"Original Album Series" by TERRY REID Including The Albums "Bang, Bang You're TERRY REID" (1968 USA), "Terry Reid" (1969 USA and UK), "River" (1973), "Rogue Waves" (1979) and "The Driver" (1991) (April 2015 Rhino/Warners Music Group 5CD Mini Box Set) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Hold Your Peace..."

Fans of the mighty pipes of British Rock Vocalist TERRY REID have been quietly waiting for something like this - a decent spread of his better albums in reasonable sound and at an affordable price (two quid a disc for Gawd's sake). And that's exactly what "Original Album Series" delivers - and in an aesthetically pleasing manner too (albums from 1968, 1969, 1973, 1979 and 1991). Here are the detailed Super Lungs...

UK released Monday 27 April 2015 (May 2015 in the USA) - "Original Album Series" by TERRY REID on Rhino/Warner Music Group 0825646163960 (Barcode the same) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with 5" Card Repro Sleeves and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (50:45 minutes)

1. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)

2. Tinker Taylor

3. Erica

4. Without Expression

5. Sweater

6. Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart [Side 2]

7. Season Of The Witch

8. Writing On The Wall/Summertime Blues

9. When I Get Home

10. Loving Time

Tracks 1 to 10 are his debut LP "Bang, Bang You're TERRY REID" - released December 1968 in the USA on Epic BN 26427 (no UK release - Produced by Mickie Most). All tracks written by Terry Reid ("Loving Time" co-written with Eric Leese) except - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" which is a Cher cover (written by Sonny Bono), "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart" which is a David and Jonathan cover (written by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook and also made famous by Gene Pitney), "Season Of The Witch" which is a Donovan cover and "Summertime Blues" which is an Eddie Cochran cover. A 2004 Remaster is used for the CD.

Disc 2 (37:32 minutes):

1. Superlungs My Supergirl

2. Silver White Light

3. July

4. Marking Time

5. Stay With Me Baby

6. Highway 61 Revisited/Friends/Highway 61 Revisited [Side 2]

7. May Fly

8. Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace

9. Rich Kid Blues

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 2nd LP "Terry Reid" - released November 1969 in the USA on Epic BN 26477 and in the UK on Columbia SCX 6370 (Produced by Mickie Most). It was reissued September 1971 in the UK with a different sleeve as "The Most Of Terry Reid" on EMI/Music For Pleasure MFP 5220. All songs are written by Terry Reid - except "Superlungs My Supergirl" (Donovan cover), "Stay With My Baby" (Lorraine Ellison cover) and "Highway 61 Revisited" (Bob Dylan cover). A 2004 Remaster is used for the CD.

Disc 3 (36:28 minutes):

1. Dean

2. Avenue

3. Things To Try

4. Live Life

5. River [Side 2]

6. Dream

7. Milestones

Tracks 1 to 7 are his 3rd album "River" - released April 1973 in the UK on Atlantic K 40340 and March 1973 in the USA on Atlantic SD 7259. Produced by Tom Dowd (1 to 5) and Eddie Offord (6 and 7). No CD Remaster date is specified.

Disc 4 (42:12 minutes):

1. Ain't No Shadow

2. Baby I Love You

3. Stop And Think It Over

4. Rogue Wave

5. Walk Away Rene

6. Believe In Magic [Side 2]

7. Then I Kissed Her

8. Bowangi

9. All I Have To Is Dream

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 5th album "Rogue Waves" - released February 1979 in the UK on Capitol E-ST 11857 and in the USA on Capitol ST-11857 (Produced Chris Temsey and Terry Reid). All tracks written by Terry Reid except "Baby I Love You" (Ronettes cover), "Walk Away Rene" (Left Banke/Temptations cover), "Then I Kissed Her" (Beach Boys cover) and "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (Everly Brothers cover). No CD Remaster date is specified.

