JAN & DEAN/POPSICLE LRP 3458 (-66) US MONO

  US pop/rock duo formed 1958, consisting of William Jan Berry (1941-2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (1940-  ). After a debute playing mostly ordinary time typical pop and rock they converted to be a surf rock band in the early sixties and thus both collaborating and competing with The Beach Boys. I've seen differing theories about the two acts early connection - either it was they who inspired Beach Boys to go music surfing, or the other way around. In any case these guys almost always came out second to BB when it came to selling. However they managed five top ten singles on Billboard up to 1966, whereof one - "Surf City" - reached #1. The LP:s didn't do that well, highest charter was "Drag City" at #22. This was their last released album before the 1986 "Port To Paradise". Two more were recorded - "Save For A Rainy Day" 1966 and "Carnival Of Sound" 1968 - but were initially cancelled and not issued till much later. One of the explanations why they stopped at this point is in April 1966 William Jan Berry suffered severe head damages in a car accident and was in coma for two months, making it impossible to go on like before. But partly it can be explained by the music scene by then had started to drift towards more experimental stuff. Something Beach Boys and many others soon adapted to while Jan & Dean kept on like it was still early sixties and therefore became obsolete. This is mostly a classic surf album, very much reminding of early Beach Boys. It's happy relaxing listening with very few problems involved. Not one I listen closely too, but can have as a background when in need of some pepping up. Most interesting track to me is the "Norwegian Wood" cover with its angelic background vocals and prominent sitar parts. Good stuff. Originally released also in Canada, Downunder and a couple of South American countries. Japan 2018 CD on Oldays Records (ODR 6558) came with two bonus tracks. Premiere US (also as stereo LST 7458) had label as shown here in a laminated cover. (YZÄ*)  (ÖXCÅ*)

                                                                                      

                                                                             

                                                                                

                                                                                    

 

THE ROLLING STONES/ROLLING STONES NO.2 LK 4661 (-65) UK MONO

 The hardest thing to do for a band after releasing a strong and successful debute album is to make the follow-up as strong or even better. That might show if they're serious and not just a mayfly, a one hit wonder. The Beatles sure did it with "With The Beatles" and, at least to my taste, Rolling Stones showed with this that they were here to stay. I get good covers of US classics as "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Pain In My Heart", "Under The Boardwalk", "Time Is On My Side" and five more, coupled with three self-penned. I've seen opinions these cover versions can't measure up to the originals though I don't think such thoughts are needed. Maybe the originals still sound better to many ears, but the versions here are so coloured with that special Rolling Stones feeling and thus come out so different it's hard to compare. I've also always liked the three Jagger/Richards compositions - "Off The Hook", "What A Shame" and "Grown Up Wrong". The latter may seem a little sketchy, but they all have a feeling that always gets me. The audio on this UK mono is superb - big and strong yet natural - making it very good listening. In short - a top album! Issued and reissued all over the world on every possible format , some with differing names and/or cover design and/or tracking. I can't count them all. A few of the first UK copies had labels with "Made In England" only at the top. This hasn't, but as it got the original 2A/1A matrices and 1/1 mothers on ridged label in a laminated flip/back cover with the handling/playing inner plus the uncensured "blind man" text on rear (see below), early enough.  (RÅ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                    

                                                                             

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 

                                                                              

         

THE STRANGELOVES/I WANT CANDY BANG 211 (-65) US MONO

  A band totally new to me I'm still learning about, but seemingly they were more a New York songwriting/production team than the Australian sheep farm brothers they posed as in the press. The story about them is long and winding and I'm not repeating it here. If You're interested go the Wikipedia article  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strangeloves . Apparently it wasn't the songwriting team who performed the band's songs, instead the recordings were made by various session musicians, who also performed live as The Strangeloves. This was a one-off album, released as a follow-up to the successful "I Want Candy" single. It can also be seen as a kind of collection as it contains four A-sides and three flips from their Bang label 45:s. But all that aside this is actually an ok garage album. The style is rather common though it is primitive enough and most of the songs have a haunting up-tempo feel that might make you wanna dance. I guess for many the Bow Wow Wow cover of "I Wan't Candy" is the best version  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2024/04/bow-wow-wowi-want-candy-afl1-4375-82-us.html  . Yet the one here was the original and certainly good enough by itself. The cover of Rolling Stones "Satisfaction" sounds a little too tame for me, but most of the rest do please. Exemples below. Originally also issued in Canada, Germany, Italy and Argentina. Japan 2017 CD on Oldays Records (ODR 6443) came with three bonus tracks. Premiere US had label as shown here in a fully laminated stickered cover.  (YZÄ*)  (ÖXCÅ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                 

                                                                            
                                                                               

                                                                                 

                                                                                  

 

