"Buena Vista Social Club: Edición 25 Anniversario (25th Anniversary Edition)" by BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB – June 1997 (UK) September 1997 (USA) Album of Cuban Music on World Circuit Records with Ry Cooder and The Afro-Cuban All Stars featuring Ibrahim Ferrer, Eliades Ochoa, Compay Segundo, Rubén González, Omara Portmundo, Manual Mirabal and many more (September 2021 UK World Circuit/BMG 2CD Anniversary Reissue with Twelve Previously Unreleased Tracks and Bernie Grundman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

 

 

 

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This Review and 317 Others Like It 

Are Available in My Amazon e-Book

GOODY TWO SHOES

2CD Deluxe Editions (Occasional Threesome), Expanded Reissues and Compilations 

All Info From The Discs Themselves 

No Cut and Paste Crap

Amazon Hall of Fame Reviewer 6 Times

 

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"...Ediciones Musicales... "

 

There have been only a handful of genuinely mind-blowing world-conquering musical discoveries in my 65-year search for genre enlightenment (mainline those rhythms to my soul baby).

 

I suppose it started for me (and most everyone else) with Paul Simon's September 1986 African/World Music album "Graceland" that received a 25^th Anniversary Edition multiple-format reissue in June 2012 (see review). Then we got the Coen Brothers re-educating us all on old timey papa-biscuits music with their devastatingly funny and beautifully filmed "O, Brother Where Are Thou?" movie parable in September 2000. The CD was a hit, Americana and Traditionals and Country Music had a full-on resurgence and concerts followed in which much of the entire world joined up for the hootenanny rediscovery - all of this heady mix breaking old barriers down towards music considered by many to be the very definition of hick (run a hundred miles boy lest you and your progeny get infected).

 

The lads at reissue specialist Light In The Attic Records of America gave us the stunning "Cold Fact" and "Coming From Reality" albums from Rodriguez in August 2008 and May 2009 (originally issued in 1970 and 1971 on Sussex Records and thereafter descended into virtual unsold obscurity) that was followed by the movie-story of his life "Searching For The Sugar Man" - another joyous discovery. These new frontiers - along with Peter Gabriel and his Real World Records label - blew everyone away.

 

But in between all of that came 23 June 1997 in the UK (17 September 1997 in the USA) and the self-titled one-off album sensation that was/is Buena Vista Social Club – a collection recorded across three days at the end of March 1996 in Havana, Cuba by the then virtually unknown World Circuit Records. Helping hand and cool conduit came via Americana guitarist and Warner Brothers recording star Ry Cooder who had invited the cream of Traditional South American Music practitioners to a studio to go for it. The sideways aim/result was to bring music genres like Trova, Son, Tumbao, Danzón, Guajira, Canción and of course all manner of Afro-Cuban Bolero numbers and ballads to a new audience. The resultant album was and still is a joy – a lightning in a bottle moment captured and celebrated ever since (hell, even the artwork has become famous).

 

That Buena Vista Social Club was always going to receive a celebrationary reissue goes with saying. But man oh man and boys oh boys – the Remastered AUDIO on this sucker by Bernie Grundman is off the charts good. Culled from the original master tapes and featuring 12 new Previously Unreleased session outtakes on CD2 (including new songs, mostly rehearsals)  – both the CD and VINYL variants for this 25^th Anniversary hit next level audiophile. Even the obvious loose nature of "Chan Chan" that opens CD2 with a Monitor Mix where Cooder announces that prep is over and "...Cats, we're up!" sounds utterly amazing and alive in your living room. A warmth and feel that is at times hair-raising. Enough 5-star praise, to the details...

 

UK released 17 September 2021 - "Buena Vista Social Club: Edición 25 Anniversario (25^th Anniversary Edition)" by BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB on World Circuit/BMG WCD05025S (Barcode 4050538672206) is a 2CD Reissue and Remaster that plays outs as follows:

 

CD1 (60:10 minutes):

1. Chan Chan

2. De Camino a La Vereda

3. El Cuarto de Tula

4. Pueblo Nuevo

5. Das Gardenias

6. ?Y Tú Qué Has Hecho?