Disc 5 (45:19 minutes):

1. Fifth Of July

2. There's Nothing Wrong

3. Right To The End

4. The Whole Of The Moon

5. Hand Of Dimes

6. The Driver (Part 1) [Side 2]

7. If You Let Her

8. Turn Around

9. Gimme Some Lovin'

10. Laugh At Life

11. The Driver (Part 2)

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 6th album "The Driver" - released April 1991 in the USA and June 1992 in the UK on CD on WEA (Produced by Trevor Horn). All tracks are written by Terry Reid except "Fifth Of July" (written by Louise Goffin the daughter of Gerry Goffin and Carole King and Reid Savage of Sore Throat), "The Whole Of The Moon" (Waterboys cover with Enya on guest vocals) and "Gimme Some Lovin'" (Spencer Davis Group cover). No CD Remaster date is specified.

As is mostly the norm with this series - none of these discs have any extras and are straightforward transfers of the original vinyl LPs (with repro artwork front and rear). As you can also see from the lists given above - the first two albums use a remaster which is from the May 2004 EMI 2CD set "Super Lungs: The Complete Studio Recordings 1966-1969" transferred by Top Engineer PETER MEW at Abbey Road Studios. The audio is terrific - full of great presence and power. Mew has a very long and distinguished remaster track record - Jethro Tull, Dr. Feelgood, Deep Purple, Jeff Beck Group, Kevin Ayers, Ten Years After, Man, Blodwyn Pig, Donovan, Robin Trower, Free, Sandy Denny, Horslips (all reviewed) - the list of albums he's worked magic on is huge.

Audio-wise the other three are non-specific. The 1991 "Driver" album has a highly stylized big hairdo Nineties sound by Yes and ZTT Producer Trevor Horn (amongst a host of other Producers) - so you could say that it's least in need of an audio polish amongst the five. But the other two - "River" and "Rogue Waves" are unspecific. Beat Goes On has done three superb remasters of 1973's "River", the missing album in this set 1976's "Seed Of Memory" (see my reviews for both) and 1979's "Rogue Waves". Both the albums "River" and "Rogue Waves" sound great here - nice and clear - no cheap Eighties transfers - so that's a relief.

"Bang Bang, You're TERRY REID" came out in late 1968 in the USA-only on Epic Records. Reid sings and plays guitar, Eric Leese on Organ and Keith Webb on Drums. It opens with his cover of Cher's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" (written by Sonny Bono) and immediately gets into a very Reid groove - a sort of funky Rock strut. His "Tinker Tailor" continues in that vein while "Erica" starts out as a ballad, which morphs into a shuffle, that includes some cool brass arrangements (the remaster is excellent too). We get a bit hippy-dippy with the awful "Sweater" (not one of his finest compositions) - far better is the almost Zeppelin 1 sounding organ and guitar version of "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart". But these are trumped by the album standout - his wicked 10-minute take of Donovan's "Season Of The Witch" where all the fey pop stops and we get into a cool Blues chug that stays and stays  - fabulous stuff. He goes for a hit with "When I Get Home" and ends the album on the slightly Prog tip of "Loving Time" where the organ playing of Eric Leese goes to the fore (he co-wrote the song with Reid). Those seeking the May 1968 UK-only 7" single on Columbia DB 8409 with "Better By Far" b/w "Fire's Alive" will found those rarities on the 2004 "Super Lungs" double (along with outtakes and Jaywalkers earlier material involving Terry Reid).

Things got more ROCK and far better on his 2nd outing the self-titled "Terry Reid" - reissued in 1971 on EMI's budget MFP Label as "The Most Of Terry Reid". Stuff like his cover of Donovan's "Superlungs My Supergirl" and his own superb "Silver White Light" rock so good. But things go stellar on "July" - an acoustic slice of magic where his voice is echoed like its live in a small nightclub and he lets rip with that utterly astonishing voice. You can ‘so hear' why Page wanted him to front Led Zeppelin (Reid couldn't for contractual reasons but generously led our Jimmy to both Robert Plant and John Bonham and the world has owed him a debt ever since). "Marking Time" is Funky Rock again while his slowed-to-a-crawl cover of Lorraine Ellison's torture ballad "Stay With Me Baby" was a natural for his voice and passions. But for me you're then hit with a one-two of Terry Reid genius (both written by him) - the utterly gorgeous "May Fly" and the jangle-rock of "Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace" - like the Small Faces on a roll - stunning stuff. These tracks are everything the first LP was trying to be.

