SUMMER HIATUS

 Taking a short break from posting, to rest my ears and mind in the calming summer sun. With all evil that's going on in the world now I still hope You'll have a good season filled with the music of Your choice. I'll be back with a new stack in just a while. Wishing You a nice summer wherever You are./Erik

 

HERMANS HERMITS/20 GREATEST HITS NE 1001 (-77) UK MONO + STEREO

 Always had a week spot for Heman's Hermits. Always uncomplicated, always catchy and almost always bringing a smile to my face. So even if I have most of these cuts before I couldn't resist this uncostly compilation, originally sold through a UK TV-shop. What first made me pick was singer Peter Noone's sweet cover of Bowies "Oh You Pretty Things", which predated the Hunky Dory release and had involvement by Bowie himself on piano (uncredited). Then playing through the whole thing got me in a very good mood. Only tracks I miss are "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" and "Leaning On The Lamppost", otherwise I get it all - "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter", "No Milk Today", "I'm Into Something Good", "Sleepy Joe", "There's A Kind Of Hush", "A Must To Avoid" and many many more. Most of the tracks true mono, but also a couple enhanced mono and some true stereo. It may seem hazardous to cram in twentyone cuts on a single LP and the audio would probably have been better if they'd been distributed on a double, but most sounds surprisingly good and non bad. So if you want a joyride for just a buck or two without being too particular about the audio this comes highly recommended. To my knowledge this was UK only, also as cassette (K-tel CE 2001). It came with label as shown here in a thin laminated cover.  (HÄHX*)

                                                                                          

                                                                              

                                                                               

                                                                              

                                                                                
                                                                               

                                                                                 

                                                                                     

 
                                                                                


 

THE ZOMBIES/THE WORLD OF THE ZOMBIES SPA 85 (-70) UK STEREO

 The mono variation of this  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-zombiesthe-world-of-zombies-pa-85.html is a complicated story, with what it seems folds from both fake and true stereos. And because The Zombies Decca stuff in UK mostly had been mono only up to this I was curious how many of these cuts was actual stereo and not "electronically reproduced" as the square on the label address (see below). It is hinted by asterisks on rear sleeve, but I've seen too many exemples from the past where fake stereo or mono is advertised as "stereo" or folds as "true mono", so I wanted to hear for myself. To my great joy only three here are fake - "Sticks And Stones", "Road Runner" and "Just Out Of Reach" - the rest true. And it's for four-channel recordings very good stereo too. Not sure about the origins, but could it be at least some of them were mixed especially for this issue? In any case it's variations I didn't have before in my Zombies collection and therefore a very welcome addition. Happy days! For more on the issue and hints on other band compilations please check the link above. First UK stereo had label as shown here in a laminated cover with die-cut hole on rear and "blue box" inner. (WÖF*) (ZÖZ*)

                                                                               

                                                                             

     

 

THE SHADOWS/ANOTHER STRING OF HOT HITS 7C 062-07325 (-80) SCANDINAVIA

 When the 1979 "String Of Hits" became a success in many European countries, among other things earning platinum in UK and topping the list there for several weeks, this compilation of earlier recordings was given a similar name and choosed as a follow-up. For this guy, who was a fan already in the early sixties it is an enjoyable collection, with tracks recorded between 1967-80, counting songs by Stones, Beatles, Elton John and  Beach Boys among others. With exception of the almost psychedelic "Good Vibrations" cover all kind of simple and right on instrumentals bringing a positive feel making you realise that sometimes you don't need lyrics since the melody itself is quite enough. Not one I long to sit down and listen closely to, but a nice background to any home chore. Guess it won't do it for newer generations, used to listen to synthesized productions and computerized correctives, but if you were there when the cuts first happened and appreciate the more rudimentary it might be something. Originally released all over Europe, Downunder and a couple of African countries. EU CD on Music For Pleasure (CD-MFP 6002) came with seven bonus tracks. First Scandinavian had label as shown here in a glossy cover.  (CCÖ*)  (CXÄ*)

                                                                                  

                                                                              

