"All The Faces Of Buddy Miles" by BUDDY MILES feat Johnny Bristol (April 2012 Big Break Records BBR Expanded Edition CD Reissue – Giovanni Scatola Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Wants And Needs That True Love Demands..."

After his 6-album tour with Mercury Records (I own "Expressway To Your Skull" from 1968 and have reviewed "Them Changes" from 1970) - ex Electric Flag, Band Of Gypsys drummer and singer Buddy Miles signed to Columbia Records and produced this forgotten Disco/Soul album with Johnny Bristol.

UK released in April 2012 - "All The Faces Of Buddy Miles" by BUDDY MILES on Big Break Records CDBBR 0123 (Barcode 5013929042339) is an 'Expanded Edition' CD Remaster with One Bonus Track that plays out as follows (39:20 minutes):

1. Pull Yourself Together [Side 1]

2. We Got Love

3. All The Faces

4. I'm Just A Kiss Away

5. It's Only The Good Times

6. Got To Find Ms. Right [Side 2]

7. Pain

8. Kiss And Run

9. Wants And Needs (The Earth Song)

10. Baby Don't Stop (Sit On The Rock)

Tracks 1 to 10 are his seventh album "All The Faces Of Buddy Miles" - released November 1974 in the USA on Columbia KC 33089 and November 1974 in the UK on Epic EPC 80349.

BONUS TRACK:

11. Pull Yourself Together (Single Version)

All the usual classy elements associated by now with BBR are here - a great 16-page booklet with informative liner notes by JUSTIN COBER-LAKE filling in the details on the ex Electric Flag drummer's new career as a Soul and Disco dude - and a top notch remaster by GIOVANNI SCATOLA.

Putting aside the fact that Miles never had the greatest of voices - his at-times strangulated efforts on "All The Faces Of..." sound like someone desperately trying for commercial success with Soft Soul and Disco leanings. The results are workmanlike and never really inspired. You get cheesy lyrics ("I'm Just A Kiss Away") and strained vocals ruining a good song ("It's Only The Good Times"). The smoocher "Pain" is very pretty - but again his lack of singing chops/passion does nothing for it. But "Pull Yourself Together" is a great dancer and an obvious leadoff single - while the message Soul of "Wants And Needs (The Earth Song)" with its wah-wah guitar and strings features a catchier melody and lovely brass punching through (lyrics above).

"Wants And Needs" has been a huge underground club tune in London for years. The funkier tunes stand up well too - "Got To Find Ms. Right" has a kind of "Hercules" by The Meters vibe - but the absolute bomb for me is "Baby Don't Stop (Sit On The Rock)" - a fantastically funky four and half-minute instrumental (now with stunning sound quality). I love it to bits and have been after it for years in top remastered audio.

It's a personal thing - but for me this album is good rather than great. Trouble is - I had to have that 'Sit On The Rock' funky instrumental and after hearing it - so will you...

PS: Big Break Records (BBR) CD Remasters I've reviewed:

1. Is It Still Good To Ya – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1978)

2. Stay Free – ASHFORD and SIMPSON (1979)

3. Central Heating – HEATWAVE (1977)

4. Hot Property - HEATWAVE (1979)

5. Candles - HEATWAVE (1980)

6. Turnin' On - HIGH INERGY (1977)

7. Harvest For The World - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1976)

8. Go For Your Guns - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (1977)

9. In The Heart – KOOL & THE GANG (1983)

10. Let Me Be Your Angel – STACY LATTISAW (1980)

11. I Hope We Get To Love On Time - MARILYN McCOO & BILLY DAVIS (1976)

12.  I Miss You - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1972) [known as "Harold Melvin The Blue Notes" in the UK]

13. Black & Blue - HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES (1973)

14. Love Is The Message - MFSB (1973)

15. Universal Love – MFSB (1975)

16. All The Faces Of... - BUDDY MILES (1974)

17. For The First Time – STEPHANIE MILLS (1975)

18. I Can See Clearly Now - JOHNNY NASH (1972)

19. Back Stabbers - O'JAYS (1972)

20. Ship Ahoy - O'JAYS (1973)

21. Down To Love Town – THE ORIGINALS (1977)

22. Ebony Woman - BILLY PAUL (1970 and 1973)

23. 360 Degrees Of Billy Paul - BILLY PAUL (1972)