The 7-track "River" is an album I can't be rational about - I've loved it for decades. Here the opening "Dean" and "River" (from Side 2) are admittedly hissy - but then they always were. The other Funk-Rock tracks like "Things To Try", "Live Life" and "Dream" sound fabulous - properly chunky for all the right reasons. It isn't the BGO remaster but it gets close I'm glad to say - loads of clarity and not in any way muffled or muddied.

The problem for me with "Rogue Waves" has always been the Production. Reid's voice is often echoed or simply disjointed from the mix in a weird way with the guitars rammed right up in your face. As you see from the garish album cover - it's a ROCK LP - and his radical re-working of three covers reflect this. His ballsy rocker version of "Baby I Love You" by The Ronettes and The Left Banke/Temptation's "Walk Away Renee" will be acquired tastes for sure - while for me his re-working of "Then I Kissed Her" amounts to butchery - its truly awful - the kind of dreadful pretentious Rock Punk was destined to blow away. But his fourth cover version on the record - the album finisher "All I Have To Do Is Dream" (Everly Brothers) is stripped down to him and an acoustic guitar - and even though his voice is slightly echoed - it works - it's a gorgeous take on an overly familiar song and melody and really shows off those incredible lungs of his. "Bowangi" comes out of the speakers too with force - really great sound. A good album though rather than a great one.

"The Driver" elicits mixed reactions - I think it's a blinder personally and opens with the lovely "5th Of July" (written by Louise Goffin - daughter of Gerry Goffin and Carole King - along with Reid Savage of Soar Throat). The 1991 album has been deleted decades now - so it's very cool indeed to have Driver's 11 tracks back in circulation and not costing a packet (Trevor Horn along with many other Producers on the album turned in a very slick finished article). Reid does wonderful covers of The Waterboys "Whole Of The Moon" and the Spencer Davis Group classic "Gimme Some Lovin'" - taking both up a notch and winning. I love the title track "The Driver" with its slick swirling synths (co-written with Hans Zimmer and Trevor Horn) sounding contemporary yet old too (in a good way). Reid's version of Gerry McMahon's "Right To The End" is the kind of Rock Love Song that makes people mushy inside. The Acoustic "Hand Of Dimes" is gorgeous highlighting how good his vocals are even when he tones it down. He ups the pace and rocks out big time on the fab "If You Let Her" sounding not unlike the best of Nineties Rolling Stones. What a cool little album -and it ends the whole listen on a high...

When the "Original Album Series" began in March 2010 it was entirely a WEA affair. But with EMI's acquisition into the fold - we're now getting compilations from those amazing umbrella of EMI labels (Liberty, Parlophone, Regal Zonophone, Chrysalis, Harvest and United Artists to name but a few). Frankie Miller, Barclay James Harvest and Dr. Feelgood will probably be coming soon (amongst others) - maybe even a Pub Rock 5CD Mini Box or a Stiff Records set. In the meantime - we get this absolute corker from the man who almost fronted Led Zeppelin as a lead vocalist (couldn't get out of a contract) and instead generously put guitarist Jimmy Page towards singer Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham - thereby claiming his own stake in the creation of a legendary rock band that has shaped all modern music.

I've loved rehearing this tremendous run of albums - what great memories. Long Live Terry Reid. I'm off now to lash into the Jimmy Webb set that arrived this morning too...

"Original Album Series" by WILSON PICKETT (2010 Atlantic/Rhino 5CD Mini Box Set Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Lord Have Mercy!" 

A brilliant set in the ongoing "Original Album Series" - but this WILSON PICKETT set is not without its problems. Here are the uptight and outta sight details...

UK released August 2010 - "Original Album Series" by WILSON PICKETT on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 7 (Barcode 081227983772) is a 5CD Mini Box Set of 1995 Rhino Remasters in Stereo and Mono and play out as follows:

Disc 1 (30:31 minutes):

1. In The Midnight Hour

2. Teardrops Will Fall

3. Take A Little Love

4. For Better Or Worse

5. I Found A Love

6. That's A Man's Way

7. I'm Gonna Cry [Side 2]

8. Don't Fight It

9. Take This Love I've Got

10. Come Home Baby

11. I'm Not Tired

12. Let's Kiss And Make Up

Tracks 1 to 12 are his debut album "In The Midnight Hour" - released October 1965 in the USA on Atlantic 8144 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8144 (Stereo). It was issued December 1965 in the UK on Atlantic ATL 5037 in Mono only. The Stereo mix is used on the CD.

