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"...You Sweet Thing...You're Driving Me Mad..."
I was kind of excited at the idea of the first Bobby Gillespie compilation in this series "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" - but truth be my mistress - the actual listen drove me nuts and had one too many disappointments in song choices (it was released 27 November 2015 in the UK on Ace Records CDCHD 1453 – Barcode 029667074124). I did like a few cuts for sure (mostly in the second half of the listen) - but not enough to get in a fidgety lather about.
Well – it seems that the Scottish Primal Scream lead singer and songwriter has gone all I-hear-you-pal psychic on my sorry Irish posterior and eardrums - because his second outing in the series "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" (27 Oct 2023 in the UK and 3 Nov 2023 in the USA) is much better - and frankly in its own self-lacerating way - a bit of a doozy. It also feels actually personal (and revealing) if not a tad too boo-hoo for its own good as the black and white poor-me cover-art photo implies.
The journey consists of 18 tracks on CD (15 album cuts and 3 single sides) ranging from professional two-timer Lee Hazelwood on Reprise Records in 1968 all the way up to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds going native on a clever Jimmy Webb cover version in 1986 while Bob Dylan professes to be truly sick of love in 1997 (the further outpost here and the darkest actually). The 2LP Vinyl Variant of "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" even has a 19th Bonus as Track 5 on Side 1 - "In The Rain" by The Dramatics (Ace Records XXQLP2 098 – Barcode 0029667015417).
"I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" is about love on the road being tested, betrayed, lost, longed-for or maybe even formed in-between tourbus stops and Honky Tonks and the untenable nomad existence that is the life of all working musicians. Most of the cautionary tales are from Folk, Country, Country Rock, Soul and Rock journeyman and women feeling emotionally bummed out between 1970 and 1975. Because many are ballads – the jumps don't feel so severe – and work more often than not. I personally sequenced the CD to start at Track 6 - the stunning Crazy Horse song "I Don't Want To Talk About It" that Rod Stewart later covered and turned into a global smash - play down to 18 and then bring in Tracks 1 to 5 (a better listen for me). Discoveries, re-acquaintances, tugs on a fast receding memory lane - this comp is indeed a "Heart Like A Wheel". Let's get to the details...
UK released Friday, 27 October 2023 (3 November 2023 in the USA) - "Bobby Gillespie Presents I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records CDCHD 1605 (Barcode 029667106122) is an 18-Track CD Compilation (19-Track 2LP set) ranging from 1968 to 1997 that plays out as follows (76:52 minutes):
1. I Still Can't Believe You're Gone – WILLIE NELSON (from the March 1974 US LP "Phases And Stages" on Atlantic Records SD 7291)
2. Love Sick – BOB DYLAN (from the September 1997 US CD Album "Time Out Of Mind" on Columbia Records CK 68556)
3. We Had It All – DONNIE FRITTS (from the June 1974 US LP "Prone To Lean" on Atlantic SD 18117)
4. Magnolia – J. J. CALE (from his debut LP "Naturally" released November 1971 in the USA on Shelter SW-8908 and January 1972 in the UK on A&M Records AMLS 68105)
5. By The Time I Get To Phoenix – NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (from the August 1986 UK LP "Kicking Against The Pricks" on Mute STUMM 28)
6. I Don't Want To Talk About It – CRAZY HORSE (from their debut album "Crazy Horse" issued on Reprise Records RS 6438 in the USA in February 1971 and April 1971 in the UK on Reprise RSLP 6438)
7. Dark End Of The Street – RY COODER (from his 3rd album "Boomer's Story" released November 1972 in the USA on Reprise MS 2117 and in the UK on Reprise K 44224 – a James Carr cover version done as an instrumental)
8. Kind Woman – PERCY SLEDGE (July 1969 USA 45-single on Atlantic 45-2646, A-side – also on the 1969 South African-only LP "Wanted" on Atlantic ATC 9210)
9. Wait And See – LEE HAZELWOOD (from his June 1968 US LP "Love And Other Crimes" on Reprise RS 6297 in Stereo)
10. Strong As Death (Sweet As Love) – AL GREEN (June 1975 US 45-single on Hi Records 5N-2288, B-side of "Oh Me Oh My (Dreams In My Arms)" – also July 1975 UK 45-single on London HLU 10493 – same tracks)
11. Shades Of A Blue Orphanage – THIN LIZZY (from their second studio album "Shades Of A Blue Orphanage" issued 10 March 1972 in the UK on Decca TXS 108 – no US release)
12. Heart Like A Wheel – KATE & ANNA McGARRIGLE (from their November 1975 US Debut LP "Kate & Anna McGarrigle" on Warner Brothers BS 2862, March 1976 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56218)
