WILSON PICKETT/ THE BEST OF WILSON PICKETT VOL. II SD 8290 (-71) US

 For more on him please check posts on his 1963 debute "It's Too Late"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/11/wilson-pickettits-too-late-dl-2300-63.html and the 1967 "Best Of..."  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2019/10/wilson-pickettthe-best-of-wilson.html . While the latter  was a hit collection from his early years this is all from the period 1968-70, blending single A-sides with LP cuts. Since I'm not all in with every move in his carreer and don't own any 45:s I'm listening to it as a wholeness rather than a compilation of spread parts. And then I get an absolutely tophole soul/funk album.  Hardcore funk mixed with sincere ballads, all with top vocals played with some of the best from the Atlantic crew. He even manage to blow his own life into classics as "Hey Joe", "Hey Jude", "Sugar Sugar" and  "Born To Be Wild", making them something else with the honor. And I do get my fav funk song - "Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9" - fantastic groove embellished by psych guitars and one of the naughtiest bass riffs ever recorded. I never get tired of that. And the audio on this copy (Richmond press) is next to perfect - wide, natural and fullfilling - making me wanna dance.  1971 issues in Canada, Downunder, France, Italy and Germany, also on US 8-track and cassette. To my knowledge never released on CD.  Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover.   (YZÄ*)  (PÖC*)

                                                                                   

 

INSANE TIMES/21 BRITISH PSYCHEDELIC ARTYFACTS FROM PARLOPHONE AND ASSOCIATED LABELS 0190295867324 (-17) EU MONO + STEREO

 I've always liked compilations and this has quickly become a favorite with its cornucopia of odd sixties psych goodies originally issued by British EMI labels. I get rare 45 flip sides from bands as Hollies ("All The World Is Love"), Yardbirds ("Think About It"), Idle Race ("Hurry Up John") and The Brain ("Nightmares In Red"). Also previously unissued cuts as Simon Dupree & The Big Sound "Castle In The Sky". Some tracks are picked from scarce LP:s, by acts as Koobas, Tomorrow, Bonzo Dog, The Gods, Rainbow Ffolly and Kevin Ayers. There are also recordings from shortlived bands and settings that nobody but the the most die-hard sixties collectors recognize today - e.g. The Mandrake Paddle Steamer, The Orange Bicycle, Herbal Mixture, The Parking Lot, Tales Of Justine and Aerovons.  The audio shifts a little, but most of sounds great and there's no fiddling with the formats, all with pristine mixes - mono or stereo.  Inside fold out there's info on bands and recordings plus pics on labels or sleeves. I do like that it has the classic black/yellow Parlophone label, makes it more real to me. Impossible to pick favorites from such an abundance, but I'm adding a couple below. Also issued on EU CD (Zonophone ZONO 20072) with 25 tracks - adding cuts by Ipissimus, Paul Jones, Mike Proctor and Syd Barrett. The 2LP-set had label as shown here on thick unflexible turquoise vinyl in a matt fold/out cover.  (SÄM*)  (PÖX*)  

                                                                                  

                                                                               

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                               

                                                                                 

                                                                                

 

THE KINKS/GREATEST HITS - DEAD END STREET KINK 1 (-83) UK MONO

 

Cancelled compilation consisting of a twenty track hit collection plus a bonus 10 inch with six then "previously unissued" cuts. The hit collection has exellent track choices and is all mono as it should. The audio shifts a little and even if never top of the line it's still mostly good listening. That alone makes it a pretty average Greatest Hits, what makes this package more interesting is the 10 inch.  As the story goes the band didn't like that at all and took legal action against the label. It was quickly withdrawn and replaced with one where the 10 inch contained six previousy issued songs -  "Greatest Hits - Includes 6 Mod Anthems" - then with different sleeve design and the "Kink 2" number.  I can understand why the band reacted in the first place. The claim that all six bonus tracks was "previously unavailable on record" is wrong, as "Misty Water", "Rosemary Rose" and "Groovy Movies" already had surfaced on the 1973 US "The Great Lost Kinks Album" (Reprise MS 2127).  Also of the three remaining both "Pictures In The Sand" and "Spotty Grotty Anna" are instrumentals, probably unfinished, like they're waiting for vocals that never came. Only vocal cut new for this was "Time Will Tell" -  sounding like something from "The Kink Kontroversy". Maybe not their best song ever, but Kinky enough to be loved. So in the end less exciting than one could expect from the sleeve notes and background story, but a totally ok compilation nevertheless. (KYX*)  (PÖY*)