Disc 2 (30:41 minutes):

1. Land Of 1000 Dances

2. Something You Got

3. 634-5789

4. Barefootin'

5. Mercy, Mercy

6. You're So Fine

7. In The Midnight Hour [Side 2]

8. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)

9. Danger Zone

10. I'm Drifting

11. It's All Over

12. She's So Good To Me

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 2nd album "The Exciting Wilson Pickett" - released August 1966 in the USA on Atlantic 8129 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 9129 (Stereo). It was released September 1966 in the UK on Atlantic 587 029 (Mono) and 588 029 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

Disc 3 (30:43 minutes):

1. Mustang Sally

2. New Orleans

3. Sunny

4. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love

5. Ooh Poo Pah Doo

6. She Ain't Gonna Do Right

7. Knock On Wood [Side 2]

8. Time Is On My Side

9. Up Tight Good Woman

10. You Left The Water Running

11. Three Time Loser

12. Nothing You Can Do

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 3rd album "The Wicked Pickett" - released January 1967 in the USA on Atlantic 8138 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8138 (Stereo). It was released February 1967 in the UK on Atlantic 587 057 (Mono) and 588 057 (Stereo). The MONO mix is used.

Disc 4 (29:48 minutes):

1. Soul Dance Number Three

2. Funky Broadway

3. I Need A Lot Of Loving Every Day

4. I Found A Love, Part I

5. I Found A Love, Part II

6. You Can't Stand Alone

7. Mojo Mamma [Side 2]

8. I Found The One

9. Something Within Me

10. I'm Sorry About That

11. Love Is A Beautiful Thing

Tracks 1 to 11 are his 4th album "The Sound Of Wilson Pickett" - released August 1967 in the USA on Atlantic 8145 (Mono) and Atlantic SD 8145 (Stereo) and in the UK on Atlantic 587 080 (Mono) and 588 080 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

Disc 5 (25:44 minutes):

1. Jealous Love

2. Stagger Lee

3. That Kind Of Love

4. I'm In Love

5. Hello Sunshine

6. Don't Cry No More [Side 2]

7. We've Got To Have Love

8. Bring It On Home To Me

9. She's Lookin' Good

10. I've Come A Long Way

Tracks 1 to 10 are his 5th album "I'm In Love" - released February 1968 in the USA on Atlantic SD 8175 (Stereo Only) and April 1968 in the UK on Atlantic 587 107 (Mono) and 588 107 (Stereo). The Stereo mix is used.

There's no booklet with these card slipcases - but the front and rear artwork for each card sleeve uses the gorgeous American LPs - and what a treat they are to look at too. These are straightforward transfers of the original albums minus any bonus tracks (the "In The Midnight Hour" song gets repeated across two of the discs). Sonically each CD is the 1995 Rhino remasters - but for some reason they've used the Mono Mix (and cover art) for "The Wicked Pickett" album - and man do you notice the downgrade in sound when you play it. Pickett albums were always recorded rough (all feel and no finesse) - but when you go to "The Sound Of" album (Disc 4) and the Stereo returns - it's like audio chalk and cheese. But don't let this put you off - these albums are so crammed with storming Sixties Soul and Funk - it's just not true and you want them in your life. To the music...

Apart from his own great originals (9 of the 12 on his debut had his hand in them) - Pickett smartly uses the similar voice and genius songwriting talent of Bobby Womack, Don Covay and Booker T's guitar wizard Steve Cropper. Throw in an Eddie Floyd song here and a King Curtis tune there - and you get album after album of winners. But of course the best part of listening to these discs is getting away from the overplayed (but still classic) "Mustang Sally", "Land Of 1000 Dances" and "In The Midnight Hour" and digging those album treasures.

Songs like Bobby Womack's truly gorgeous torch song "I'm In Love", the storming funk of "Mojo Mama" by Jerry Wexler and Bert Barns and the blaster "She's Lookin' Good" which feels like Ike & Tina Turner in your living room with The Ikettes shimmying over by the curtains in a salacious way.

