SAM & DAVE/THE BEST OF SAM & DAVE SD 8218 (-69) US

 A very well compiled collection of fourteen songs the duo recorded between 1965-68, many of them from hit 45:s. I'm getting some of my Sam & Dave favorites here, like "Hold On, I'm Coming", "Soul Man", "I Thank You" and " I Take What I Want". The audio is just fine providing smooth melodic background to any home chore, like now to me when writing this. And even if I would have preferred to get it all in original mono I guess that was out of the question for a US 1969 stock issue. The stereo mixes are mostly fine, though I do miss some of the edge and cohesion mono mixes can offer. But maybe that's just me. In any case it's a worthy compilation bringing lots of good from the best time and place for soul - the US sixties - and one possible to buy and enjoy without ruining oneself. Issued and reissued on vinyl and/or CD all over the world through the years, also cassette and 8-track. Japan 1991 CD on Atlantic (AMCY-220) came with seven bonus tracks. Very first US release had Broadway adress below on label, this has Rockefeller Plaza so it has to be 1972 or later. It came in a glossy cover with Atlantic inner. (YZÄ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                            

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                   
                                                                              

 

LED ZEPPELIN/LED ZEPPELIN IV 2401012 (-71) UK

 

Since I already have a fine early complete US press using the UK George Peckham matrices  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2019/03/led-zeppeliniv-sd-7208-72-us.html  it would seem daft for this carrier of a very modest wallet to spend a lot of money on an early UK press. I haven't, but was lucky to find this copy that's playable and decent looking for a price I could manage. And I wanted it just for the label. Thought that was it, as the plum design only existed for this LP a very short time. But reading about it I learned that no less than eight variations exist. Not entirely sure about the time line and not going into all of them here, but it seems some have "Misty Mountain Hop" misspelled as "Misty Mountain Top", some also lists Peter Grant as executive producer and some has the feather upside down on side two. I've seen this copy listed as the seventh of the eight variations. I know these differences means a lot to some collectors, but I'm not that picky. Having it on any UK plum is good enough for me. The audio as superb as from the US original. At least my old ears can't hear anything differing. Apart from the label the only differences I can detect is the UK cover is somewhat thinner and the inner sleeve darker than the US, but there may be others that I missed. So I haven't improved my listening with this copy and probably won't play it a lot, but I sure like looking at it, or just knowing it's there. (LÖZ*)  (ÄTHP*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                              

                                                                                   

 

MILLER ANDERSON/BRIGHT CITY SDL 3 (-71) UK

  British guitarist and singer who worked with Ian Hunter before him joining Mott The Hoople. Member of Keef Heartly Band 1969-71 and has also been involved with Spencer Davies, Savoy Brown, T. Rex, Jon Lord, Chicken Shack and Mountain among others. This was his only solo album before the 1998 "Celtic Moon". He's backed by among others bassist Gary Thain (Keef Heartly, Uriah Heep), drummer Eric Dillon (Fat Mattress) and guitarist Neil Hubbard (Juicy Lucy, Grease Band). All handeled by Decca key producer Neil Slaven. What I hear here is a heavily enforced singer/songwriter effort. All cuts self-penned, moving through an a blend of pop, rock and folk, sometimes with a slightly jazzy twist, sometimes orchestrated, sometimes rocking and sometimes just divested. I've seen it tagged as "psych", but can't hear anything like that. Instead it's mostly a smooth tripp carried by poetic lyrics reflecting the times, both good and bad, he lived back then. Favorite tracks - the emotional "High Tide High Water" with its gospelish background quires and the pushy "Nothing In This World" embellished by good organ and guitars. It's one of those LP:s it might take a number of listenings to get in to, but when you do it's lovely as it is. Also originally issued on vinyl in US and Canada (DES 18062), Germany, Japan and Downunder. UK 2023 CD on Esoteric Recordings (ECLEC 2810) came with nine bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated fold/out cover with "blue box" stereo inner. (DÄRR*)

                                                                                    

                                                                               

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                 

 

MARY WELLS SL 10133 (-65) UK MONO

                                                                                   

