MARVIN GAYE/HOW SWEET IT IS (TO BE LOVED BY YOU) SPR 90006 (-73) UK

UK only compilation issued on EMI MFP's sub label Sounds Superb (for more on the label check earlier post on the SPR 90005 issue http://monolover.blogspot.se/search?q=MARTHA+REEVES ). As EMI distributed Motown in UK there were quite a few reissues and collections with early takes showing up on budget records in the seventies and eighties, some of them carrying inferior audio and/or random compiling. But it would be almost impossible to gather a bad collection from an artist like Marvin Gaye. Even if this may limp a little timewise - having one cut from 1964, two from 1966, two from 1969 and seven from 1968 - it's still very even and tied together by an all over high quality. Same goes for the audio. Though five years between some of the recordings the sound is pretty much the same on all cuts - big and clear yet smooth, fitting snug moments at home as well as outbursts on the dance floor. Favorite tracks - "Tear It On Down" and "Every Now And Then". Early UK issues with alternate front covers - one matt having a drawn face pic and this laminated with a photo - both had label as shown here and same matrix numbers. Not sure which was first. (TÖMÖ*) (SXS*) (PÖP*) (GÖJI*)

CATARINA VALENTE/PLENTY VALENTE! LPHM 46037 (-57) MONO SOUTH AFRICA

For more background check earlier post on her "Great Continental Hits" LP. When posting "memory lane" albums here so far I've concentrated on my dad's jazzy stuff. Valente was one of my mother's idols. Elegant and fashionable with a repertoire mostly consisting of latin music like bossa nova she came to represent urbaneness in our relatively limited lives (the earth was a lot bigger and more separated back then). As close as we could get to "world music" fiftyeight years ago. However the tracks on this is all big band jazz, accompanied by Sy Olivers Orchestra (who also worked with acts as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong). As a jazz singer she's not up there with the best American female vocalists, but compensates lacking volume with personality and energy. Sounds like recorded live in the studio and transferred without further meddling, bringing warm audio with lots of connection and a true fifties feel. The US original (Decca DL 8440) came with other sleeve design and German on Polydor with same sleeve and record number as this. The South African shown here reminds very much of a 78 rpm. Heavy unflexible vinyl with old design label in a thin glossy colored flip/back sleeve. Something for all senses. (FÄV*) (CLÄZ*)

ROLLING STONES/BLACK AND BLUE COC 59106 (-76) UK

When posting "It's Only Rock'n'Roll" I hinted that in my world that was was the beginning of a long way down for Rolling Stones. Yet already this next album shows it wasn't a straight steep. Not that it's much rock'n'roll on it - "Crazy Mama" is and "Hand Of Fate" almost there - the rest disco funk, ballads and a raggae. But there are qualities taking it beyond the genres. Guitars are tophole all through, much because the recordings worked as a kind of tryout for a replacement to Mick Taylor, including Wayne Perkins, Harvey Mandel and Ron Wood. The audio is very inviting - full and right on - more reminding of "Exile" or Goats Head Soup than IORNR. Apart from that what really gets me are Jaggers vocals. To my taste his best singing so far had been on "Shine A Light" where the moaning, grunting and stumbling through the words alone made that song. Here he's doing about the same style on many of the tracks - like "Hey Negrita", "Cherry Oh Baby" and "Melody" - thus soiling them and making them rock. Even if not the Stones I grew up with or among my most played with the band I still think it's better than many other period rockers and that's mainly because of Mick Jagger. Issued all over the world on LP, 8-track, cassette and CD through the years. Early UK had label as shown here, matt fold/out cover and track/credit inner. (RÅ*)