24. War Of The Gods - BILLY PAUL (1973)

25. Platinum Hook – PLATINUM HOOK (1978)

26. Love For What It Is - ANITA POINTER (of The Pointer Sisters) (1987)

27. Live: Stompin’ At The Savoy – RUFUS and CHAKA KHAN (1983)

28. Madhouse – SILVER CONVENTION (1976)

29. Summernights – SILVER CONVENTION (1977)

30. Smoked Sugar - SMOKED SUGAR (1975)

31. Spinners – SPINNERS (1973)

32. Soul Master – EDWIN STARR (1968)

33. Involved - EDWIN STARR (1971)

34. Switch - SWITCH (1978)

35. Watercolors – THE WATERS (1980)

36. Just As I Am - BILL WITHERS (1971 Debut LP on Sussex/A&M Records)

37. Heartbeats – YARBROUGH & PEOPLES (1983)

"After Hours The Collection – Northern Soul Masters". A Review Of The 2011 3CD Digipak Reissue.

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"…Don't You Know I'm Glad I Found You…I'll Dedicate My Life To You…"

Eagle-eyed collectors will notice something similar about this new August 2011 3CD set – it’s a repackaging of 3 Volumes already released in the 2000’s. I bought them then and they were fantastic (I also bought the 2LP vinyl versions). But there are changes on all three on these new discs that need pointing out – here are the details…

The original 2002 "After Hours" (1965 to 1973) had 24 tracks - the new version in this set has 25 – the running order is exactly the same except that Track 17 "Call On Me" by The Dynells is an addition (it’s been moved from Track 26 on the original "After Hours 3").

The original 2003 "After Hours 2" (1964 to 1972) had 26 tracks, but this 2011 version has 25 – and there is also some alteration of the track line up. Tracks 4 and 19 from the original CD have been dropped – "Lil Ole Man (Uptight – Everything's Alright)" by Bill Cosby and "That's What You Do To Me" by Deon Jackson. "Yes To The Lord" by The Stovell Sisters was Track 26 on the original CD, but has been moved to Track 18. Track 25 is "West 4th Street" by Valerie & Bobby Capers (it’s been moved from Track 29 on the original "After Hours 3"). Outside of these changes, the track running order remains the same as the original.

The original 2005 "After Hours 3" (1965 to 1974) had 29 tracks – the new version has 25. Tracks 1 to 18 remain the same running order – "Frantic Escape" by The Innocent Bystanders was Track 28 on the original CD and is now moved to Track 19. Tracks 20 to 25 are the same. Of the remaining four – two have been moved to Disc 1 and 2 as already noted above – the one dropped is "Astral Fire" by The Mystic Moods.

So - across the entire 3 CDs on this 2011 reissue only three of the original songs have been dropped (possibly due to licensing difficulties).

Each of the first two CDs had an 8-page booklet (12-pages on Volume 3) with a short but informative paragraph on each track. Roger Searling (a DJ at Jazz-FM and Radio Presenter at Smooth-FM in the UK) and Rick Conrad (from Warners Music) compiled and annotated all three – with each set expertly remastered by GIOVANNI SCATOLA.
The new booklet simply repros those issues and has the same excellent mastering the original discs had.

With regard to the sound - because of the wildly varying sources and recording dates (many tracks were new to CD at the time of release), the audio quality varied enormously – from superb to just very good – but I’ve not found any of the tracks anything less than listenable on this new version. Also because of their rarity value, most collectors simply relished having the tracks at all.