DAVE EDMUNDS/THE BEST OF DAVE EDMUNDS SS 59413 (-81) SCANDINAVIA

 If you're a vinyl collector in love with melodic rock'n'roll carried by flashy guitars, that for some reason missed Dave Edmunds, this is a highly recommended taster. Containing tracks recorded between 1968-79, from what he did with Love Sculpture over Rockpile and solo. Two early world wide hits - "Sabre Dance" and "I Hear You Knocking" - coupled with mostly later seventies efforts. There's a lot of good guitar rock going on here. Apart from the aforementioned - "Girls Talk" that he got from Elvis Costello and issued before the mans own release, his heavy version of John Foggerty's "Almost Saturday Night" and "Deborah" that he co-penned with Nick Lowe. Apart from "Sabre Dance", which is him rearranging a classical piece,  every track is catchy happy positive rock'n'roll of the kind that will make you smile and maybe wanna dance, all carried by good solid guitars. I havent heard everything he's done so I can't say if this is his absolutely best, but to my taste every track is a winner and the audio is lovely, so certainly good enough. Issued and/or reissued pretty much all over the world through the years on vinyl, CD and/or cassette. Japan 2008 limited ed in paper sleeve CD on Lost House Archive Club (LHAC 7012). First Scandinavian had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover. It seems the original 45 and album versions of many of his songs are locked to Youtube and not possible to "borrow". The ones below were the best I could find.   (DÄWÄ*)  (CCÖ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                                                                               

                                                                               

                                                                                   

 

GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS/EVERYBODY LOVES A CLOWN LRP 3428 (-65) US MONO

 For more on him and the band please check  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2015/10/gary-lewis-playboyspaint-me-picture-lrp.html .  This was their third album, issued just three months after the second, which in its turn was issued just four months after the debute. So apparently 1965 was a very busy year for the band. You'd think that by the time for this they'd be lacking both power and creativity, but as it showed they still had it, at least for the US public, since the album managed #44 on Billboard while the spawned titile song 45 reached #4. It's a mix of covers and self-penned, some co-written with arranger Leon Russell (1942-2016). A nice package of pop songs, neatly produced (Tommy Garrett 1938-2015) and arranged with top audio. Most of it more complient than exciting, though there are a couple of cuts that stand out for me. The frenetic title track with its cirkus feeling, "Mr Blue" has very appealing vocals and "Chip Chip" just good happy pop. Nothing for those who want music to be dark or dangerous, but if you're just after a light and friendly gesture it might be something. Vinyl issues also in Canada, Japan and a couple of South American countries. To my knowledge never issued like this on CD. Premiere US (stereo LST 7428) had label as shown here on heavy vinyl in a glossy cover.  (YZÄ*)  (ÖXCÅ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                              

                                                                               

                                                                               

 

THE ROLLING STONES LK 4605 (-64) UK MONO

 One of those LP:s that's been dissected down to molecules in magazines, books and on the net through the years. I don't have anything new to add, but can't have this page without it so I must write something...and here I go. To my taste one of the best, if not the best, debute album by a rock band. A couple of the cuts can be accused of being fillers, but it's all seemingly made with the same devil-may-care attitude, signaling - this is us, like it or not! I do prefer early Stones, from here up to "Goats Head Soup", and the earlier the better. So coupled with the German "Around And Around" LP  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-rolling-stonesaround-and-around-blk.html  they together provide top listening and also give an insight to modern rock hístory. Though I always wanted to own a copy with the alternative shorter version of "Tell Me", that's never happened. Still the copy here is clearly a 1964 press - shown by label having "Recording First Published..." and "Made In England" only at the top, while later pressings also added "The Decca Record Co. Ltd." - and it's in a flip/back cover. Apparently a previous owner has marked his favorite tracks on the rear sleeve, but since the rest is fine I don't care. Could never afford an all mint copy of it anyway and as long as the sleeve is somewhat decent and the vinyl convey enjoyable listening it's good enough for me.  US version as "England's Newest Hitmakers"  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-rolling-stonesenglands-newest-hit.html  .    (RÅ*)

                                                                              

                                                                                  

 

BESSIE SMITH/THE BESSIE SMITH STORY VOL.1 - BESSIE SMITH WITH LOUIS ARMSTRONG B 07002 L (-53) MONO NETHERLANDS

 Have to admit that though sixties and seventies blues and rock are my favourite things to listen to, I got very little knowledge on the American heroes that was behind and in that way created the genres from the twenties and on.  Here's a really early one with twelve cuts recorded 1923 and 1925. At first listen I don't recognize a lot of the much later blues or rock I'm accustomed to, but very nice to be able to hear early stuff from my fathers biggest idol Louis Armstrong (1901-71) together with Bessie Smith (1894-1937),  one of the most successful US female blues/jazz singers in the twenties. The 1923 cuts were captured through acoustic recordings - more on that here https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/articles-and-essays/acoustical-recording/   . Listening now and at the same time picturing how the singer and musicians gathered before the metal horn trying to make the best sounds possible make my heart warm. And even if the equipment and audio were lightyears from todays standards they got through with so much feeling. That's true artistery! Hard to pick favourites since it all comes together for me, like an inseparable weave, but the earliest recordings - "Downhearted Blues" and "Jailhouse Blues" - with just her and a pianist are touching and "St. Louis Blues", partly carried by Louis Armstrong on cornet and Fred Longshow on harmonium still today a killer. This was first released 1951 in US and Canada on Columbia (GL 503), then issued and/or reissued on vinyl in UK, Italy and Norway through the fifties and sixties. Italian 2015 CD on Corriere Della Sera (CD 14). First Dutch had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.  (FÄV*)  (HÖLX*)  (NYFÖ*)

