"The Doobie Brothers/Toulouse Street" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (2011 Edsel 2CD Reissue and Remasters with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…We Got To Let The Music Play…"

Bit of a bargain this one to say the bleeding least. Two forgotten but brilliant Doobie Brothers 70ts albums featuring their ace Lead Guitarist – Tom Johnston – and both bolstered up with cool Bonus Tracks and utterly Amazing Audio/presentation. What’s not to love - here are the ‘Listen To The Music’ details...

UK released 29 August 2011 (6 September 2011 in the USA) – "The Doobie Brothers/Toulouse Street" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS on Edsel/Rhino EDSD 2104 (Barcode 740155210434) offers 2LPs onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (71:41 minutes):

1. Nobody

2. Slippery St. Paul

3. Greenwood Creek

4. It Won’t Be Right

5. Travelin’ Man

6. Feelin’ Down Farther [Side 2]

7. The Master

8. Growin’ A Little Each Day

9. Beehive State

10. Closer Every Day

11. Chicago

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut studio album "The Doobie Brothers" - released April 1971 on Warner Brothers BS 1919 in the USA and on Warner Brothers K 46090 in the UK

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Nobody (Single Remix)

13. Daughters Of The Sea (Demo)

14. Armadillo Death Chant

15. Osbourne (Long Train Running)

16. Four Days Gone

17. Spiel

18. Lovin’ My Way Back Home

19. Pat’s Song

20. Bluejay

21. Peace In The Valley

Tracks 12 to 21 first appeared on the 1999 4CD Rhino Box Set "Long Train Runnin': 1970-2000".

Track 12 is their April 1971 debut US 45 "Nobody" on Warner Brothers WB 7495. Tracks 13 to 16 and 17 to 21 are studio outtakes from the first album recorded 9 July 1971 and 6 October 1971 respectively

Disc 2 (48:16 minutes):

1. Listen To The Music

2. Rockin’ Down The Highway

3. Mamaloi

4. Toulouse Street

5. Cotton Mouth

6. Don’t Start Me Talkin’ [Side 2]

7. Jesus Is Just Alright

8. White Sun

9. Disciple

10. Snake Man

Tracks 1 to 10 are their 2nd studio album "Toulouse Street" - released July 1972 on Warner Brothers BS 2634 in the USA and Warner Brothers K 46183 in the UK (reached number 21 on the US album charts)

BONUS TRACKS:

11. Listen To The Music (Single Remix)

12. Rockin’ Down The Highway (Single Remix)

13. Listen To The Music (Steve Rodway Extended Remix)

The US 45s for "Listen To The Music" released August 1972 on Warner Brothers WB 7619 and "Rockin' Down The Highway" released December 1972 on Warner Brothers WB 7661 (B-side of "Jesus Is Just Alright").

Track 13 is "Listen To The Music (Steve Rodway Extended Remix)" released April 1994 in the UK on Warner Brothers W0228T (12”) and W0228CD (CD single)  

The booklet apes the others in this series (a great deal more substantial than what's gone before) - 24-pages feature original album artwork (including the inner gatefold sleeve of "Toulouse Street"), the lyrics (a first for both LPs), musician credits and an informative 6-page history by ALAN ROBINSON on both albums and their impact. It's superbly done. A small mistake is that both albums were originally on the 'Tan' Warner Brothers label in both countries - they've pictured the late Seventies cream label for "The Doobie Brothers" and the 'Burbank' label for "Toulouse Street" (which is a mid-Seventies). But aside from these niggles, the really big news is the fabulous new SOUND...

I've had all of the 2006 Japanese Remasters (in 5" card repro sleeves) to have the music - but here the remaster by PHIL KINRADE at ALCHEMY in London is stunning and far better. The clarity is amazing. The first LP is a little hissy in places fro sure, but by the time you get to “Toulouse Street” Ted Templeman’s production values are amazing and fully realized in the transfer. His name has long been associated with the band (and later on with Van Halen).

Their debut album is a mixture of the ordinary and the inspired – a band launching itself – a group getting there. Their debut US 7" single "Nobody" is a great starting point for any career and set up their "Doobie' sound for the first half of the Seventies. The wonderfully slinky acoustics of "Slippery St. Paul" is another firm fan favourite. Their cover of Randy Newman's "Beehive State" hints at the Rock of the 1973 album masterpiece "The Captain And Me", but better is the two finishers by Patrick Simmons – "Closer Every Day" and "Chicago". The extras were all on the 4CD Rhino box of 1999 so if you couldn’t afford that – they are a clever addition here. "Daughters Of The Sea" finally surfaced on their 4th album "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" in 1974 while "Osborne" is an early version of their most famous song – "Long Train Runnin'" that would eventually turn on their 3rd album "The Captain And Me".

