OTIS REDDING/COMPLETE & UNBELIEVABLE : THE OTIS REDDING DICTIONARY OF SOUL S 415 (-66) US STEREO

 The eighth Otis Redding LP I'm posting here ( https://monolover.blogspot.com/search?q=(%C3%96R%C3%96*)&max-results=20&by-date=true ). It was his fifth studio album and last solo one before his tragic death in a plane crash December 10, 1967, (not counting the duet one he recorded with Carla Tomas - "King & Queen" - a couple of months after this).  There may be debates who's the best male soul singer of all times, but to my taste no other had such a magnetic blend of power and sentiment. He was also a very good songwriter and top live performer.  This album shows him at his best. A blend of covers and self-penned, more or less direct recorded with very adaptive backing by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. No matter if he's doing his own tunes or cover versions, he owns them all. Just listen to how he treats Beatles "Day Tripper"...so intense and so different from the original. The spawned "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" has become a soul classic and the rest as good. I'm picking a few favorites below. The audio on this US is exactly to my taste - direct and very natural - and the stereo mix totally ok for mid-sixties four-channel recording.  Good listening all the way.  Issued and reissued all over the world on vinyl CD, 8-track, cassette and 12xFile. First UK on Atlantic (587/588050). Japan2016 CD on ATCO (WPCR 17533) came with both mono and stereo versions plus bonus tracks.  Premiere US (also as mono - Volt 415) had label as shown here in a cover with laminated front.  (YZÄ*)  (TÄX*)  (ÖRÖ*)

                                                                             

                                                                              

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                                                                             

                                                                                

 

GINGER BAKER/AT HIS BEST PD-3504 (-72) US

  Compilation that sold nicely back then, but today can be found in the cheaper bins. In my world well worth the dough if you can pick a top copy for a buck or two. Three of the cuts are from the Blind Faith one-off album https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/06/blind-faith-583-059-69.html  , the remaining six from his two Air Force ones. Hard to avoid a couple of rather long drum solos from the man, but even if you're not into such there are quite a few good moments to enjoy. And of course an amazing list of partakers. The Blind Faith gang including Eric Clapton and Stevie Winwood, plus Graham Bond doing organ and lead vocals on one cut. There's also Jeanette Jacobs, from the odd and enchanting US girl group Cake https://monolover.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-cakea-slice-of-cake-mup-390-69-uk.html , singing on a couple. The audio on this US is top notch. Lots of good music to be enjoyed and highly recommended to fans that for some reason can't get the original albums or more modern music lovers who wanna know what was happening back then. Favorite tracks - the Graham Bond "Let Me Ride" plus the two Blind Faith "Had To Cry Today" and "Well All Right".  1972 releases on Polydor in US and Canada only, also US 8-track. 1973 issues on RSO in Japan, Downunder and a couple of European countries. To my knowledge never like this on CD. Premiere US had label as shown here in a top fold cover.  (CÄRÄ*)  (YZÄ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                                

                                                                               

 

 

MARY HOPKIN/POSTCARD ST-3351 (-69) US

 This has always been one of my favorite female vocal albums. The blend of old time classic songs and more modern pop sung by her bright and very sensitive voice always does it for me. Here she was in very good company. Produced by Paul McCartney with some help from Beatle engineer Geoff Emerick (1945-2018). Paul also contributed guitars and bass, Donovan did some of the guitars and George Martin (1926-2016) penned one of the tracks and pitched in on piano. I've already made a comparison between the UK mono and stereo, showing they were separate mixes https://monolover.blogspot.com/2016/03/mary-hopkinpostcard-sapcor-5-apcor-5-uk.html . This US was stereo only though with enough differences to the UK to make it worth a separate post. Here "Someone To Watch Over Me" was omitted and replaced with her first and biggest hit "Those Were The Days" (in mono).  I do like her version of STWOM, yet have to admit that small change of tracking makes it a little better listening . The audio on both UK formats was immaculate and this isn't far behind. It comes somewhat softer and a tiny bit less clear, but very wide and embracing and sweeet to the ears. Issued and reissued on all possible formats all over the world through the years. First US had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover.  (ÄPLÄ*)  (FÄV*)  (YZÄ*) (GJÅ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                              