13. When My Mind's Gone – MOTT THE HOOPLE (from their second studio album "Mad Shadows" released September 1970 in the UK on Island Records ILPS 9119 and October 1970 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8272)
14. I'll Be Long Gone – BOZ SCAGGS (from his debut album "Boz Scaggs" released August 1969 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8239, September 1969 in the UK on Atlantic 588 205)
15. The Coldest Days Of My Life Part 1 – THE CHI-LITES (July 1972 USA 45-single on Brunswick 55478, A-side)
16. Roll Um Easy – LITTLE FEAT (from their third US studio album "Dixie Chicken" released January 1973 on Warrner Brothers BS 2686)
17. Brokedown Palace – GRATEFUL DEAD (from their 5th studio album "American Beauty" released November 1970 in the USA on Warner Brothers WS 1893)
18. I Feel Like Going Home – CHARLIE RICH (August 1973 US 45-single on Epic Records 5-11040, B-side of "The Most Beautiful Girl" – November 1973 UK 45-single on Epic Records S EPC 1897, as per US release)
Following on from a Track List on Page 2 that details album titles, catalogue numbers and year of release (three of the 18 are single-sides) – Page 3 starts the 24-pages of song-by-song explanations proper (I have elaborated on those in the list above). Anyone who knows Ace Records will know that these booklets are fab collages of single and LP labels, rare picture sleeves/album covers, a trade advert here and here etc. This time however is a bit more basic. Here we just get the album sleeves and occasional British 45 label instead of American issues (Al Green on London and The Chi-Lites on MCA).
Not that this is a bad thing - instead of photos, Gillespie waxes lyrical in huge amounts of text about every choice – paragraphs recalling the magical effect that Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott in their 1976 gig awesomeness had on young lads like him and Alan McGee – a lifetime love that will never die. Bobby talks about Richie Furay assembling the last Buffalo Springfield album and including what was essentially an outtake – his own song "Kind Woman" – that Percy Sledge then took to another level in his mournful Soul version. There's stuff about touring and the emotional toll it takes on every relationship a body enters into. It's a great read – personal yet informative and articulate. Genre-wise, the overall song choices are very much in the Country Rock meets edgy Sixties and Seventies Outlaw Rock and Soul veins – much of it dark for sure - but mellow also - and sometimes moving when you least expect it.
DUNCAN COWELL – longstanding Audio Engineer for Ace – has handled the transfers and Remasters and almost everything sounds super clean and clear – the noticeable odd-man-out being a wee bit of hiss on the J.J. Cale song – those debut album Shelter Records recordings notorious for being that way. All are in STEREO - so for almost all of it "Bobby Gillespie Presents I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" is never less than an impressive listen audio-wise (at times beautiful). To the tunes...
It opens with Willie Nelson red-raw the morning after she done left him for the final time - "I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" - and the Big Nell knows who is to blame on that fine 1974 dawn. His vocal bottom-of-the-barrel shivering hurt is helped by top musicians like Keyboardist Barry Beckett and most of the Fame Gang bringing up the rear (guitarist Pete Carr, Bassist David Hood and legendary drummer Rodger Hawkins). But I feel that the sparse Bob Dylan leap to 1997 for the "Time Out Of Mind" track "Love Sick" feels too jarring to me (I adore the album like most Zimmer fans but I would have gone with something else like the "Up To Me" outttake from "Blood On The Tracks" say). But things pick up instantly when we get a great lip-quiver pairing - "Magnolia" from J.J. Cale's staggeringly influential debut album on Shelter Records in 1971 (lyrics from it title this review) up to Nick Cave with his bad Seeds in 1986 doing Jimmy Webb via Glen Campbell on a oddly touching cover of "By The Time Get To Phoenix" – smart choices both.
Complimenting the Outlaw Country Music vide to the Willie Nelson song that gives the compilation its title – the seldom-seen let alone discussed Donnie Fritts album "Prone To Lean" from 1974 on Atlantic Records featured an astonishing line-up of talent – Billy Swann, John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, Jerry Wexler as well as ace singer and guitarist Eddie Hinton and keyboardist Barry Beckett (I know folks who scour albums for anything Eddie Hinton touched – a white guy who had a voice similar to Otis Redding). The Fritts entry "We Had It All" is a co-write with Troy Seals of Seals and Croft fame and with Wexler and Kristofferson at the Production buttons - sounds warm and glorious.