THE CLIQUE WWS 7126 (-69) US

 Texas sunshine pop band active in the late sixties and mostly relying on cover versions. After releasing one 45 each for Cinema and Scepter records they got a contract with White Wale, for which they released six more singles before breaking up early seventies. As many of the WW 45 A:s and B:s can be found on this their one-off LP it's most of all a compilation. Decades ago this issue was common in the cheapest bins here and I never looked twice, but it was a while since I saw a copy now and when this showed up I decided to give it a chance. And in all it offers a pretty enjoyable mix of sunshine and bubblegum pop, sometimes gravitating towards psych and sometimes towards soul. Well performed and arranged, most with some kind of orchestral backing involved, and the audio is smashing. Good listening both close and as background. And a couple of the songs are certainly worth to be played more than once - like the two psychish "Sugar On Sunday" and "Superman" and the hard hitting "Little Miss Lucy". Glad I finally decided to give it a try cause it's a keeper for sure. Issued on vinyl in US, Canada and Australia. Also as US 8-track. UK 2006 CD "Sugar On Sunday: The Definitive Collection" on REV-OLA (CR REV 162) came with the full album plus ten bonus tracks. First US had label as shown here in a laminated cover. (YZÄ*)

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                     

                                                                                    

 

WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT?/ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SCORE UAL 4128 (-65) US MONO

 Soundtrack to a 1965 romantic comedy, starring Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Ursula Andress, Romy Schneider and Woody Allen among others. Haven't seen it myself, though the cast seem very promising so I might try it some day. Reason I bought this album was the combination of songwriter Burt Bacharach and acts like Tom Jones, Manfred Mann and Dionne Warwick. It just couldn't be all bad. And it isn't. The instrumental cuts as expected well written and performed with some light twist here and there, but I guess you have to be familiar with the movie to appreciate them fully. The title track with Tom Jones became a world wide hit, Dionne Warwick's "Here I Am" a very sweet and well sung ballad and Manfred Mann's "My Little Red Book" dramatic with Paul Jones on vocals. The audio very good, though to my taste there's a tiny bit too much reverb at places. So as an album maybe not the best I've heard, but as a soundtrack not bad at all. Those can be downright boring and only valuable as souvenirs for lovers of the movies, but this has more to offer. Originally issued on cassette and/or reel and/or 8-track in US, Canada, Downunder and all over Europe. Japan 1998 CD on Rykodisc (VACK 3021) came with one bonus track. First US (also as stereo UAS 5028) had label as shown here in a glossy cover.  (YZÄ*)  (ÖXCÅ) (ZÖNT*) (FÄV*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                           

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

    


 

BLACK SABBATH VO6/847 903 VTY (-70) GERMANY

                                                                                  

 An LP that's been written and discussed to pieces ever since it first emerged. Regarded as the first heavy metal as well as the first doom metal album, therefore a creator of genres and inspiration to hundreds of combos up to this day. Dark and repetative, yet melodic, it's catchy in a way that most other heavy metal bands have failed to reach afterwards. Listening to much of what the genre offer today I get the structure, but have a hard time to find something alive within. Here I can immediately hear feelings and even warmth bubbling under the harsh surface, drawing me in and keeping me there. It's like when you really get to know a superficially very tough and hard person and then find out there's a heart of gold hidden in there. I had a UK 1:st press back in the days when you could get them for a couple of bucks, then lost it in a trade decades ago, thinking I could easily find a new one. But then the prices started to rise and it eventually became too dear for me. Realizing I could probably never spot a fine UK original within my price range I was very happy to find this German original. The audio is very good, but to my recollection coming out somewhat brighter and with slightly more reverb that the UK, which I remember being both darker and drier. I may be wrong, but if someone reading this had a similar impresson please comment and tell. Issued and reissued on all possible formats all over the world through the years. First US and Canadian (Warner Bros. WS 1871) replaced "Evil Woman" with "Wicked World". It seems most CD issues came with both those tracks. First German had labels as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover. (GÖXÄ*) (BLÄC*) (WLÖ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                    

                                                                              

 

1969/THE ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK 422 837 362-1 (-88) US