                                                                              

                  
                                                                                 

 

HELL PREACHERS INC./SUPREME PSYCHEDELIC UNDERGROUND MALS 1169 (-69) UK

 Already posted the German 1968 budget label original of this oddity a couple of years ago   https://monolover.blogspot.com/search?q=HELL+PREACHERS . Now it's time for an update with the UK version and added music. A well played hard rock psych album that gathered fans in Europe at the time and soon became surrounded by a rumour that it actually was a Deep Purple side project, or at least included Richie Blackmoore on guitar. As it turned out non of that was true. Instead it seems to have been recorded by an early setting of the band that later became Lucifer's Friend. However that may be it still stands as a good exemple of sixties psych. You get a couple of shameful rip-offs - "Time Race" is more or less a cover version of Deep Purple's "Wring That Neck" from Book Of Taliesyn and "Let Me Shoot You" very close to the Jeff Beck version of "Let Me Love You" that showed up on his Truth LP - but if you can live with those there's a lot further to take in for the lover of howling guitars, swirling organ and odd song structures. And it never turns humdrum, instead there are healthy variations. "Shalom" comes with an eastern flavour, "We Love The White Man" has chanting and mumbling to drums, "Turn Turn" like a raw hard rock Bo Diddley, "Spy In Space" stumbling spaced out with warped vocals, "Nirwana" filled with seemingly mindless shouting and organ. I understand why some thought it'd be Deep Purple. The organ and guitars are there and though this is more psychedelic and the vocals  far from contemporary Rod Evans it's about the same feeling. Issued on vinyl all over Europe and downunder at the time. US 2013 CD on Gear Fab Records (GF 254) combined it with a one-off 1970 album by the UK band "Ugly Custard". Premiere German on red/white Europa label in a thin glossy cover. This UK seems to be the most favoured version by collectors. I guess for the exclusive front sleeve pic and that it is the rarest. Happy to have it, but when it comes to listening I prefer the German as that appears somewhat clearer with better separation. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.  (PÖY*) 

                                                                         

                                                                           

                                                                               

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

PINK FLOYD/THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN SCX 6157 (-67) UK STEREO

 Wrote a rather meager post on the mono long time ago https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/04/piper-at-gates-of-dawn-sx-6157.html . Had no original stereo back then so thought I'd just wait till one showed up and then make a comparison. But as it turned out it wasn't easy to find an ok copy at a price fitting my wallet. Today I have and it only took nine years. Some might wonder why I didn't use one of the many more common and much cheaper re-presses instead. Not entirely sure myself...but it was well worth the wait.  And now when listening to both I realise a full-scale collation is more than I can handle. All tracks differ, many of them a lot, and some almost sound like different takes. As the mono with all certainty was the original mix and therefore closest to the bands intentions that will always be closest to my heart, but for now I'm trying to forget all about that and enjoy this stereo like it was the only one.  And enjoying I am. A stunning piece of psychedelia - overflowing with effects and odd whims but at the same time strangely catchy. A high flying trip, yet close and personal. And the stereo audio is tophole for its time. I'm getting both strong and detailed with lots of overlapping, making it surprisingly natural for a four channel mix. I've seen discussions on the net where people complain about it and claim the mono is a lot better. Maybe so, but why compare when both formats have so much to offer by themselves? There's no law against loving both.   (PÅX*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                  

                                                                     