Though having a success as part of the Motown stable with 45:s like "The One Who Really Loves You", "Two Lovers" and "My Guy", Wells left early 1965 due to frustration with the way she was treated by the label. Soon after she got a gainful contract with 20th Century Fox, for which she recorded a pair of LP:s 1965. This was the first of those two and her sixth in total. It only reached #145 on Billboard and became the last of hers to chart. At this time Motown started to seriously prosper so listening today I can't help doing comparisons. Here you might miss The Funk Brothers or the Holland-Dozier-Holland compositions, but even so it has some Motown-like ambience and is very well done. The production and arrangements are superb, her voice beautiful and the audio on this mono excellent. Even if the album didn't do very well back then it sure has a quality that still makes it very enjoyable, providing lovely listening all through and a good moodsetter for sure. Favorite tracks - the up-tempo "Use Your Head" and "How Can I Forget Him" plus the smooth jazzy "Time After Time". (Reason I'm not showing the sleeve track list below is some previous owner has been "arty" with a ball pen on rear and made it unreadable, but since the rest of the copy is fine I can live with that.) To my knowledge this 1965 vinyl was issued in US/Canada (20th Century Fox  TFM 3171/TFS 4171) and UK only. 1966 reissue on Movieton Records as "Ooh!", then omitting "Time After Time" and with different sleeve design in US (71010/72010), Canada (MTM 1010) and Germany (MTS 4006). First UK had labels as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.  (FÄV*)(MÄWY*)

                                                                              

                                                                                

                                                                                 

                                                                                       

                                                                                       

 

ARTHUR CONLEY/MORE SWEET SOUL SD 33-276 (-69) US

  For background and more on the man please check post on his debute "Sweet Soul Music"   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2017/10/arthur-conleysweet-soul-music-587069-67.html . This was his last album before moving to Europe in the seventies and eventually changing his name to Lee Roberts. As I understand he relocated because as openly gay he didn't get the credit he deserved in US, bur listening to this it's such a pity he couldn't stay and record a couple of more like it.  Cause this is all tophole Atlantic soul. His voice is touching and backing on the spot, all handeled by expert producer Tom Dowd (1925-2002). Smashing audio making it lovely listening all through also with many details to enjoy - like the bass on "Something You Got", the sparse but perfect guitar on "That Can't Be My Baby" or the background quires to "Take A Step". Impossible for me to pick a favorite track, but why not the Ska-ish version of Beatles "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", to my taste way more intriguing than the Marmelade cover. If You like soul and for some reason don't have this through some format already - go get and indulge! Issued and reissued pretty much all over the world on vinyl and/or CD through the years, also as US cassette, 8-track and mono promo. First UK on ATCO (228 019). Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover.  (ÄHU*)  (YZÄ*)

                                                                                      

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                               

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                 
                                                                                

CLARK HUTCHINSON/RETRIBUTION SML 1076 (-70) UK

  Multi-instrumentalists Mick Hutchinson and Andy Clark started as members in the UK underground outfit Sam Gopal's Dream, whereafter they formed the band Vamp 1968 with drummer Viv Prince (earlier in Pretty Things), which eventually reshaped into Clark Hutchinson, here with Del Coverley on percussion and Steve Amazing on bass. For more on the band check post on their first released LP "A=MH2"   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/03/clark-hutchinsonamh2-dnr-2-69-uk-mono.html and the follow-up to this - "Gestalt" -  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/09/clark-hutchinsongestalt-sml-1090-71-uk.html . They were a lot into drugs during this period and, according to Hutchinson, lost a record deal because they were so speeded they couldn´t play. I had contact with him some years ago. He showed to be a nice and funny man, still playing lots of good guitar, but didn't remember much about the recordings and issues back then. To my taste this album is very good garage. I get the impression of a live studio gig filled with improvisations, few overdubs and minimum production, all performed with great skill. The audio is direct, has that "being there" feeling I like so much. Best track is "Free To Be Stoned" - the ultimate drug epic - simple and catchy, yet raw and with tons of great guitar. This is a vinyl I never let go. 1970 vinyl issued also in US (Deram DES 18055), Gemany and Israel (PAX ISK 1082). EU CD on Repertoire Records (PMS 7088-WP). First UK had label as shown here in a laminated cover. (DÄRR*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                                

 

ROLLING STONES/HACKNEY DIAMONDS 554 645-5 (-23) EU

 