CAT STEVENS/MATTHEW & SON DE 16005 (-67) US MONO

Through the decades he has gone from heavily produced pop wonder to acoustic concerned singer-songwriter and further along. All the time sharing his spritual journey with great skill, writing and performing classic numbers where of many still today are printed in common songbooks and sung around camp fires. Then conversion to Islam and an almost thirty year break before doing comeback some years ago. I didn't get him at first. So into Beatles, Stones and the then growing psych and white blues scenes his more civilized approach and outcome in the sixties just passed me by. It was first with with "Tea For Tillerman" up to "Foreigner Suite" I became a real fan, regarding "Catch Bull At Four" as his tour de force. Listening to this debute almost fifty years later I do like it, but maybe not for obvious reasons as the catchy songwriting, personal vocals or elaborate production and arrangements. It's the energy and sensitivity that makes it for me. Even if most of the tracks are up-tempo you get the vulnerability and heart on sleeve. It's honest and as such very contagious. Favorite tracks - "Matthew And Son", "I See A Road" and "Baby Get Your Head Screwed On". Premiere UK on Deram (DML/SML 1004) came with fourteen tracks. This first US as a twelve track, omitting "Portobello Road", "Come On And Dance", "Granny" and "The Tramp", replacing them with the UK 45 only A and B sides "I'm Gonna Get A Gun" (UK title "I'm Gonna Get Me A Gun") and "School Is Out". Audio on this mono is excellent - very loud yet totally clear. First had label as shown here, glossy front cover and London ad inner. (YZÄ*) (ÖXCÅ)

CLIMAX BLUES BAND/1969-72 SHSM 2003 (-75) UK

One more from the excellent UK Harvest Heritage serie. That gave a chance to get rare tracks with orignal mixes and audio to a fraction of the price you'd have to pay to get all first presses involved, not seldom including former 45 only cuts. This has a couple of single A:s and B:s, but all those also on albums so that's not the main value here. To me that lies in getting recordings from their early years while still named "Climax Chicago Blues Band", especially the first two Parlophone albums - the eponymous debute (PMC/PCS 7069) and "Plays On" (PCS 7084) - both very hard to find in original nick today. And if you're into heavy white blues/rock, sometimes with proggy interludes, it's all good picks with no need to jump tracks. Favorites - "Reap What I've Sowed", "Please Don't Help Me" and "That's All". To my knowledge only issued in UK. First had label as shown here and thin structured cover. (HÄVL*) (SÄSÄ*)

DIANA ROSS/GREATEST HITS STMA 8006 (-72) UK

Big Supremes fan in the sixties, but when Diana Ross left the combo for a solo carreer my interest vanished both for her and the regenerated band. Thought she'd become too posh and the reformed group lost the original magic. However listening to this UK compiltion today I have to admit she did some good, at least initially. It contains sixteen cuts from 1970-71, larger part issued as 45 A:s or B:s but also on either of her first three studio albums (not counting the "Lady Sings The Blues" soundtrack). What I hear here is part of the recordings sounding a lot like late Supremes - i.e. "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You", "Surrender" and "How About You" - with some remaining sixties Motown feel. Others way too pompous for my taste like the long slow "Reach Out" cover - almost an insult to the strong catchy Four Tops version. Audio and production top notch though with a little less strings I probably would have liked more of it. Still with enough good moments and even if I wont get any of her original solo albums this stays, kept next to Supremes "Cream Of The Crop". 1972 issues in UK and Australia (STMA 7001), but to my knowledge not on vinyl in US. 1988 CD on Tamla Motown (WD 72478). First UK had label as shown here and laminated fold/out cover. (FÄV*) (TÖMÖ*) (ZYZÖ*)

RINGO STARR/GOODNIGHT VIENNA PCS 7168 (-74) UK

His fourth and today by many regarded least appealing Apple album - seen it described as bleak, uneven and less magic than its predecessor "Ringo". May be true from some angle, yet it's sure hitting me with enough good vibrations. Always loved odd or unexpected artist combinations and there's a lot of that here. Apart from more awaited studio support from Jim Keltner, Bobby Keys, Billy Preston, Klaus Voormann and Nicky Hopkins I also get a star cast consisting of John Lennon, Elton John, Dr. John, Harry Nilsson, Robbie Robertson (The Band) and Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth). Background vocals provided by The Backberries trio (who among other things sang on Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" and Stones "Exile On Main Street"). Top crew all the way. Performance, production, arrangements and audio are all great. And the music...very much as expected - pop, rock and country presented very kindly almost inoffensive, still with catchy moments. My favorites are the ones released as singles at the time - "Only You" (US #6), "No No Song" (US #3 Canada #1), Snookeroo" (UK only, not charting), "Goodnight Vienna" (US only, top thirty) - plus the Dr. John contribution "Occapella" because of its odd vocals. As a whole more caress than knock-out, but also love if that is what you need. Premiere US on Apple (SW-3417). Frequently issued and reissued on vinyl, 8-track, cassette and CD through the years. First UK had label as shown here, thin matt cover and picture/lyric/credit inner. (BÄ*) (ÄPLÄ*) (RYNX*)