7. Veinta Años

8. El Carretero

9. Candela

10. Amor de Loca Juventud

11. Orgullecida

12. Murmullo

13. Buena Vista Social Club

14. La Bayamesa

Tracks 1 to 14 are the CD album (double-vinyl) "Buena Vista Social Club" – released 23 June 1997 in the UK on World Circuit WCD 050 and 16 September 1997 in the USA on World Circuit/Nonesuch 79478-2. Produced by NICK GOLD – it peaked at No. 44 in the UK and No. 80 on the US charts (hit No. 1 in Germany). This 25^th Anniversary Edition reissue charted and peaked at No. 100 in America and is Remastered by BERNIE GRUNDMAN

 

There is also a VINYL 2LP Remastered Set of this 25^th Anniversary Edition Reissue on World Circuit/BMG WCV05025 (Barcode 4050538629996). It adds five of the outtakes as Bonuses, comes on 180grams Vinyl and has an expanded 20-page booklet. The five bonuses included on the 2LP VINYL Set are Tracks 2, 3, 7, 10 and 12 on CD2)

 

CD2 (40:15 minutes):

1. Chan Chan (Monitor Mix)

2. Vicenta

3. La Pluma

4. Dos Gardenias (Alternate Take)

5. Mandinga

6. Siboney

7. A Tus Pies

8. El Carretero (Alternate Take)

9. Ensayo

10. La Cleptómana

11. Descarga Rubén

12. Orgullecida (Alternate Trio Take)

Tracks 1 to 12 are all PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

The 65-page Hardback Digibook for "Buena Vista Social Club: Edición 25 Anniversario" is a beautiful thing to look at and behold. The cream pages separate out every song including the new ones and even produce both Native language lyrics and English translations. There is a lead-in note from Cooder about the genesis of the project – a long list of musicians that is complimented by a further track-by-track player-by-player list at the rear (featuring artists include The Afro-Cuban All Stars - Ibrahim Ferrer, Eliades Ochoa, Compay Segundo, Rubén González, Omara Portmundo, Manual Mirabal, Alberto Valdés and many more). There is a colour photo of the joyous group towards the rear and a sense that pride has been taken in this celebrationary release. But the big news is a BERNIE GRUNDMAN Remaster that is simply glorious (as already outlined). Time to Bolero my friends...

 

Playing the album even from the opening number and you instantly realize how utterly locked into each other’s rhythms the band is – swaying and shuffling with big-room perfection while Ry underpins the Acoustics, Trumpets, Bongos and Shakers with a mean-as-a-rattle-snake Electric Slide Guitar. And a musically smart Cooder hovers with his guitar - never gets showy or in the way of Lead Vocalist Eliades Ochoa whose vocals are aged-in-brine gorgeous. When they do go into the initial Piano waltz that is "Pueblo Nuevo" and then up the pace half way through to a sexy dance of piano and guitars – you can imagine Angelina Jolie sashaying around some Taverna in lace making all the sweaty patrons drink deep and fan harder (sunny weather indeed).

 

Legendary South American vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer sings an emotional blinder with "Das Gardenias" – a lovely Bolero that makes you want to slow dance with your baby. And again truly gobsmacking audio comes roaring in with "?Y Tú Qué Has Hecho?" – Ry Cooder and Compay Segundo doing Acoustic Guitar battle on this 1920s Bolero. The all-male-ensemble is joined by the only woman to grace the album – Omara Portmundo (pictured in the booklet) - who duets in perfect subdued beauty with Compay Segundo on "Veinta Años" (beautiful Bouzouki-type guitars too). That lovely almost calming Bolero moment is followed by a gorgeous groove in "El Carretero" where Eliades Ochoa takes Lead Vocals. Next up the boys have some swaying and aye-aye-aye singing fun with a Son & Tumbao style song called "Candello" which at 5:27 minutes probably outstays its welcome just a tad.

 

Ry and Joachim Cooder join the muchachos guitarist fray with subtle contributions to the short but deeply lovely "Amor De Loca Juventud" – a cellulite-reducing Americana shuffle with Gospel and Acoustic Blues influences. Old timey pre-war trombone and even Hawaiian steel convergences make "Orgullecida" a giggle and delight. But they pale when the voices and piano of "Murmullo" show up – Ibrahim Ferrer swooning and humming in a Romantic Casablanca kind of style while Rubén González plinks on a grand piano with a beautifully captured tone. A Danzon-style instrumental shuffles like a cheeky sea fog into view for the cha-cha-cha of the title track "Buena Vista Social Club" (wowser for the audio again). And it all comes to a sort of early-hours-cantina-on-the-brink-of-stupor moment – a Criolla-style sung ballad where the men are nearly weeping or too drunk to explain – whichever arrives first.

