JEFF BECK GROUP/TRUTH SCX 6293 (-68) UK STEREO

A truly classic LP. One of the first where white blues started to emerge into hard rock and to me musical history on the same level as "Sgt. Pepper" , "Dark Side Of The Moon", "Exile On Main St." or any of the Zeppelins. In retrospective a kind of supergroup where Beck himself is surronded by Ron Wood (Faces, Rolling Stones) on bass, Mick Waller (Georgie Fame, Steampacket, besides being a renowned session drummer), the omnipresent Nicky Hopkins playing keyboards and a surprisingly hard-core Rod Stewart on vocals...on this LP further supplemented by Keith Moon, Madeline Bell and Jimmy Page. And in addition to all skill and fame involved it must also be counted as one of the best blues-rock guitar albums of all times. Point made. For more - check post on the corresponding mono. Found this stereo a while ago and picked it as part of my ongoing two-fold investigation - to examine differences between the formats, but also to reaquaint with some of those two-channel versions I discarded long time ago in favor of the monos and see if I missed something. A more thorough look into the deviations will come later, this a just about the stereo as conveyed by an early UK press (-1/-1 matrixes and 1O/1H mother/stampers). As I remember from listening back then - almost fifty years ago - the mono came through a lot bigger and rawer and hit me harder, which was the reason it became my first choice. Therefore it's a surprise hearing this stereo now and realizing it's almost as loud, hard and raw as the mono. Stereo mix is really good for a four-channel recording - sometimes slightly panned, but mostly with a healthy overlapping. While some of the guitars are less prominent in comparison to the mono, others come on stronger - so that's an even race. I'm not all in with the further added reverb on some of the tracks here, while the mono appears drier and more natural, but guess that was made to get a more coherent picture and it kind of works. It sounds so ok to me now I'm starting to wonder if I may have had a later stereo press back then, or one pressed in some other country, because like this it's quite enjoyable. Even if I still prefer the mono this stereo has enough to make it work on its own. Premiere UK had label as shown here, thick vinyl and laminated flip-back cover with EMI ad inner. (JÄBÄ*) (CPYC*)

BLACK SABBATH/ATTENTION! BT-5036 (-73?) JAPAN

From the beginning a 1972 Fontana budget compilation issued in a couple of European countries, Japan and downunder. Shown here is one of at least three Japanese variations, all with differing sleeve designs. Haven't had or heard any of the others yet, but till I do and get a chance to compare and value this ticks all my boxes regarding sound and appearance. The front sleeve live pic is exclusive to this particular issue, the whole wrapping sturdy with laminated front and lyrics on rear. It came with Obi which is missing here. The audio is stunning. Never heard Sabbath like this before - super clear with tophole separation, almost like listening to alternate versions. So original or not - a collection of eight great songs from their two first albums presented this way can only be superduper wherever you are. To my knowledge only issued on vinyl or cassette through the years, but never legally on CD. (BLÄC*) (ÄZÄ) (PÖP*)

THE BEATLES/1962-66 PCSPR 717 (-73) UK

This post is not about the album as a product of the time in which it was made, but how it stands today as part of the Beatles legacy. My first plan was to make it a sibling to the one on the corresponding "1967-70" issue and, as I did with that, recommend it as a good start for Bealtles beginners who wanted to get in close to the fact. But after giving it a careful hearing I can't. "1967-70" had good stereo all through, including the 45 edits of "Get Back" and "Let It Be" and also using the Georrge Martin 1971 re-mixes of "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever". This, on the other hand, contains cuts recorded when mono ruled the British isles and stereo was made second hand as a courtesy to to technique freaks and novelty lovers. So what we have from this period is a bunch of perfectly mixed mono tracks with superb audio, exactly showing what a great band they were. Why they decided to discard all that beauty and instead use a couple of shaky or even faked two channel mixes I don't understand. It's diminishing and borderline history perversion. I mean how hard could it have been making them split format issues - "1962-66" in mono and "1967-70" in stereo. Then we would have the best from both worlds and together a legacy rather than a bad trial. There isn't even a nerd factor involved as for exemple with the UK version of the "Rock'n'Roll Music" compilation where you get rare true stereo cuts for the first time on a British issue (see earlier post). This is just very common picks in inferior stereo. Feel I'm getting worked up here so I better stop before writing something really bad. Released all over the world on every possible format through the years. The one shown here is the UK red vinyl issue. Visually better, but same awkward listening. (BÄ*) (ÄPLÄ*) (LGÅ*)

THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND/THE HANGMAN'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER EUK 258 (-68) UK MONO