                                                                                    

                                                                                    

                                                                            

 

CILLA BLACK/CILLA PCS 3063 (-65) UK STEREO

 This was her debute album. But as I already have and am very pleased with the the mono - please check that for more on the release itself  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2012/06/signed-by-brian-epstein-1961-cilla.html - why would I need the corresponding stereo? Because it was produced and partly arranged by George Martin, who also oversaw the mixing. This was recorded at about the same time as "Beatles For Sale"   https://monolover.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-beatlesbeatles-for-sale-pcs-3062-64.html    and with the, for its time, very enjoyable two-channel mixes on that I wished the ones here would come out as good. And they actually do, at least to my ears. One of the better UK 1964 stereo mixes I've heard so far. The equipment they used very primitive compared with todays standards. From back then you often got vocals and music divided between the speakers or rhythm section in one and the rest in the other. But this comes all very well balanced. There are nice stereo effects, but lead vocals mostly centered to a fully fledged background. Maybe not my all time favourite female singer, she could sound a little strained sometimes, but the production, arrangements, mixes and audio here are just dandy, so good listening and a keeper for sure. Originally issued like this also in Germany, Downunder, Israel, Rhodesia and South Africa. Japan 2017 CD on Oldays Records (ODR 6450) came with four bonus tracks. This copy seems to be one of the first pressed as it has -1/-1 matrices and 1/G 1/G mother stampers  https://monolover.blogspot.com/search?q=%28ZLE%C3%84*%29  . It came with label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover with "EMITEX" inner.  (FÄV*)  (CÄLÄ*)  (PÖX*)

                                                                         

                                                                          

                                                            

 

THE HAPPENINGS/PSYCLE SHA-U 100 (-67) GERMANY

 US New Jersey combo starting as "The Four Graduates" 1961, but changed name after being signed by B.T. Puppy Records. Successful as a cover band, taking known hits and remaking them in their own special style. Between 1966 and 1969 they released three albums, of which this was the second, and during that time also managed nine top 100 45:s on Billboard, where of two - "See You In September" and "I Got Rhythm" got to #3. Listening today one can argue that the style on this album isn't all their own, but sometimes reminding a lot of same period Beach Boys - the harmonies, the adventure and the softness embedding it all. But on the other hand it's all very well done. The harmonies maybe not totally up with Beach Boys though still beautiful enough. And I do get a feeling what it would have sounded like if Brian Wilson and the boys would have chosed to cover Al Jolson's "My Mammy", Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" and the classic "Bye Bye Blackbird". So even if I felt a little distrurbed because of the similarity to Beach Boys at first, now I'm enjoying a very well performed, arranged and produced album with enough twists to entertain. Originally released in US on B.T. Puppy Records in stereo and mono (BTP/S 1003), also in Canada, UK, France, Spain, Downunder and a couple of South American countries. Japan 2019 CD on B.T. Puppy Records (ODR 6839) came with two bonus tracks. First German had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover.  (GÖXÄ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

 

 

THE ROLLING STONES S 17005 P (-73) MONO GERMANY

 

A reissue of the 1964 German release of the Rolling Stones debute album (BLK 16 300-P). As a fan of the band and collector of original issues in general that would be the real prize for me and I'm hoping to find that one day. But this has benefits too having totally different sleeve design, including a colour live pic on rear, and carrying a giant Mick Jagger poster. Never heard the German original mono so I can't compare with that, though this mono sounds mostly brighter and wider than the UK, can't say if better or worse, just different. However it was the poster that made me pick it. I have checked a large number of copies last decades lacking it so buying this was a no-brainer. First released as a record club issue 1970 and reissued many times including poster with only small differences between them. Reasons I think this is the 1973 one is the rear sleeve lacks both the small "stereo" print top left rear and the "6.21695 AF" under the S to the right and that it is true mono, not fake stereo. Please right me if I'm wrong. Anyway it came with label as shown here in a fully laminated cover with a 96x65 cm poster having Mick Jagger on one side and German discography on the other. Th MJ pic is way too large for my scanner, but it's the same as on the front sleeve, so I've cut that to get you an idea.  (GÖXÄ*)  (RÅ*)