 

I suppose the only tiny complaint would be that it easy to hear why large numbers of the outtakes were left on the cutting room floor – they are good – but they are not the great stuff on the album. Having said that the up mood of "Vicenta" is damn cool while the Alternate of an album fave "Das Gardenias" is lovely even if the vocals go awry towards its end. Piano and Bongo chill-out fun comes in the shape of "Mandinga" where Rubén González gets the boys to stop talking and even join in the melody. Another lovely moment of acoustic sweetness comes with the song called Ensayo which is upended when piano rudely interrupts – it’s a segment more than a tune. But again – others have loved "La Cleptómana" – a Trova song about a Kleptomaniac who likes to burn pretty things (nice).

 

Buena Vista Social Club was and still is a beautiful thing and this 25^th Anniversary reminder has done its legend proud. And I got my copy in 2023 for under a tenner shrink-wrapped with its display sticker and looking perky. Time for me to re-join the waist-train as its shimmies across the retirement home – aye aye aye...

"Joni Mitchell Archives Volume 2: The Reprise Years 1968–1971" by JONI MITCHELL – Including Previously Unreleased Demos, Outtakes, Never-Before-Heard Songs, Live Recordings with James Taylor, The John Cameron Group and Other Archival Material - featuring David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Live Set Produced by Jimi Hendrix and more (November 2021 UK Joni Mitchell Archives (JMA)/Rhino 5CD Box Set Of Previously Unreleased Material, 40-Page Booklet, Five Newly Formed Mini LP Artwork Card Sleeves and Bernie Grundman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

****

"…A Considerable Treat…"

 

I suspect there were many lifelong Joni-o-Philes that proffered a mild heart palpitation to the heroically proportioned non-binary post-person when this long awaited and long-promised 5CD vaults-trawl arrived on their doorsteps first week of November 2021 (there you go, you old hippie).

 

The first Volume in the Joni Mitchell Archive Series (JMA) set the scene from her mid Sixties emergence to the beginning of prep for the debut album in March 1968 on Reprise Records (Produced by David Crosby). Like that first oversized Box Set, however, Volume 2 is a mixed bag of the sublime, the understandably historically important and the downright unlistenable. For me it's a 4-star set when your heart was hustling for 6. So what do you get?

 

This second box revisits the "Song To A Seagull" debut, then "Clouds" from May 1969, "Ladies Of The Canyon" from April 1970 and the shimmering "Blue" from June 1971. Admittedly, it will probably be something of a fan-sting to find only 17 are actual outtakes from four albums in her early primo period. But the live stuff is (at times) thrilling and tearfully beautiful (Disc Five with James Taylor especially, expertly taped by good folk at the BBC in the UK like Jeff Griffin). So some may be disappointed by that - but for me - to have anything new by this era defining lady of the canyons (and officially sanctioned too) is the business in my books. To the minute details and drinking cases of you...

 

UK and WORLDWIDE released 5 November 2021 - "Joni Mitchell Archives Volume 2: The Reprise Years 1968 – 1971" by JONI MITCHELL on Joni Mitchell Archives (JMA)/Rhino Records R2 653989 / 603497844524 (Barcode 603497844524) is a 5CD Box Set of Previously Unreleased Material that breaks down as follows:

 

Disc 1 (60:21 minutes Total Playing Time)

Joni’s Home Demos, Late 1967/Early 1968

1. Midnight Cowboy (Version 1)

2. The Dawntreader (Demo with Vocal Overdubs)

3. Song To A Seagull

4. Midnight Cowboy (Version 2)

 

Jane Lurie's Apartment, Late 1967/Early 1968

5. The Way It Is

6. Turn Around (Incomplete)

 

Joni's Home Demos, Late 1967/Early 1968

7. I Had A King (Demo With Piano Overdub)

8. The Fiddle And The Drum (Piano Demo)

9. Rose's Blue (Demo with Peacock Harp Overdub)

 

