"Love's Been Good To Me: The Songs Of Rod McKuen" by VARIOUS (2017 Ace CD Compilation - Duncan Cowell Remasters)

"...If You Go Away..." 

Despite the beautiful annotation (a 20-page booklet with wads of rare 45 label repros, period magazine covers, in-studio photos of McKuen with Petula Clark and Frank Sinatra) and properly immaculate remastered sound from Duncan Cowell - you're faced with 25 songs of such mind-blowing saccharine that this well-intentioned CD compilation is like licking a spoon of stale honey – 25 times - across 80-minutes.

Here are the details...

"Love's Been Good To Me: The Songs Of Rod McKuen" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace CDTOP 1481 (Barcode 029667076920) is a 25-track CD compilation and for collectors has Three Previously Unreleased Songs - Tracks 7, 20 and 23 (79:51 minutes).

1. Doesn't Anybody Know My Name - Waylon Jennings

2. The World I Used To Know - Glen Campbell

3. Love's Been Good To Me - Tom Jones

4. Lonesome Cities - Frank Sinatra

5. A Single Woman - Nina Simone

6. Les Amants De Coeur - Jacques Brel

7. Children One And All - Mary Travers and Rod McKuen

8. The Wind Of Change - Petula Clark

9. Jean - Oliver

10. A Boy Named Charlie Brown - Rod McKuen

11. If You Go Away - Dusty Springfield

12. The Sea - The San Sebastian Strings

13. I Think Of You - Perry Como

14. Hello Heartaches - Barbara Kay

15. Ally Ally Oxen Free - The Kingston Trio

16. Soldiers Who Want To Be Heroes - The Gateway Trio

17. The Importance Of The Rose - The Limeliters

18. Ain't You Glad You're Living Joe - Michael Sarne

19. This Is Our House - Shelby Flint

20. Kaleidoscope - Nancy Sinatra & Rod McKuen

21. One By One - Barry McGuire

22. I've Been To Town - Glenn Yarbrough

23. Because We Love - Rod McKuen

24. I'll Say Goodbye - Jimmie Rodgers

25. Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks

The gorgeous Audio quality aside - McKuen just didn't have the melody or lyrical magic of Bacharach and David - so tunes like "Jean" by Oliver, the awful croaking of a clearly ill Nina Simone on "A Single Woman" (unreleased for a reason) and the truly cringe-making cack that is "Seasons In The Sun" by Terry Jacks and "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" is enough to make you want to scream - please stop - have mercy for pity's sake!

But if you want an inkling of this compilation's true awfulness - try "The Sea" by The San Sebastian Singers where someone speaks lovey-dovey bilge to a backdrop of an ocean wave lapping onto some shore somewhere (and it does this with strings!). Why use water boarding on ISIS terrorists when you can play them this twice or three times and do some real damage.

Love may well have been good for you Rod - but for us it was horrifying. Unless you're an uber-fan - I'd advise a listen first - or perhaps try something easier - like immigrating into the Donster's USA...

"Hollywood Town Hall: Legacy Edition" by THE JAYHAWKS (2011 American/Legacy CD Reissue - Vic Anesini Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…It's Not Lost On Me…" 

After two accomplished Indie albums in 1986 and 1989 - "The Jayhawks" and "Blue Earth" - the JAYHAWKS finally made everyone sit up and take notice with their stunning 1992 breakthrough Americana effort - “Hollywood Town Hall".

This January 2011 reissue of "Hollywood Town Hall: Legacy Edition" by THE JAYHAWKS is an 'Expanded Edition' Remaster of that revered 3rd album and now features 5 bonus tracks (two of which are Previously Unreleased).

