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*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                           

                                                                              

                                                                                

 

JOHNNY CASH/JOHNNY CASH SINGS HANK WILLIAMS DT-91284 (-60) (-67) US

 Not a big country fan in general, but as I have soft spots for both Johnny Cash and Hank Williams this should fit. Despite what the title promise only four songs here were penned by Williams - "I Can't Help It", "You Win Again", "Hey Good Lookin" and "I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You" - one by Leon Payne - "I Love You Because" - and the rest by Cash himself. So a kind of compilation album with Cash recordings, released by Sun after the singer left the label and moved to Columbia. Often when labels issue material after an artist is gone you have to put up with subpar stuff that has stayed in the vaults for a reason, but this works well for me. With the aforementioned cuts I also get a couple of Cash originals like "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk The Line". So many classic tracks on one plate, all performed with Cash's familiar dark timbre to that signature jerky backing, sometimes supported by background quires. As simple as attractive. Early 1960 issues in US (LP 1245), Canada (London SU 1245), Australia (HAA 7631), New Zealand (London HAM 6195). US 2003 CD on Varése Saraband (302 066 464 2) came with five bonus tracks. The one here is part of a 1967 Capitol Record Club press, issued both in mono (T-91284) and this Duophonic stereo.  Don't know why they bothered to fake it. I would have preferred the mono, but it doesn't sound too bad so ok listening anyway.  It came with label as shown here in a laminated cover.  (YZÄ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                               

                                                                                

                                                                            

                                                                                          

 

THE ASSOCIATION/GREATEST HITS WS 1767 (-68) UK

 To my taste a very good collection of songs from this classic US band. There could have been even more goodies on here, but I do get three from their 1966 debute "And Then ...Along Comes The Association", one from the follow-up "Renaissance", four from the 1967 "Insight Out" and four from the 1968 "Birthday" (for more on those albums check here    https://monolover.blogspot.com/search?q=%28%C3%84K%C3%96*%29  ). All topped with the then previously 45 only "Six Man Band", here re-mixed to true stereo. I'm getting a lot of what I like most about them - cozy dreamy sunshine psych. Maybe more dreamy than pure psych, but certainly special enough to put my mind in a good mood. For those new to the combo I guess this could serve as a very good introduction. Got many favorite tracks, but to choose a few - "Windy", "The Time Is Today", "Time For Livin" and "Six Man Band". I also like the audio on this press, coming out very good to the ears. Issued and reissued on every possible format all over the world through the years. Premiere US on Warner Bros. (WS 1767). First UK (also as mono W 1767) had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover with lyrics on rear.  (ÄKÖ*)