Available In My

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

PROVE IT ALL NIGHT 

Music Of 1977 to 1979 

Your All-Genres Guide To 

Exceptional CD Reissues & Remasters

Over 2,000 E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs

Just Click Below To Purchase (No Cut and Paste Crap)

 

<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=mabasreofcdbl-21&language=en_GB&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B0000AI45Q&asins=B0000AI45Q&linkId=80458332329e7fff4072ce1d26483f02&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>

 

Rating: ****

 

"...Glory Days..."

 

Like so many of my generation (I came at the Seventies from 1970 onwards) - the second half of that stunning decade from 1975 to 1979 was so many things - fantastic, exhilarating, awful, confusing and so full of new genres, bands and formats - it was frankly dizzying. 

What people also forget is that aside from the spitting and pogoing at gigs and homemade clobber posing on the street (the sheer visuals), both the UK and US Punk, New Wave and Alternative Rock bands were genuinely exciting - especially the American big boys like Talking Heads, The Ramones, Richard Hell, Dead Kennedys and such - on up to The Motels, Jim Carroll and even Canadian Philip Rambow, they all grabbed our attention. 

But none more so than TELEVISION - a band who like The Verve effortlessly engendered hero worship on a biblical scale – especially for some reason in Blighty. Their March 1977 British debut album "Marquee Moon" was a wonder (and it charted here which it didn’t in the USA) - the kind of LP that makes me weak at the knees even now despite that kind-of-crappy artwork. 

So it was probably not surprising that fans and worshippers alike felt like someone had wee-weed on the Mona Lisa when 1978's ever so slightly anaemic "Adventure" turned up in April. It was undeniably a lesser-work, great sounding, but rushed (rambling instrumental bits) even though there were those moments of magic. When they disbanded shortly after its American failure and Verlaine and Lloyd went off to solo and other projects – it kinda got stuck at the back on my vinyl record pile to be sold into secondhand stores when funds got tight. But as so many astute reviewers have pointed out - ok it's not MM - but it is Television and frankly Frank Frankfurter - in 2020 at the age of 62 - that does the tomato ketchup for me. But which issue to buy on CD?

Most will have noticed that if you type in 'Television Adventure CD' into Amazon's search bar, you immediately get thrown onto the cheap 1993 variant on Elektra 960 523-2 (Barcode 075596052320) which is new for about five and half quid. But this 8-track basic variant is not the one you want - the peach you need is the Rhino reissue from September 2003 (USA) and October 2003 (UK) with Four Bonus Tracks (one hidden). This is one of those rare instances where a Remaster and four Bonuses elevate a 3-star album up into a 4-star CD reissue by virtue of their dual quality (I provide the exact Barcodes below to locate either of the Rhino US or UK CD reissues). Here are the foxholes and the glory days...

US released 23 September 2003 - "Adventure" by TELEVISION on Elektra/Rhino R2 73921 (Barcode 081227392123) is an Expanded & Remastered CD Reissue with Four Bonus Tracks (One Is Hidden). The British issue was released October 2003 on Elektra/Rhino/WSM 8122-73921-2 (Barcode 081227392123) – both play out as follows (60:22 minutes): 

1. Glory [Side 1]

2. Days 

3. Foxhole 

4. Careful 

5. Carried Away 

6. The Fire [Side 2]

7. Ain't That Nothin'

8. The Dream's Dream 

Tracks 1 to 8 are their second studio album "Adventure" - released April 1978 in the USA on Elektra Records 6E-133 and April 1978 in the UK on Elektra Records K 52072. Produced by JOHN JANSEN and TOM VERLAINE - it peaked at No. 7 in the UK (didn't chart USA). 

BONUS TRACKS: 

9. Adventure - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (5:38 minutes)

10. Ain't That Nothin' (Single Version) - July 1978 US 45-single A-side on Elektra E-45516. The A-side single edit is 3:56 minutes (LP version is 4:53 minutes) with "Glory" from the album as its B-side.

