SLADE/SLADE SMASHES POLTV 13 (-80) FRANCE

 Compilation released by British Polydor to celebrate the new interest for the band arousing after their success at the 1980 Reading Festival. It sold gold in the UK and became one of the instruments for their comeback. To me a rewarding bunch of cuts, mixing big hits from the early days - like "Coz I Luv You", "Far Far Away", "Mama WeerAll Crazee Now" and "Goodbuy T' Jane" - with a couple of then recent 45:s. You should think that cramming in ten tracks on each side would hurt the audio considerably and of course it's not the full monty you get from some earlier issues, but to me it all sounds very all right providing good listening. Slade were unique in their ability to blend raw rock'n'roll with catchy melodies and even if I have many of the tracks before, listening to this amazing string of tunes makes me sit straight in the listening chair and just smile. Hard to find an absolute favorite, but if I had to it'd be "Coz I Luv You".  Premiere issues in UK on LP and cassette, then on vinyl also in Ireland and Spain. First French had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover.  (MFÄX*) (ZPÄ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                               

                                                                             

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

 

THE PAPER DOLLS/PAPER DOLLS HOUSE NSPL 18226 (-68) UK

 Northampton girl group - consisting of Susie "Tiger" Mathis, Pauline "Spyder" Bennett and Sue "Copper" Marshall - that during the late sixties released three singles for Pye, where of one - "Something Here In My Heart (Keeps A Tellin' Me No)", composed by songwriting duo Macleod/Macaulay - became a hit, reaching #11 in UK. This one-off album was released as a trial to cash in further on the 45. But when neither that or the two following singles sold much they were dropped by Pye and moved to RCA where they released two more 45:s that didn't sell either and the trio finally broke up 1970. This is far from the raw garage outcome I usually embrace. Instead it's orderly and very cute. But as I do love odd issues with female vocals I decided to dig in and see if there's something there for me. And of course I'm charmed. The five Macleod/Macaulay penned go well together with seven mostly well chosen covers, together creating a very white yet pleasant pop/soul atmosphere. Even if partly inspired by Motown it's far from the power let out by many of that label's female combos, but with enough girlish rizz to touch me. What I like most here are a couple of covers. Beach Boys "Darlin" is great anyway it's made and this orchestraded version works well with me. Their version of Reparata & The Delrons "Captain Of Your Ship" is rather neat, but still charming and the cover of Burt Bacharach's "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" is surprisingly sexy. Originally also released on Pye in Netherlands, New Zeeland and South Africa (same numbers) and on Astor in Australia (SPLP 1271). UK 2001 CD on Castle Music (CMRCD 342) came with seven bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here on thick unflexible vinyl in a laminated flip/back cover.  (FÄV*)  (PÖY*)

                                                                                          

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                             
                                                                                  

                                                                             

                                                                            



 

FOUR TOPS/CHANGING TIMES MS-721 (-70) US

 Motown originals are always welcome additions to my collection, especially those from my favorite acts, like Four Tops. This tenth original album may not be known as their strongest effort, but certainly carrying enough zest to make it worth while. I wouldn't call it psych, but some of the arrangements are certainly adventurous enough. For exemple the long sound collage at the beginning of "In These Changing Times", the repetitive brass part towards the end of "Right Before My Eyes" or the doomsday fuzz guitar in "Something's Tearing At The Edges Of Time". Of course you also get top vocals all through and quite a few catchy parts conveyed by excellent audio, but it's those oddities that really does it for me and make me wanna spin it again and again. So even if put down by many critics it's sure embraced here and will remain a much loved part of my Motown collection. First released on Motown in US and Canada. Early seventies issues on Tamla Motown in UK, Japan, Downunder, France, Spain, Netherlands, Germany and a couple of South American countries. US 1990 CD on Motown (MOTD 5478). Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover with Motown ad inner. (TÖMÖ*)  (YZÄ*)  (FÖRH*)

                                                                                

                                                                                  

                                                                                     

                                                                             

                                                                              

                                                                             

 

SEARCHIN' FOR SHAKES - SWEDISH BEAT 1965-1968 AMLP 2004 (-84) MONO SWEDEN

 

Since I don't collect singles anymore one of my most welcome bin finds are compilations of earlier 45 only cuts, especially if those were odd and obscure. This is a good one. An A-side from one of Steampacket II:s three Singels, A-side from The Shakers 1966 debute 45, second single from The Merrymen With Boz (Boz Scaggs), T-Boones 1965 debute 45 with Kenny Håkanson on guitar, Lea Riders Group with a very obscure flip side "Dom Kallar Oss Mods" (from the film with the same name), Shakemakers 1965 debute 45, The Bootjacks third 45, a Cherry Stones 1965 flip side and Mascots 1965 A-side. Tages and Lee Kings were more successful at the time, but their tracks here originally only figured on flexi discs issued by rock magazine Bildjournalen, as did The Namelosers cut "Do-Ao". All crowned by Shanes "I Don't Want You Love", to my taste their best 45 and one of the best Swedish r/b cuts ever. All presented in original mono. To me such a plethora of wealth makes it hard to chose favorite tracks, but why not Lea Riders Group psych/prog "Dom Kallar Oss Mods", Namelosers "Do-Ao" with its pumping drums and violent gutars and of course Shanes "I Don't Want Your Love". To my knowledge this was the only vinyl release. Also on CD in Sweden (AMCD 2032) and unofficially in Russia (same number). Premiere Swedish had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover.  (SÄM*)  (SCÄ*)  (CCÖ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                   

