CLIFF BENNETT & HIS BAND/CLIFF BENNETT BRANCHES OUT SMO 74 482 (-68) GERMANY

 For background please check post on his debute album  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/03/cliff-bennett-and-rebel-rousers-pmc.html  . After leaving Rebel Rousers and gathering a new backing crew this became his last LP before joining Toe Fat  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/04/toe-fat-2c-062-04374-70-french.html .  With only one self-penned cut it's a cover album where he's doing songs earlier recorded by Sam & Dave, Joe Tex, Charlie Rich, Easybeats and Marvin Gaye. It wasn't properly introduced at the time, only relased in a couple of countries and didn't sell at all. Listening today all that seem very unfair cause here's lots of quality. R&b and soul numbers proficiently produced and arranged by EMI veteran David Paramor, backed by brass band and/or full orchestra with enough instrumental twists and turns to keep me alert and smiling. All crowned by attractive vocals. He has a very good voice with a wide register and use it all with full control, which together with the backing and tophole audio makes this a very pleasant journey. Favorite tracks - "You're Breaking Me Up" and "Take Your Time". To my knowledge only issued on vinyl in UK (Parlophone PCS/PMC 7054) and Germany and that was it. 2000 UK CD on BGO (BGOCD 473) "Got To Get You Into My Life/Cliff Bennett Branches Out" as a twentyfour track with both full albums. First German had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover with EMI ad inner. (GÖXÄ*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                               

                                                                          

 

BOW WOW WOW/I WANT CANDY AFL1-4375 (-82) US

 US collection relating to the UK one with the same name     https://monolover.blogspot.com/2015/08/bow-wow-wowi-want-candy-emc-3416-82-uk.html  , but differs so much it's like a separate issue. While the UK has sixteen tracks this is down to ten with other compiling. It has four cuts from their debute album   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/10/bowwowwowsee-junglesee-junglego-join.html  , all four from the EP "The Last Of The Mohicans", the "Baby, Oh No" single and the flip side to the "Go Wild In The Country" 45. Though with considerably less music space than its UK sibling it does stand well on its own, at least to my ears. I do get three of my favorites with the band - "I Want Candy", "King Kong" and "Go Wild In The Country". And while the UK thin sleeve can be regarded as too busy, this comes sturdier in a more classic style. Both have advantages and visually they stand well together. They were a strange sign of their times and now forty years later so unique they're well worth to be (re-)discovered. Issued like this on vinyl in Canada, Downunder, South Africa and all over Europe, also cassette and CD. Premiere US had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover with picture/credit/lyric inner.  (YZÄ*)  (FÄV*) (FÖP*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

                                                                                     

                                                                                    

                                                                              

                                                                                

                                                                           

 

EPISODE SIX/PUT YOURSELF IN MY PLACE PYL 6026 (-87) UK MONO

 UK band existing 1963-69. During that time they released ten singles of which non charted. Towards the end of the decade there were plans for an LP, but the project was cancelled. For more of their history check the rear notes below. They may not have been very successful back then, still today regarded historically interesting due to some of the members later destinies. Ian Gillian and Roger Glover went to Deep Purple after Gillian had played Jesus in th original version of "Jesus Christ Superstar" . John Gustafson also to JCS as Simon Zealotes   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2022/08/jesus-christ-superstar-mkps-201112-70-uk.html  , then further to Quatermass and Roxy Music. Drummer Mick Underwood also played with The Herd, Quatermass and Ian Gillian band. So the band was an hotbed for later UK rock, but how did they sound and does their music move today? This compilation is a good way to find out, counting all A:s and B:s of the seven 45's they recorded for Pye from early 1966 to late 1967. The label say stereo, but all tracks are true mono and the audio is very good. To me the music here comes as a big surprise. Considering the staff involved I expected all r&b and/or freakbeat, though much of it is harmony pop, clearly inspired by acts like Beach Boys, Hollies and Mamas & Papas. Of those the cover of Beatles "Here, There and Everywhere" has very good vocals and the fuzz guitar on "True Love Is Funny That Way" gives a fine balance. But the cuts that really stand out for me is the Sheila Carter sung "Incence" with its personal vocals and odd guitar solo, the heavy "Baby Baby Baby", the psych "I Can See Through You" and the eastern influenced "Love-Hate-Revenge". So not the garage marvel I expected, but a collection of well performed interesting bits certainly worth to be spun more than once. (FÄV*) (PÖY*) (DHÄ*) (FÄV*)