Something seemed to happen to our hero after "The Wicked" album because his next two LPs (and the final two in this set) are absolute barnstormers in every sense. When you come off the rough MONO of "Wicked Pickett" and play "Soul Dance Number Three" from the STEREO LP "The Sound Of Wilson Pickett" - the audio is shockingly better - full of power and clarity. "Soul Dance Number Three (a stunning funky Pickett original) is followed by the equally kicking "Funky Broadway". The two parts of "I Found A Love" (the A&B-side of a single) are mid-tempo but just so damn good - a great groove they let run. The Bobby Womack ballad "I've Come A Long Way" is another tearjerker masterpiece.

At just over a ten-spot (two quid per album) - "Original Album Series" by Wilson Pickett is a whole lotta Soul that will make your church-going granny's knees knobble and generally mess with her other bodily extremities. Indeed Wilson Pickett was (and still is) wicked...

PS: Also check out Edsel's superb 5 Volume Series - all of his albums from 1965 to 1972 in five separate digipaks with bonus tracks on three and new Tony Rounce liner notes on all...

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"Original Album Series" by WARREN ZEVON (March 2010 UK Asylum/Rhino 5CD Capacity Wallet with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Excitable Boy..."

Like Randy Newman it's a testament to Warren Zevon's extraordinarily witty and sharp songs that so many quality artists have covered him - Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Jackson Browne, Counting Crows and even Ireland's Freddie White to name but a few. And while his "Excitable Boy" set from 1978 will probably be the most familiar album to people on here – the stunning kick-ass live LP "Stand In The Fire" (recorded across five nights at The Roxy with a super tight band) is just one of the gems to discover in this cheap-as-a-politician’s-castle-moat-repair-bill 5CD mini box set. Time to rip your lungs out Jim for the original Werewolf Of London...

UK released March 2010 (reissued September 2012) – "Original Album Series" by WARREN ZEVON on Asylum/Rhino 8122 79837 1 (Barcode 081227983710) is a 5CD Capacity Wallet with Five Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 – "Warren Zevon" (38:28 minutes):

1. Frankie And Jesse James

2. Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded

3. Backs Turned Looking Down The Path

4. Hasten Down The Wind

5. Poor Poor Pitiful Me

6. The French Inhaler

7. Mohammed's Radio [Side 2]

8. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

9. Carmelita

10. Join Me In L.A.

11. Desperados Under The Eaves

Tracks 1 to 11 are the debut album "Warren Zevon" – released June 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1060 and in the UK on Asylum K 53039

Disc 2 – "Excitable Boy" (31:49 minutes):

1. Johnny Strikes up The Band

2. Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner

3. Excitable Boy

4. Werewolves Of London

5. Accidentally Like A Martyr

6. Nightime In The Switching Yard [Side 2]

7. Veracruz

8. Tenderness On The Block

9. Lawyers, Guns And Money

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 2nd album "Excitable Boy" – released January 1978 in the USA on Asylum 6E 118 and March 1978 in the UK on Asylum K 53073

Disc 3 – "Bad Luck Steak In Dancing School" (35:35 minutes):

1. Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School

2. A Certain Girl

3. Jungle Work

4. Empty-Handed Heart

5. Interlude No. 1

6. Play It All Night Long

7. Jeannie Needs A Shooter [Side 2]

8. Interlude No. 2

9. Bill Lee

10. Gorilla, You're A Desperado

11. Bed Of Coals

12. Wild Age

Tracks 1 to 12 are his 3rd album "Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School" – released March 1980 in the USA on Asylum 5E 509 and in the UK on Asylum K 52191

Disc 4 – "Stand In The Fire – Recorded Live At The Roxy" (42:35 minutes):

1. Stand In The Fire

2. Jeannie Needs A Shooter

3. Excitable Boy

4. Mohammed's Radio

5. Werewolves Of London

6. Lawyers, Guns And Money [Side 2]

7. The Sin

8. Poor Poor Pitiful Me

9. I’ll Sleep When I'm Dead

10. Bo Diddley's A Gunslinger/Bo Diddley

Tracks 1 to 10 are the album "Stand In The Fire – Recorded Live At The Roxy" – released January 1981 in the USA on Asylum 5E-519 and in the UK on Asylum K 52265

Disc 5 - "The Envoy" (32:16 minutes):