Musically – it’s an embarrassment of riches – huge hauls of ultra-rare and desirable Soul 45’s on legendary labels like Atlantic, Atco, Carla, Fame, Loma, Reprise, Stax and Warner Brothers. Most of the tracks are aimed squarely at the feet - upbeat dancefloor fillers that slaughtered the crowds at the 'Wigan Casino' in the early Seventies. This is joyful stuff – finger-clickers like "I Love Her So Much It Hurts Me" by DAVID & RUBEN from 1969 on Warners 7316 and the fabulous "Angel Baby (Don’t You Ever Leave Me)" by DARRELL BANKS from 1967 on Atlantic 6484 with an infectious bassline that just won’t quit (lyrics above).

To sum up - I’m a fairly voracious collector of all things Atlantic so I had to have all three of the original jewel-case CD versions when they came out (cost me a five spot each at the time of purchase). Well this new 3CD card-digipak reissue at less than a tenner online (despite the loss of 3 tracks) is still incredible value for money. And if you’re new to the compilations and the music, then you’re in for a treat.

Now excuse me while I get some talcum powder out, scuff up the laminate on the kitchen floor and badly show my age…

"Elton John" by ELTON JOHN (2008 Universal/Mercury/Rocket 2CD 'DELUXE EDITION Reissue - Giovanni Scatola/Tony Cousins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...You Can Tell Them This Is Your Song..."

Reginald Dwight's 2nd album proper was recorded in a week in January 1970 at Trident Studios in London and then released in the spring of 1970. It included the monster hit "Your Song" - and after years of soul-destroying session work and an underachieving debut album "Empty Sky” - both the single and the self-titled album finally kick-started Elton John's extraordinary career which is still strong nearly 50 years after the event.

UK released 2 June 2008 - "Elton John: Deluxe Edition" by ELTON JOHN on Universal/Mercury/Rocket 5305559 (Barcode 600753055595) is an upgraded 2CD 'Deluxe Edition' Remaster of his long forgotten self-titled second album (it's first Remaster came in 1995 on a Gus Dudgeon single disc issue). His 3rd album "Tumbleweed Connection" has also received a DE version released on the same date (see separate review). Here are the details for 'Your Song'…

Disc 1 (39:29 minutes):

1. Your Song

2. I Need You To Turn To

3. Take Me To The Pilot

4. No Shoe Strings For Louise

5. First Episode At Hienton

6. Sixty Years On

7. Border Song

8. The Greatest Discovery

9. The Cage

10. The King Must Die

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album “Elton John” originally released in the UK in April 1970 on DJM Records DJLPS 406 and in the USA on Uni Records 73090

Disc 2 (69:53 minutes):

1. Your Song (Demo Version)

2. I Need You To Turn To (Piano Demo)

3. Take Me To The Pilot (Piano Demo)

4. No Shoe Strings For Louise (Piano Demo)

5. Sixty Years On (Piano Demo)

6. The Greatest Discovery (Piano Demo)

7. The Cage (Demo)

8. The King Must Die (Piano Demo)

9. Rock And Roll Madonna (Piano Demo)

10. Thank You Mama (Piano Demo)

11. All The Way Down To El Paso (Piano Demo)

12. I’m Going Home (Piano Demo)

13. Grey Seal (Piano Demo)

14. Rock And Roll Madonna (Incomplete Band Demo)

15. Bad Side Of The Moon – non-album B-side of “Border Song” released March 1970 in the UK on DJM Records DJS 217

16. Grey Seal

17. Rock And Roll Madonna – 17 and 16 are the A & B-sides of a non-album UK 7” single released June 1970 on DJM Records DJS 222. The B-side “Grey Seal” is known here are the ‘1970 Version” as it differs to the track that later appeared on the 1973 double “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

18. Border Song (BBC Radio 1 Session, Sound Of The Seventies Show, July 1970)

19. Your Song (as per 18)

20. Take Me To The Pilot (as per 18)

Outside of the 3 non-album single sides noted above (15, 16 and 17) – the other 17 tracks are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DEMO, PIANO and BBC VERSIONS.

PACKAGING:

The LP originally sported a matt gatefold sleeve, which has been faithfully reproduced in the upgraded 28-page booklet that accompanies this set. Along with period photos of Elton, there's a very informative new essay by noted writer JOHN TOBLER, session details on the bonus tracks, both CDs are picture discs and the booklet reflects both the rear sleeve ensemble photo and the lyrics on the inner spread in the same way they were on the gatefold of the original album - all very nice touches indeed. But the big news is the SOUND....