Song To A Seagull Session, 24 January 1968

10. Jeremy

11. Conversation

12. Both Sides Now

13. The Gift Of The Magi

 

Jane Lurie's Apartment, Early 1968

14. It’s Easy

15. Another Melody

 

Live at Canterbury House, 10 March 1968

16. Introduction

17. Jeremy

18. Songs To Aging Children Come

 

Disc 2 (79:53 minutes):

Live at Le Hibou Coffee House, 19 March 1968

1. Night In The City

2. Come To The Sunshine

3. Intro to The Pirate of Penance

4. The Pirate Of Penance

5. Intro to Conversation

6. Conversation

7. The Way It Is

8. Intro to The Dawntreader

9. The Dawntreader

10. Marcie

11. Intro to Nathan La Franeer

12. Nathan La Franeer

13. Intro to Dr. Funk

14. Dr. Junk

15. Intro to Michael From Mountains

16. Michael From Mountains

17. Go Tell The Drummer Man

18. Intro to I Don’t Know Where I Stand

19. I Don’t Know Where I Stand

20. Intro to Sisotowbell Lane

21. Sisotowbell Lane

22. Intro to Ladies Of The Canyon

23. Ladies Of The Canyon

 

Studio Session, 31 May 1968

24. Come To The Sunshine

 

Jane Lurie's Apartment, Early 1968

25. "My Second Album"

26. "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross"

27. The Pirate Of Penance

 

Top Gear BBC Radio Broadcast, 23 September 1968

28. Intro to Chelsea Morning

29. Chelsea Morning – with The John Cameron Group

30. Intro to The Gallery

31. The Gallery

32. Intro to Night In The City

33. Night In The City – with The John Cameron Group

 

Disc 3 (77:02 minutes):

Live at Carnegie Hall, 1 February 1969

1. Chelsea Morning

2. A Valentine For Joni

3. Cactus Tree

4. Night In The City

5. I Had A King

6. Blue Boy

7. My American Skirt

8. The Fiddle And The Drum

9. Spoony’s Wonderful Adventure

10. That Song About The Midway

11. Both Sides Now

12. Marcie

13. Nathan La Franeer

14. Intro to The Gallery

15. The Gallery

16. Hunter

17. Morning Morgantown

18. Intro to Get Together

19. Get Together

20. Intro to The Circle Game/Little Green

21. Medley: The Circle Game/Little Green

22. Michael From Mountains

 

Disc 4 (77:41 minutes):

Live at Carnegie Hall, 1 February 1969 (continued)

1. Intro to Urge For Going

2. Urge For Going

 

Clouds Sessions, 20 March 1969

3. Conversation

4. Blue Boy

5. The Priest

 

Jane Lurie’s Apartment, Mid 1969

6. Jesus

7. Playing Piano and Vocalizing

 

The Dick Cavatt Show ABC-TV Broadcast, 18 August 1969

8. Chelsea Morning

9. Willy

10. For Free

11. Interview

12. The Fiddle And The Drum

 

Ladies Of The Canyon Demo Sessions, late 1969

13. Woodstock

 

Live at Centennial Auditorium, 1 November 1969

14. "As I Lie In My Backyard Thinking On August 2^nd..." (a poem)

15. Rose’s Blue

16. Rainy Night House

 

Ladies Of The Canyon Session, 30 January 1970

17. Ladies Of The Canyon (with Cellos)

 

Ladies Of The Canyon Session, 2 February 1970

18. Blue Boy (with Recorder Coda)

 

In Concert BBC TV Broadcast, 3 September 1970

19. All I Want

 

Blue Demo Sessions, Summer 1970

20. A Case Of You

21. California

 

Greenpeace Benefit Concert for Amchitka, 16 October 1970

22. Introduction by James Taylor

23. Medley: Big Yellow Taxi/Bony Maronie

 

Disc 5 (79:19 minutes):

In Concert BBC Radio Broadcast, 29 October 1970

1. Introduction (by British DJ, John Peel)

2. That Song About Midway

3. Intro to The Gallery

4. The Gallery

5. Hunter

6. Intro to River

7. River

8. My Old Man

9. The Priest

10. "This is a mountain dulcimer..."