1. The Envoy

2. The Overdraft

3. The Hula Hula Boys

4. Jesus Mentioned

5. Let Nothing Come Between You

6. Ain't That Pretty At All [Side 2]

7. Charlie’s Medicine

8. Looking For The Next Best Thing

9. Never Too Late For Love

Tracks 1 to 9 are his 5th album "The Envoy" – released August 1982 in the USA on Asylum 9 60159 1 and in the UK on Asylum AS K 52365

All of these "Original Album Series" sets are visually the same - a flimsy outer card slipcase houses 5 x 5" single card repro sleeves each aping the front and rear artwork of the original vinyl LPs. Each disc has generic Rhino colouring, song credits (including writers) and some basic recording info on the label – but that's it (no booklet). They look great it has to be said and are space saving for sure...

Audio-wise there's good news and bad news. In 2007 - Asylum/Rhino reissued "Excitable Boy" (1978), "Stand In The Fire" (1980) and "The Envoy" (1982) as first time CD Remasters with bonus tracks on each – but they have 'not' been used here (I own them and can immediately hear the difference). Having said that - the good news is that for the brilliantly recorded "Stand In The Fire" and "The Envoy" albums both of the non-remastered CDs don't represent such a dramatic dip in Audio quality (they sound pretty good and are more than acceptable). But "Excitable Boy" couldn't be more different. Like "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Lad Streak In Dancing School" - older non-remastered standard versions have been used in this box and subsequently the drop in Audio quality is very marked. When you hear the fantastic Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot 2007 Remaster of "Excitable Boy" (Asylum/Rhino 8122-79997-7 - Barcode 081227999773) – the Audio is awesome – all the power and muscle and clarity you would want from what is probably his best album. But what you get here is a weedy audio effort and unfortunately "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck..." are the same. Don't get me wrong – they're acceptable - and at roughly two quid per CD – bloody good value for money. But if Rhino had only used the three Remasters they already have and done two new ones for "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck..." – what an "Original Album Series" addition this would have been. It's a point worth pointing out. Now let's get to the other good news – the musical quality of what's actually on offer...

The debut album features an astonishing list of guest musicians. Check out the backing vocalists alone - Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers on "Frank And Jessie James" and "Hasten Down The Wind", Jackson Browne on "Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded" and "Desperados Under The Eaves" (also plays piano "Join Me In L.A."), Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac on "Mohammed's Radio" (Lindsey also sings on "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and plays Guitar on "Backs Turned Looking Down The Path"), Bonnie Raitt and Rosemary Butler sing on "Join Me In L.A." while Glenn Frey and Don Henley of The Eagles sing on "The French Inhaler" (Frey also plays guitar on "Carmelita") and Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys is just one of the voices behind "Desperados Under The Eaves". Ace horn player Bobby Keys of Rolling Stones fame provides Saxophone on "Mohammed's Radio" and "Join Me In L.A." - while stalwarts of his band Waddy Watchel and David Lindley plays guitars and fiddle.

The "Excitable Boy" album is a sensation really. All that potential on "Warren Zevon" came screaming to fruition on a record where there isn't a bad track (many would become synonymous with him). The bloodthirsty and kooky "Werewolves Of London" features Mick Fleetwood and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac on Drums and Bass while Linda Ronstadt and Jennifer Warnes lend backing vocals to the giddily macabre "Excitable Boy" with Waddy Watchel chopping that axe and sessionman Jim Horn blowing a mean Saxophone. Karla Bonoff does lovely Harmony Vocals on "Accidentally Like A Martyr" while his long-time musical cohort Jorge Calderon plays Spanish Guitar on the hurting "Veracruz". Waddy Watchel's guitar work makes the gorgeous "Tenderness On The Block" - a song that always makes me think of my growing kids (who aren't kids anymore). And who doesn't laugh at the touch-and-go 'gambling in Havana' wit of "Lawyers, Guns And Money" where the you-know-what has unceremoniously hit the fan...(send help Daddy please). 

"Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School" continues themes of nutjobs, society outcasts and his own personal and physical demons (drink and women). But while the mournful ballad "Empty-Handed Heart" with wonderful counter harmony vocals from Linda Ronstadt and the punk-cocky "Jeannie Needs A Shooter" (co-written with Bruce Springsteen and featuring Joe Walsh on Guitar) both sound like the two light and dark facets of Warren Zevon's music that fans love – the awkward Ernie K-Doe cover of "A Certain Girl" (written by Allen Toussaint) seems like its reaching - almost foolish (Jackson Browne on Backing Vocals with Don Felder of The Eagles on Guitar). "Jungle Rock" once again features Joe Walsh on Guitar (Solo) but the weedy CD lacks the musical punch this rather good little New Wave tune deserves. I've always liked the short but sweet 'string' interludes (even if they're sad and weirdly placed). But then you get the utterly brilliant and savage "Play It All Night Long" where he jabs at Lynyrd Skynyrd's big "Sweet Home Alabama" hit and farming life in general - giving us harsh lyrics like "...grandpa pissed his pants again...he don't give a damn...brother Billy has both guns drawn...he ain't been right since Vietnam..." The recently passed Glenn Frey of The Eagles adds his vocals to the piano hurt of "Bill Lee" - but Side 2 is let down by the cod reggae vibe of "Gorilla, You're A Desperado" where not even Jackson Browne on Guitars/Vocals with Don Henley on Backing Vocals can save it. The sleeping on a "Bed Of Coals" is good but also a tad maudlin for him (nice vocals though from Linda Ronstadt and J.D. Souther). The difficult third album is that – difficult - but still with its nuggets in-between the emotional nails...

No such problem with the barnstorming live set "Stand In The Fire..." This sucker rocks and has a HUGE audio presence that makes you wish you were there. There are two new songs in amongst the "Mohammed's Radio" perennials and the Bo Diddley Medley that ends the album – the wicked opener "Stand In The Fire” and "The Sin" on Side 2. The band too is 'so tight' – like they've rehearsed these things to within an inch of their lives. It feels contemporary too – like Graham Parker and The Rumour on fire. Special mention has to go to the blistering band that barely puts a foot wrong – David Landau and Zeke Zirngiebel on Guitars, Bob Harris on Keyboards, Robert Pinon on Bass and Vocals and Marty Stinger on Drums. Warren plays 12-String Guitar, Piano and of course sings all Lead Spots. Suddenly songs like "Jeannie Needs A Shooter" explode into riffage life – but its when we get to "Werewolves Of London" followed on Side 2 by "Lawyers, Guns And Money" that the gig really erupts – the excitement in the whooping audience is literally palatable. Thankfully the expertly produced original audio (Zevon and Greg Ladanyl did the honours) on this disc is far better than "Bad Luck..." - but my 2007 Remaster is fantastic and contains four bonuses from the gig that are absolutely having too.

On a more down-note. I once saw Zevon live in Dublin at the Dublin Stadium in the early 80ts (it was after the release of "Stand In The Fire"). But it was easily one of the worst concerts I've ever seen. The Promoter used the "Stand In The Fire" album in radio adverts (with that band and that huge sound). But when the packed stadium lights went down – Zevon came out on his own without a band to do an acoustic gig and just couldn't cut it. Worse - he was clearly not aware it hadn't been promoted as a solo gig - so after a couple of songs the dissatisfied audience grew ever more restless and started to heckle his every move. Every song needed the muscle of a group. But when he then did the folk ditty "Cum By A" (the Boy Scouts song) – the audience had had enough and started booing big time. He did one forced encore where he poured Bourbon over his harmonica in rage – but by then people where out trying to get their money back from a terrified promoter. It was awful. I'd rather remember Warren Zevon like this – standing in the fire - kicking and vital – genuinely exciting – one of my songwriting heroes...

I loved and hated "The Envoy" on its release in 1982. The contrasts between the gorgeous love songs like "Let Nothing Come Between You" and "Never Too Late For Love" and the political jabbing of "The Envoy” (wrestling guns in Damascus), the hatred of Drugs, Junkie Life and all its lies in "Ain't That Pretty At All" beside the stark and tender beauty of "Jesus Mentioned" made the whole album one big contrast of styles. But that's its strength. You think something like "The Hula Hula Boys" is a flippant indigenous folky lightweight - but its way deeper than that. Same applies to the menacing "Charlie's Medicine" where someone's pill hook-up has been shot in Beverley Hills by a crazed Doctor. Zevon sings of Charlie and his pharmaceutical supplies with self-loathing also - "...I gave him all my money...what the hell was I thinking of..." We get a crazed but thoroughly effective backing vocal from Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac on the topical "The Overdraft" – the banks screwing the little guy. And his visit to Elvis' home in "Jesus Mentioned" predates Paul Simon's "Graceland" by three or four years...

