DIANA ROSS/BABY IT'S ME STMA 8031 (-77) UK

 Her eighth solo album after quitting The Supremes. Been loving that combo ever since their heydays in the sixties and always listen for similarities to her work with them in her later stuff. And I do get one here reminding a lot of the good old days -"All Night Lover". But even if the rest doesn't sound a lot alike there are still stuff that make me sit straight in my listening chair.  Like the swinging "Gettin' Ready For Love", the funky "Baby It's Me" and "Your Love Is So Good For Me" or the yearning "Confide In Me". Alltogether maybe not as fun or uplifting as the old Supremes though a lot more mature, bringing somewhat deeper qualities. Add to that the audio on this press is tophole, forwarding a very cozy touch making me feel embraced and enticing me to listen again. So far from the cheerful love stuff you got from her old girl group. This is softer hugs from an older, more experienced, woman and if that is what you're after look no further. Issued and reissued on all possible formats all over the world through the years. Premiere US on Motown (M7-890R1). EU "50th Anniversary Special Edition" CD on Motown (37463-99571-2) came with the 12" single version of "Your Love Is So Good For Me" as bonus track. First UK had label as hown here in a matt cover with hard glossy picture/credit inner. (ZYZÖ*) (FÄV*) (TÖMÖ*)

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                              

                                                                                   

                                                                                   

                                                                                

 

THE SEEKERS/LIVE AT THE TALK OF THE TOWN SX 6278 (-68) UK MONO

 The group's first live album, recorded during four weeks at the London "Talk Of The Town" theater just before they broke up. Had a soft spot for them ever since I first heard them on Swedish radio mid-sixties. Never heavy or hard-core, but very well performed folky stuff with lots of melody and feeling. Though even if I didn't like them I would have acknowledged this as a very good live album. The performance is 100%, it's clear they love what they're doing and the communication with the audience is amazing. Sixteen numbers with lots of talking and joking inbetween, all forwarding a very warm feeling. Add to that good mono audio - well separated and clear - and I just have to close my eyes in the listening chair and I'm there. Not absolutely certain if it's a separate mix or a fold, but as produced by Mickie Most 1968 I guess it's true mono. Listening through with a smile on my face, especially to the classics "A World Of Our Own" and "Georgy Girl". No reason to jump tracks here, it all fits. Sixties releases in US and Canada (Capitol ST 135), Downunder, South Africa, Japan and over Europe. Japan 2015 CD on Parlophone (WPCR 16850) came with eight bonus tracks. Premiere UK (also as stereo SCX 6278) had label as shown here in a laminated flip/back cover.  (LYBÖ*) (FÄV*)

                                                                                       

                                                                                      

                                                                                   

                                                                                

 

JACK BRUCE/THINGS WE LIKE 2343-033 (-70) UK

 Album recorded 1968 and according to Bruce himself containing tracks he composed already 1955, at age twelve. In that case he must have been a true jazz wizz kid back then, cause this sounds pretty advanced even for now. Hard to know how much of this still capture his original intentions and how much is due to the expert musicians involved. Drummer John Hieseman and sax player Dick Heckstall-Smith must have had a busy year as they then assisted John Mayall on his "Bare Wires" album and also were starting the Colosseum project. Guitarist John McLaughlin, who earlier had played with Alexis Korner, Georgie Fame, Grahame Bond and Brian Auger, would later be famed for his work with Mahavishnu Orchestra and becoming a sought after jazz fusion guitarist, playing with the best in the genre. To me this mostly sounds like free form jazz, jamming built around preset themes. Though I can appreciate the skill performed through Bruce's double bass and the others instrumental treatment as well as the tophole mix and audio making it all come out very natural, I'm not 100% in. I do appreciate experimental music, but need more melody, more catchy stuff, to fully connect...like what I hear on his "Songs For A Taylor" album  https://monolover.blogspot.com/2013/05/jack-brucesongs-for-taylor-583-058-69-uk.html  . This is a little too off for me. Yet I enjoy having the LP and maybe with time I will learn to love. Released on vinyl early seventies over Europe, Downunder, US, Canada and Japan. EU 2003 CD (Polydor 065 604-2) came with one bonus track. Also on cassette, 8-track and as US mono promo (ATCO 33-349). Premiere UK had label as shown here in a thin fully laminated cover. (CÄRÄ*)

                                                                                 

                                                                                    

                                                                                   

                                                                              

                                                                                    

 

IKE & TINA TURNER /NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS UA-LA180-F (-73) US

The couple's nineteenth album and to my taste an excellent one. Five cuts penned by Tina, two by Ike and three covers, among the latter a re-recording of "River Deep, Mountain High". Among Tina's songs are the autobiographical title track, about the Mississippi town where she grew up, and "Club Manhattan", an ode to the place where she first met Ike. Both those tracks stone hard soul and that goes for most of the rest of the album too. Slow or up-tempo it's all with lots of nerve and tons of feeling. She sings like her life depended on it and the backing is soo tight. Good listening all through. My only reservation would be the rough re-recording of "River Deep, Mountain High". Not that it's bad in any way, but I prefer the original version as more melodic with more sentiment. They would go on to record two more albums before breaking up 1976 - allegedly due to Ike's cocaine addiction and violent behaviour - but here they still sound very together, producing an harmonic result. Full album below. Issued and reissued all over the world on vinyl and CD, in some countries cassette and/or 8-track. Australian 1988 CD on EMI (432010-2). Also as Capitol 10xFile, AAC. Premiere US had label as shown here in a glossy cover. (YZÄ*)  (FÄV)

                                                                                   

                                                                                    

                                                                                

                                                                                  
                                                                               

        

                                                                                                                                                       

                                      

 

A BAND CALLED O/O EPC 80120 (-74) UK

 Apart from picking stuff high on my want list the most fun I have in the bins is finding stuff from sixties and seventies bands I haven't heard or even heard of before. This is what I learned about this combo so far. Formed in Jersey on the Channel Islands as "The Parlour Band" and released one album - "Is A Friend" - on Deram under that name. Then releasing two albums as "A Band Called O" - this and "Oasis" - both on Epic. Finally recording two more albums as "The O Band" - "Within Reach" and "The Knife" - both on United Artists. After disbanding 1977 all members went on to solo carreers and/or playing with different other settings. Here I hear a very well performed album, largely in a kind of prog/hard rock mood with a little glam pitched in. The guitars are good and I like their ideas so it ought be my cup of tea, but in spite of many listenings I haven't got in yet. It sounds very good, but I don't feel it. They were  liked by John Peel and I've seen some good reviews of the album, so maybe it's just me and if I give it more time I might connect, but for the time it'll stay in my "maybe pile". Example below. To my knowledge issued on vinyl in UK only. Japan2019 CD on Vivid Sound (VSCD 5862) came in paper sleeve. Premiere UK had label as shown here in a glossy cover with CBS/Epic ad inner.