11. Glory (Early Version) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (3:39 minutes)

HIDDEN TRACK:

12. Ain't That Nothin' (Run Through) - PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Album Outtake (9:48 minutes)

The gatefold card digipak is unusual in that it has an extra inner-flap housing the Elektra Records logo CD (original 1978 US label design) whilst the first flap has the 16-page booklet with new liner notes by ALAN LICHT (see photos). The lyrics to the eight songs and the outtake "Adventure" are on the inner flaps too while the booklet features black and whites of our four heroes – Tom Verlaine on Lead Vocals, Guitar and Keyboards (all songs written by him except "Glory" which is a co-write with Richard Lloyd), Richard Lloyd on Lead Guitar and Vocals, Fred Smith on Bass and Vocals and Billy Ficca on Drums. There are other photos of the band in the back of some glass-strewn Transit van and a copy of the single Ain't That Nothin' in its US Elektra/Asylum label bag. The sorry history of the band is told that includes comments from Verlaine on the cold US reaction and bad sound engineers at British gigs. For a band that has been so influential, even now in 2020 and over 40 years later, their lack of success on home turf still seems inexplicable.

The Remaster is done by one of Rhino’s most experienced Audio Engineers – DAN HERSCH who along with his partner in tape-research crimes BILL INGLOT - have touched on huge swathes of the mighty WEA catalogue across decades of their releases. This Adventure thing rocks and rolls and is fantastically clear. I was expecting perhaps amateur hour with the outtakes – but no – they sound amazing, as does the LP. 

It opens strongly with "Glory" where a girlfriend dons emotional and physical boxing gloves and spars with Tom over halos, wet red lips and mirrors in vans. When they issued a 45-single to finally promote the album in September 1978, Elektra chose "Ain't That Nothin'" with "Glory" on the flipside – a mistake methinks because I would swear that "Glory" would have drawn in that Cars audience "My Best Friend's Girl" (but who knows). There is a touch of The Byrds in the jangle-prettiness of "Days" - a touch of her hand - standing on a bridge of dreams (gorgeous guitar work from both of the boys). "Foxhole" rocks out like a snot-nosed son of some wicked Lou Reed and Mick Hunter riff off the "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" live album - Verlaine wanting to know where his guardian angel is - dressed up to the poser nines in a relationship dug out. That fantastic pinging guitar solo of Verlaine's on "Foxhole" is just brilliant and full of power on this remaster. "Careful" is pop-Television and its "I don't care..." voices feels false and weedy but I love the old-school romance of "Carried Away" where he could even be Springsteen with the E-Street Band the way he makes that organ sound.  

Side 2 opens with "The Fire" - 5:57 minutes of guitar Television where it begins with Verlaine using a knife as a bottleneck for slide guitar - its slow holding-our-breath vibe feeling all weird and 50ts spacey. It's not the most immediate of Television tunes but there is a doomy vibe to the guitars and words about falling that draws me back after all these years. Riffage ala "Marquee Moon" ahoy with "Ain't That Nothin'" - a flicking-guitar chugger that's good but still feels suspiciously unconvincing until that cool chorus arrives. Six minutes and 45-seconds of "The Dream's Dream" brings the LP to a good if not a tad underwhelming finish. But what lifts me up are the Bonuses - all wicked especially the near ten-minute 'run through' of "Ain't That Nothin'" which is a Hidden Track. I used to slap this on CD-Rs in Reckless playlists and about five minutes into its so-Television guitar drone, the relentless almost Kraut rhythms would bring punters to the counter eager to know 'who is this!'

Yes - reviewers are right to call "Adventure" the complacency-riddled relative to its big brother and "It's A Wonderful Life" war hero - "Marquee Moon". But for me, the Bonuses on this fabulous sounding Rhino CD have saved the day. 

"Moved by the hand that was never a fist..." Verlaine sings on the album-title outtake "Adventure" - get this 2003 CD variant and discover why...