                                                                                   

                                                                            

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

  

                                                                               

                                                                              

                                                                              

                                                                               

                                                                                

 

LOU REED & THE VELVET UNDERGROUND 2315 246 (-71) GERMANY

 Compilation carrying five cuts from their debute LP "Velvet Underground & Nico"   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/04/velvet-underground-nico-vlp-9184.html   , three from the second album"White Light/White Heat"   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/04/velvet-underground-white-lightwhite.html   and one from the eponimuos third. Not the only collection of tracks from the band issued after they quit, but a good one and valuable for those who want a taste of this legendary combo on vinyl, close to the fact, without paying a fortune for the originals. "That's The Story Of My Life" sounds clear and well balanced so I guess it's from the at the time very rare "Valentine" mix of the third album, initially only issued in UK and Canada. The rest sounds like the common stereo mixes - raw and quite low-fi. But that's how it was - lyrics telling tales about drug addiction, sado-masochism, death and other tabooed subjects to hard-core garage backing. Still uniqe and as such still burning. Hard for me to pick out favorites, but why not the classics "Heroin" and "White Light/White Heat". 1971 issues in UK and Germany only, also on cassette and 8-track. Later in the seventies also released in Spain, Italy and a couple of South American countries, but to my knowledge never in US or on CD. Premiere UK on MGM (2315258). First German had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover. (GÖXÄ*)  (NÖC*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                    

                                                                                      
                                         

PETER AND GORDON/IN TOUCH WITH PETER AND GORDON SCX 3532 (-64) UK STEREO

 The duo's second album, rushed after the success of "The World Without Love" 45 and the eponymous debute LP. It is Merseybeat, but of a very smooth and well-behaved kind. The backing, including Rolling Stone Brian Jones on harmonica, is on the spot and the harmonies works well, but I don't get a lot that truly moves me. Most of the tracks are plain sailing ballads, some with a slightly folky twist. Ones that might touch at first listen, but then soon forgotten. Though there are moments that make me sit a little more straight in the listening chair. Like the up-tempo "A Mess Of Blues", "Love Me Baby", "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" and of course the Lennon-McCartney giveaway "I Don't Want To See You Again", a piece of very good period pop. Never heard a UK mono original, but guess that can do the tracks more justice. Cause this stereo, though true, does not allow sincere close listening. All cuts are mixed the same way - instruments in one channel and vocals in the other. That might have been considered ok in those still early days of stereo, but to my ears it just sounds unnatural. Also issued like this in Germany (Columbia SMC 83845), Japan (Odeon OP-7205), Australia (Columbia 33-OSX-1660)  and a couple of South American countries. In US the tracks were spread over a number of special domestic releases. Premiere UK had label as shown here with both "Sold In UK..." and "Recording First Published 1964" in a laminated flip/back cover.                                              

                                                                                    

                                                                                       

                                                                                    

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                                   

MOTOWN/25 U.S. NO.1 HITS FROM 25 YEARS 310.15.003 (-83) GERMANY

 2xLP compilation released in relation to the television special "Motown 25 : Yesterday, Today, Forever", aired to commemorate the label's 25:th anniversary. One of many Motown samplers issued through the years, though in this case with a twist - all tracks had been list toppers. Usually when encountering collections of differing kinds I look for oddities, rare recordings that only previously been on flip sides or are exclusive to that issue. Obviously I get non of that here, instead a suite of twentyfive Motown all time classics, which isn't bad either. From Marvelettes "Please Mr. Postman" to Diana Ross & Lionel Richie "Endless Love", over acts like Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Miracles, Commodores and Thelma Huston. A couple of the early cuts comes in mono, the rest true stereo, and the audio is smashing - loud, clear and well separated. So even if I have most of the songs before it's a truly rewarding ride, very good to the ears. Issued and reissued on vinyl and CD all over the world through the years, also cassette and 8-track. Premiere US on Motown (5308ML2). First German had label as shown here in a fully laminated fold/out cover.  (GÖXÄ*) (SÄM*) (TÖMÖ*)