                                                                        

 

JOE COCKER/SOMETHING TO SAY HIGHFLY 13 (-73) UK

 

For more on the albums background and making please check previous post on the US issue https://monolover.blogspot.com/2016/08/joe-cocker-sp-4368-72-us.html .  That is probably enough for most fans and lovers of Cocker with its good audio and a fold/out sleeve having tons of pics on him and the band inside. Very generous. The UK version is a lot less lavish with only one unclear live pic lower rear and not the most flattering image on front. Still there are many reasons for wanting. The audio is about the same, but this is on the collectible Fly/Cube label and since sales in UK were a lot lower than in US it's much rarer. Also for many collectors it's important to have an original UK press for a UK artist, if possible. Though whatever version one might prefer it is a very good album. To my taste not reaching up to his two ealier ones, but with enough goodies to satisfy any true music lover. Favorite tracks - "Woman To Woman", "High Time We Went" and "St. James Infirmary". Premiere UK had label as shown here in a thin fully structured cover with fly/cube inner.  (JÖC*)  (FXÖ*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

LEIGH STEPHENS/LEIGH STEPHENS AND A CAST OF THOUSANDS CAS 1040 (-71) UK

 His second solo album after leaving Blue Cheer following their second album "Outside Inside". So far not familiar with his first - the 1969 "Red Weather" - but since Blue Cheer, especially through their debute "Vincebus Eruptum"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/search?q=vincebus+eruptum , were very dirty forerunners in the hard rock genre you could expect great things here. And it does deliver...almost...in a way. Apart from a cover of Rolling Stones "Jumping Jack Flash" all numbers are self-penned and he's surronded by players as Ashton, Gardner and Dyke and Jethro Tull  bassist Glenn Cornick among others. Recorded at Island studios, London, and produced by Stephens himself. Those expecting something close to the early Blue Cheer albums may be disappointed. This is more pastel, partly reinforced by brass and female background quires. To my ears a little uneven. I'm not all in with all vocals, but his guitars are very good all the way. And I can be without the funkier trials, but he JJF cover works well and I get some very fine rock'n'roll moments in "The World's Famous Soul Transplant", "Simple Song", and "Oh Lord". Maybe not the stone hard stuff I expected, still a quite all right rock album with enough weight to secure a spin every now and then.  Vinyl issues also on Philips in France, Holland and Downunder. Italy 2004 CD on Akama (AK 094) in a fold/out sleeve.  Premiere UK had label as shown here in a thin matt cover.  (CÄX*)

                                                                                

                                                                                 

                                                                            

                                              

                                                                              

 

THE BEATLES/SGT. PEPPERS LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND PCS 7027 (-67) UK STEREO

 Already the most overanalyzed record regardless of format, but feel I have to write something, so here I go. Have to admit I never had much interest in the original stereo version of this icon before. As it was early known that the band were involved in the mono mixing to get it exactly as they wanted it to be heard, while the stereo was made second hand by studio engineers, the mono became my only way in and I never looked back. But it is one of the Beatles LP:s where the formats differ most, so lately I've been curious if the stereo could reveal something new to me. Not going in to all details and differences here, they are well handeled on other places, so this is just from my listening chair.  The stereo mixes are very good for their time, the audio is superb and if I wasn't that used to the mono I would have been very pleased. Now it takes time to get used to a couple of things - e.g. the slower "She's Leaving Home", the reverb on "Fixing A Hole" and the somewhat smoother title tracks - but I will. To me the largest dissimilarity lies in the enterity. On the mono you get the feeling every track was mixed with the others in mind, making the listening a cohesive journey you can take from beginning to end in the same magic atmosphere. The stereo gives a more split impression. I get a collection of superb songs, but without that unique flow the mono offers. Now end of this dissecting. This is a great album either way and I guess most Beatles collectors already have or decided to get both anyway. Nuff said!   (BÄ*)  (PÖX*)  (LGÅ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                           