American 88697 72731 2 (Barcode 886977273124) breaks down as follows (61:12 minutes):

1. Waiting For The Sun

2. Crowded In The Wings

3. Clouds

4. Two Angels

5. Take Me With You (When You Go)

6. Sister Cry

7. Settled Down Like Rain

8. Wichita

9. Nevada, California

10. Martin’s Song

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Hollywood Town Hall" released in 1992 on Def American 26829 in the USA (it finally charted in early 1993)

BONUS TRACKS:

Tracks 11, 12 and 13 are "Leave No Gold", "Keith And Quentin" and "Up Above My Head" – they first appeared on a Promo-Only 1993 Def American US CD compilation called "Scrapple" (11 was a bonus track on the European edition of the CD album, while 12 and 13 later turned up as non-album B-sides on the European and Australian CD singles for "Waiting For The Sun")

Tracks 14 and 15 are "Warm River" and "Mother Trust You To Walk To The Store" are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 1 to 15 are all written by MARK OLSON and GARY LOURIS and produced by GEORGE DRAKOULIAS – except "Witchita" (Track 8) which is co-written with Marc Perlman and Track 14 which is a Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight cover version of "Up Above My Head, I Hear Music In The Air" (1949 Gospel tune on Decca)

The 2011 2CD Legacy Edition of "Tomorrow The Green Grass" is missing 3 non-album B-sides (when there was room for them) because they're on the superlative "Music From The North Country" American Recordings 2CD/1DVD compilation from 2009 - the same applies here. There are 2 outtakes on the "Music From The North Country" Anthology called "Stone Cold Mess" and "Mission On 2nd" which are NOT on this issue – the band probably didn't want to duplicate what fans have already bought. It's worth mentioning that if you want a fuller picture, you'll need ‘both’ releases despite this being a supposed all-encompassing 'Legacy Edition'. I've reviewed "Music From…" and "Tomorrow…" separately.

Instead of a 3-way card digipak like "Tomorrow…" – this CD is in a jewel case and features an upgraded 20-page booklet with new liner notes by the album’s produced and long-time band friend and admirer Greg Drakoulias. There’s the original Joe Henry liner notes from December 1991 with new photos of the boys in the studio, out on the road, typed and handwritten lyric sheets - it's very nicely done and in keeping with the original artwork.

Top Remaster Engineer VIC ANESINI has transferred the original tapes and the sound quality is BEAUTIFUL - so sweet and warm (he also did the "Music From The North Country" and "Tomorrow The Green Grass" sets - see separate reviews). Tracks like "Waiting For The Sun", "Martin’s Song" and “Settled Down Like Rain” were standouts anyway on the original CD, but here they sound just gorgeous. The Remaster also makes you rehear a lot of the lesser-lauded gems on the record like the plaintive Ryan Adams guitar-feel of "Take Me With You (When You Go)" and “Nevada, California” - they now sound 'so' good and as growers – they’ve have stood the test of time.

To sum up - the Remaster is superlative, the booklet is improved and the 5 bonus tracks are cleverly chosen and worthy additions. Very, very good indeed….and as a band…I miss them…

"Rainbow Seeker" by JOE SAMPLE [of The Crusaders] (2011 Japan-Only UMC/MCA SHM-CD Remaster Using The RUBIDIUM CD Cutting Process) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…In All My Wildest Dreams…" 

Wow is the appropriate response! I'm loved Joe Sample's 1978 debut solo album "Rainbow Seeker" like I've loved Steely Dan's "Aja" from the year before. I can't be rational about either. So any excuse to get a better version is Nirvana to my ears...

In June and July of 2011 - Universal Music Japan launched what they called their "JAZZ THE BEST" series of reissues - 150 titles across their vast catalogue and all on the SHM-CD format (Super High Materials) and all apparently using the RUBIDIUM Atomic Clock Cutting Process. Each were pitched at roughly 1800 yen which is about £9 to you or I (mid price) and came in jewel-cases with new liner notes and of course the SHM-CD. 

Whatever the techno mumbo-jumbo - the remastered audio I'm listening to right now for "Rainbow Seeker" (one of those titles) has to be the best I've ever heard - and not just for this album - but in terms of a transfer that retains the warmth of the analogue original. This is gorgeous and has me frantically searching for other "Jazz The Best" titles I can buy in this series (see list below).