If their debut promised much then "Toulouse Street" delivered. It was rewarded with an album chart placing of 21 on the strength of two hugely commercial singles - "Listen To The Music" (lyrics above) and "Jesus Is Just Alright" (a 1966 gospel song written by Albert Reid Reynolds that was a minor single for The Byrds in 1969). These incredibly catchy songs charted at 11 and 35 respectively and established the Doobies as Adult Rock Radio staples. Their cover of the Seals and Crofts song "Cotton Mouth" is excellent while they just about pull off a version of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don’t Start Me Talking". Better still is the lovely Jamaica shuffle of "Mamaloi" and the truly excellent "Toulouse Street" (both Patrick Simmons songs). The title track has graced many a 70’s Fest CD I’ve made. The acoustic blues feel of "Snake Man" finishes the album in style – and sounds incredible. The two 'Single Remixes' are helpful inclusions, but the truly awful 90's Remix of "Listen To The Music" may evoke murderous tendencies in even the most pacifistic of fans – a travesty best forgotten. The "Jesus Is Just Alright" 7" single was a shorter edit than the full album version – and that would have been a more appropriate last track.

So there you have it. Doobie Brothers fans have waited decades to see their band's back catalogue on Warner Brothers be given the right reissue treatment - and England's Edsel label (who have struck a licensing deal with WEA) has done them proud.

To sum up – albums that deserves a second chance, superb remastering, genuine bonuses, tasteful presentation and all topped off with a dirt-cheap price. Buy the lot in confidence.

PS: there are 4 releases in this series to date (all with bonus tracks):

1. The Doobie Brothers (1971) / Toulouse Street (1972) on Edsel EDSD 2104

2. The Captain And Me (1973) / What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) on Edsel EDSD 2105

3. Stampede (1975) / Takin' It To The Streets (1976) on Edsel EDSD 2106

4. Livin' On The Fault Line (1977) / Minute By Minute (1978) on Edsel EDSD 2107

"The Captain And Me/What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (2011 Edsel 2CD Reissue and Remaster with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Tell Me What You Want And I'll Give You What A Need…"

Two absolute Seventies Rock nuggets on offer here for the Tom Johnston era of THE DOOBIE BROTHERS – both albums sounding spiffing and raring to go. Here come the Abraham Lincoln hats, half-cut bridges and teams of wild horses…

UK released 31 August 2011 as a 2CD set (6 September 2011 in the USA) – "The Captain And Me/What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS on Edsel EDSD 2105 (Barcode 740155210533) offers two LPs onto 2CDs with Bonus Tracks and breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (66:24 minutes):

1. Natural Thing

2. Long Train Runnin’

3. China Grove

4. Dark-Eyed Cajun Woman

5. Clear As The Driven Snow

6. Without You [Side 2]

7. South City Midnight Lady

8. Evil Woman

9. Busted Down Around O’Connelly Corners

10. Ukiah

11. The Captain And Me

Tracks 1 to 11 are their 3rd studio album "The Captain And Me" - released March 1973 on Warner Brothers K 46217 in the UK and Warner Brothers BS 2694 in the USA (reached number 7 on the US charts)

Tracks 12 to 14 are 3 remixes of "Long Train Runnin'" which was reissued November 1993 on a 12" single (W0217T) and CD single (W0217CD) in the UK to promote the Warners "Long Train Runnin' - Very Best Of" compilation of May 1993. It reached Number 7 on the UK singles chart. The three remixes are (Sure Is Pure Mix), (Full Guitar Mix) and (Done On A Shoestring Mix).

Disc 2 (44:45 minutes):

1. Song To See You Through

2. Spirit

3. Pursuit on 53rd St.

4. Black water

5. Eyes Of Silver

6. Road Angel

7. You Just Can’t Stop It [Side 2]

8. Tell Me What You Want (And I’ll Give You What You Need)

9. Down In The Track

10. Another Park, Another Sunday

11. Daughters Of The Sea

12. Flying Cloud

Tracks 1 to 12 are their 4th studio album "What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" - released March 1974 on Warner Brothers K 56026 in the UK and Warner Brothers BS 2750 in the USA  (reached number 4 on the US charts)

The booklet is a great deal more substantial than what's gone before. The 24-pages feature original album artwork (including the inner gatefold sleeve of "Captain" and the poster that accompanied "Vices"), the lyrics (a first for both LPs), musician credits and an informative 6-page history by ALAN ROBINSON on both albums and their impact. It's superbly done. A small mistake is that "Captain" was originally on a 'Tan' Warner Brothers label in both countries - they've pictured the 'Burbank' label which is a mid-Seventies pressing ("Vices" was on Burbank originally). But the really big news is the fabulous new SOUND...