11. Carey

12. A Case Of You (with James Taylor)

13. Intro to California (with James Taylor)

14. California (with James Taylor)

15. Intro to For Free (with James Taylor)

16. For Free (with James Taylor)

17. Intro to The Circle Game (with James Taylor)

18. The Circle Game

19. Intro to You Can Close Your Eyes (with James Taylor)

20. You Can Close Your Eyes (with James Taylor)

21. Both Sides Now

22. Intro to Big Yellow Taxi

23. Big Yellow Taxi

 

Blue Sessions, late 1970

24. Hunter

25. River (with French Horns)

26. Urge For Going (with Strings)

 

This is a classy looking release (as was the first Volume) – a hard-card book flap lid (photo taken by Graham Nash) opens to an inner tray of five card sleeves held in place by a ribbon. Atop that is a 40-page booklet – the centrepiece of which is a new interview with JM conducted by filmmaker and fan CAMERON CROWE (about the time of the 50^th Anniversary reissue of "Blue"). As you can see from the photos supplied, the five Mini LP Sized Card Sleeves are superbly rendered black and whites from the period with mastertape details superimposed at the bottom – number five being especially pretty with Joni and James Taylor sharing a stage and clearly enjoying it. The JMA Logo (Joni Mitchell Archives) is printed on everything. The booklet has some truly gorgeous photos of our hero – ticket stubs – gig adverts (Main Point, The Bitter End with Neil Young just out of Buffalo Springfield) – passes for The Dick Cavett Show – lyrics to songs on all sorts of bits of paper including hotel stationery (you can see how she lists words that will rhyme better with what she's got) – diary notes – set list pages – tape box listings where we see that both "Hunter" and "Urge For Going" have been recorded but are clearly marked as not to be released).

 

And then of course are key players in her early career like Elliot Roberts the Manager of Neil Young and CSNY who believed in her and steered her to Reprise Records (the Box is dedicated to him), Record Exec Mo Ostin (a photo of Joni signing to Reprise as Mo and Elliot watch) and one of two intimate snaps of ex Hollies man and lover Graham Nash (the best baby I ever had). There is even a photo of Graham sat on a sofa with Joni at the piano while her bemused and confused and ever so slightly uncomfortable parents Bill and Myrtle Anderson watch (it was taken just before she went on stage in May 1969 as an industry showcase concert in front of every Folk peer in the game including Dylan). But the most astonishing thing is on Page 14 where the March 19, 1968 diary page of Jimi Hendrix is repro'd (courtesy of his estate) – his handwritten praise of Joni whom he describes as "...fantastic girl with Heaven words..." Even then – genius could recognize other genius. March 19^th was the day he professionally taped Joni at Le Hibou Coffee House (Disc 2) and the results are amazingly clear – audio-wise.

 

Speaking of Audio – MICHAEL GRAVES did the Audio Restoration and the world-famous BERNIE GRUNDMAN did the Mastering – and when it goes into Take 1 of the unreleased "Jeremy" – the audio is lovely – and as its only her and an acoustic – thrilling intimate. Any version of the majestic "Both Sides Now" has got to be on top of most bucket-lists – so to hear this dizzy-dancing song in this lovely session form (January 1968) – is more than a treat.

 

The debut album "Song To A Seagull" aka "Joni Mitchell" was released March 1968 in the USA (June 1968 in the UK) on Reprise RSLP 6293 and featured Stephen Stills on Bass with David Crosby Producing – Mitchell playing all other instruments. Every one of its ten tracks is represented here in one form or another and alongside newbees – two versions of "Midnight Cowboy" (not a cover of the Fred Neil song that was done by Nilsson for the John Schlesinger film of the same name) and the outtakes "Jeremy" and "The Gift Of The Magi".

 

The second album "Clouds" was released May 1969 LP in the USA (October 1969 in the UK) on Reprise RSLP 6341. Apart from "Tin Angel" (Produced by Paul A. Rothchild) – she self-produced the rest with old pal Stephen Stills adding some guitar parts (most were done by herself). All 10 of its tracks are here in varying forms except for the Side One opener - "Tin Angel". New songs include live versions of "The Pirate Of Penance" and "Dr. Junk" beside an outtake called "Come To The Sunshine".