You could argue that it's better to buy the 2007 Asylum/Rhino versions of "Excitable Boy", "Stand In The Fire" and "The Envoy" for the vastly improved audio and excellent bonus tracks (they're easily available and reasonably priced too) – but "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School" are must-owns in their own patchy ways.

"...All alone on the road to perfection...at the inspection booth they tried to discourage me..." - Warren Zevon sang on the uplifting "Looking For The Next Best Thing". Despite its audio niggles – I'd say look no further and dig in...

“Original Album Series” by THE DRIFTERS [featuring CLYDE McPHATTER]. A Review of the 2010 5CD Mini Box Set on Atlantic/Rhino.

"…It Really Was…Such A Night…”

Aping the success of Sony's similarly packaged 5CD box sets, WEA/Rhino has released over FORTY x 5CD "Original Album Series" mini box sets of their own. Issued in the UK and Europe only, the artists featured stretch from rhythm 'n' blues and soul icons of the 1950s and 1960s (Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin) all the way through to Metal And Indie bands of the 2000s (Dokken and Echo & The Bunnymen). For those interested, I've compiled a full listing of titles in the series below (some are superb, some are not).

Here's the fine-detail for THE DRIFTERS set - released Monday 1 March 2010 in the UK on Atlantic/Rhino 8122 79837 3, "Original Album Series" 5CD box set breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 is "Rock & Rock" [aka “Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters”], 14-tracks, released 1956 on Atlantic LP 8003 in the USA (37:05 minutes, MONO)

Disc 2 is "Rockin’ & Driftin’", 14-tracks, released 1958 on Atlantic LP 8022 in the USA (33:23 minutes, MONO)

Disc 3 is "Save The Last Dance For Me", 12-tracks, released 1962 on Atlantic SD-8059 in the USA (30:13 minutes, STEREO, Produced by Leiber & Stoller)

Disc 4 is "Under The Boardwalk", 12-tracks, released 1964 on Atlantic SD-8099 in the USA (30:50 minutes, STEREO)

Disc 5 is "I’ll Take You Where The Music’s Playing", 12-tracks, released 1966 on Atlantic SD-8113 in the USA (32:59 minutes, STEREO)

ARTWORK/PACKAGING:
All five single card sleeves reflect the 'original' front and rear US LP artwork and as you can see from the track numbers above, there are no bonuses, just straightforward Repros of the original American albums. Also each front sleeve is also now 'bordered' with a colour and the label on the CD then reflects that colour code (so no original label artwork reproduced). The outer card box is lightweight and therefore a little bit flimsy (unlike the glossy hard-card Sony issues) and there's no downloadable track details either. Once out of the box though, those cool Atlantic rear sleeves are just so lovely to look at - and even though the type is very small given the 5” size - the original liner notes are readable too. Very tastily done.

SOUND:
Unlike many other titles in this series (repackaging of crappy Eighties titles that have been in the marketplace for years) these titles ARE the Atlantic/Rhino remasters of old and therefore their sound is just GORGEOUS - really lovely to listen to. Also – stripped of their bonus tracks – you really get the ‘feel’ of the original album as first produced – combined with the original art on both sides of the card sleeve, they’re very evocative of the period.

This box is really a tale of two worlds – the first two albums “Rock & Roll” and “Rockin’ & Driftin’” are Fifties Rhythm ‘n’ Blues (Clyde McPhatter period) while the next three are really early Sixties soul – so you essentially get great listens on two musical fronts

This little box set is a gem – one of my favourites in the series so far – and an awful lot of great music for not a whole lot of money.

Recommended.

PS: With regard to sound - so far the Little Feat, Bread, Los Lobos, Chris Rea, Dr. John, Echo & The Bunnymen and Rickie Lee Jones sets are disappointingly reported as NON REMASTERS. Rhino have been contacted about this – and Rhino say they are simply repackaging of discs that are already out there – hence some are remasters – some are not.

PPS: I've also done The Cars, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Spinners and Little Feat sets in this series - see separate reviews.