 Soundtrack to a film starring Kiefer Sutherland, Winona Ryder and Robert Downey Jr. among others. I haven't seen it, but apparently it's about a couple of young people dealing with difficulties in US in the shadow of the Vietnam war, like getting drafted or the consequences of resisting, and also with a love story pitched in. For more on that check  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_(film)# . But the movie aside this soundtrack can serve as one of the better vinyl compilations of late sixties music ever, counting tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Zombies, Moody Blues, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Canned Heath, Animals and Blind Faith. Maybe too obvoius picks for some collectors, but to me it's nice to get such a string of classics in one place, regardless of their original label belongings. The only exclusive track is The Pretenders doing a version of Bacharach's "Windows Of The World", but they do it so well it melts in perfectly with the rest. Also the audio on this US press is smashing, allowing you to enjoy all the way. So if you by chance have missed a couple of the classics in here and want them on vinyl this comes highly recommended. Issued late eighties pretty much all over the world on vinyl, CD and/or cassette. All CD versions seems to have The Fifth Dimension "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" as bonus track. First US had label as shown here in a stickered thin glossy cover. (ZÖNT*) (SÄM*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                    

                                                                             
                                                                                  

                                                                               

 

PETULA CLARK/JUST PET WS 1823 (-69) US

 She's had one of the longest, if not the longest, active career for any singer, stretching from her live debute 1939 up to today at age 92. As she's also recorded albums and/or 45:s in Spanish, Italian, French and German, it'd be impossible for me to figure out an exact discography, but this would be somewhere around her fortieth album. For more please check post on her third, the 1957 "You Are My Lucky Star"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2017/11/petula-clarkyou-are-my-lucky-star-npl.html . With her large production in mind I awaited this to be a well done yet run-of-the-mill album, more sweet than alerting, but it's a little more than that. Not only because of cover choice, among others counting Turtles "Happy Together" as well as two Beatles ones - "Hey Jude" and "Fool On The Hill". Also the arrangements and her singing are often more adventurous than expected, showing she still had a lot more new turns to offer at age thirtyseven. So to my ears not just an ordinary orchestrated pop album. It may seem like that at first glance, but if you listen closely it's quite entertaining. Apart from the aforementioned I also especially dig "For Those In Love" and "If I Only Have Time". As this US label has "An original Vogue recording" I guess it's from a French original (Vogue SLD 732). Right me if I'm wrong. Vinyl issues in UK, Downunder, Canada, South Africa and a couple of South American countries. Also as US reel, cassette and 8-track. UK 1996 CD on Sequel Records (NEB CD 902) came with four bonus tracks. Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy sleeve with giant poster and WB ad inner. Poster is way too large for me to scan, so I borrowed that pic from Discogs.  (YZÄ*)  (FÄV*)

                                                                                

                                                                                        

                                                                                     

                                                                               

                                                                                  

                                                                               

                                                                                      

                                                                                 


 

HARDIN AND YORK/FOR THE WORLD SKL 5095 (-71) UK

 Pianist Eddie Hardin (1949-2015) and drummer Peter York (1942-) left Spencer Davies group 1968 due to disagreement with musical direction and continued as a duo to and from, recording eight albums up to 1995. This was their third. Don't remember having heard anything from the duo before, but was recommended this from a friend and now after finding a copy at a good price in a bin I'm ready to hear. Listening through it's a rather odd mix of hymnlike ballads and prog, shifting between stillness and adventurous moves. For exemple side on starts with "Deep In My Dispair" - a slow heavy orchestraded piece and continues with the soul rock "Have Mercy Woman". Then follows two more ballads before ending with a jazzy instrumental, filld with rich organ. Side two has about the same disposition. All cuts self-penned, including lots of piano and organ, some guitar and some orchestral backing. All high quality, but to my taste maybe with a little too much emphasis on ballads. I wish more had been like the rocking "Have Mercy Woman", the country prog "Cowboy" and the jazzy "Xtension 345", still those are enough to make it a keeper. Originally also released in US and Canada (London XPS 602), France and Germany. German 1995 CD on Repertoire Records (REP 4489-WY) came with six bonus tracks. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a laminated structured cover with "blue box" stereo inner.