Here are the details... 

Released 22 June 2011 in Japan - "Rainbow Seeker" by JOE SAMPLE (of The Crusaders) in on Universal Music Japan/MCA UCCU-6047 (use Barcode 4988005651617) to get the right issue) and breaks down as follows (42:41 minutes):

1. Rainbow Seeker

2. In All My Wildest Dreams

3. There Are Many Stops Along The Way

4. Melodies Of Love

5. Fly With Wings Of Love - [Side 2]

6. As Long As It Lasts

7. Islands In The Rain

8. Together We'll Find A Way

The album was released May 1978 in the USA on ABC Records AA 1050 and in the UK on ABC Records ABCL 5245

The core band is STIX HOOPER and ROBERT 'Pops' POPWELL of The Crusaders on Drums and Bass with RAY PARKER, DAVID T. WALKER, DEAN PARKS and BARRY FINNERTY guesting on Guitars and stunning sessionmen like PAULINHO DaCOSTA providing Percussion. All eight instrumentals are in the Crusaders style of the time - funky one moment - Soulful piano the next (Bernie Grundman did the mastering - always a sign of class). And the whole album is really great - not just bits of it - all of it (something that can't be said of the albums "Carmel" or "Voices In The Rain" that followed in 1979 and 1981).

There's an Obi band around the jewel case and the rear artwork is altered. It doesn't say in the new 8-page inlay which engineer remastered what (the April 2011 liner notes are in Japanese)? There is a blurb on the RUBIDIUM process but again in Japanese. The SHM-CD of course plays in all standard CD players - it feels chunky - and picks out the nuances of the recording better. Regardless of the lack of written info in the booklet for anyone outside of Japan - sonically everything is improved and up for grabs here. Stuff like "Fly With Wings Of Love" has the Rhythm Section crystal clear and Barry Finnerty's fabulous guitar work suddenly alive like never before.  Comparing any of the tracks with the American GRP remaster from 1996 is like chalk and cheese. The soul-easing warmth of the ballad "In All My Wildest Dreams" has amazing clarity now bringing out the stunning musicianship - as does the slap bass and piano/brass funk of "There Are Many Stops Along The Way".

If you've any love for this album - or Jazz Fusion for that matter - I urge you to seek out this reissue and its exceptional sound quality...

PS: of interest are the following "Jazz Is Best" SHM-CD reissues using the same cutting process:

1. THE CRUSADERS - Street Life (June 2011, Universal UCCU-6061, Barcode 4988005651754)

2. THE CRUSADERS - Rhapsody & Blues (July 2011, Universal UCCY-6123, Barcode 4988005652348)

3. THE CRUSADERS - The Vocal Album (March 2012, Universal UCCU-6160, Barcode 4988005696335)

4. JOE SAMPLE - Carmel (June 2011, Universal UCCU-6143, Barcode 4988005652546)

PPS: Thanks Joe for all the great memories - another one of my musical heroes passed - RIP September 2014...

"Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs Present ENGLISH WEATHER" by VARIOUS (2017 Ace Records CD Compilation - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Edge Of The Sea..." 

In a sort of bleary-eyed screw-you Age of Aquarius mission statement - it says on the back inlay of the brilliantly exploratory CD compilation "English Weather" from those brave blokes over at Ace Records - "...with The Beatles gone and the pound sinking, a new and distinctive sound emerges, led by flutes and Mellotrons..."

I think what decent British chappies BOB STANLEY and PETE WIGGS (of Saint Etienne) are having us believe is that at the beginning of the Seventies over here in Blighty - something seriously Folk-Acid this way comes. Much of this compilation is incredibly mellow with only sporadic hints at Jazz Rock and complicated Prog stretching from early 1969 to mid 1976. But I hear you say (as you choke on your real ale that tastes like a Lindisfarne wetty on the wall) - I need another Prog-type CD compilation in my home like I need the phone number of Donald Trump's hairdresser. But actually there's much to love here and the dynamic duo have come up with an extraordinary set of uncommons (generous too at nearly 79 minutes).