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                              

                                                                                     

                                                                                 

                                                                                

 

DEEP PURPLE/DEEP PURPLE IN CONCERT SHDW 412 (-80) UK

 2-LP set with live performances the band made for BBC at two occations. Record one contains a gig from February 1970, introduced by John Peel, and record two one from March 1972. They were a great live band, which had already been shown on the superb 1972 release "Live In Japan", and here's more of the same. The audio on the first record is somewhat hampered by fake stereo, while the second comes true and fully fledged. Yet fake or true mixes doesn't matter much here. You still get top performances with lots of zest and closing my eyes in the listening chair I can still be there. Hard to pick favorites since it's all very good listening, but I do like the over twenty minute long "Space Truckin", starting very intenese and powerful and then eventually turning in to psych spells on organ and guitar. A wonderful piece. And even if the performance hadn't been that good I probably would have bought it anyway, just for the package. Outer sleeve has  fifteen colour pics of the band and the inners fifteen black and white, all from back in those days, so it's also good to the eyes. In all a very good experience and I guess a must have for any band fan. Issued early eighties all over the world on vinyl and cassette. Later reissued on LP, CD, cassette and SACD, some with different names and/or sleeve desgin and some with added tracks. First US 1981 on Portrait (R2 38050). Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated fold/out cover with picture inners.  (LYBÖ*)  (DHÄ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                 

                                                                         

 

MANFRED MANN/WHAT A MANN 859024 FZY (-68) SCANDINAVIA

 

 A very strange compilation of songs recorded 1966-68. Apart from the very successful "Mighty Quinn" cover it's mostly filled with odd EP tracks and flip-sides, non of them of the crowd pleasing kind. Five of the tracks are more or less jazzy instrumentals. Of those I like the playful "Wild Thing" cover most, while the rest don't attract me especially. Not that they're bad, just somewhat trifle-ish in comparison to other things they've accomplished. For the rest I dig the cover of Randy Newman's "So Long Dad" with its mellotrone backing, the very psych "Funniest Gig" and of course "Mighty Quinn". Not sure what Fontana expected when releasing such a quaint collection of tracks, but it didn't sell a lot and is now getting hard to find in the bins. I'm glad they did cause I got a couple of cuts new to me, so it goes well with my other Manfred Mann LP:s. Also originally issued in UK (SFL 13003, with different sleeve design) and Downunder. Japan 2003 CD on Fontana (UICY-9250) came with ten bonus tracks. First Scandinavian had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover. (CCÖ*)  (MÄNÄ*)

                                                                               

                                                                                    

                                                                                  

                                                                             

                                                                               

                                                                              

 

THE SUPER GROUPS SD 33-279 (-69) US

 I could never resist a good sampler. Even if I got all or most of the tracks before, having them in a new environment, sometimes with different audio and/or in a nice sleeve just makes me wanna buy. Then if the cuts are from many different LP:s or there are 45 versions you don't have it is very pleasing to get them all in a row. Totally new to me here is the 2.51 single version of Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Good if you wan't the essence without having to sit through the whole sventeen minutes  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/05/iron-butterflyin-gadda-da-vida-587116.html    . Then there's two each by Cream, Bee Gees, Rascals, Buffalo Springfield, and Vanilla Fudge. All among all the band's best efforts - just look at the track list!  All cuts are true stereo and the audio on this is lovely (Presswell pressing). I also like the sleeve design very much, with its arty front and band pics on rear. I've noticed many collectors today shy away from vinyl compilations as they rather get them on CD of just download the songs. That is very good for all us who still prefer LP:s, cause if they are harder to sell they'll be a lot cheaper to buy and we can get stuff like this for a bargain. Only issued in US (also as 8-track, cassette and reel), Canada and Germany. The latter on the older grey/yellow label with different sleeve design. Premiere US had ridged label as shown here in a laminated cover.  (SÄM*)  (YZÄ*)