                                                                                       

                                                                                  

                                                                                     

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                              




 

CHER/GOLDEN HITS OF CHER SLS 50378 (-76) UK

 A to my taste valuable collection of twelve 45 A-sides recorded between 1965-67, at a time she was still involved with Sonny Bono, who produced and co-arranged all tracks and also wrote five of them. A mix of true and fake stereo, probably due to some of the cuts were made for 45 use only and therefore only existed in mono when this was compiled. Audio shifts a little between tracks, but non comes out bad and most very enjoyable. Reason I think it's valuable is it offers background to one of the most prominent musical carreers from the seventies and on. She's sold over 100 million records and won many awards - Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe and Academy to mention some. She's also the only artist who's had #1 singles on Billboard during six decades. However her beginnings seems to have been more tenative, which is shown here. Far from the grandiose shimmer carrying most of her later hits. Instead I get comparatively simple recordings, made with four-channel equipments and probably under stress. More intimate for sure, bringing me closer. Even if not all cuts here have a lasting hit quality, there are a couple of gems standing the test of time - of course "Sunny", "Bang Bang" and "Where Do You Go", but I also like her version of "Hey Joe", coming out both surprisingly soft and rather odd. This was first released in UK and Israel only 1972 on United Artists (UAS 29317). Second issue 1976 on Sunset over Europe and in Canada. UK re-press had label as shown here in a laminated cover.

                                                                                  

                                                                                  

                                                                                        

                                                                                  

                                                                              

 

DEAN MARTIN/THAT'S AMORE REG 1067 (-67) UK MONO

 Even if this isn't the music I mostly listen to today I must have something with Dean. He was the coolest of crooners, with a smooth emotional baryton that always touched. Listening to this now takes me back to the late fifties and early sixties when I spent hours listening to the valve radio in the living room when my parents were away. The song I remember the most is of course "That's Amore", but the slow sentimental ballads "Under The Bridges Of Paris", "June In January", "When You're Smiling" and "Out In The Cold Again" also takes me back to less complicated times, before climate crises, ruthless capitalism and AI. Some people say we're closer to eachother now with help from different social medias, but I actually think that keeps us further apart. Whatever ideas and knowledge one can exchange through the net it will never be as good as meeting and loving in real life. I'm getting off track here, but these were the thoughts that came to me while writing, so I'm posting it anyway. Having a hard time to place this in time and space. The label and rear sleeve say 1959 while the lower flip has date "6705" and I can't find any corresponding issues from elsewhere, so I guess this was a UK compilation with cuts recorded 1959 and released in May 1967. Also issued in New Zealand (same label and number). UK had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.  (SXS*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                

                                                                                     

                                                                            

                                                                                 

 

OUR GENERATION/A COLLECTION OF MUSICAL MEMORIES FROM THE 60' & 70' OP-3517 (-88) US MONO+STEREO

 Can a 1988 collection of tracks really make justice to sixties and seventies hits. Obviously it can, if made like this. Three LP:s hosted in a box, carrying 40 cuts, all original mono or true stereo with top audio. And it's to my taste brilliant compiling, blending an abundance of US classics with a couple of UK:s, all with a timeless quality. I know for a fact that my fav vinyl dealer, who owns or at least have heard about everything sixties and seventies during his forty year in the business, has a much loved copy of this and still listens to it every now and then. That says a lot and I get it - no downers here, just peachy all through. I cant even try to pick favourite tracks here, but if to mention just a few it'd be Martha & The Vandellas "Dancing In The Street",  The Impressions "People Get Ready", The Fifth Dimension "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", Guess Who "American Woman", Donovan "Sunshine Superman" and Nilsson "Everybody's Talking". For the rest check track list below. Don't have much more to say than if you love music from back then and wan't something with excellent audio on vinyl that covers some of the best, this is a good way to go. To my knowledge this was US only, also as 2xCD (OPCD-3517). Vinyl had label as shown here in a thick glossy box.  (YZÄ*)  (SÄM*) (ÖXCÅ*)  (FÄV*)