Having said that - many tracks and artists are obscure for good reason (perceived pretty or no). But finds like the Prelude track "Edge Of The Sea", the pre-Pilot B-side "Pamela" and a pairing of obscure library track instrumentals will thrill lovers of melodic Rock like Mellow Candle, Keith Cross and Peter Ross, Trader Horne, Tudor Lodge and Spring. The Nick Robbins mastering is absolutely superb too - bringing out those acoustic flourishes and lovely melodies. And even as a fan of Prog and a long-time reviewer and collector - I can safely say that I've not heard at least 75% of this stuff before. Nice and I don't mean pre ELP. Here are the floatation tank details...

UK released 27 January 2017 (10 February 2017 in the USA) – "Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs present ENGLISH WEATHER" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace CDCHD 1484 (Barcode 029667077125) is a CD compilation of 18 Tracks and plays out as follows (78:35 minutes):

1. Love Song With Flute - CARAVAN (on their debut LP "Caravan" released February 1969 in the UK on Verve SVLP 6011 in Stereo)

2. Moon Bird - THE ROGER WEBB SOUND (instrumental on the Music Library LP "Vocal Patterns" released 1971 on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3182)

3. Early Morning Eyes - THE PARLOUR BAND (on the studio album "Is A Friend?" released June 1972 on Deram SDL 10)

4. Pamela - SCOTCH MIST (non-album track, the 7" single B-side to "Ra-Ta-Ta" released July 1974 in the UK on EMI Records EMI 2208)

(Scotch Mist is Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh before they formed Pilot)

5. Last Cloud Home - THE ORANGE BICYCLE (A-side to a June 1969 UK 7" single on Parlophone R 5789)

6. JLT - T2 (on the LP "It'll All Work Out In Boomland" released July 1970 in the UK on Decca SKL 5050)

7. 'Til The Christ Come Back - BILL FAY (on the LP "Time Of The Last Persecution" released January 1971 in the UK on Deram SML 1079)

8. Refugees - VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR (A-side to a UK 7" single released April 1970 on Charisma CB 122)

9. Very Nice Of You To Call - AARDVARK (on their debut LP "Aardvark" released March 1970 in the UK on Deram Nova SDN 17)

10. Big White Cloud - JOHN CALE (on his debut solo LP "Vintage Violence" released June 1970 in the USA on Columbia CS 1037)

11. Bottles - BELLE GONZALEZ (A-side of a UK 7" single released February 1972 on Columbia Records DB 8852)

12. Watching White Stars - THE WAY WE LIVE (1971 Tractor Recording - first appeared on the 1998 CD compilation "Before, During And After The Dandelion Years, Through To Deeply Vale" on Ozit/Morpheus OZITCD 0024)

13. Windfall - OFFSPRING (Non-Album A-side to a UK 7" single released April 1972 on RCA Records RCA 2198)

14. Never Let Go - CAMEL (A-side to a UK 7" single released January 1973 on MCA Records MUS 1177)

15. Wise Man In Your Heart - DAEVID ALLEN and EUTERPE (on the LP "Good Morning" released May 1976 in the UK on Virgin V 2054)

16. O Caroline - MATCHING MOLE (on their debut LP "Matching Mole" released April 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S 64850 - Robert Wyatt vocalist)

17. Edge Of The Sea - PRELUDE (A-side to a UK 7" single released March 1972 on Decca F 13292)

18. Evening Shade - ALAN PARKER and ALAN HAWKSHAW (instrumental on the Music Library LP "Alternatives" released 1971 on Music De Wolfe DW/LP 3219)

