THE YOUNG RASCALS SD 8123 (-66) US

My first aquaintance with the band was through the second LP "Collections" (see earlier post). I wasn't all in on that. A sort of white soul album reaching for black soul feeling and quality but without throwing off the white man's shackles. Not bad yet for a fan of Motown, Stax and Atlantic soul more copying than getting there. This debute however is something else. Filled with ranunchy r&b uptempo and ballads, all having a true garage quality. The vocals are sincere and playing right on. I get the feeling this is honest - the guys doing what they like without prejudice. One might trace inspiration from UK bands like Pretty Things, Them or Kinks, but I rather see it as part of a common trend as it's personal and not copying any of those acts. Good stuff and the entire album has become a favorite in very short time. Especially the "Slow Down" cover , the self-penned "Do You Feel It" and "Good Lovin". First UK on Atlantic (587/588012). Early US stereo had label as shown here and glossy sleeve. (YZÄ*)

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD/ DUSTY...DEFINITELY SBL 7864 (-68) UK

Her fourth UK album, recorded at a time when she'd just signed for Atlantic in US thus having different labels on each side of the pond. The Americans wasn't keen on releasing another British made tape and instead brought her over to make the "Dusty In Memphis" album, which was sessioned at the same time this had release in Europe and in the shops just five months later. So in a way these two are corresponding albums, each reflecting their place of origin - UK ballads/pop/r&b vs. US soul music. In comparison it seems most hold "Dusty In Memphis" higher, but why choose? If you love her you need this too. Co-produced by Joseph Franz and Dusty herself, who also picked the songs. Some of the arrangements and bass by John Paul Jones, then on the brink of joining Led Zeppelin. The record seems to be divided into two sections - side one with larger part uptempo and side two consisting of slow movers. One for the evening party and one for night time cuddling. She could never be bad, but for this I prefer the slow side where her soft sleepy voice is nicely embedded in orchestral arrangements, revealing sadness but also hope - a kind of uplifting gloom. Favorite tracks - "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" and "Second Time Around". As far as I can find out only originally released in UK and Australia (Philips PDS-307). Nine of the tracks were included on the 1999 US 24 cut CD "Dusty In London - Lost British Recordings" (Rhino Records R2 75581). UK 2001 CD (Mercury 538232-2) came with four bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here and laminated cover. (FÄV*)(TÖZ*)

ROY WOOD/ON THE ROAD AGAIN BSK 3247 (-79) US

After the uncommercial prog adventure with "Super Active Wizzo" album Roy Wood had a hard time finding support from the label for a continuance. Luckily Warner Bros. executive Mo Ostin was a fan and through his intervention Wood got the chance to record one more solo album. So this is not on the same page as his contemporary Wizzo Band, instead it should be counted as a follow-up to "Boulders" and "Mustard"...and that is pretty much what you get. Production and audio differs, coming through mellower and more radio friendly, but all the rest is like it was. There are guest performances by Renaissance's lead singer Annie Haslam and Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, apart from that Wood himself does all voices, plays at least twentythree different instruments and of course responsible for all songwriting, arrangements and production. When it comes to catchy songs, sincere vocals and experimenting with genre switches and odd instrumentations I get flashbacks from earlier solo albums, Wizzard and The Move. Title song happy melodic disco with bossa brass. "Wings Over The Sea" in a shape that could have been late Move. "Road Rocket" rock revival and "Keep Your Hands On The Wheel" has a Beach Boys feeling - if you can imagine that supported by hard hitting Bonham drums. "Jimmy Lad" sentimental with bag pipes and album ending with a slow tear breaker - "Way Beyond The Rain". The record didn't sell a lot on release and still underappreciated. I guess many fans of Wood's earlier work passed it by because of his intermediate prog adventures and the dull cover. But if you try it sometime you'll find there was a lot of good Wood left. Originally released in US and Germany (WB 56591). 2007 CD reissue on Wounded Bird Records (WOU 3247). First US had label as shown here and matt cover with lyric inner. (RÖWS*) (YZÄ*)

JOHN'S CHILDREN/IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT SCENE KIRI 095 (-88) UK MONO