SOUND:

Sourcing the first generation original masters tapes from the Universal Archives, GIOVANNI SCATOLA and TONY COUSINS at Metropolis Mastering in London have carried out the remastering - and surely an EMMY awaits each of them! As the owner of way too many re-issue CDs, this (and Tumbleweed Connection) are simply the best remaster of old albums that I've ever heard! Twenty seconds into the overly familiar "Your Song", with its brand new piano and acoustic guitar clarity and its string-arranged beauty fully renewed, I was already writing a review and picking my jaw up off the table as I went!

So what's changed? When GUS DUDGEON replaced the useless 1980s CDs with the excellent 1995 remasters, he got the best sound out of the tapes that he could at the time (he sadly passed away a few years ago). But 13 years on to 2008 and that's a lifetime in remastering techniques. These 2008 versions BREATHE - you can hear everything - and clearly too. Songs like "First Episode At Hienton", "Sixty Years On" and "The King Must Die" heavily feature the fantastic string arrangements of PAUL BUCKMASTER (who did "Space Oddity" for Bowie) - well now you can hear how good they are! The sound is so clean, it makes you double take on almost every track - a TRULY BEAUTIFUL JOB DONE and easy to see why Elton would want these new versions out in the marketplace as soon as possible.

BAND/GUESTS:

FRANK CLARK and COLIN GREEN provide sweet guitar work on "Your Song" and "Sixty Years On", while guest vocalists MADELINE BELL, TONY HAZZARD, LESLIE DUNCAN and ROGER COOK feature especially well on the brilliant "No Strings For Louise" and "The Cage". DIANA LEWIS plays Moog on the sparse "First Episode At Hienton". CALEB QUAYE of HOOKFOOT provides Lead Guitar on "Take Me To The Pilot" while TONY COX of PENTANGLE drums on "The Greatest Discovery" and the epic album closer "The King Must Die".

DISC 2 gives us 12 excellent PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Piano Demos in a row (1-12) along with two separate BBC sessions - the "Dave Lee Travis Show" from April 1970 and the "Sounds Of The Seventies Show" from July 1970 (tracks 18, 19 and 20). They vary in sound quality, but are more than pleasantly good. It should be noted that Track 1, the demo version of "Your Song" did turn up on the "To Be Continued" box set years back, but that was only briefly available. "Bad Side Of The Moon" is the non-album B-side of the 7" single "Border Song" issued March 1970 in the UK on DJM Records DJS 217, while "Rock & Roll Madonna" and "Grey Seal" are the A&B sides of the non-album 7" single DJS 222 issued in the UK in June 1970. "Grey Seal" was re-recorded and turned up on "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" - the version on this disc is often referred to as "Version 1970".  These 3 were originally bonus tracks on the 1995 reissue CD of the album; here they've upgraded sound quality.

Then comes a genuine sensation; recorded for the Radio 1 DJ Dave Lee Travis for his "Sound Of The Seventies" Sessions in July 1970 is an almost note-perfect rendition of "YOUR SONG" which frankly rivals the issued version. Luckily the sound is BEAUTIFUL, his performance heartfelt and not wearied by 38 years of playing the same song. It's FANTASTIC STUFF and a reminder of what initially drew so many music lovers to Elton in the first place - his great song-writing and vocal delivery. Whatever way you cut it, this version is an absolute gem and will thrill fans to the core!

To sum up: I've loved coming back to this album - the great sound quality - actual tunes with thought-provoking lyrics - the attention to detail in the well-thought out packaging - the bonuses you'll play more than once - all of it. For fans of this unduly forgotten album - an absolute must buy...

PS: see also my reviews for the 2004 SACD/Surround Sound variants of “Madman Across The Water” and “Honky Chateau” and the 2014 Bob Ludwig Remaster of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is CLASSIC 1970s ROCK - an E-Book with over 250 entries and 2100 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).