 

Album number three is "Ladies Of The Canyon" – released April 1970 in the USA (May 1970 in the UK) on Reprise RSLP 6376. Again all but one song "The Arrangement" that ended Side One – are here in live or demo form. The Cellos version (from Sessions) of the "Ladies Of The Canyon" song is particularly lovely – and beautifully recorded/remastered. But for me the very best song here is "Hunter" – given to us in two variants – live at the industry introducing concert at Carnegie Hall (1 February 1969 with Bob Dylan in attendance) and a stunning studio outtake done for the "Blue" sessions in late 1970. Recorded by the fondly remembered Bernie Andrews at the BBC for John Peel, surprisingly nice too is the John Cameron Group doing a flute version of "Chelsea Morning" with John Cameron on Keyboards, Harold McNair on Flute, and Dave Cousins (of The Strawbs) on Guitar. She also doubles her vocals to great effect on an accomplished version of "The Gallery" (the ones of ladies). Cameron does nice piano playing on "Night In The City".

 

"Blue" – released June 1971 in the USA on Reprise MS 2038 and July 1971 in the UK on Reprise K 44128 – was celebrating a 50^th Anniversary Album reintroduction as Filmmaker and Music Lover Cameron Crowe conducted his interview. It saw Joni get her first number one LP! All but two of the 10-tracks from the "Blue" album are represented here (mostly in live versions) – the two missing songs being "This Flight Tonight" and "The Last Time I Saw Richard". It is fascinating to hear her debut "All I Want" as a work-in-progress in front of an audience in September 1970 in the UK (an excellent BBC recording) – the Side 1 opener from one of her most beloved albums. The two "Blue" demos are her unaccompanied but are a tad disappointing – audio quality wise. A hoot though to hear Joni segue the Larry Williams classic "Boney Maronie" into her own "Big Yellow Taxi" and delighting the audience. But the Big Daddy find for me is a stunning "Hunter" over on CD5, a full studio song outtake where she doubles up acoustics and Russ Kunkle provides Drums and Percussion. It was recorded for "Blue" but stayed off the record at her insistence and is properly brill. "River" is a being-lonely-at-Christmas song that is so drummed into our consciousness that to hear it suddenly sprout French Horns towards the end is actually jarring (I can hear why she left them out, too cheesy, seasonal sentimentality). "Urge For Going" would have to wait until October 1972 before it appeared as a Non-LP B-side to the 45-single for "You Turn Me On, I'm A Radio" (Asylum AS-11011 in the USA, November 1972 UK on Asylum AYM 511).

 

Big disappointment has to be the Apartment recordings – even if they are new stuff – most are barely above bootleg standard and I would have left them off. For me you have to wait until Track 10 on Disc One ("Song To A Seagull" sessions recorded 24 January 1968) where she does Take 1 of a lovely song called "Jeremy". Early versions of "Conversation" and "Both Sides Now" (from the same sessions) are fabulous peeps into her evolving songwriting prowess growing as you listen (the dizzy dancing way you feel). A gem on Disc Two is "Come To The Sunshine" showing up as a touching beautifully sung live version (recorded unbelievably by Jimi Hendrix in Canada on his portable tape recorder and in shockingly good audio), but even better is the Studio Session version of "Come To The Sunshine" done in May 1968 (touches of 'Hejira' to come) – tip-top audio and a genuinely great find.

 

The dentist song "Dr. Junk" is a bit of eccentric fun, but better live cuts follow like "Go Tell The Drummer Boy" and a lovely looking for laughter "I Don't Where I Stand" – a song that should be just as famous as "Both Sides Now" with its nerve-raw insight into young love. "Michael From Mountains" has unfortunate tape distortion and a misstep in her vocals. But stunning is the only way to describe Disc Five – Jeff Griffin the Producer for the BBC with John Etchells recording. Her In Concert Broadcast is in gorgeous audio and captures Joni in toppermost form. When James Taylor joins her (they were dating at the time) – its magic - a double lightning in a bottle moment – the acoustic JT proficient too.

 

In a lyrical warning to her more naïve self, Joni sang "...don't give yourself away..." – but then in the same song she goes on to all guns blazing when she sings "...to say I love you right out loud..." The song was/is of course the gorgeous loss & gain "Both Sides Now". And isn't that duality surely what so many loved about her – beauty and naked honesty in the same place with an Acoustic Guitar or Dulcimer in Hand.