Though only existing one year around 1967, during which they recorded seven singles and one album, Johns Children remains as probably one of the most notorious acts ever. It's hard to chose between all rumours and stories. Apparently records were withdrawn and partly remade because of controversial lyrics and titles and members sometimes posed naked for the press. Their show included mock fights on stage, whipping instruments with chains, knifing pillows and throwing themselves out in the audience (first ever stagediving?). They were even sacked mid-tour as support act for The Who as Pete Townshend thought they were "too loud and violent". Rumour also has they weren't very good at playing, the recordings were backed by studio musicians and the raging stage act was there just to hide the musical incompetence. Clearly one of those bands where the context is so flamboyant it becomes part of the music itself, impossible not to consider while listening. But let's try anyway. This compilation has their complete 45 discography - seven A:s and six B:s (one used for two flips). Marc Bolan, in the band between March and July 1967, participated on guitars and/or vocals on four of the singles - among them "Go Go Girl" which later would be reworked as the Tyrannosaurus Rex song "Mustang Ford". The most famous backing musician would be Jeff Beck guesting on "But She's Mine" with a smashing solo. The singles themselves may have been odd and non-selling at the time, yet put together like this in retrospective the result becomes a very good psych garage album. Labels say "stereo", but all cuts are original mono. Carefully enhanced and clarifyed providing very good listening. Favorite tracks - "Desdemona" with Bolan's vibrato saving the refrain, "Arthur Green" sounding British punk/new wave ten years too early, "Come And Play With Me In The Garden" has a lovely drive with some high pitched vocals (maiden glam rock?) and "It's Been A Long Time" towards baroque pop with loony lyrics. This was the first legal 45 compilation by the band. Strange it took twenty years, but maybe they didn't think it would sell too close to the dodgy source. It still shows up in the bins now and then and never too dear, so if you want a good psych/garage album combined with a big chunk of rock history it's recommended. To my knowledge only released in UK, also as Bam Caruso CD (MARI 095 CD). Vinyl had label as shown here, fully laminated cover and inner with pictures, discography and the band's full story. (RÄX*) (ÖGÄ*) (PÖP*)

NIGHT CLUB '66 DV 10230 (-66) MONO CZECHOSLOVAKIA

Czech sampler containing single cuts recorded for the label around mid-sixties. All domestic acts, with exception for "Scandale Dans La Famille" sung by French artist Nicole Felix. The album is a very fine exemple of what happened outside the dominating US/UK pop markets at the time. Apparently most of the cuts were on the spot recordings without overdubs or re-takes, giving a "live in the studio" feeling with very direct and natural audio. You get three numbers from The Mefistos - one of the first Czech rock bands, existing 1963-70 - a vocal cover of "Johnny B Goode" and two Shadows style instrumentals. Karel Duba Orchestra with vocalist Josef Laufer are represented by two covers - "Michelle" and "Sticks And Stones" - both in a warm dance band atmosphere with the latter's vocals clearly inspired by The Zombies version. Roman Pahl Quartet contributes two organ/sax driven intrumentals - "Watermelon Man" and the self-penned "Swedish Woman". The two self-penned instrumentals from Ferdinand Havlik Orchestra comes with a "Swinging London" feeling and the Sasha & Vilda cut can best be discribed as classic country & western with lots of Jimmie Rodgers style yodeling. Of The Olympics' numbers "Oh Darling, Kuss Mich Mehr" and "Cinderella" are sung in German while the album's hardest r&b pick "Mary" comes with English vocals. So what you get here is a vast variety of contemporary pop styles, covers mixed with original compositions, performed as instrumentals, yodeled or sung in English, German or French. With fifteen tracks differing that much it could have been shattered, but it is well tied together by the big natural audio and warm friendly atmosphere making it smooth and steady listening after all. Released in Czechoslovakia only. There were at least four Supraphone reissues, in mono or stereo, using differing label designs. To my knowledge the one shown here was the original. It came in a laminated flip/back cover. (BÅC*) (SÄM*) (GZÅ*)

THE BEATLES/YELLOW SUBMARINE PCSJ 7070 (-69) SOUTH AFRICA

After collecting for many years one of the things I find most rewarding is detecting classic albums on odd labels and/or with unusual cover features. When it comes to Beatles I'd love to get some of the rarer export pressings on Parlophone or Odeon, but they don't show up very often and when they do the price is always way too much for my wallet. Luckily many Beatles albums were pressed and printed in a large number of countries, some with divergent designs or alternate tracking. So if you instead of looking for the obvious try stuff made outside the common markets there are sometimes gems waiting for a fraction of the price paid for more renowned UK or US originals. Like this South African first press with a beautiful green Parlophone label on heavy vinyl in a laminated flip/back cover. Matrix numbers are stamped with UK style fonts - YEX 715/YEX 716 - without the order digit, but the name J. ALLARD hand etched on side one. The audio is absolutely beautiful - big, strong, yet clear and natural. So counting looks, feel and audio I couldn't ask for more. A keeper for sure. (BÄ*) (PÖX*) (LGÅ*)