I've had all of the 2006 Japanese Remasters (in 5" card repro sleeves) to have the music - but here the remaster by PHIL KINRADE at ALCHEMY in London is stunning and far better. The clarity is amazing. It helps of course that the original production on each album by Ted Templeman was so razor sharp in the first place (he's long been associated with the band and more famously with Van Halen).

Bubbling under with "The Doobie Brothers" (1971) and "Toulouse Street" (1972) - the stunning "Captain And Me" changed everything for them - and is probably their most beloved album (outside of "Minute By Minute" from 1978) in their entire catalogue. It's one of those Seventies albums where it's 'all' good. Staples like "China Grove", "Long Train Runnin'", the lovely "South City Midnight Lady" and the riffage of "Without You" still raise a tear in the eye of any Doobie fan. But then there are the unsung gems - the almost Montrose rock of "Evil Woman", the chipper "Ukiah" and the brilliantly constructed Patrick Simmons masterpiece "Clear As The Driven Snow" that finishes Side 1 - fantastic stuff. The sound quality here is truly gorgeous too - the 48-second acoustic instrumental of "Busted Down Around O'Connelly Corners" on Side 2 will rattle around your speakers in an impressively clear audiophile manner.

After the sheer brilliance and song-assault of "Captain" - I recall that some perceived "Vices" as something of a disappointment. Personally I loved it to bits at the time - and more importantly, it absolutely deserves reappraisal now as one of the Doobie greats. A far funkier element crept into their songs - so very Little Feat in ways. To this day I play "You Just Can't Stop It" all the time. And you can hear why "Black Water" was a Number 1 single in the USA. "Daughters Of The Sea" is a cracker too as is the acoustic cleverness of "Spirit". "Another Park, Another Sunday" and "Tell Me What You Want" (lyrics above) are as lovely as anything they ever produced. Mightily impressive stuff really...and all of it sounding just spiffing. 

So there you have it. Doobie Brothers fans have waited decades to see their band's back catalogue on Warner Brothers be given the right reissue treatment - and England's Edsel label (who have struck a licensing deal with WEA) has done them proud.

To sum up - great music, superb remaster, really good presentation and a dirt-cheap price. Buy the lot in confidence.

PS: there are 4 releases in this series to date (all with bonus tracks):

1. The Doobie Brothers (1971) / Toulouse Street (1972) on Edsel EDSD 2104

2. The Captain And Me (1973) / What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) on Edsel EDSD 2105

3. Stampede (1975) / Takin' It To The Streets (1976) on Edsel EDSD 2106

4. Livin' On The Fault Line (1977) / Minute By Minute (1978) on Edsel EDSD 2107

"Stampede/Takin' It To The Streets" by THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (2011 Edsel 2CD Reissue and Remasters with Bonus Tracks) - A Review by Mark Barry...

The Doobie Brothers are part of my Series "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters 1970s Rock And Pop" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…You Don't Know Me…But I'm Your Brother…"

UK released Monday 26 September 2011 as a 2CD set (4 Oct 2011 in the USA) - Edsel EDSD 2106 breaks down as follows...

Disc 1 (57:48 minutes):
1. Sweet Maxine
2. Neal's Fandango
3. Texas Lullaby
4. Music Man
5. Slat Key Soquel Rag
6. Take Me In Your Arms
7. I Cheat The Hangman
8. Precis
9. Rainy Day Crossroad Blues
10. I Been Workin' On You
11. Double Dealin' Four Flusher
Tracks 1 to 11 are their 5th studio album "Stampede" - released May 1975 on Warner Brothers K 56094 in the UK - Warner Brothers BS 2835 in the USA

BONUS TRACKS: 

12. Sweet Maxine [single remix]
13. Mambo Waltz
14. Outside Of Barstow
15. Argentine Grape (Sweet Maxine)
16. Shuffle (Double Dealin' Four Flusher)
Tracks 12 to 16 are all are taken from the 4CD Box Set "Long Train Runnin': 1970-2000" released on Rhino in September 1999 in the USA. All were new to CD at the time with 12 being the 'Single Remix' of "Sweet Maxine" and 13 to 16 being Previously Unreleased album 'Outtakes'

Disc 2 (45:40 minutes):
1. Wheels Of Fortune
2. Takin' It To The Streets
3. 8th Avenue Shuffle
4. Losin' End
5. Rio
6. For Someone Special
7. It Keeps You Runnin'
8. Turn It Loose
9. Carry Me Away

10. Takin' It To The Streets [demo]
11. We Would Sail Away (Saint Paul)

Tracks 1 to 9 are their 6th studio album "Takin' It To The Streets" - released March 1976 on Warner Brothers K 56196 in the UK - Warner Brothers BS 2899 in the USA
Tracks 10 and 11 are bonus tracks - both as per 12 to 16 on Disc 1

The 24-page booklet is far more substantial than I had expected - original album artwork including inner gatefolds is shown for both LPs, the lyrics, musician credits, UK LP labels pictured and an informative history on each album by ALAN ROBINSON. The booklet is superbly done. But the big news is the fabulous new SOUND...