 

I know there are those who will have wanted so much more – but as I play the outtakes "Come To The Sunshine", "Urge For Going" and "Hunter" – I am in tears. Joni Mitchell has always been special and proof positive lies within...

"Sign "O" The Times" by PRINCE – March 1987 Ninth Album on Paisley Park/Warner Brothers Records (2LP set) featuring Susannah, Sheila E, Lisa Coleman, Carole Davis, Claire Fischer, Wendy Melvoin, Dr. Fink, Eric Leeds, Atlanta Bliss, The Revolution and UK Vocalist Sheena Easton (September 2020 UK Warner Records/NPG/Rhino 3CD Deluxe Edition Reissue with Bernie Grundman Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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LET'S GO CRAZY - 80ts Music On CD

Your All-Genres Guide To Exceptional CD Reissues and Remasters

Classic Albums, Compilations, 45s

All In-Depth Reviews from the Discs Themselves

Over 1,650 e-Pages of Info

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"...U Sho 'Nuff Do Be Cookin' In My Book..."

 

After the release of his third Global-Funkathon shut-up-already opus in a row (damn) - I can recall all of Prince's Fluff n' Funk detractors being silenced by the title track "Sign "O" The Times" - surely the same moment of vindication The Beatles felt when "Yesterday" closed down even their snootiest critics.

 

The 1987 song about a big disease with a little name and 17-year old gun-totting crack-smoking hoodies getting off on machine guns across every major American city was a musical and lyrical kick in the ribs. And Prince managed to wrap it all up in Pinched Notes Funk that few have ever replicated - copied for sure - but never got near. And then to think there was a whole double-album of that - wow! But his ninth platter for Warner Brothers has been a digital disappointment for decades...

 

Well - at last - and Remastered for the first time - September 2020 has throw up the archive goodies big time. I know most diehards will have to own the 'Super Deluxe' variant with even more outtakes. But for us in the trenches with gas bills too frightening to look at for fear of cardiac irregularities - let's get starfish and coffee with the piddly '3CD Deluxe Edition'. Here are the hot things...

 

UK released 25 September 2020 - "Sign "O" The Times" by PRINCE on Warner Brothers/NPG/Rhino R2 643352 / 603497846566 (Barcode 603497846566) is a 'Three CD Deluxe Edition Set' with 17 Bonus Tracks and New Remasters. CD1 and CD2 are the original double-album, CD3 is Bonuses; they play out as follows:

 

CD1 (40:17 minutes):

1. Sign "O" The Times (4:57 minutes) [Side 1]

2. Play In The Sunshine (5:05 minutes)

3. Housequake (4:39 minutes)

4. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (4:03 minutes)

5. It (5:10 minutes) [Side 2]

6. Starfish And Coffee (2:50 minutes)

7. Slow Love (4:22 minutes)

8. Hot Thing (5:39 minutes)

9. Forever in My Life (3:32 minutes)

 

CD2 (39:44 minutes):

1. U Got The Look (3:46 minutes) [Side 3]

2. If I Was Your Girlfriend (5:03 minutes)

3. Strange Relationship (4:01 minutes)

4. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (6:29 minutes)

5. The Cross (4:48 minutes) [Side 4]

6. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night (9:02 minutes)

7. Adore (6:35 minutes)

Both CDs above are his ninth studio album "Sign "O" The Times" - released March 1987 in the USA on Paisley Park 9 25777-1 as a 2LP Set and Paisley Park/Warner Brothers WX 88 in the UK. Arranged, Composed, Played and Produced by PRINCE - it peaked at No.6 in the USA and No.4 in the UK. British Vocalist, Sheena Easton, duets with Prince on "U Got The Look".