POP REVOLUTION FROM THE UNDERGROUND SPR 30 (-69) GERMANY

German sampler carrying numbers from some of the best American rock albums of the late sixties. Maybe not the rarest period recordings, but put together this way very high class with no need to jump tracks. It can be seen as a kind of homage to Al Kooper since his face is on the labels, cover has the torch detail from his first solo album and he's connected to four of the ten cuts. Besides "59th Street Bridge Song" from "Live Adventures..." and title song from "I Stand Alone" he was also producer to Don Ellis "Autumn" album where "Scratt And Fluggs" was picked from and even if he by then was out of BS&T he was the founder of the band which is a connection as good as any. Audio is top notch - loud and clear - and the packing beautiful with multi-colored vinyl in a die-cut psych cover. A feast for both eyes and ears. To my knowledge this was the only original release and it's never been reissued in any form. (SÄM*) (GÖXÄ*) (ÄLCÖ*)

THE SWEET/THE SWEET'S BIGGEST HITS SF 8316 (-72) UK

Compilation of six 45 A-sides and four B-sides from the band's first RCA years 1971-72, some previously non-LP. All of them topping lists in a number of European countries and a couple in South Africa, while "Little Willy" was their only early US success reaching #3 on Billboard. I do like some of the band's more hard rock oriented singles from 1973 and on, with the combination of catchy melodies and high-pitch vocals in a kind of a crude atmosphere, but this early period bubblegum-pop style always seemed a little too cute for me at the time. So the record has stayed unplayed in my collection for ages and this may be the first time I give it a full spin in at least thirty years, now listening with more mature ears. And it's not entirely as I remembered. "Poppa Joe", "Co-Co" and "Funny Funny" remains a little too sugary for my stomach, but a couple of the others have enough zest to make it worthwhile. "Done Me Wrong Alright" very raw hard rock, "Flashlight" has some good howling guitars and both "You're Not Wrong For Loving Me" and "Jeanie" includes structures and vocal arrangements that strongly reminds of much later Queen efforts. Could it be Queen actually had some inspiration from Sweet??? Anyway all together it's turned out to be a pretty likable album and I'm glad I gave it a second chance. Issued on RCA vinyl in most European countries and downunder. German 1992 CD on RCA/BMG (74321 10630) included "Tom Tom Turnaround" as bonus track. Frst UK had label as shown here and fully laminated cover.

NOEL & LINDA CREAM/YOUR KIND OF PARTY STFID 2148 (-69) UK

A couple I don't know much about other than they also fronted a band called "The Family Affair", a combo behind another long forgotten album on the notorious Saga label. This is more of a duo solo effort backed by studio musicians. One of many unnoted Saga LP:s from the time and as the company was known for primitive budget recordings with mostly bad audio the expectations for artistic or audiophile brilliance are always low. Instead you get them for the charm, transparency or just obscurity of it all. The label seems to have been constantly out of cash and ready to record or reissue about anyone or anything as long as it was cheap and sort of legal. But there were flowers in the dirt and to my ears this is one of them. It sounds a lot more 1967 than 1969 with a folky "summer of love" atmosphere, sometimes reminding of The Mamas & The Papas, The Seekers or Herman's Hermits. All cuts self-penned, stylewise ranging from country to light psych pop. Non with a clear hit feeling, but all well written and pleasant as they come. The vocals works agreeably and the backing is surprisingly adaptive, including some nice organ parts (for more details on each song check rear pic below). Favorite tracks - "Charlie The Prussian" and "Mr. Bantam's Little Fair". This was the only original release. Heard about a CD reissue, but haven't been able to locate it. First came with label as shown here, very thick unflexible vinyl, laminated cover and Saga co. inner. (FÄV*) (SÄGÖ*)

SPARKS/PROPAGANDA ILPS 9312 (-74) UK EXPORT

Issued just six months after their big European breakthrough "Kimono My House" (see earlier post). I really liked that brazen mix of highly commercial glam rock and odd arty twists topped with intelligent lyrics. Lots of fun all the way. This has more from the same place. Insightful comments on both oridnary life swings and less common scenarios, carried by catchy melodies. The lyrics are so filled with duplicity and word play it'll take many listens to reveal (thank God for the enclosed lyrics), but even if you don't there's enough good music to make it meaningful anyway. In comparison to KMH a little harder and somewhat more complicated, but it's the same irrestistable blend of high and low - shamelessly put together with a sound that still today remains unparalleled. Favorite tracks - "At Home, At Work, At Play", "Something For The One With Everything" and "Bon Voyage". US first had same tracking, number and cover design. 1994 remastered CD (IMCD 199) came with two B-sides as bonus tracks. The copy shown here is with all certainty a UK export for Scandinavia. UK label type with "NCB." in frame, A -1K/B-1K matixes and stickered, fully laminated "Robor Limited" cover with picture/lyric inner. (ÖXÄP*)