NQB NSLP 56 (-74) SWEDEN

For background check post on their debute http://monolover.blogspot.se/search?q=nqb . That had one live and one studio side with an all over garage quality - meager production but very charming. On this follow-up it's like a totally different band. Some of it may have to do with they added a fifth member - Py Bäckman - as vocalist and song writer, but also other studio treatment and audio. Professionally produced by Adrian Moar (of which I know very little other than he also handeled Tages, Blond and a couple of other Swedish bands). As the Black Sabbath inspired front cover hints this is rather heavy rock. In fact more glam than hard-rock, but with darker threads attached. Vocals goes from reminding of Lulu to Laura Nyro, but still having a girlish charm which works very well to the mostly powerful background. Musically it's very diverse - some resembling US seventies rock with an arena feeling, some like UK glam. First listen may get you hooked on that, but there are also a couple of psych interludes and some of the cuts includes changes in themes and rythms, layers that makes it last longer. Favorite tracks - "Lady La-Di-Da" for the power guitar riff, "Oh La La" heavy with partly warped vocals and "I'm Your Rock'n'Roll Star" because of the rather odd mix of up-tempo and slow doomsday hard-rock. The record didn't sell much domestically on release and without any international recognition the band broke up soon after. It's probably the heaviest and most diverse period album from an all girl group. If you're into seventies rock, female vocal or just want good rare album it's well worth a try. Don't know of any other vinyl issues. Released on CD 1996 coupled with their first album (Hendrix Music Production NSCD 50/56). This first had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover. (FÄV*) (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*)

AGNETHA FÄLTSKOG/VOL. 2 CLP 80 (-69) MONO SWEDEN

Her second solo album. It sold OK at the time and spawned a couple of domestic hit singles, though today to my ears sounding hopelessly dated. She has a nice teen voice, but the music is entirely ordinary European schlager with harmless lyrics - all sung in Swedish. Yet it may be of interest for die-hard ABBA fans or those into in modern music history since released as the first seeds to the combo was sown. At the time she'd already met Björn Ulvaeus and through him been introduced to Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. A few months later she and Anni-Frid would sing background on Björn and Benny's joint album "Lycka" (Happiness) and a little after that the four performed their first stage show together as "Festfolket" (Party People). The ball was rolling and she would never be the same again. Her next two solo albums pre-ABBA were produced by Björn with a more pop oriented direction. Swedish reissue on Cupol 1974 (CLPL 1003) and on Dutch CD 2000 (Royal Records 20000001) with bonus tracks. First in mono only had label as shown here and thin fully laminated cover. (FÄV*) (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*)(ÄBBÖ*)(ÄGFÅ)

COUNT BASIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA/BASIE'S BEST BL 58019 (-50) US

Another trip down memory lane and about the same story as before. Music I heard as a kid from my father's 78:s or the valve radio in the living room. It gave a nice atmosphere to grow up in and today fiftyfive or more years later taking me back to that secure place - all I have to do is sit down, close my eyes and listen. The reason I always prefer early transmissions from wax to vinyl over cleansed, adjusted and "embettered" later variations is the ambience - the warmth but also sometimes muddy outcome - exactly as I remember. This 10 inch is right on. A couple of 78:s from the thirties and forties very carefully transmitted and I guess very hard to distiguish from the originals as played on state of the art equipment at the time. Good listening all through, but the two cuts with Jimmy Rushing (1901-72) on vocals adds that little extra. A blues/jazz singer in the band 1935-48 with a unique combination of personality and power. Never mentioned among the big ones today, maybe it's time for a revival. Contemporary US issue as a 4x45 box (9-7012). UK first on Brunswick (LA 8589) with 1953 reissue on Decca (BML 8589). Premiere US had label as shown here and stiff matt cover. (YZÄ*) (NYFÖ*) (CLÄZ)