I've had all 10 of the 2006 Japanese Remasters (in 5" card repro sleeves) to have the music - but here the remaster by PHIL KINRADE at ALCHEMY in London is stunning and far better. The clarity is amazing. It helps of course that the original production by Ted Templeman was so razor sharp (he's long been associated with the band and more famously with Van Halen).

Some tracks are shockingly better - that great guitar solo in "Neal's Fandango" rocks as does the cover of the Holland-Dozier-Holland Motown classic "Take Me In Your Arms..." One of my favourite 'in-between-tracks' instrumentals (in the entire Doobies catalogue) is "Slat Key Soquel Rag" which only runs to 1:52 minutes. Here it's absolutely transformed - beautifully produced in the first place, it now has gorgeous clarity - fans will flip for this. Another winner (albeit not quite as successful as the liner notes claim) is the 6:36 minutes of "I Cheat The Hangman" which sounds like The Eagles most uncharacteristic song "Journey Of The Sorcerer" which ends Side 2 of the "One Of These Nights" album (also from 1975). The Eagles stretched out instrumentally and with spectacular results - here The Doobies try the same - about 4 minutes into it - the song goes off into swirling vocals, Nick DeCaro arranged strings and Carl Himmie on trumpet fills. It sounds amazing.

"Music Man" features Soul Legend CURTIS MAYFIELD who contributes Strings and Horns that virtually 'make' the uptempo song. Another fan favourite is Tom Johnston's acoustic "Rainy Day Crossroad Blues" - it now sounds fabulous with slide nylon and steel guitar strings rattling around your music room. Although I always found both the album finishers "I Been Workin' On You" and "Double Dealin' Four Flusher" fairly plodding Seventies Rock - if they have admirers out there - then their gonna love the boogie clarity here.

The introduction of Michael McDonald to the band changed everything - and very much for the better in my opinion. Their 1976 transition album is a soulful rock record. "Losin' End" is fabulous and "Wheels Of Fortune" still retains that Tom Johnston's magic, but my heart lies with an obscurity. I've waited 30 years to hear "For Someone Special" in really great sound - and at last it's here. Because it's a Tiran Porter song (the Bass player) and doesn't feature either Johnston or McDonald on Lead Vocals (Porter handles it himself) - it sort of sounds like a slinky Steely Dan song you've missed. Every instrument is clearer - the Bass and Drums - and suddenly there's the lovely lead of Wayne Jackson from The Memphis Horns. I love it. Every time I feature this track on some 70's Fest CD in the shop shuffle - it brings customers to the counter asking after it.

Featuring Michael McDonald's heartfelt lyrics and gorgeous melody, "Takin' It To The Streets" is beautifully clear - and to this day sends chills up my arms (lyrics above). The funky and fun "8th Avenue Shuffle" sounds amazing too. And then you're hit with two knockouts - demos with just old blue eyes and a piano. The "Takin' It To The Streets" demo is mind-blowing stuff; he has the opening lyrics and just ad-libs the chorus - and yet it's still powerful. "We Would Sail Away (Saint Paul)" is excellent too and sounds not unlike a great Randy Newman outtake (high praise indeed).

So there you have it - for some reason I came to this reissue with low expectations and I leave it with exactly the opposite. Doobie Brothers fans have waited decades to see their band's great back catalogue be given the right reissue treatment - and England's Edsel label (who have struck a licensing deal with WEA) - have done them proud.

To sum up - great music, superb remaster, really good presentation and a dirt-cheap price.

Buy all of them with confidence - and roll on Little Feat, Ry Cooder, James Taylor, Rickie Lee Jones, Prince, Tom Waits etc etc...


PS: to date - there are 4 releases for The Doobie Brothers in this series (all with bonus tracks):
1. The Doobie Brothers (1971) / Toulouse Street (1972) on Edsel EDSD 2104
2. The Captain And Me (1973) / What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits (1974) on Edsel EDSD 2105
3. Stampede (1975) / Takin' It To The Streets (1976) on Edsel EDSD 2106
4. Livin' On The Fault Line (1977) / Minute By Minute (1978) on Edsel EDSD 2107


PPS: Edsel have also re-issued most of the Todd Rundgren catalogue is this series of 2011 2CD sets (also with bonus tracks and extended booklets)