Though a big Rolling Stones fan since the early days I had my doubts about this. It's been surrounded by tons of hype for quite some time, but as hype sometimes is used to hide a poor result that doesn't mean anything. In my world their last five star album was Goats Head Soup, while both Tattoo You and and Steel Wheels had enough good moments to please. Now with both Mick and Keith in their eighties my expectations were kept low, yet listening through for the first time it hit me and my smile just got wider, track by track. A couple of all right ballads as it should, but most of it dirty rock'n'roll. I've seen some bad reviews on the net already, but those people just don't get it. You can't value Rolling Stones against anything else than Rolling Stones and this shows they're still rolling. I like it all the way, but am especially caught by "Bite My Head Off". Who would have thought Paul McCartney joining the band playing punk rock with them? Also touched by "Live By The Sword" with Bill Wyman on bass and pre-recorded drums by Charlie Watts. Very last by the original gang. Issued all around the world on vinyl, CD, cassette and 12xFile. There are so many more or less rare CD and vinyl variations of differing colors in different sleeve designs I can't count them all. Shown here is the EU common black vinyl. It comes with label as shown here on heavy vinyl in a fully laminated fold/out stickered cover with logo/credit inner and black polylined inner-inner. (RÅ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                               

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

 

FOGHAT BR 2027 (-72) US

 

Band formed in London 1971 by three earlier Savoy Brown members - guitarist Dave Peverett, bassist Tony Stevens and drummer Roger Earl - who'd left the band after their "Looking In" album  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/12/savoy-brownlooking-in-skl-5066-70.html  and former Black Cat Bones slide guitarist Roderick " Rod" Price  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/07/black-cat-bonesbarbed-wire-sandwich-sdn.html . This was their debute album and as produced by Dave Edmunds, who also did some additional guitars, you could only expect a brilliant blues rock album. And it is. No rest for the dedicated listener here. Six self-penned cuts coupled with three covers, all served in the same merciless mood. Last track - "Gotta Get To Know You" - is more of a rock ballad and "Maybelline" close to classic rock, but the rest full speed ahead with tons of flashy guitars over pumping drums and bass. Blues in the neighborhood of hard rock. I guess this is a lot what Savoy Brown would have sounded like if the trio had stayed. Favorite tracks - "I Just Want To Make Love To You" with its clever intro and the bouncy "Highway Killing". Full album below. The audio on this US press is top notch - loud and brutal, yet clear. Issued and reissued all over the world through the years on vinyl and CD, also cassette and 8-track. First UK on Bearsville (K 45503). Japan 2008 limited ed. remastered CD in paper sleeve on Bearsville (VICP 64280). Early US had label as shown here in a glossy cover.  

                                                                                    

BRIAN SHORT/ANYTHING FOR A LAUGH TRA 245 (-71) UK

 

                                                                                  

Brian Short was the lead singer on heavy blues band Black Cat Bones one-off LP "Barbed Wire Sandwich"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/07/black-cat-bonesbarbed-wire-sandwich-sdn.html . Due to lack of success with the album the band broke up, whereafter Derek and Stuart Brooks went on to form Leaf Hound. While the rest of the members spread to other combos, Brian Short aimed for a carreer on his own. Alas this debute didn't sell and became his only solo issue. Backing crew is fabulous, including Alan White (Yes, Plastic Ono Band, Alan Price, Ginger Baker) on drums, guitarists Kenny Craddock (Lindisfarne, Mark Almond, Ginger Baker) and Peter Kirtly (Pentangle, Alan Price), bassist Colin Gibson (Snafu, Mark Almond, Skip Bifferty) and pianist Max Middleton who also worked with Jeff Beck, Bee Gees and George Martin. On double bass jazz legend Coleridge Goode (1914-2015), who among other things played with Django Reinhardt in the thirties. I hear very little here reminding of Black Cat Bones solid blues rock. Instead a blend of softer genres like baroque, folk and pop. All tracks but one - Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" - self-penned. Though with partly heavy backing I can only hear it as a singer/songwriter effort and as such emotive and intriguing enough. It can take some time to get in, but when you do it may touch. Favorite tracks - the power ballad "Don't You Need Me Anymore" and the countyish "Mother Molly".  Seventies vinyl issues also in Italy and Holland. Japan 2006 remastered CD in paper sleeve on Air Mail Archive (AIRAC 1250). Premiere UK had labels as shown here in a structured fold/out cover with lyrics/credits/pics inside.