British folk psych outfit with its origins in Scotland. Started as a duo 1963, then consisting of Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer (1943-2014), and a couple of years later spotted by Electra producer and talent scout Joe Boyd. By then Edinburgh multi-instrumentalist Mike Heron had joined and the trio recorded their eponymous debute 1966. Soon after Palmer left and the band broke up, only to be reformed some months later by the new duo Williamson and Heron. If you wanna know more about the band's long and interesting history I recommend the English Wikipedia article and henceforth just concentrate on this LP. They were never a household name back then, but had a large cult following and hailed by other artists. Robert Plant has said this album had big influence on early Led Zeppelin. Listening today I don't understand exactly how, as it's far from blues or hard rock and instead comes out like soft experimental folk with many traditional type licks sometimes backed by uncommon instruments...maybe "Black Mountain Side" and parts of LZ III were inspired...I don't know. In any case to fully take this in I have to abandon any demand for catchiness and instead try to know them, cause this is a lot more personal than commercial...like a group of friends gathering to have a smoke and then ending up playing and singing, sometimes slightly jarring though still making it work together. It sounds like fun and I sure would have liked to been there consorting, but I wasn't and hearing it fifty years after I can dig the effort and display yet having a hard time to tune in and fully enjoy. I want to but can't - well not so far, but maybe I'll give it a couple more years and see. The audio on this mono is great and as recorded in England 1968 it should be a dedicated mix. First UK press had Williamson and Heron on front and the group pic on back with hardly any info, while all other issues, including UK repress, switched sides and also included track list on back. 1968 US, Australian and German on Elektra gold label (EKS-74021), French on Disques Vogue (CLVLXEK 273). Also frequently reissued on CD, but I can't seem to find this mono version anywhere else. Premiere UK had structured label as shown here and fully laminated cover with four page lyric/credit insert. (YMÖ*)

JULIE LONDON/CALENDAR GIRL HA-U 2038 (-57) UK MONO

For artist background check post on "The Best Of Julie". This her third album is the one today considered most collectible and that mainly because of the sleeve art, hinting her earlier carreer as a pin-up girl. It was a beautiful set-up with tracking sequence following the calendar - starting with "June In January" and ending with "Warm In December" - each song having a corresponding pin-up pic on the sleeve. The 1956 US original (Liberty SL 9002) came as a thriteen track, ending with a song called "The Thirteenth Month", and a fold/out sleeve carrying an extra image for that, though for some reason non of those were included on this UK 1st press but showed up first on the 1982 Edsel reissue (XED 1009). Now enough with the sleeve subject cause the music and performance certainly stand strong on their own here. Listening as I write embedded in soft and melodic jazz. Her voice is soothing and enticing, the arrangements and the audio warm and embracing. I'm beeing taken care of - like just in from the cold sitting in front of an open fire with a hot toddy feeling groovy. Maybe not bear-hugged, but nontheless caressed. First UK had label as shown here, very heavy unflexible vinyl and thin fully laminated cover with crescent flips. (FÄV*) (CLÄZ*) (JÖL*)

THE SHANES/STRICTLY INSTRUMENTAL TLP 6011 (-87) MONO SWEDEN

The seventh Shanes album I'm posting here and though issued as late as 1987 one of the most important, at least historically. It pictures the band's beginnings by re-releasing their earliest recordings from when they were a instrumental guitar group - the 1963 singles "Gunfight Saloon"/"The Ripper", "Gun Rider"/"Banzai" and the "Pistolero" A-side - together with earlier unissued recordings from back in those days. So it's the first full discography from their earliest non-vocal period, here using the original mono takes with excellent audio - clear with top separation, yet natural. I also get a brief band history on rear together with pics from their earliest incarnations - "Whiskey Bottle Slickers" 1960-61 and "Jayhawkers" 1961-62 - before settling as "Shanes" September 1962 (see enhanced pic serie below). Makes me happy, not only because I can get original cuts from '45:s that are almost impossible to find today in playable condition to a reasonable price, but also by enjoying the previously unissued tracks...that btw not stand back to any of the 45 ones. To my knowledge released in Sweden only and never reissued in any format. First (only?) had label as shown here and thin glossy cover. (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*) (XHÄ*)