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

                                                                             


 

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL/PENDULUM LBG 83400 (-70) UK

The bands  sixth LP in a little more  than three years so it would be fair to expect at least some signs of fatigue or drought of creativity, but not that I can hear. It was the first with all songs penned by the band and also more neately arranged and produced than their earlier albums, partly with brass, keyboards and background quires. There's even a psych effort - "Rude Awakening #2" -  more sounding like a sound experiment than a regular song. But in the middle of all that I also get a couple of classic Creedence numbers - the long and ruthless "Pagan Baby", the very catchy rockers "Hey Tonight" and "Molina" plus the beautiful ballad "Have You Ever Seen The Rain". As a whole more a grower than a shower though with enough of the old style to satify old fans right on. So a little different from their previous five, but still very much the CCR I love. Issued and reissued on all possible formats all over the world through the years. Premiere US on Fantasy (8410). Argentine mono on Liberty (XL 5159). Japan 2002 remastered CD in fold/out paper sleeve on Fantasy (VICP 62076). First UK had label as shown here in a matt fold/out cover with A-1/B-1 matrixes having "LBS" struck off and replaced with "LBG".  (XLÄ*)  (CÖR*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                                     

                                            
                                                                           

                                                                              

                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       



 

THE ZOMBIES/THE WORLD OF THE ZOMBIES PA 85 (-70) UK MONO

 

 Yet another "World Of..." mono I have to remention.  Counting seven tracks from the "Begin Here" LP, two from the "Bunny Lake Is Missing" soundtrack and three that was 45 only back then.  As with many others from this serie it's hard to hear if the mono takes are original or sound-alike folds. In this case three of the tracks only existed in mono and therefore appear as rechanneled on the stereo. That would mean if this is a fold it'd be from nine true stereos and three fakes.  It's hard to decide just by listening. The bass is somewhat more prominent than on the originals I could compare with and it's cut very loud, at parts almost bursting the seams. Yet the balance is good and if just cut at a little lower volume it would have been close to perfect. To my taste the two best Zombies compilations on vinyl are the Swedish 1966 eponymous https://monolover.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-zombies-lk4843-66-mono-sweden.html   and the 1973 2LP "Time Of The Zombies" https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/07/time-of-zombies-epc-68262-73.html  . Both having good choices of well-sounding mono 45 cuts and the latter also with the full stereo version of "Odessey And Oracle". This is not one I would recommend to the most sensitive audiophiles, but guess die-hard fans and completists consider it passable enough. Also issued in Germany, Canada and Downunder, but to my knowledge this was the only mono. Premiere UK mono had red label as shown here in a laminated cover with die-cut hole on rear and red rim inner.   (WÖF*)  (UKÖ*)  (SÖS*)

 

MAN/2 OZS OF PLASTIC WITH A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE DNLS 3003 (-69) UK

 Haven't had a copy of this for over forty years and now after finding anothert one I find myself falling in love again. Their 1968 debute "Revelation" https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/04/manrevelation-npl-18275-69-uk-mono.html came with a nice merge of hard and soft and remains very good listening for any psych lover who perfer structure to the madness. This follow-up has the same kind of blend, just more developed and far stretched.  Side one taking off with the long suite "Prelude/The Storm" which comes more like art music than a regular song, painting pictures through melodic themes and sound effects. Perfect for leaning back in the listening chair and set the mind free. Then concluded in a totally different mood - the  raw pychedelic hard rocker "It Is As It Must Be" bursting with howling guitars to pumping rhythms. Good exemple of how dirty hard rock could be in its early days. Side two starts with more guitar driven psych rock in "Spunk Box", continues with the slightly country orientated "My Name Is Jesus Smith" and the short soft "Parchment And Candels", before ending with another hard rocker - "Brother Arnold's Red And White Striped Tent". So a very eclectic LP, but to my ears far from splintered. I do prefer the harder moments, but it's all good listening, either you wanna be put in a meditative mood or crudely awakened. Originally also issued on vinyl in Germany (Pye 88003 ET) and Downunder (Pye NSPL 28098). UK 1973 repress on red vinyl with lilac label. UK 2009 CD on Esoteric Records (ECLEC 2128) came with three bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated fold/out cover.   (DÖNL*)