HAPSHASH AND THE COLOURED COAT/FEATURING THE HUMAN HOST AND THE HEAVY METAL KIDS MLL 40001 (-67) UK MONO

 There's a lot written about this LP in public media, some contradictory. I'm trying to boil it down here. "Hapshash and the Coloured Coat" was a name for the artist duo Mike English and Nigel Waymouth, at the time recieving high praise for creative album covers and psychedelic posters with much of their inspiration coming from hallucinogenic drugs. Non of them were musicians, but as prominent part of the London in-crowd they had a way of setting things in motion - not unlike what Andy Warhol did at the same time in New York. As the album's full title indicate it was made by a sort of triumvirate. Waymouth and English as HATCC instigated the whole thing and did cover design. Guy Stevens (Human Host) - who at this time worked as a DJ and ran Island's Sue label division - handeled production and studio work and " The Heavy Metal Kids", responsible for most of the musical input, was in fact the band "Art", later renamed "Spooky Tooth". So in a way this is a sibling album to Art's "Supernatural Fairy Tales" (Island ILP 967), which also was produced by Stevens with cover design by HATCC and issued about the same time. Anyway the outcome here is very different from SFT. While that is a well produced rock/psych album having rather ordinary song structures, this consists of lengthy jam sessions built around preset themes and ideas with vocals mostly as chants, grunts or moans. A cardinal exemple of hard core acid rock recorded under the influence. It's hard to say where they got the impulse for making such an LP, but I would guess the "Help I'm A Rock" and "Magnet" tracks from Zappa's "Freak Out" album. There are lots of similarities, especially on the sixteen minute "Empires Of The Sun". Even if public interest and sales were low initially it is now considered a psych classic and pointed out as an inspiration to early krautrock and prog. This mono sounds great - big and strong with a natural live-in-the-studio feeling. Never heard a first press stereo so I can't compare, but at this time it's likely separate mixes were made. First US on Imperial in stereo (LP-12377) and as mono promo (LP-9377) came with partly other cover design. Also originally issued in Germany, France, Italy, Canada and South Africa. Reissued 2009 on vinyl by US Sundazed (LP 5072). UK 2013 remastered CD on Esoteric Recordings (ECLEC 2416). Premiere UK had structured label as shown here on red vinyl, fully laminated sleeve and a silver pic insert (missing with this copy). (YMÖ*) (ÄHÅR*) (ÄZC*) (GÖJ*) (FSÄ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                               

 

DAVID BOWIE/HUNKY DORY LSP 4623 (-71) US

 An album today widely celebrated and high on many best ever album lists. It's also one of the most explored with miles written about it on different medias. Pointless to repeat any of that here, so this is just some personal thoughts. To my taste it is one of his best, if not the best. Still sounding as fresh as fifty years ago and will with all certainy remain salient many zeitgeists to come. I'm not just clinging to the obvious "Life On Mars" and "Changes", but it all. For now especially "Queen Bitch", "Quicksand" and "The Bewley Brothers". Had a UK laminated back then since that was more common at first. Lost it in some trade years ago and have recently tried to find another one, but the prices are so out of my league I can't even dream of catching a copy. Yet there are truly rewarding reliefs. Shown here is a premiere US (Indianapolis press), which has a lot going for it. Though also very rare the prices aren't even close to UK 1st. The audio is a-ok, the insert is there and the sleeve something else. The name and title only showed on the shrink, so when that is removed the front is just the framed picture, without any "disturbing" fonts. It's also fully structured, giving it a strange luster. Guess it'd fit any fan's wall. So to my taste this US sleeve beats the hell out of the UK laminated. Would still be nice to come across one of those, but with this I don't miss it that much anymore. Issued and reissued on every possible format all over the world through the years, some with bonus tracks. I can't count them all.  (YZÄ*)  (PKÅ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                              

                                                                                  

                                                                           

                                    
                                                                              

                                                                           

 