TOMORROW PMC 7042 (-68) UK MONO

UK psych band, founded as "Four Plus One" and further using the names "The In-Crowd and "The Snarks" before settling as "Tomorrow" and as such existing about a year between springs -67 and -68 - then including drummer John "Twink" Adler (Pretty Things, Pink Fairies, Hawkwind), guitarist Steve Howe (Yes) and singer Keith West (most known for the world wide hit "Grocer Jack" from "A Teenage Opera"). Though popular on the live scene they never got a real breakthrough, much of it depending on bad luck it seems. 1966 hired - as "The In-Crowd" - for the club scene in Antonioni's "Blow-Up" movie, but sacked in favor of the more famed Yardbirds. 1967 they got a contract - as "The Snarks" - for the British comedy film "Smashing Time", but as John "Junior" Wood went ill they were replaced by Skip Bifferty. Then the release of this LP, recorded at the hight of British psych early 1967, was delayed about a year and sold in shops first when the hype was pretty much over. It didn't sell and as it was recorded on a low budget with producer - Mark P. Wirtz - spending most of the time away from the studio, preparing his "Teenage Opera" project, it could have remained a public flunk only embraced by mourning friends and oddity collectors, but after being frequently reissued through the years all over the world in mono and/or stereo on vinyl and CD it has found new appreciation and is now widely considered one of the best psych albums. I agree with that. This record has about everything I need from such - a mix of well produced and studio live, blending sweet and raw, yet catchy with many memorable moments. I like it all, but if I have to choose favorites it'd be the more melodic - "My White Bicycle", "Three Jolly Little Dwarfs", "Shy Boy" and "Auntie Mary's Dress Shop" - together with the impudent cover of "Strawberry Fields Forever". This mono is cut very loud, almost bursting at the seams. As I remember the original stereo - mixed by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick - sounds somewhat smoother, providing more relaxed listening. Which you prefer is a matter of taste, but after reading an interview with Steve Howe where he said - "I like the mono better, cause that's how we sounded" - it's kind of evident even if the stereo comes with preferable audio. First US as "Tomorrow - Featuring Keith West" on Sire/London (SES 97012). Japan 2014 CD came with both mono and stereo versions plus 45 B-side "Claramount Lake" and "Grocer Jack" from "A Teenage Oprea". Premiere UK had label as shown here and laminated flip-back cover. Here's links to their mono versions of "Strawberry Fields Forever"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGhdaDVUKnU   and "My White Bicycle" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po35ueyvgc0   (YMÖ*)(PÖX*) (JÄZ*)

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG/DÉJA VU SD 7200 (-70) US

An outfit combining former members of three supergroups - Hollies, Byrds and Buffalo Springfield - and here with some support from Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) and John Sebastian (Loving Spoonful), so I guess you could call it a superduper group. Since the net is already filled with facts and comments about the issue I'm not going into any of that, just adding my own slant. When so many talented big egos come together for one project you would expect clashing or at least some drama, but if there was such I'm not hearing it here. Everything works - fantastic songwriting, beautiful vocals and elaborate backing...and to top it off the audio on this pressing is excellent, allowing close encounter. All cuts are more or less favorites, but to mention a few - "Carry On", "Helpless", "Teach Your Children" and "Everybody I Love You". As usual I'm having difficulties establishing an exact timeline for a US pressing since I can't always interpret the matixes accurately, but the thick hard sleeve having heavily structured leathery surface with glued on pic and goldlike paint say it's early and as the "Broadway" adress on label was changed to "Rockefeller Plaza" in late 1973 this has to be before that. To decipher further - the "PR" at the end of the matrix number tell it was pressed at "Presswell", New Jersey - one of at least four plants involved in the early printing. For now no clue if any of the others sound better, but as this is close to perfect I doubt it. So - lots of good music transmitted by top audio in a sumptuous sleeve. Who could ask for more? (YZÄ*) (ZHÄ*)

CONTACT/UTMARKER 2379.023 (-71) SWEDEN

(eng. "Outskirts") A follow-up to their then surprisingly successful second LP "Hon Kom Över Mon" (see earlier post). As that was partly garage psych with left-wing lyrics released on the independent MNW label I guess nobody had expected a breakthrough, but when it started to sell the band moved over to the much more resourceful Polydor label for this third and, as it turned out, last album before break-up. I get about the same message here, just conveyed a lot smoother - political input not as strong and garage feeling totally gone, which would be expected when recorded for a world-wide company with access to the best studios. A good album with a couple of highlights, but a little too polished for my taste thus hampering direct connection. With that in mind there are still four cuts that hit me hard. "Fyrvaktarns Dotter" (The Lighthouse Keepers Daughter) and "Ode Till En Fjord" (Ode To A Fiord), both catchy folk rock with melodic support by fiddler trio "Skäggmanslaget" (League Of Bearded Men). I also like the jazzy title track because of its desolate atmosphere and the country ballad "Västerns Son" (Son Of The West) - about a Vietnam deserter - with verse in Swedish and refrain in English. In my world an album not as good as HKÖM, but those four songs makes it worthwhile and a keeper. Released in Sweden only. Never reissued on CD, but most of the tracks can be found on the 2004 MNW CD compilation "Samma Vindar, Samma Dofter" (Same Winds, Same Scents) (MNWCD 2015). Premiere vinyl had label as shown here and laminated fold/out cover. (SCÄ*) (CCÖ*)