 

CD3 "Single Mixes & Edits Remastered" (71:19 minutes):

1. Sign "O" The Times (Edit, 3:41 minutes)

2. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Edit, 3:22 minutes)

3. La, La, La, He, He, Hee (Highly Explosive, 10:47 minutes)

4. If I Was Your Girlfriend (Edit, 3:47 minutes)

5. Shockadelica (3:31 minutes)

6. Shockadelica (12" Long Version, 6:13 minutes)

7. U Got The Look (Long Look, 6:41 minutes)

8. Housequake (Edit, 3:32 minutes)

9. Housequake (7 Minutes MoQuake, 7:12 minutes)

10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Fade, 3:39 minutes)

11. Hot Thing (Edit, 3:41 minutes)

12. Hot Thing (Extended Remix, 8:32 minutes)

13. Hot Thing (Dub Version, 6:53 minutes)

 

The four-panel foldout card sleeves houses a CD in three too-tight card pouches and the 16-page colour booklet in the fourth (be careful pulling them out). You get the lyrics (essentially what was on the two inner sleeves), LP photos and updated reissue credits including CD3, but little else – no new liner notes, place in history – which is shame. But the BERNIE GRUNDMAN Remasters make up for critique most Prince fans don't need to read anyway. I LOVE the audio on this reissue – muscular but not overdone – it has been a pleasure to revisit every single song and CD3 is very, very tasty icing on an already buff birthday cake.

 

Musically - despite his 'all praise & glory 2 God' credit on the inner sleeves, this is still a Prince album, so naughtiness a-la-mode is not just present, it's mandatory. But what was and still is thrilling is the serious upping of his observations - lyrically "Sign "O" The Times" was the album that saw Prince never more socially accurate and on the money. To the tunes...

 

You still have to give the volume control a big of welly for "Play In The Sunshine" - sign up on the dotted line - dance until the early hours - love all the enemies. Serious shut-up-already (damn) Funk kicks in with "Housequake" - the kind of jam he seemed to gargle for breakfast - the Audio finally giving this big fat baby mama some ooh yeah. Taking a bubble bath with his pants on for "The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker" - Prince captures a Blond Waitress' life on the Promenade - all excitement and sometimes with a little too much after-party violence. And call me an old softy, but how good is the smooch in "Slow Love" - surely played in one too many inner city bedrooms by chaps needing to make their squeezes feel the love, while she only wanted to get home for "21 Jump Street" and a comfort cushion. His larynx altering screams in "Hot Thing" are a hoot and that great Saxophone from Fred Leeds in the background - so damn good (check out the Remixes of this track that tail end CD3).

 

Eurovision star and UK vocalist Sheena Easton gets her jammin'-slammin' moment with Side 3's opener "U Got The Look" - a fantastic groove and an obvious single. But “If I Was Your Girlfriend” outdoes even that where Prince goes full-bore imagination mode when describing what his dishy dame of the moment would look like with less apparel on if he was... It's the kind of naughty but fabulous Prince hook that even now in 2023 sounds so damn contemporary when so many truly sexist tunes have gone by the wayside. As if to confirm the album's greatness, he finds yet another winner in "Strange Relationship" - surely a huge fan fave and a song that wouldn't have out of place on 1982's "1999". And again - just so right - another single in "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man" - a drum-bopping tale of a woman not so easily enticed by Prince but honest enough to say that she was trapped in a relationship by a partner even more unscrupulous. The single edit of 3:47 minutes removes that extended guitar/drums funk battle towards the end of the full album version at 6:29 minutes - I dig both equally because they are actually different beasts by the slice/non-slice. 

 

Many Prince fans will probably play "The Cross" and cry - a stripped-down song about his faith that even though its short - this sweet air of salvation has always floored me. We go the nine-minutes of "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" - a Funk marathon played Live in front of a Parisian audience - and man can u see the bodies digging it - the band tight - Prince working the crowd into a clapping rhythm - saxophone solo taking it home - James Brown and The JB's smiling - great stuff. And CD3 offers more of the same - love that slightly Prog Rock guitar battle 'Fade' as the Edit for "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and the "Shockadelica" and "La La..." outtakes that turned up as B-sides - those extended "Hot Thing" versions too. 

"Sign "O" The Times" was probably the last time Prince fans were united in their hero's undeniable greatness - devoid of all the slave on my face shit that so marred the later years. But this - and its bigger brother/sister version - has to be a reissue of the year for 2020. And although in March 2023, I'm a little late to the righteous party myself - I'm so glad I made the effort to put my dancing shoes on and buy this heart-shaped stickered piece of glorious Eighties goodness. N-joy...