LUTHER GROSVENOR/UNDER OPEN SKIES ILPS 9168 (-71) UK

 His one solo album before the 1996 "Floodgates". Recorded between his partakings in Spooky Tooth and Mott The Hoople (there under the alias Ariel Bender). All tracks self-penned, three together with his then spouse Githa. The backing was truly impressive. Mike Kellie and John Hawken (Spooky Tooth), Mike Giles (King Crimson), Trevor Burton (The Move), Trevor Lucas (Fairport Convention, Fotheringay), Jim Capaldi (Traffic) and Mick Ralphs (Mott The Hoople). With such an amazing crowd it just couldn't go wrong and it didn't. This is an odd vinyl animal and hard to describe by general genres, but the closest would be - folk psych. Sometimes rocking and sometimes almost jazzy, yet resting on a solid singer/ songwriter foundation. Mostly sweet though with occational dark undertones. I especially like the opening "Ride On" and the ending title number, with the inbetweens also providing good listening so there's no need to jump tracks.  For some reason it didn't sell that well at first and stayed almost forgotten for many years, but lately been rediscovered by collectors and music lovers. And rightly so cause it's well worth to be heard, explored and enjoyed. 1971 issues on Island in US (SMAS 9312), Downunder and over Europe.  UK CD on Edsel (EDCD 364). Premiere UK had label as shown here in a glossy fold/out cover.  (FSÄ*)

                                                                             

                                                                                   

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                   

 

ROBERT PLANT/PICTURES AT ELEVEN SS 8512 (-82) US

 His debut solo album, issued two years after Zeppelin dissolved. Back in the days I was gulled by a friend who played it to me and claimed it was a new Led Zeppelin LP. Doubted it at first, but after getting a glimpse of the label and listening to the first two tracks I believed. "Burning Down One Side" a catchy riff rocker and "Moonlight In Samosa" a sweet ballad with some very attractive guitars. And on it went with pumping drums, top guitars and Plant's vocals sounding a lot like before. Maybe not as heavy as old Zep, but with lots of the same feeling. Then when he smiled and told me the truth - a Plant solo album with other musicians - I was disappointed but in love. And the backing was superb - Phil Collins and Cozy Powell on drums, Robbie Blunt on guitar, Paul Martinez on bass and Jezz Woodroffe handeling keyboards. All cuts penned by the band and the whole thing produced by Plant himself. Still like it a lot and even if he was supported by other guys I can't help getting at least some Zep vibes. Issued and reissued all over the world on every possible format through the years. First UK on Swan Song (SSK 59418). Premiere US had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover with glossy credit inner.   (YZÄ*)  (LÖZ*)

                                                                               

                                                                                

                                                                             

                                                                         

                           
                                                                               

                                                                                 

                                                                              

 

PARRISH AND GURVITZ SRZA 8506 (-71) UK

 After the prog rock band Gun broke up bassist Paul Gurvitz teamed up with old friend Brian Morris (here under alias Brian Parrish) who earlier had played together with him in The Knock (UK beat band issuing six 45;s between 1965-67) and recorded this one-off LP. Supported by drummer Mike Kellie (Spooky Tooth), bassist Ricky Wills (Peter Frampton, Roxy Music, Small Faces) and organist Micky Gallagher (Animals, Clash). Recorded at Air Studios, London, produced and arranged by George Martin. With the P & G beat and rock background in mind one would expect this to be rather up-beat and blustery, but instead it's surprisingly soft and melodic. Though there are a couple of rocking moments - as in "It's A Shame" and "Loving You" - most of it comes like some kind of prog pop. Elegantly done with lots of things going on under the seemingly smooth surface, making it sweet to the ears and strangely alluring at the same time.  All tracks self-penned and style sometimes slightly reminding of Crosby, Stills and Nash, though with a more British idiom. To my taste a very good album, offering both direct connection and opportunity to explore. Favorite tracks - "It's A Shame", "Why" and "Loving You".  1971 vinyl issues over Europe, Downunder and South Africa. US and Canadian 1972 on Decca (DL 75336). Japan 2016 CD in paper sleeve on Vivid Sound (VSCD 5654). This UK was also issued on black/silver label, which by some is claimed to be first. But as this red label copy has the first A-1/B-1 matrixes with the initial 1G/1G mother stampers it has to be one of the very first copies pressed. It came in a structured fold/out cover with lyrics and pics inside.   (RÄZ*)