The 14-page booklet has the usual plethora of rare 7”-single label-repro's (45s on Decca, MCA and CBS) alongside trade adverts for such obscuros as Billy Fay, The Parlour Band and T2. There's even a review of Caravan's Verve Records debut, A Roundhouse Benefit gig poster for Matching Mole with Soft Machine's Robert Wyatt and best of all - hugely informative and witty liner notes from compiler BOB STANLEY. I thought I knew my stuff (I've reviewed Aardvark and the Decca/Deram 3CD Box sets containing T2 and Camel and the like) - but Bob clearly goes deeper than most - offering up his knowledge with real affection for the subject matter (not just a blizzard of dry facts). But the best news is yet another stunning mastering job by NICK ROBBINS on a wide range of sound sources - his mastering of T2's superbly musical "JLT" is spot on. And as much of these songs are Acoustic based - the Audio rises to that challenge with aplomb. A top job done...

Despite the range of dates (February 1969 to May 1976) - the overall listen holds together very well. But as one other reviewer put it (and well) - there's good stuff on here but only a few genuinely stand out. The seven-minute "Watching White Stars" by Tractor saps your patience while I defy people who call the weedy Matching Mole ballad "O Caroline" gorgeous (Robert Wyatt or no) and I think there are better tracks on Bill Fay's album like the piano-beautiful  "I Hear You Calling". But I hadn't expected to be so impressed by the Van Der Graaf Generator single - which is a world away from their fearsome Moog anthems - five and half minutes of Peter Hammill pining for the sunshine of pretty London suburbs to the backdrop of violas, choral voices and unnervingly pretty melodies on strings.

Smart choices include running the Aardvark track immediately before the Velvet's John Cale song "Big White Cloud" – its huge Spector-esque production full of strings and longing and images of skies and trees – Cale's ragged druggy voice moaning his fate like Tim Rose on steroids. The Belle Gonzalez and Camel UK singles are rare as hen's teeth and again smart inclusions. Both display musical beauty and are bolstered up here by superb Nick Robbins mastering – especially on the Acoustic/Mellotron/Flute 'man must survive' eco-message song that is Andy Latimer's "Never Let Go". A clever slot-in is the African rhythms meets Kraut Rock feel of "Wise Man In Your Heart" by Gong's Daevid Allen and his band of the time Euterpe – a lengthy exercise in vibe with sonic rhythms predating those found on "Peter Gabriel 4" in September 1982.

But best of all for me is six and half minutes of Prelude's "Edge Of The Sea" - the only band on the compilation to brush the charts when they placed their beautiful Acapella cover version of Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" in January 1974 on Dawn Records at the lofty heights of No. 21. Who thought this hippy-tastic acoustic folk tune with singing and spoken passages about mermaids and shaking the foam was a commercial 45 in 1972 was quietly off their rocker - but that doesn't stop "Edge Of The Sea" from being a fabulous slice of Mellow Candle Folk Rock with Acid tinges. And again - Robbins has mastered it so well. And there's no denying the musical brilliance also of Caravan's "Love Song With Flute" nor the truly lovely find in "Pamela" - an obscure B-side by Scotch Mist (Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh) who would later become Pilot and have a UK No. 1 with "January" in January 1975 (again on EMI).

The Peter Mitchell photos on the front and rear of the booklet show a Britain in pain and even decay – crippling strikes - war overseas impacting here - the hippy dream of everyone loving each other fading fast in a cloud of three-day weeks and unemployment. Yet despite this backdrop of cold-chips and tepid teabags - English musicians produced extraordinary music in the early years of that decade - the Seventies – much of it hopeful. And some of it is here (man).

Not quite genius but brilliant in places (and changeable like its title) - "Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs Present ENGLISH WEATHER" is a rather cool little CD to start off 2017 with. Deserving of your moody post-Brexit spondulicks - well done to all involved...

PS: the limited edition Vinyl Version is a 2LP set with 1 Bonus Track 
"The Prisoner (9 to 10)" by SPRING