Essentially to become the backing band for Neil Young – Crazy Horse featured a huge array of talent on their first platter – Danny Whitten on Lead Guitar and Vocals with Nils Lofgren sharing the same – Jack Nitzsche on Piano and Vocals with Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina bringing up the Rhythm Section (Bass and Drums). The Crazy Horse self-titled debut album produced three US 45s using six sides from the 11-track LP - but bizarrely Reprise Records did not use nor seem to see what Rod Stewart clearly saw in the gorgeous "I Don't Want To Talk About It" – a Danny Whitten breakup-song winner nestled at the end of Side 1. Had Reprise aired this as a single – their fate might not have been so like Big Star – another great US melody band on a label that could not or would not break them nationally. My God even Ry Cooder plays slide on it. The sound for "I Don't Want To Talk About It" is glorious, the emotion real and the solar plexus hurt-wallop just about bearable – a very smart choice for a compilation like this.
Tapping into the Ry Cooder connection, Gillespie follows with a beautiful acoustic slide guitar instrumental version of the James Carr 60ts Soul classic "Dark End Of The Street" – just one of many gems on the third Ry Cooder album "Boomer's Story" from November 1972. Personally, I would also have tapped "Maria Elena" – another stunner instrumental from the "Boomer's Story" album that would have slotted in just nicely (see my review of the forgotten 2CD set "The Ry Cooder Anthology: The UFO Has Landed" on Rhino from 2008 which contains both songs in glorious Bernie Grundman Remastered form). Keeping it soulful – Gillespie now offers a Percy Sledge cover version of "Kind Woman" – the Richie Furay song on the third and final Buffalo Springfield album "Last Time Around" (July 1968, Atco SD 33-256). Sledge and Atlantic Records issued "Kind Woman" as a stand-alone 45-single A-side in July 1969 – a slow-cooking gurgling-under barnstormer.
The self-titled and deeply unassuming debut album for French-Canadian sisters Kate & Anna McGarrigle was received in late 1975 on Warner Brothers by the press (and musicians) as some sort of genius platter carved out of melody gold. A whole year earlier – American vocalist and song-interpreter Linda Ronstadt took one of Anna's then un-issued songs "Heart Like A Wheel" and named her entire album after it (November 1974 on Capitol Records). But you cannot deny the McGarrigle version here from 1975 that slays all in its path – their vocal power in full force from a very clean and clear remaster – those lyrics about a sinking ship out in mid ocean – only love can reduce us to such tears and hurt. That is followed by a deeply sombre Ian Hunter in full-throated Mott The Hoople glory - "Mad Shadows" flying away – just him on a piano with a lingering organ building in the minds-gone background. Relief comes in the slightly Burt Bacharach feel to Boz Scaggs doing "I'll Be Long Gone" – good but not really great and seriously showing its age. Far better is Eugene Record wrenching tears from us white blokes with his lush fabulous Chi-Lites sound on Part 1 of "The Coldest Days Of My Life..." – waves and gulls easing in the reminiscences of a day our hero made the big mistake of letting his lady walk away (I never tire of their Chicago Soul – me and my sis bought the singles on Brunswick with religious regularity).
It rolls home with a very tasty triple whammy – Little Feat, Grateful Dead and Charlie Rich – Lowell George achingly brilliant for "Roll Um Easy" – the Dead weary of the grinding road, longing for the river to rock their soul in the tuneful "Brokedown Palace" - while the Silver Fox closes out proceedings with the seriously sad yet resigned piano ballad "I Feel Like Going Home" – everything he done turned out wrong (Epic Records relegated the song to the flipside of the huge hit "The Most Beautiful Girl" on both sides of the pond).
I would have considered "Looking For Angeline" by Love And Money – a 1988 nugget on Fontana from 1988 – James Grant playing a National Steel blinder with echoed Harmonica bringing up the longing in the background. Maybe the moving Shawn Colvin cover version of the Judee Sill gem "There's A Rugged Road" from SC's 1994 compilation album of favourites "Cover Girl". On to Chris Smither doing a stunning reinterpretation of the Tim Hardin song "Don't Make Promises" from his 1999 CD album "Drive You Home Again". There must be hundreds more out there. Volume 2 anyone - "I Still Can't Believe You're Still Here".
Like so many of these compilations, it's a crapshoot. But "Bobby Gillespie Presents I Still Can't Believe You're Gone" wins on more entries than not (the Vinyl variant with its extra track is a tempting gift and a proper looker too). There are also more than enough discoveries here to please old hands and plenty to entice musical newcomers to sit up and take notice - maybe even visit those musical truck-stops that moved so many of us back in the suburban day.
On the long and lonely road to Kingdom Come – the Screamadelica Bobster has compiled a mix-tape worthy of your hard-earned Sovereigns and Petro-Dollars.
Dig in and pine no more ye Vagabonds of the
Western World. Or as the mighty Rocker Phil Lynott of the much-missed Thin Lizzy used to sing "...Got my cycle outside...wanna ride!"
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