                                                                           

                                                                                  

                                                                          

                                                        
 

THE MUSIC EXPLOSION/A LITTLE BIT O'SOUL SHP 8352 (-67) UK SAMPLE RECORD

 Garage rock combo from Mansfield, Ohio. 1966-68 they released eight 45:s, whereof only one - a cover version of "Little Bit O'Soul", first recorded by UK band The Little Darlings - became a big success, reaching #2 on Billboard. Therefore today mostly seen as a "one hit wonder". This album was a one-off, presumably recorded to cash in further on the single. There are also covers of Question Mark & The Mysterians "96 Tears" and Terry Knight And The Pack's "Love, Love, Love, Love, Love", the latter allegedly using the same recording as TKATP but with new vocals. The rest penned by the band and/or their producers Jeff Katz, Jerry Kasenetz and Elliot Chiprut. So a hastily made cash-in album that didn't made it back then and today is mostly overlooked by collectors and critics, can that really work for a garage lover 2024? Well it does for me. I get a fair amount of raw guitars, screamy vocals, pumping drums and organ. Stereo quality shifts a little though most of it good. Some of the songs sounds dangerously close to other bands in the genre, but many bands back then borrowed shamelessly from each other and these guys still had feeling and energy enough to get away with it. Apart from the title track my favorites would be the up-beat "Let Yourself Go" and "What Did I Do To Deserve Such A Fate". First released in US and Canada on Laurie (SLP/LLP 2040). These and this UK is to my knowledge the only original vinyl issues. Japan 2018 CD on Oldays Records (ODR 6535) came with four bonus tracks. First UK had ridged label as shown here on heavy vinyl in a laminated cover. The "sample record" sticker indicates a UK promo, given out to DJ:s and radio stations. A you can read there it was strictly against the law to sell.  Not sure why it's numbered, but maybe so they could trace a stray copy and prosecute who ever got it in the first place.  (ÖRJ*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                           

                                                                             

                                                                                 

 

JET S80699 (-75) UK

 Not sure if to call this a supergroup, but in a way it is, at least for us more or less familiar with the sixties and early seventies music scene. Guitarist David O'List earlier member of Nice, singer Andy Ellison and drummer Chris Townson both formerly in John's Children (  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2016/09/johns-childrenin-midsummer-night-scene.html  ) plus keyboardist Peter Oxendale and bassist Martin Gordon who both had played with Sparks. This became their only album as the band broke up soon after release due to poor sales. Because of the members differing musical background one should expect a mix of glam, prog and psych and that's about what it sounds like. If you can accept a blend between Sparks-ish and Bowie-ish on a partly harder foundation with thrown in psych and prog bits here and there it's a nice ride. The only negative for me could be Andy Ellison's vocals sounding exact the same on each song - then like a mingle between Russell Mael and Mick Ronson - but apart from that it's both odd enough and mostly quite catchy. Certainly a record worth spinning many times to get a deeper acquaintence. Favorite tracks - the adventurous "Start Here" and the hard rock prog "Cover Girl". To my knowledge the only other vinyl issue  was in Netherlands (CBS 80699). UK 2002 CD on Radiant Future (RFVP 002CD) came with two bonus tracks and a twelve page booklet. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a matt cover with lyric insert.

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                                  

                                                                                 

                                                                                   

 

THE KINKS/A FISTFUL OF KINKS SP-85 (-80) US IN-STORE SAMPLER

 US one-sided sampler carrying four tracks from the 1980 2xLP live album "One For The Road". That's one you can see regularly in the used bins while this is more scarse. Originally only pressed for records stores to play and give customers a taste of the full album. With only four tracks it might not give the full joy of the whole product, but odd enough with white label, large promo sheet on front and also including a fold/out poster. The audio is hard hitting and the live performance strong, in fact so good I now feel I have to buy the whole album next time it shows up in a bin. Don't think I've heard a rawer version of "You Really Got Me" anywhere else. So just four tracks out of originally twentyone, but I guess with enough going on to make it worth while for any serious Kinks collector. Same four tracks also issued as a 12 inch EP in Netherlands (Arista 600.313), but that was it. (KYX*)  (LYBÖ*) (ÖRJ*)